Are you a veteran searching for financial aid? You’re not alone. There are countless organizations, from state and federal government sources to nonprofits, that exist to help veterans find the assistance they need — whether it’s educational grants, housing stipends, or job seeker benefits. We’ve compiled a list of 12 resources that provide financial aid specifically tailored to safety-net programs for veterans. These resources ensure that those who have honored our country with their service get the support they deserve. Keep reading to learn more about the wide range of available options!
Resources That Provide Financial Aid to Veterans
As a veteran, you may be eligible for financial aid from a variety of sources. We’ve provided an overview of 12 resources offering special programs or assistance tailored to veterans.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a wide array of benefits and services for veterans, including educational grants, home loan guarantees, and disability compensation or pension payments for those who are eligible. Additionally, numerous other public and private organizations offer programs specifically designed with veterans in mind.
1. VA Education Benefits: This program is administered through the VA and offers up to 36 months of payments toward college tuition, fees, books, and supplies for qualified veterans or their dependents.
2. Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment: Also managed by the VA, this benefit helps disabled veterans prepare for meaningful employment as
Veterans Education Assistance Program (VEAP)
The Veterans Education Assistance Program (VEAP) is a government-sponsored program designed to help veterans pay for college tuition. VEAP allows qualifying veterans to make contributions from their military pay into the fund, which can be matched with up to 2-for-1 funds from the Department of Defense.
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting disabled veterans in finding employment, filing disability claims, and obtaining other benefits. The DAV also provides scholarships for veterans or their dependents who are pursuing higher education.
The DAV is dedicated to empowering veterans and their families through a variety of services, including:
1. Veterans Benefits Assistance: The DAV assists in understanding and applying for VA benefits locally and nationally.
2. Employment Assistance & Resume Services: The DAV offers help with job searches and connecting veterans to resources such as career counseling and networking events.
3. Education Support Programs: These programs are designed to provide advice on college admissions, financial aid, scholarships, grants, and other educational services.
4. Financial Aid Resources: The DAV has various resources to help veterans find assistance with housing costs, medical bills, or other financial needs.
Army Emergency Relief (AER)
Army Emergency Relief is a private nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to active-duty Army personnel and their families in times of need. AER offers interest-free loans, grants, and scholarships for veterans and their dependents pursuing education.
AER offers a financial frontline of assistance in the form of:
1. Loans: AER provides interest-free loans for active duty soldiers, veterans, and their families to cover emergency expenses such as housing bills, medical costs, or funeral arrangements.
2. Grants: AER provides grants for basic needs such as rent payments, food purchases, auto repairs, etc.
3. Scholarships: The organization also offers scholarships to eligible dependents of active duty soldiers and veterans that are interested in pursuing higher education.
Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF)
The Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF) is a nonprofit organization that helps disabled veterans and their families attain the benefits and assistance they need to improve their quality of life. The DVNF provides financial aid, job training, wheelchair donations, free health care products, and more.
DVNF’s services include:
1. Financial Aid & Employment Assistance: DVNF offers help with housing costs, medical bills, career counseling, job readiness programs, and other financial assistance for disabled veterans.
2. Wheelchair Donations: DVNF collects wheelchairs from donors nationwide and distributes them to veteran organizations in need.
3. Health Care Products: The organization also provides essential hygiene items such as diapers, skin care products, and other personal items free of charge to veterans in need.
DVNF also offers mental health counseling, job training programs, housing assistance, and more.
Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)
The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance and support for veterans, current military personnel, and their families. MOAA offers programs such as scholarships, career transition services, and health insurance advice.
MOAA’s services include:
1. Scholarships & Grants: The organization offers up to $10,000 in scholarship awards for veterans or their dependents pursuing higher education.
2. Career Transition Services: MOAA helps veterans search for jobs by providing career counseling services, resume writing help, and connecting them with employers who are looking for qualified candidates.
3. Health Insurance Advice: The association also provides resources to guide veterans through the process of selecting and applying for health insurance coverage.
Air Force Aid Society (AFAS)
The Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) is a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance, education support, and career guidance exclusively to active duty airmen and their families. The AFAS offers loans, grants, scholarships, emergency travel assistance, and more.
AFAS’s services include:
1. Loans & Grants: AFAS offers low-interest loans and grants to cover unexpected expenses such as medical bills or housing payments for active duty airmen and their families.
2. Scholarships & Education Support: The society also offers educational grants and scholarships for eligible dependents of active-duty airmen who are pursuing higher education.
3. Emergency Travel Assistance: AFAS provides funds to help with unexpected travel costs for active duty airmen and their families in case of emergencies.
The AFAS also offers career guidance services, financial counseling, family support programs, and more.
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS)
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) is a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance, educational support, and other aid to active duty and retired U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps members. The NMCRS offers interest-free loans, grants, scholarships, and more.
NMCRS services include:
1. Emergency Financial Assistance: The society provides emergency funds for unexpected expenses such as medical bills or housing costs for eligible active duty members and veterans of the Navy or marine corps.
2. Scholarships & Educational Grants: NMCRS offers grants for higher education and funds to cover tuition fees for eligible dependents of active duty personnel and veterans.
