Best Grants for Veteran Nonprofit Organizations in Iowa

Iowa nonprofit organizations serving U.S. military service members or veterans can receive up to US $1,000 in matching donations through Regions Bank’s recent retirees matching gifts program. Eligible 501(c) or 170(c) organizations must be within the Regions footprint and may also work in areas like financial wellness, workforce readiness, housing, or food security.

Veteran-serving 501(c) or 170(c) nonprofits in Iowa can apply for Regions Bank’s employee matching gifts, which double eligible full-time associate donations to support military and veterans services. Organizations must fall within Regions’ focus areas and be located in its footprint; accredited educational institutions may be located anywhere in the U.S.

Iowa medical students entering their final year of medical school may be eligible for the Dr. William M. Walker Memorial Medical Scholarship, which provides up to US $9,000 for postgraduate medical education. Administered by Community Foundation of the Ozarks, this award prefers veteran applicants and requires a good-standing letter, essay, and recommendation.

Military and veteran-serving 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Iowa can seek support for programs that create clear, game-changing benefits for people and communities. Focused on military/veteran, senior, education, and arts initiatives, Burlington Capital invites applications on a quarterly cycle, with proposals due one week before each Foundation Committee meeting.

Nonprofit and community organizations in Iowa seeking to run AmeriCorps service programs can apply for the IA AmeriCorps Formula Grant to engage members in community-strengthening projects. With a mission to improve lives through service, Volunteer Iowa provides support for initiatives serving veterans and military families, youth mental health, substance use recovery, poverty, environmental stewardship, and other underserved groups.

Nonprofit organizations serving veterans and first responders with wellness, rehabilitation, and recovery programs in Iowa can apply for support from the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s Gridiron Veterans Scholarship. With a mission to strengthen the military-veteran community, the foundation backs mental health, physical therapy, adaptive training, and holistic wellness services that improve quality of life.

Veteran-serving nonprofits and community organizations in Iowa can seek funding to expand education, workforce, and support programs for veterans and their families. Justamere Foundation supports military and veterans services alongside trade education, childhood literacy, and arts education through non-traditional scholarships and program support, working with partners to remove barriers to self-sufficiency.

Nonprofit organizations in Iowa that support veterans, trade education, childhood literacy, or arts education can apply for Justamere Foundation’s Grants That Make a Real Impact to remove barriers to self-sufficiency. Funding can help cover practical needs like equipment or program resources, and applicants are encouraged to connect with the foundation first to discuss mission fit.

Warrior Assist Foundation

Founded in 2020, Warrior Assist Foundation is dedicated to supporting those who serve or have served in the U.S. armed forces and their families.

Grants

Warrior Assist Foundation offers grants to 501(c)(3) organizations that dedicate at least 85% of their annual expenditures to provide assistance to active duty and reserve military personnel, their spouses and children, veterans, or spouses and children of veterans.

Grand Rapids Community Foundation

Connecting people, passion and resources

The Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that connects people, passion and resources. With our partners, the Community Foundation uses the tools of philanthropy to find solutions to pressing issues. We provide grants to support the work of nonprofits, scholarships to local students and other forms of support to communities working to eliminate barriers to opportunity, prosperity and belonging.

Our Mission is to build and manage our community’s permanent endowment and lead the community to strengthen the lives of its people.

We envision a magnetic and interconnected West Michigan community.

Integrity, Excellence, Inclusion, Sustainability and Bold Aspirations

Give and Receive Openly, Build Trust with Each Other, Create Brave and Safe Space, Embrace Vulnerability, Accountability

Our North Star

For West Michigan to grow and prosper, we must make sure that everyone can apply their talents and creativity to fuel our future. It is only by connecting across perspectives and overcoming inequities that we can build and sustain an inclusive economy and thriving community.

Opportunities for students

Apply for scholarships to support your ambitions

Each year Grand Rapids Community Foundation supports hundreds of students on their college or career training journeys. We are excited to remove barriers to academic success so that students like you can pursue what you're passionate about.

Scholarship Fund Details

Support for West Michigan Students

Attending college or trade school increases opportunity and opens doors to careers. Donor partners who establish a scholarship fund give students a boost on their path to higher education. Students who complete the general scholarship application are considered for these scholarships.

