The National Football League (NFL) and the Bob Woodruff Foundation Announce $5.5 Million Continued Partnership Through NFL’s Salute to Service Initiative
NFL Commits to Continued Investment in Grantmaking Partnership to Build Healthy Lifestyles and Create Communities for US Veterans and their Families
New York, NY– In keeping with its commitment to positively impact the lives of veterans, service members and their families, the National Football League (NFL) has renewed its support of the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) with a $5.5 million grant. Through the NFL Salute to Service initiative, the NFL and BWF will continue to invest in best-in-class veteran nonprofits for an additional two years. The NFL’s investment will support programs that promote healthy lifestyles and foster greater community engagement within the veteran population. Since 2018, the NFL and BWF have made a measurable impact in the lives of more than 577,600 veterans, service members, their families, and caregivers.
“The Bob Woodruff Foundation is proud to continue our partnership with the NFL, and to collaborate to support our heroes – the men and women who have answered the call to protect and defend our freedoms,” said Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. “This generous gift aligns with our strategic efforts to improve veteran health and wellbeing and strengthen communities. We are so grateful.”
Salute to Service is the NFL’s year-round effort to honor, empower, and connect our nation’s service members, veterans, and their families. It is grounded in deep partnership with nonprofits and organizations that support the military community in the United States and across the world. The NFL extends its appreciation of the military community through special moments of recognition at games and events and visits to military bases both domestically and internationally throughout the year. Since 2011, the NFL has raised more than $58 million for the league’s military nonprofit partners.
“The NFL is proud to partner with the Bob Woodruff Foundation to invest in best-in-class veterans organizations through the Salute to Service grants program,” said Melissa Pardi, Senior Director of Social Responsibility at the NFL. “Through these grants, the NFL shows our gratitude to veterans and service members, while also raising the profile of the dedicated, boots on the ground veteran’s organizations that we support.”
The Bob Woodruff Foundation accepts grant applications on a rolling basis as part of this partnership. Veterans organizations that submit their application by January 1, 2023, will be considered for the next round of funding. Learn more about how to apply for funding.
About the NFL’s Salute to Service
Salute to Service is the NFL’s year-long initiative to honor, empower and connect our nation’s service members, veterans and their families. Since 2011, this effort has raised more than $58 million for military and veteran support organizations such as the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF), Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), United Service Organizations (USO) and Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). For more information on Salute to Service, visit NFL.com/Salute.
About The Bob Woodruff Foundation
The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) was founded in 2006 after reporter Bob Woodruff was wounded by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Since then, BWF 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, including mental health, caregiver support, food insecurity, and service-connected fertility issues. To date, BWF has invested over $85 million to Find, Fund and Shape™ programs that have empowered impacted veterans, service members, and their family members, across the nation, reinforcing the message that BWF has ‘Got Your Six’. For more information, as well as stories of success and innovation from BWF’s network of partners, visit www.bobwoodrufffoundation.org
