Bob Woodruff Foundation Releases Latest Analysis of How Communities Collaborate to Support Veterans - Bob Woodruff Foundation

Bob Woodruff Foundation Releases Latest Analysis of How Communities Collaborate to Support Veterans

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These findings were based on data from BWF’s Local Partnership Self-Assessment Tool, part of an initiative to use community-based solutions to address veteran challenges that was made possible with support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies

Today, the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) announced our latest original research paper: Assessing and Improving Community Support for Veterans. The findings are based on our Local Partner Self-Assessment Tool (LPSAT), made possible with support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies. BWF developed and published this analysis and discussion to highlight ways in which communities are effectively collaborating to serve veterans and their families, and to identify opportunities for improvement.

This white paper analyzes and summarizes the “checkpoints” that were distributed to the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s network of over 100 local partner collaboratives, representing more than 3,000 organizations across the nation. These individual assessments provide local partners a clear picture of how they and their peers are developing, what they can learn from other communities, and which areas for improvement will have the biggest return on investment—that is, the greatest impact on the veterans and military families they serve.

This paper offers valuable information to guide stakeholders, funders, policymakers, and local leaders in how to target support and resources for cross-sector collaboration.

“Our local partners represent the largest national nongovernmental network of stakeholders in veterans’ wellness. The LPSAT is helping us bring them customized support and feedback that they can apply locally, while surfacing best practices that can be scaled to improve how communities collaborate to serve veterans and their families nationally,” said Anne Marie Dougherty, Chief Executive Officer of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. “Our goal in sharing these unique-in-the-nation insights is to improve the entire ecosystem that serves our heroes.”

In our analysis, BWF learned that the most effective community-based collaboratives are strong in three specific areas. While collaboratives can vary in their sophistication in these areas across the country, BWF recognizes that veterans deserve the best possible support no matter where they live. Guided by the findings outlined in the paper, BWF will continue to raise funds actively to help veterans and their families thrive. BWF already expanded its grantmaking efforts in 2020 by investing a record $6 million in programs serving veterans nationwide.

“Veterans and their families have earned our support through their service and sacrifice,” said Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Bob Woodruff Foundation Board Member. “When they come home and need help, they can rest assured that no matter where they settle down, the Bob Woodruff Foundation and their network of local partners have got their six.”

The Bob Woodruff Foundation previously published two reports using LPSAT data: Veterans and COVID-19: Projecting the Economic, Social, and Mental Health Needs of America’s Veterans and Community Collaboration For America’s Veterans: Insights From The Bob Woodruff Foundation’s Local Partner Self-Assessment Tool.

ABOUT THE BOB WOODRUFF FOUNDATION

The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) was founded in 2006 after reporter Bob Woodruff was hit by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Since then, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has led an enduring call to action for people to stand up for heroes and meet the emerging and long-term needs of today’s veterans. To date, BWF has invested more than $76 million to find, fund and shape programs that have empowered impacted veterans and service members, and their families, across the nation. For more information, please visit https://bobwoodrufffoundation.org or follow us on Twitter at @Stand4Heroes.