Open to full time undergraduate students who are residents of Kent County, and are a child of a veteran of first responder who was killed or disabled while on duty.

The Armando "Frank" Quaglia Veteran's Scholarship, offered by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, supports full-time graduate or upper-level undergraduate students from Kent or Ionia County pursuing healthcare or engineering degrees. With a minimum 3.0 GPA, preference is given to veterans and their families. This scholarship aims to eliminate barriers to education, fostering academic success and connecting students to opportunities in West Michigan's inclusive community.

South Dakota Community Foundation

As a statewide community foundation, we work with donors, nonprofits and community leaders to strengthen philanthropy in South Dakota every day.

Scholarships

At South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF), we proudly manage more than 350 scholarship funds in partnership with generous donors who are committed to supporting students. These scholarships offer countless opportunities to help ease the financial burden of continuing their education.

Major General Duane L. 'Duke' Corning Scholarship

To provide financial support to scholarships established by the National Guard Association of South Dakota and the South Dakota National Guard Enlisted Association.

The funding for this scholarship endowment is made possible by donations from the South Dakota National Guard Officer and Enlisted Associations, honoring the memory of Major General Duane L. “Duke” Corning. It reflects his love and dedication to these associations, as well as his loyalty, dedication, and service to his state, nation, and fellow individuals.

The Colonel David Marcus Memorial Scholarship Award supports students from Burlington, Camden, or Gloucester Counties pursuing post-high school education, particularly in military programs. Established by the Jewish Community Foundation, this scholarship prioritizes candidates who embody Col. Marcus's ideals. Eligible applicants must be high school seniors and may apply for multiple awards. The fund has a strong community leadership background, managing over $35 million in assets to support educational initiatives.

The Furer-Barag-Wolf Post 126 Jewish War Veterans Scholarship Award supports children or grandchildren of JWV Post 126 members, providing merit-based assistance for college or vocational education. Eligible applicants must reside in specific counties in New Jersey or be related to a JWV member. The scholarship covers tuition, books, and living expenses and is open for reapplication annually. This initiative by the Jewish Community Foundation fosters educational opportunities for deserving students.

South Dakota Community Foundation

As a statewide community foundation, we work with donors, nonprofits and community leaders to strengthen philanthropy in South Dakota every day.

Scholarships

At South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF), we proudly manage more than 350 scholarship funds in partnership with generous donors who are committed to supporting students. These scholarships offer countless opportunities to help ease the financial burden of continuing their education.

South Dakota American Legion Scholarship

To provide financial support to South Dakota high school graduates that are children or grandchildren of United States veterans.

This scholarship is funded through voluntary contributions from legion posts, private individuals, and businesses. It is designated to provide educational opportunities beyond high school to eligible veterans, their children, and their grandchildren.

Scholarship Overview

Since 1980, the Northern New York Community Foundation has awarded more than $28 million in scholarships to students from Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.

10th Mountain Division (Light) Scholarship

The Fort Drum Chapter of the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division has established the 10th Mountain Division (Light) Scholarship for active or former 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) members or family members — spouse or child — of an active or former 10th Mountain Division (LI) soldier. The applicant or their military sponsor must also be a member of the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division. Membership information is available from the Association. Scholarship applicants may live anywhere and be in any year of full-time undergraduate study.

Scholarship Overview

Since 1980, the Northern New York Community Foundation has awarded more than $28 million in scholarships to students from Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.

Rotary Purple Heart Scholarship

The Community Foundation administers the Rotary Purple Heart Scholarship. This is available to Jefferson, Lewis or St. Lawrence County residents who were awarded a Purple Heart by the U.S. armed forces or are a dependent — spouse or child, or grandchild — of a U.S. military member or veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart. Purple Heart Scholarship applications are reviewed throughout the year until all available funds for the academic year are awarded.

Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation

Vision: We envision a vibrant, prosperous northern Chautauqua community, rich in opportunity today and tomorrow.

Our Mission

To realize our vision we focus on:

• strategic and responsive grant making
• encouraging local philanthropy and building permanent endowments for the future
• actively serving as a community leader and partner for the benefit and enrichment in our community.

