Quick Access to IAVA's Impact Report
Select an option from the list below to learn about IAVA’s impact in 2020.
LETTER FROM THE CEO
When I answered the call to be IAVA’s CEO two years ago, I hoped I could contribute to the incredible legacy of an organization that has long been a change maker for millions of America’s veterans. This year alone we have been fighting through a global pandemic, a national veteran suicide epidemic, underemployment, and many more challenges disproportionately impacting post-9/11 veterans.
IAVA IS OUR MEMBERSHIP
IAVA is the vanguard of the veteran’s movement and the most powerful network of veterans on the planet. Our members are our secret sauce and the reason we work so hard every day.
IAVA’S QUICK REACTION FORCE
IAVA launched Quick Reaction Force (QRF), our comprehensive peer-to-peer care management program in the first quarter of 2020.
IAVA MEMBER SURVEY
Our member survey gives post-9/11 veterans a powerful voice which directly shapes IAVA’s Policy Priorities.
STORYTELLING IS VITAL
IAVA leverages our data from our polling and the member survey and pulls from our shared experiences to tell stories in a way that motivates positive change.
IAVA IN DC
Since its founding in 2004, IAVA has remained the preeminent organization fighting, and winning, the most important battles in America on behalf of post-9/11 veterans and their families.
IAVA’S NEW LOOK
In Q1 of 2020, IAVA launched our new website with the goal of providing a roadmap to useful and relevant content, increasing time spent on our pages and growing donations.
IAVA’S FINANCIALS
We have provided our 2020 estimates. Our Form 990 will be available once it is completed by external auditors.
Letter from the CEO
When I answered the call to be IAVA’s CEO two years ago, I hoped I could contribute to the incredible legacy of an organization that has long been a change maker for millions of America’s veterans. This year alone we have been fighting through a global pandemic, a national veteran suicide epidemic, underemployment, and many more challenges disproportionately impacting post-9/11 veterans.
Our work in DC this year has been second to none. We supported over 100 pieces of legislation, met with more than 300 elected officials and spearheaded lasting change for veterans and their families. We had major wins on topics from suicide prevention to burn pits and toxic exposures. We celebrated passage of our most important legislation to date, the Deborah Sampson Act. This win was the culmination of our four-year campaign to recognize and support women veterans.
In 2020 we rebranded and relaunched our Quick Reaction Force (formerly the Rapid Response Referral Program). The newly designed program has afforded us expanded capacity and, as a direct result of the change, we helped over 2,400 veterans directly. In 2020 we also launched a newly designed website on IAVA.org, a look that is fresh and vibrant like our community.
If 2020 has been any real indicator of our community character, we should all be proud of our resilience. Looking back at 2020, we have had a tough year, and I believe, together, through our resilience we have laid the foundation for many years of success ahead.
Onward in good health -Jeremy
Members First
IAVA IS OUR MEMBERSHIP
IAVA is the vanguard of the veteran’s movement and the most powerful network of veterans on the planet. Our members are our secret sauce and the reason we work so hard every day.
We have connected more than 1.2 million veterans with resources and community and provided thousands of veterans of all generations with lifesaving and life-changing personalized support through IAVA’s NEW Quick Reaction Force (QRF).
We partner with policy makers and other nonprofits to create powerful networks for impact. We are a tough watchdog as well, holding political and media leaders accountable for failures and celebrating success all in support of our community.
We have been fighting every day and because of that 2020 was a huge year, and 2021 will be even more impactful than 2020.
Learn More about Membership
Members FirstQuick Reaction Force
Launched Q1 2020
Founded in 2012, IAVA’s unique Rapid Response Referral Program (RRRP) has long been a high-tech, high-touch comprehensive care managing and referral service for veterans in need. For seven years the program existed in the pilot stage and beginning in Q1 of 2020, the program officially launched in prime time as the Quick Reaction Force (QRF). The polished program increased overall capacity and helped more veterans in 2020 than in any single year prior.
No matter the issue, be it navigating the VA, confronting significant challenges (like unemployment, homelessness, legal, financial or mental health struggles), weighing continued education or requesting peer support, QRF is here to help. Do not hesitate to join the thousands who benefited from QRF in 2020. Call today, it’s free.
Learn More about Quick Reaction Force
QRFIAVA Member Survey
THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF POST-9/11 VETERANS
IAVA’s annual membership survey is the largest and most comprehensive non-governmental survey of post-9/11 veterans. The survey takes about an hour to complete and asks both ideological and demographic questions that help ensure that IAVA fights in lock step with our over 425,000 members.
The results of the survey directly inform IAVA’s Policy Agenda and fuel our work advocating on behalf of this vital community. The survey gives post-9/11 veterans a powerful voice which directly shapes IAVA’s Policy Priorities.
Learn More about Our Member Survey
See the ResultsIAVA Awareness
STORYTELLING IS VITAL
IAVA leverages our data from our polling and the member survey and pulls from our shared experiences to tell stories in a way that motivates positive change.
