Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$2,041,131

Total expenses

$1,699,742

Contributions and grants received

$1,056,050

Grants paid

$364,952

Program service revenue

$504,451

Investment income

$464,421

Other revenue

$16,209

Total assets, end of year

$14,685,556

Total liabilities, end of year

$241,169

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$14,444,387

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$1,087,871

Management and general expenses

$611,871

Fundraising expenses

$0

Program service expenses (Part III)

$1,087,871

Program services were 64.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2024

• VFW SERVICE DEPARTMENT - THE VFW SERVICE DEPARTMENT EXISTS TO ASSIST VETERANS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS IN DEALING WITH THE VA CLAIMS PROCESS. VFW SERVICE OFFICERS ARE TRAINED EXPERTS, HELPING VETERANS DEVELOP THEIR CASE WITH EASE BY REVIEWING AND APPLYING CURRENT LAW, PERTINENT LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS, AND MEDICAL HISTORIES. AS SKILLED PROFESSIONALS, THEY ASSIST IN FILING FOR DISABILITY COMPENSATION, REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, PENSION AND DEATH BENEFITS, AND EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS.

  Expenses $553,256 · Grants $197,054 · Revenue $520,660

• MEMBER AND LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY - VFW IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED VOICES IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND WITHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS AMERICA. VFW ADVOCATES FOR JUSTICE FOR OUR NATION'S VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS AND MILITARY FAMILIES ON AN ARRAY OF ISSUES AND CONTINUE TO BE THE VOICE FOR VETERANS EVERYWHERE. VFW CONSISTENTLY MONITOR VETERANS' EXPERIENCES WITH THE VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND DELIVER VETERANS' FEEDBACK DIRECTLY TO VA OFFICIALS IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT NEW PROGRAMS AND METHODS TO ENSURE AMERICA'S VETERANS RECEIVE THE TOP-QUALITY CARE THEY DESERVE. VFW ENSURES WOMEN VETERANS RECEIVE BENEFITS AND SERVICES THAT HONOR THEIR BRAVE MILITARY SERVICE. WITH THE STEADY INCREASE OF WOMEN WEARING OUR NATION'S UNIFORM, IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT TO ENSURE WOMEN VETERANS HAVE A VA THAT IS READY AND ABLE TO CARE FOR THEM, SO THIS HAS BEEN A TOP PRIORITY. VFW'S ACTION CORPS IS THE VFW'S GRASSROOTS LOBBYING EFFORT. LOCATED IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE, THIS GROUP WORKS TO INFORM AND EDUCATE VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS ON THE INITIATIVES AND POLICIES THAT AFFECT THEM AND TAKE THE VOICE OF VETERANS TO LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LAWMAKERS. IT REGULARLY TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS, MEETS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND RALLIES THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF VFW MEMBERS AND PATRIOTIC SUPPORTERS TO ENSURE LAWMAKERS PUT VETERANS FIRST.

  Expenses $329,261

• COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES/RECOGNITION - THE PURPOSE OF THE VFW COMMUNITY ACTIVITY AND RECOGNITION PROGRAMS IS TWO-FOLD. FIRST AND FOREMOST, AS AN ORGANIZATION OF WARTIME VETERANS AND THEIR SPOUSES, THE VFW AND ITS AUXILIARY UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PERFORMED ABOVE AND BEYOND THEIR PEERS AND OFFERS SEVERAL SPECIAL PROJECTS AWARDS. THESE INCLUDE AMERICANISM, POW/MIA, VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION, COMMUNITY SERVICE, AWARDS AND RECOGNITION. VFW'S OLDEST AND PERHAPS MOST HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM IS THE VFW "BUDDY POPPY" PROGRAM. VFW IN THE CLASSROOM PROGRAMS REGULARLY PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH RARE INSIGHT INTO THE GREAT SACRIFICES OUR SERVICE MEMBERS MAKE TO MAINTAIN FREEDOM. TEACHER OF THE YEAR PROGRAMS RECOGNIZE EXCEPTIONAL TEACHERS, ONE EACH FROM THE ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT TO TEACH AMERICANISM AND INSTILL PATRIOTISM IN THEIR STUDENTS. EACH YEAR, THE VFW SELECTS EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS (SERVICES), LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND FIREFIGHTER PERSONNEL TO RECEIVE VFW PUBLIC SERVANT AWARDS.

  Expenses $158,339

• VETERANS AND MILITARY SUPPORT - VFW DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA PROVIDES NUMEROUS SERVICES TO MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND SUPPORTS PROGRAMS THAT OFFER DISASTER ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT STUDENT VETERANS, WOMEN VETERANS AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO VA WHEELCHAIR AND GOLDEN AGE GAMES.- OUR MAP PROGRAM CONNECTS THE VFW WITH THE MILITARY COMMUNITY. VFW POSTS, DISTRICTS AND DEPARTMENTS RECEIVE GRANTS FROM THE PROGRAM TO PROMOTE INVOLVEMENT. ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR WAYS THIS IS DONE IS BY ADOPTING A UNIT, WHERE THE POST, DISTRICT OR DEPARTMENT RAISES FUNDS FOR TROOPS OVERSEAS AND SUPPORTS THEM WITH CARE PACKAGES, CARDS, ETC.- OUR ADOPT-A-UNIT PROGRAM IS A MILITARY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT HELPS VFW POSTS TO CREATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH MILITARY UNITS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHILE PROVIDING FUNDING FOR TROOP FAREWELL AND WELCOME HOME GATHERINGS. ADOPT-A-UNIT'S GOAL IS TO DEVELOP SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH UNITS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER DEPLOYMENTS TO HELP DELIVER THE VAST NETWORK OF RESOURCES THE VFW HAS AVAILABLE TO THE MILITARY.- OPERATION UPLINK IS A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES TROOPS OVERSEAS WITH FREE CALL DAYS THAT ALLOW THEM TO CALL HOME TO THE U.S. FOR FREE FOR AS LONG AS THEY CAN TALK.- THE UNMET NEEDS PROGRAM PROVIDES GRANTS TO THE SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO ASSIST WITH QUALIFYING FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS. THE MONEY IS DISTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO CREDITORS TO HELP THE FAMILY THROUGH THEIR HARDSHIP.

  Expenses $47,015 · Grants $167,898

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

• VFW DEPARTMENT OF CA FOUNDATION

  $197,054

  GENERAL SUPPORT FOR CEMETARY UPKEEP AND ACTIVITIES FOR VETERANS, FAMILIES & COMMUNITY.

• VFW DISTRICT 7

  $98,527

  VETERAN ASSISTANCE

• VFW NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

  $20,000

  DISASTER RELIEF

• VFW HAWAII

  $18,000

  VETERAN ASSISTANCE

• MILITARY ORDER OF THE COOTIE

  $0

  DONATION OF TRAILER

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

• VFW DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION

  501(C)(3) · PROVIDE FOR SOCIAL WELL BEING OF VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES. · CA · controlled entity

  Directly controlled by VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

7 May 2026

IRS schema version

2024v5.5

Source object

202601329349304050

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