Scholarships

Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation proudly manages over 200 individual scholarship funds,

Richard D. Pell Future Veterans Award

The Richard D. Pell Future Veterans Award is awarded to each graduating senior entering any branch of the American Armed Forces following graduation.

A monetary gift card will be awarded to each graduating senior residing in the town of Ripley and entering any branch of the United States Armed Forces following graduation. 

Cures Within Reach

Cures Within Reach is the philanthropic leader in drug, device and nutraceutical repurposing research, which has the potential to transform the lives of patients with unsolved diseases by delivering treatments that can be used in the near-term. Our focus: we find and fund proof-of-concept clinical trials that, once successful, de-risk and catalyze follow-on funding, building the clinical evidence required for regulatory approval or to support off-label use by patients everywhere.

Clinical Repurposing Research to Impact US Veterans/Military

This Request for Proposals (RFP) from Cures Within Reach (CWR) is seeking clinical repurposing trials from US-based research institutions using already approved treatments to address unmet and high-priority medical needs of US veterans and/or active US military, such as mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and brain injuries. Our strongest preference is for proof of concept, pivotal, Phase I or Phase IIA clinical repurposing trials. Eligible trials may be conducted at accredited US-based academic, nonprofit and governmental research institutions and/or health systems involved with medical research, including Veterans Administration (VA) health systems and hospitals. 

Repurposed therapies must be approved and/or generally recognized as safe for human use by some regulatory agency, such as the US Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, Health Canada or Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, and may include drugs, devices, nutraceuticals or diagnostics, as well as combination therapies. These repurposed therapies must be tested in a new indication for which they are not already approved or used widely in clinical practice as standard of care. Repurposed therapies also may be added to current standard of care to improve patient outcomes and/or quality of life.

Students who are family members of U.S. veterans or enrolled as ROTC sophomores or higher can receive higher education support through the Purple Heart Gary Gutelius Memorial Scholarship, including those from Iowa. With a mission to strengthen community philanthropy, Community Foundation of Mahoning Valley prioritizes relatives of combat-wounded veterans pursuing college or university studies.

Veteran-serving nonprofit organizations in Iowa planning anti-poverty, education, economic opportunity, or healthy futures projects may be eligible to host AmeriCorps VISTA members. With a mission to strengthen communities through service, Volunteer Mississippi connects organizations to AmeriCorps VISTA resources that build capacity and support veteran and military families as part of a broader national service effort.

Iowa law enforcement officers, including military police and other qualifying agencies, can access recognition funding through the NRA Foundation’s Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award for exceptional acts or service. Organizations serving veterans or public safety in Iowa may nominate eligible officers, with nominations accepted from agency heads, colleagues, community leaders, citizens, and NRA members.

Graduate or undergraduate students pursuing college, a service academy, military college, or ROTC can apply for the Raymond Steve Tumlin Scholarship, awarding US $2,500 for higher education costs. Priority goes to current or former Cobb or Marietta students, which may include veterans or military‑bound students from Iowa who meet Kiwanis-related eligibility.

Veteran and military-affiliated students pursuing full-time post-secondary education may be eligible for scholarships that can support higher education costs, typically around US $1,000. Grants from Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley help those connected to U.S. Marines or Navy FMF units, which may benefit Iowa veteran-focused organizations assisting individual students.

Iowa organizations supporting children of fallen U.S. service members pursuing higher education may be eligible for scholarships from the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington’s Pacific Northwest Gold Star Scholarship. Awards are US $2,500 for students connected to Clark, Cowlitz, or Skamania County, WA, with preference for significant financial need and potential renewals.

Early-career active-duty military orthopaedic surgeons in Iowa and across the U.S. can access a traveling fellowship supporting advanced trauma education and observation. The Orthopaedic Trauma Association’s Teague-Gaudin OTA/SOMOS Fellowship funds one-week mentorship experiences at up to three high-volume trauma centers, enhancing clinical skills, leadership, and military-civilian collaboration in orthopaedic trauma care.

Veterans with a service-connected condition causing infertility, including those living in Iowa, can apply for the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s VIVA fertility grants to help pay for treatment at Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) clinics. This program offers financial assistance and connections to resources for military and veteran families pursuing fertility care.