IAVA is the face of the veteran’s movement, and that is vital because as one voice we are more powerful than our almost 4 million individual voices.
IAVA is called up by the media first because our programs and membership are authentic. IAVA and our membership is relevant to not just the veteran community but also to the civilian population. Nowhere does IAVA move the needle further for veterans nationwide than its ability to engage the public and lead the national discussion.
We appeared in multiple print and digital media outlets, in multiple broadcast news outlets, and we reached over 80 million people, representing $1.5 million in value. IAVA leader’s appearances included, NPR, CBS, PBS, NBC, the New York Times, MSNBC, Fox News, the Washington Post and much more.
See Our Media in Action
Learn MoreIAVA in DC
VETERAN ADVOCATE
Since its founding in 2004, IAVA has remained the preeminent organization fighting, and winning, the most important battles in America on behalf of post-9/11 veterans and their families. 2020 was among our most impactful years ever.
Below we will highlight in more detail our success around women veterans and suicide prevention. However, we had incredible wins on all of our BIG 6 bipartisan issues that matter to veterans that must be celebrated.
- IAVA joined coalitions and advised members of congress on vital legislation designed to end the practice of and treat the victims of burn pits and other toxic exposures, the downstream benefits of which will be experienced for years to come.
- In March a bill passed ensuring a full housing allowance for GI Bill users who saw their allowances cut in half due to COVID forcing classes online.
- In October the Vet Center Eligibility Expansion Act and Veterans Care Quality Transparency Act both passed into law.
BIG WINS IN THE FIGHT TO END VETERAN SUICIDE
Death by suicide is the single biggest threat facing the veteran community. In the United States we lose 132 citizens a day to suicide, of whom 20 are veterans. This means that 15% of the deaths by suicide are veterans, however only 1% of Americans have served in the military. Statistically, as a representation of population, we should be only losing 1.32 veterans a day (which is still far too many) but instead we are losing 20!
In 2020, we made some important headway with critical legislation to more effectively provide support and access to resources to reduce veteran suicide:
- Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, the most comprehensive veteran suicide bill to date was passed into law in October.
- National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, which created a national 911 equivalent phone number for suicidal ideation that will roll out nationwide. The new number is 988 and was passed into law in October.
- Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act, which provides necessary tools and resources to VA Suicide Prevention Coordinators passed into law in October.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2021: BURN PITS AND TOXIC EXPOSURES MUST BE ADDRESSED
DEBORAH SAMPSON ACT
In 2017 IAVA launched #SHEWHOBORNETHEBATTLE, a campaign to recognize and support women veterans. IAVA was the first and for a long time, the only Veterans Service Organization demanding change in the quality of care of our women veterans. We told stories, wrote op-eds and we executed a grassroots campaign advocating for legislative changes that forced quality of care improvements for our nation’s women veterans. In December 2020, the Deborah Sampson Act, legislation conceived of and written by IAVA passed into law, and our nation’s veterans are better for it.
The VA motto was adopted in 1959, a quote taken from President Lincoln’s 1865 inaugural address in which he affirmed the government’s obligation to care for those injured and to provide for the families of those who perished on the battle field: “To Care For Him Who Shall Have Borne the Battle and For His Widow, and His Orphan”. The motto was outdated in 1959 and it is harmfully outdated today. As written, the quote does not reflect nor does it represent all of those who have served our country. Women have always been part of our military and, for far too long, have not received the recognition nor support they earned.
Changing the VA motto is more than a symbolic gesture – words have meaning. Changing the VA motto to one that reflects the diversity of veterans that the Department serves would send a powerful message that the VA is truly an open and a welcoming organization that will continually adapt to best support all who have borne the battle.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2021: THE VA’S OUTDATED MOTTO MUST BE CHANGED TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE
IAVA'S ANNUAL FLY IN EVENT
Q1 2020 in Washington D.C. we had our most impactful in person annual event. Our member fly in is IAVA’s results oriented, on the ground, professional development and education program for IAVA’s members. This event is a best in class program designed to both empower IAVA members with the skills to be leaders in their community and to position IAVA members to successfully influence decision makers. The fly in included media coverage and our survey results launch party. Click the participants below to read their stories.
This event directly leads to passage of legislation and has launched veteran careers in politics and management.
Time for a Fresh Look
NEW IAVA.ORG
Launched Q1 2020
To stay relevant in web searches and also modern in visual imagery, an organization must make investments in digital products. Over time it became difficult for our members to find the vital information they needed on IAVA.org and simultaneously, updating content had become too difficult and costly to manage with internal staffing.
In Q1 of 2020, IAVA launched our new website with the goal of providing a roadmap to useful and relevant content, increasing time spent on our pages and growing donations. All of these goals were accomplished at a discount with an ongoing plan for a 45% decrease in site management costs in the years ahead.
The timing of the launch allowed our team to pivot to a stronger digital presence, an unexpected necessity in 2020 and beyond. With the new launch IAVA.org offers more tools to connect, unite and empower post-9/11 veterans in the digital world for years to come.
