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    3. Blue Star Families
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    Blue Star Families

    ActivePublic CharityPublic & Society Benefit
    ENCINITAS, CAWebsite

    About Blue Star Families

    To support military and veteran families by building community-based programs, research, and services that strengthen family resilience and quality of life.

    Focus Areas

    Military & veteran family supportCommunity chapters and local networksOutdoor and family programsMilitary spouse employmentFood insecurity resourcesPeer-to-peer mental health supportResearch and surveys (Military Family Lifestyle Survey)

    Who They Fund

    nonprofit organizations / mission-driven organizations

    Funding Style

    general operating/unrestricted supportorganizational capacity support

    About Blue Star Families

    Blue Star Families Inc centers its giving on military and veteran families, with grants that back community-based support, local networks, and services tied to family resilience and quality of life. In 2025, the foundation’s top reported grants were $25,000 each to The Rick Herrema Foundation Inc and Naval Services Familyline, both framed as support for overall mission and operations. That pattern shows a preference for strengthening organizations already working with service members, veterans, and their families rather than funding one-off projects. Other grants point to a broad service mix across the military family ecosystem. Vets Community Connections received $20,000 for mission and operations, while multiple organizations were funded at $15,000 apiece, including America’s Warrior Partnership, Combined Arms, Military Support Alliance, Hampton Roads Workforce Foundation, and Armed Services YMCA chapters. The recipients range from family support groups and workforce-focused organizations to counseling and community partners, reflecting a portfolio built around practical support, peer connection, and local capacity. Blue Star Families Inc is a Public Charity with $51,380,592 in assets and $250,000 in annual grants given.

    What Blue Star Families Funds

    Blue Star Families Inc funds several connected parts of the military family support network. For community-based infrastructure, it gave $15,000 to Omaha Performing Arts Society for overall mission and operations, and its Blue Star Outpost Grants program is explicitly designed to help create or expand local Blue Star Outposts that support military and veteran families. The foundation also supports family well-being services. Valley Cities Counseling and Consultation received $15,000 for overall mission and operations, aligning with the funder’s focus on peer-to-peer mental health support. Outdoor access is another theme: the Outdoor Explorers for All program supports local Blue Star chapters and partner organizations running accessible outdoor and camping experiences for military and veteran families. Employment and household stability appear in the grant list as well. Hampton Roads Workforce Foundation received $15,000 for mission and operations, and the foundation’s stated focus areas include military spouse employment and food insecurity resources.

    How Blue Star Families Gives

    Financial Snapshot

    Annual Giving

    $250K

    Total Assets

    $51.4M

    Total Revenue

    $41.6M

    Total Expenses

    $23.1M

    Geographic Reach

    National11 states funded
    Funding intensity
    Low
    High
    Headquarters

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    © 2026 Kindora. All rights reserved.

    Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceYour privacy choicesEnvironmental footprintSystem Status
    EIN (Tax ID): 80-0369895
    Latest Form 990: 2025
    Total assets: $51.4M
    3 filings on record
    Find their full 990 filing →
    See If You're a Fit — FreeFree account · instant fit score · similar funders
    core mission funding

    Topics

    organizational operations and infrastructureadministrative and overhead costsprogram sustainability and continuity

    Blue Star Families Inc gave $250,000 in annual grants, with the largest individual awards in the recent list at $25,000 and a cluster of $15,000 grants. That spread suggests a relatively even, mid-size operating-support model rather than a few large project awards. The recent grants read as mostly general operating or unrestricted support, often described as support for overall mission and operations. Recipients appear across the 2025 list, but no grantee is shown with repeated awards in the provided data. The foundation is a Public Charity, funds organizations rather than individuals, and makes no program-related investments. An active program, Outdoor Explorers for All, includes an application process for chapters and partners; Blue Star Outpost Grants are described as not accepting unsolicited requests.

    Where Blue Star Families Makes Grants

    The grant list reaches across the United States, with 15 grants shown and all of them in the U.S. Recipient locations include Fayetteville, NC; Washington, DC; San Diego, CA; Albany, GA; Augusta, GA; Houston, TX; Toms River, NJ; Norfolk, VA; Hagatna, GU; Kent, WA; Omaha, NE; Rolla, MO; and El Paso, TX. The distribution is national rather than centered in California, despite the foundation’s Encinitas headquarters. Guam appears in the recipient list through Pay-less Supermarkets in Hagatna.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Star Families

    What kinds of organizations does Blue Star Families Inc fund?

    It funds nonprofit and mission-driven organizations that support military and veteran families. The recent grants include family support groups, counseling providers, workforce organizations, community partners, and military-service organizations, often with support for overall mission and operations.

    What is the typical grant size in the recent data?