3. Emergency Travel Assistance: The society provides funds to help with unexpected travel costs in the event of an emergency for eligible active duty personnel and veterans of the Navy or marine corps.
The NMCRS also offers retirement counseling, career guidance services, financial counseling, and more.
National Resource Directory (NRD)
The National Resource Directory (NRD) is an online resource for veterans, service members, and their families seeking financial aid. The NRD provides information about benefits, education programs, employment opportunities, health care services, and more.
The NRD’s resources include:
1. Benefits Information: The directory contains information about various benefits, such as healthcare coverage, housing assistance, disability compensation, and other veteran-related services.
2. Education Programs & Employment Opportunities: The NRD also provides detailed information about educational programs and job training opportunities that are available to veterans.
3. Health Care Services: The directory contains links to various resources for mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, and other health services for veterans.
The NRD also offers resources to connect veterans with support groups, housing benefits, and more.
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP)
The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a nonprofit organization supporting and assisting injured veterans. The WWP offers programs such as financial aid, career training, adaptive sports, mental health care services, and more.
WWP’s services include:
1. Financial Assistance & Employment Programs: The organization provides financial assistance through grants to help cover housing costs, medical bills, and other expenses. WWP also offers job placement and career training programs for veterans.
2. Adaptive Sports & Recreational Activities: WWP helps injured veterans stay active with adaptive sports and recreational activities such as skiing, snowboarding, fishing, hiking, sailing, and more.
3. Mental Health Care Services: The organization provides counseling and support groups to help injured veterans cope with depression, anxiety, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and more.
The WWP also offers financial literacy programs, educational grants, family support services, and more.
Operation Homefront
Operation Homefront is a nonprofit organization that assists veterans, service members, and their families. The organization offers financial aid, home repair grants, childcare assistance programs, housing grants, and more.
Operation Homefront’s services include:
1. Financial Assistance & Grants: Operation Homefront provides emergency funds to cover unexpected expenses such as medical bills or housing costs for veterans and their families. The organization also offers grants to help repair or renovate homes of veterans in need.
2. Child Care Assistance Programs: Operation Homefront offers financial assistance for eligible military families struggling to pay for childcare.
3. Housing Grants: The organization provides funds to help veterans with the cost of rental deposits, mortgage payments, and other housing expenses.
Operation Homefront also offers emergency food assistance, education grants, family counseling services, and more.
Military OneSource
Military OneSource is a free resource for veterans, service members, and their families. The website provides information on benefits, education programs, employment opportunities, health care services, and more.
Military OneSource’s resources include:
1. Benefits Information: The website contains detailed information about a variety of benefits, such as healthcare coverage, housing assistance, disability compensation, and other veteran-related services.
2. Education Programs & Employment Opportunities: Military OneSource also offers detailed information about educational programs and job training opportunities that are available to veterans.
3. Health Care Services: The site provides links to various resources for mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, and other health services for veterans.
Financial Emergency Aid
If you’re a veteran in need of financial assistance, you can also reach out to a number of organizations that provide emergency aid tailored explicitly for veterans. These organizations include:
- Fisher House Foundation – Offering temporary housing grants, financial assistance, and travel grants for eligible veterans and their families in need.
- The Veterans Support Foundation (VSF) – Offering emergency funds to pay for rent, utilities, groceries, and other basic necessities for qualified veterans in need.
- The Veterans Assistance Foundation (VAF) – Providing emergency financial assistance to veterans and their families in need of immediate help.
These organizations work hard to make sure that veterans get the support they deserve, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re struggling financially. Additionally, look into your state’s Department of Veterans Affairs for more tailored assistance.
What About Veteran Family Financial Assistance?
In addition to providing financial assistance for veterans, several organizations offer aid tailored explicitly toward families of veterans. These organizations include:
- Give an Hour – Offering free counseling and mental health services to the families of active duty service members and veterans in need.
- Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) – Providing assistance with college tuition, scholarships, grants, and other educational programs for military-connected children and their families.
- The Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s Hidden Heroes Fund – Offering financial aid to family caregivers of wounded, injured, or ill veterans so they can get the support they need.
These organizations work hard to provide emotional and financial support for veterans’ families when needed most, so don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance.
The Bottom Line
These are just a few of the many organizations that offer vital financial aid to veterans. With these 20 resources at your fingertips, you have access to a wealth of information and support as you navigate the journey to securing the financial assistance you need — ensuring those who have served our country get the help they deserve.
Whether you’re seeking educational grants or housing stipends, we hope this list will help you find the assistance you need. For more information about these programs or how to apply for benefits, visit their websites or contact their customer service representatives. Thank you for your service, and best of luck finding the right financial aid for you!
Key Takeaways:
• There are countless organizations, from government sources to nonprofits, that exist to help veterans find the financial aid they need.
• These organizations offer grants, emergency funds, educational programs and job training opportunities, health care services, and more.
• Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need assistance — look into your states’ Departments of Veterans Affairs or these resources for more tailored help.
• Thank you for your service, and best of luck finding the right financial aid for you!
