Special Operations Warrior Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ENSURE COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ACADEMIC ADVOCACY, PRESCHOOL AND PRIVATE SCHOOL GRANTS, TUTORING, SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, COLLEGE READINESS PROGRAMS, FULL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR UP TO A FOUR-YEAR POST-SECONDARY DEGREE, ACCESS TO OUR COLLEGE TO CAREER TRANSITIONS PROGRAM, A COMMITMENT TO COVER EDUCATIONAL COSTS FOR THE SURVIVING CHILDREN OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS PERSONNEL WHOSE SPOUSES PERISH WHILE THE SPECIAL OPERATOR IS ACTIVELY SERVING, WHILE PROVIDING A VARIETY OF OTHER PRACTICAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THE FOUNDATION ALSO PROVIDES IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL GRANTS TO SEVERELY COMBAT-WOUNDED, ILL, AND INJURED SPECIAL OPERATIONS PERSONNEL WHO REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION.
- Income
- $53.9 million
- Spending
- $20.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 101.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 64%
- Employees
- 20
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $333,344, president/ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 101.5 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 33% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 63% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 221% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2524 of 25 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $14.4 million spent. SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS: THE FOUNDATION EMPLOYS A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS, WITH AN INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON THEIR COMPLETION OF A POST-SECONDARY DEGREE. IN 2024, 261 CHILDREN ATTENDED COLLEGES OR OTHER POST SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED APPROXIMATLEY $5.7 MILLION TO THE CHILDREN ATTENDING COLLEGE. OUR GRANTS INCLUDE FUNDING FOR TUITION, ROOM AND BOARD, BOOKS, TUTORING, COMPUTERS, FEES, TRANSPORTATION, AND PERSONAL EXPENSES. AT DECEMBER 31, 2024 THERE ARE 1,863 CHILDREN WHO SURVIVED 1,451 SPECIAL OPERATIONS PERSONNEL,SPOUSES OF ACTIVELY SERVING SPECIAL OPERATIONS PERSONNEL AND MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN PATRIOTIC SERVICE TO THEIR COUNTRY. OF THESE 1,863 CHILDREN, 565 HAVE GRADUATED COLLEGE. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O). THE FOUNDATION RETAINED ERNST & YOUNG LLP TO PREPARE AN ACTUARIAL VALUATION FOR FUNDING PURPOSES TO SUMMARIZE THE PRESENT VALUE OF THE PROJECTED NEED OF THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2022. THE ACTUARIAL VALUATION INCORPORATED BOTH CURRENT AND PROJECTED FUTURE BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROGRAM AND PROVIDED INFORMATION REGARDING ALTERNATIVE PATTERNS AND SENSITIVITY OF DISCOUNT RATES AND INVESTMENT RETURNS ON THE ANTICIPATED DONATIONS NEEDS. THE RESULTS CONCLUDED THE PRESENT VALUE OF THE PROJECTED NEED OF THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO BE APPROXIMATELY $401 MILLION AT DECEMBER 31, 2022, WITH AN UNFUNDED PROJECTED NEED OF APPROXIMATELY $224 MILLION AT DECEMBER 31, 2022.
- $3.3 million spent. EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY, TUTORING AND PRIVATE SCHOOLING: ACADEMIC AND CAREER ADVOCACY SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL ELIGIBLE CHILDREN BEGINNING AT A YOUNG AGE. BY SETTING THE EXPECTATION OF A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, OUR STUDENTS BEGIN SETTING THEIR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS FROM A YOUNG AGE. THE FOUNDATION IS THERE TO ENSURE THAT EACH STUDENT IS ON TRACK TO REACH THOSE GOALS.THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY TO OVER 1,200 CHILDREN THAT HAVE NOT YET REACHED COLLEGE AGE OR STARTED THEIR POST SECONDARY EDUCATION. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O).456 OF THESE CHILDREN WERE IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AND RECEIVED ACADEMIC PLANNING MATERIALS AND STARTED PREPARING TO BEGIN THEIR POST SECONDARY EDUCATION. IN HOME TUTORING WAS AVAILABLE TO ALL CHILDREN FROM KINDERGARTEN AGE THROUGH COLLEGE GRADUATION. THE FOUNDATION ALSO FUNDED VISITS TO COLLEGES FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS. THE FOUNDATION CONDUCTS AN ANNUAL COLLEGE PREPARATION CONFERENCE/SEMINAR FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS. THE STUDENTS ARE LODGED ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS, COACHED IN COLLEGE FINANCES, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES, TAUGHT HOW TO WRITE A COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ESSAY, LEARN ABOUT EXPECTATIONS FROM COLLEGE PROFESSORS, AND ARE MENTORED BY SOWF COLLEGE GRADUATES. MOST RECENTLY, IN 2021, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANTS OF UP TO $5000 PER K-12 STUDENT, PER YEAR. IN ITS COMMITMENT TO ITS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, STUDENT SUCCESS, SOWF CONTINUES TO ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, FROM CRADLE TO CAREER.
- $465,577 spent. SUPPORT TO SPECIAL OPERATIONS WOUNDED PERSONNEL: SPECIAL OPERATORS ARE DEPLOYED IN OVER 80 COUNTRIES EVERY DAY. ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGES THAT SPECIAL OPERATIONS FAMILIES MAY FACE IS THE IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL BURDEN WHEN THEIR LOVED ONE IS HOSPITALIZED WITH SEVERE COMBAT WOUNDS, INJURIES, OR ILLNESS. SINCE 2006, SPECIAL OPERATIONS WARRIOR FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO OVER 1,300 SEVERELY WOUNDED, ILL, AND INJURED SPECIAL OPERATORS REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION. IN 2024, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO 56 SEVERELY COMBAT WOUNDED OR INJURED SPECIAL OPERATIONS PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O).THESE FUNDS ARE USED TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF UNEXPECTED EXPENSES SUCH AS AIRFARE, CHILD CARE, PET CARE, RENTAL CARS, ETC. ADDITIONALLY, SOWF SENDS THE HOSPITALIZED SERVICE MEMBER AN IPAD TO FACILITATE CONNECTIVITY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1995.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.