• What are the eligibility requirements for a grant?
  • The child/teen is age 1-18 OR not yet a high school graduate.
  • The child’s parent is currently deployed overseas or activated stateside (not including AGR assignments or training) with the National Guard or Reserve for at least 90 days, OR is a Veteran who sustained combat-related wounds, illness, or injuries during a post 9/11 overseas contingency operation and is currently undergoing treatment, with one VA individual disability rating of at least 30% or more in one of the categories of TBI, PTSD, amputation, spinal cord injury, burns, mental health, or one of the presumptive conditions outlined in the PACT Act.
  • You are able to provide all required documentation, as listed on the application (linked above). For the Combat-Injured Program, a letter from a VA case manager certifying the Veteran meets all the criteria for our program and is still receiving treatment is required. You can use our case manager letter template HERE.

• How will the grant payment be received?
  • Once approved, a grant award packet will be sent to your home address. This packet includes special recognition for the child, as well as the grant check, which is made payable to the activity organization. You may then hand-deliver the check to the organization. If you made an early payment to reserve your child’s spot, you may then request reimbursement from the organization.

• What is the maximum grant award my child can receive?
  • Each grant funds a maximum of $300 per child, per activity.
  • An additional $300 activity grant per child is available for 180+ day NGR deployments!

• Can a grant pay for academic tuition, religious trips, or child care?
  • No; we only fund extracurricular activities such as fine arts, tutoring, sports, and camp.

• Are children of active component service members eligible for a grant?
  • No. Our program currently focuses on serving the families of deployed National Guard and Reservists, who often live away from military communities and leave behind civilian jobs when they deploy overseas.

• Can a grant check be made payable to a family member?
  • No, for security reasons we only approve grant payments to non-family members, unless you are applying for an online enrichment activity. If so, we require a paid invoice as part of the application documentation, and the grant check will be made out to the name on the credit card statement.

• How soon can I apply for another grant?
  • For our Deployed or Stateside Activated NGR Program:
    • 80-179 Day Orders: You may apply for one (1) grant per child, per deployment.
    • 180+ Day Orders: You may apply for two (2) grants per child, per deployment. Each $300 grant requires its own application.

• For our Combat-Injured Program:
  • You may apply every six (6) months for a new grant that may be used for the same or different activities, up to four (4) times per child. We also offer an additional fifth (5th) FLEX grant available at any time during the military parent’s recovery, so you would not need to wait the typical six months to re-apply.
  • Required for Eligibility: A letter from a VA case manager certifying the Veteran meets all the criteria for our program and is still receiving treatment.

Any other questions? Please reach out to us at: OMKinquiry@ourmilitarykids.org