DAV departments and chapters seeking financial assistance for local service programs and initiatives no longer have to wait for an annual grant cycle to apply for funding through the DAV National Service Foundation’s Columbia Trust.

The general grant application period is now open year-round, allowing departments and chapters to request assistance whenever funding is needed and to respond more rapidly to the needs of local veterans.

The Foundation has provided financial support to DAV departments and chapters in need through the Columbia Trust since 1996, when it was called the Colorado Trust.

The Trust awards grants to support local service programs and initiatives aimed at assisting ill and injured veterans and their families—ensuring that departments and chapters with promising endeavors aren’t prevented from carrying them out simply because they lack the necessary funding.

With this new timeline, submitted applications are reviewed regularly. Approved grants cover a 12-month period, typically beginning in the month the application is submitted. With rare exceptions, funding is only awarded once during that 12-month period. Although the grant application window is open year-round, a new cycle begins each calendar year, so applications that are started but not submitted by Dec. 31 will be closed.

This timeline change does not affect the application process or deadlines for DAV Transportation Network vehicle grant requests. Those requests will still go through the process outlined in the national adjutant’s annual memo for that program.

Departments and chapters that want to submit a Columbia Trust grant application must have an Annual Financial Report (AFR) on file that is no more than a year old, based on the membership year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. This means a grant application submitted in November 2026 requires the 2025–26 AFR, while an application submitted in July 2027 requires the 2026–27 AFR.

AFRs are due on July 1, with an extension through September 30 each year. Missing the deadline could mean losing eligibility to receive funding for the rest of the membership year. The membership department is the point of contact for questions about AFRs.

Departments and chapters are encouraged to apply for grants using the online application system at dav.smartsimple.com if financial assistance is warranted.

For questions related to the Columbia Trust general grant application process or guidelines, please contact the Foundation’s business office at [email protected] or at 859-441-7300, option 6, then press 2.