The Council and San Diego Grantmakers: Partnering to Support Veterans Philanthropy

The Council and the San Diego Grantmakers are teaming up to support the Veterans Philanthropy Exchange by co-hosting a mid-year convening in San Diego on November 29 and 30. The Veterans Philanthropy Exchange is a network of grantmakers that support nonprofits providing services and resources to veterans and military families. It was launched by the Council in 2013, generously supported by Council members Blue Shield of California Foundation, Robert R. McCormick Foundation, and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, and convenes annually to examine the national state of veteran affairs.  

The Council’s work in veterans philanthropy took root in 2010, in response to Admiral Mike Mullins’ “call to action” to the philanthropic sector at the annual conference in Denver. It was then that the Admiral reached out to the private sector and to communities during his national tour of the “Sea of Goodwill.” His efforts intended to cultivate commitments across sectors to welcome home the military returning home during the drawdown of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The goal was to develop partnerships between the public and private sectors to help service members and their families reintegrate into civilian life.

The Veterans Philanthropy Exchange has now evolved into a network of experienced and novice funders working on various aspects of community reintegration for veterans and their families. Well-known as a military community, San Diego’s grantmakers have led many fronts in national veterans philanthropy, and we are delighted to be co-hosting the Veterans Philanthropy Exchange’s first deep-dive learning session on the topic of veterans employment.  Nancy Jamison, President of San Diego Grantmakers, and the Military Family Support Working Group are collaborating with the Veterans Exchange Working Group to plan a great learning experience for funders coming to “America’s Finest City.”

The veterans philanthropy field is relatively nascent and learning across the field is being examined to help funders better understand best practices and fill any gaps in knowledge and practice.  The Veterans Philanthropy Exchange is open to any grantmaker or donor interested in veterans program investments. 

To learn more about the Veterans Philanthropy Exchange, please contact me at stephanie.powers@cof.org.