    The recent grants shown are mainly $15,000 awards, with two larger grants at $25,000 and one at $20,000. That places the foundation’s visible recent giving in a fairly tight operating-support range.

    Does Blue Star Families Inc fund only California organizations?

    No. The recent grants shown are spread across the United States, including North Carolina, Washington, California, Georgia, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, Guam, Washington state, Nebraska, Missouri, and New Mexico. No grants in the provided list go to California recipients.

    What program areas does the foundation support?

    Its stated focus areas include military and veteran family support, community chapters and local networks, outdoor and family programs, military spouse employment, food insecurity resources, peer-to-peer mental health support, and research and surveys such as the Military Family Lifestyle Survey.

    Can organizations apply for support through Blue Star Families Inc programs?

    Outdoor Explorers for All includes an application process for chapters and partners. Blue Star Outpost Grants are described as not accepting unsolicited requests.

    Latest 990 Filing

    2025

    Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.

    Open Grant Opportunities

    Current and upcoming funding from Blue Star Families that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.

    Open nowRolling / open intakeAward: Up to $15K

    Blue Star Outpost Grants

    Military and veteran family supportPeer supportFood assistance+5 more

    Who can apply: Applicants must be 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) organizations serving designated target areas, providing direct services to military- or veteran-connected families, demonstrating financial stability and responsibility, and having capacity to host events, collect participant feedback, steward the annual grant, participate in program evaluation, and collaborate with Blue Star Families. Organizations should be mission-aligned, community-rooted, capacity-ready, willing to co-brand, share data and stories, and offer or be able to provide at least one eligible Blue Star Families program.

    Deadline: Stage 1 applications are accepted on a rolling review basis. Stage 2 deadlines are communicated by email to invited applicants.

    View & apply

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    Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.

    Recent Grants

    Most recent grants reported to the IRS.

    RecipientLocationAmountYearPurpose
    NAVAL SERVICES FAMILYLINEWASHINGTON, DC$25,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    THE RICK HERREMA FOUNDATION INCFAYETTEVILLE, NC$25,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    VETS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONSSAN DIEGO, CA$20,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    COMBINED ARMSHOUSTON, TX$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    MILITARY SUPPORT ALLIANCETOMS RIVER, NJ$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    VALLEY CITIES COUNSELING AND CONSULTATIONKENT, WA$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    AMERICA'S WARRIOR PARTNERSHIPAUGUSTA, GA$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    UNITED THROUGH READING - VENDORSAN DIEGO, CA$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    ARMED SERVICES YMCA EL PASOEL PASO, TX$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    ALBANY CHAMBER FOUNDATION INCALBANY, GA$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    HAMPTON ROADS WORKFORCE FOUNDATIONNORFOLK, VA$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    ARMED SERVICES YMCA FORT BRAGGFAYETTEVILLE, NC$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    ROLLA CHAMBER FOUNDATIONROLLA, MO$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    OMAHA PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETYOMAHA, NE$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    PAY-LESS SUPERMARKETSHAGATNA, GU$15,0002025PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS
    VETS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONSSAN DIEGO, CA$20,0002024SUPPORT & COLLABORATION

    NAVAL SERVICES FAMILYLINE

    $25,000
    WASHINGTON, DC2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    THE RICK HERREMA FOUNDATION INC

    $25,000
    FAYETTEVILLE, NC2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    VETS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

    $20,000
    SAN DIEGO, CA2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    COMBINED ARMS

    $15,000
    HOUSTON, TX2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    MILITARY SUPPORT ALLIANCE

    $15,000
    TOMS RIVER, NJ2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    VALLEY CITIES COUNSELING AND CONSULTATION

    $15,000
    KENT, WA2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    AMERICA'S WARRIOR PARTNERSHIP

    $15,000
    AUGUSTA, GA2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    UNITED THROUGH READING - VENDOR

    $15,000
    SAN DIEGO, CA2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    ARMED SERVICES YMCA EL PASO

    $15,000
    EL PASO, TX2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    ALBANY CHAMBER FOUNDATION INC

    $15,000
    ALBANY, GA2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    HAMPTON ROADS WORKFORCE FOUNDATION

    $15,000
    NORFOLK, VA2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    ARMED SERVICES YMCA FORT BRAGG

    $15,000
    FAYETTEVILLE, NC2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    ROLLA CHAMBER FOUNDATION

    $15,000
    ROLLA, MO2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    OMAHA PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY

    $15,000
    OMAHA, NE2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    PAY-LESS SUPERMARKETS

    $15,000
    HAGATNA, GU2025

    PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OVERALL MISSION AND OPERATIONS

    VETS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

    $20,000
    SAN DIEGO, CA2024

    SUPPORT & COLLABORATION