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Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation

CharityWatch report issued
October 2023

 
NOT
RATABLE
CharityWatch Grade
 

Contact Information

Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation
406 W 34th Street
Kansas City, MO 64111

Other Names

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. and Foundation

Tax Status

501(c)3

Website

www.vfw.org

Stated Mission

To assist veterans, military personnel & their families; to provide fraternal, patriotic, historical & educational services; to preserve & strengthen comradeship among members; to advocate for veterans & active duty personnel.

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Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 08/31/2022

*Why Not Ratable?

CharityWatch is currently unable to rate this organization. This does not imply a negative or positive evaluation. Please see the Analysts' Notes section for a more detailed explanation.

Governance & Transparency

CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation
meets governance benchmarks.
 
Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation
does not meet transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy

  Name Title Compensation
1 Kevin C. Jones Past President $239,903
2 Debra Anderson Past Secretary/Treasurer $233,924
3 Matthew Mihelcic Past Chairman $204,911
1
Name: Kevin C. Jones
Title: Past President
Compensation: $239,903
2
Name: Debra Anderson
Title: Past Secretary/Treasurer
Compensation: $233,924
3
Name: Matthew Mihelcic
Title: Past Chairman
Compensation: $204,911

CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.

CharityWatch now provides separate ratings for the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation starting with the organizations' fiscal years ended August 31, 2022. 

According to a letter sent to CharityWatch from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation dated May 19, 2023:

"The VFW Foundation made changes to its Bylaws and changed the structure of the Board of Directors. The VFW Foundation now has a more independent board, and the financial statements of the VFW Foundation are no longer required to be consolidated with the VFW [Veterans of Foreign Wars] financial statements. This change was effective for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022."

CharityWatch is unable to provide a letter grade rating of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation for the charity's fiscal year ended August 31, 2022 because the vast majority of its program expenses consisted of grants to its related organization, the Veterans of Foreign Wars. In fiscal 2022, $2,695,138 (or 74.9%) of its total reported program expenses of $3,596,721 consisted of grants to its related organization, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, according to the charity's tax filing (IRS Form 990, Part IX and Schedule R).

Veterans of Foreign Wars is rated separately by CharityWatch. 

CharityWatch's methodology is not designed to measure how efficiently one legal entity of a charity grants funds to one of its related organizations. For this reason, we do not believe it is fair to publish a Program % for the Foundation alongside those of other charities that conduct their own programs and/or primarily make grants to other, independent charities. For this reason, CharityWatch has assigned the VFW Foundation a "NR" (Not Ratable) rating for fiscal 2022. 

According to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation's fiscal 2022 audited financial statements, Note I, Related Parties:

"The Foundation provides certain contributions to the VFW. The total amount of contributions from the Foundation to the VFW amounted to $2,695,138 and $2,970,200 for the years ended August 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively..."


According to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation's fiscal 2022 IRS Form 990, Schedule O, in reference to Form 990, Part V, Line 2a:

"For ease of administration and in order to provide benefits, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States provides selected employees to the Foundation. These employees work exclusively for the Foundation and on Foundation business and activities. The VFW Foundation has no employees of its own. The Foundation reimburses the Veterans of Foreign Wars for the salary and benefit expenses incurred for these employees...As of 12/31/2021, there were eight employees included in the W-3 filing made by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States that work exclusively for the VFW Foundation..."

The Foundation reports reimbursing Veterans of Foreign Wars a total of $953,506 in fiscal year 2022. (IRS Form 990, Schedule R)


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