2023

ANNUAL REPORT

A Message From
Kim Frank

President, The Folded Flag Foundation

 

Thank you to everyone who helped make 2023 a great year for The Folded Flag Foundation. With the support from generous donors like you, we were able to raise $4.5 million for our nation’s Gold Star families and awarded 887 scholarships for the 2023-24 school year.

Over the years, we’ve been privileged to assist numerous spouses and children of fallen service members in achieving their educational aspirations. Through scholarships and grants, we’ve made a positive impact on their lives. To sustain this vital support for deserving recipients, we depend on the generosity of the public. And thanks to our underwriting sponsors – Fidelity National Financial, FIS, and ServiceLink – 100 percent of all donations go directly to the spouses and children.

On behalf of The Folded Flag Foundation’s Board of Trustees and Operating Staff, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your unwavering support for our organization and our nation’s military. It is because of your continuous support that we are able to deliver impactful assistance to Gold Star spouses and children.

Thank you,
Kim Frank

THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR 2023
IS AS FOLLOWS:

2023 RECAP

Since opening our doors in 2014, Folded Flag has provided more than $15 million in educational scholarships to more than 800 individuals from across the nation. You can read more about last year’s results below.

SCHOLARSHIPS

YEAR NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT
2023 887 $4,263,252
2022 754 $3,319,353
2021 678 $3,050,000
2020 359 $1,557,007
2019 350 $2,537,420
2018 205 $1,888,359
2017 160 $1,054,927
2016 50 $387,171
2015 12 $137,300
2023 2022 2021
New Students 220 332 324
Returning Students 667 422 354
2023 2022 2021
Surviving Children 807 694 617
Surviving Spouses 80 60 61
2023 2022 2021
K-12 518 463 403
College/Trade School 278 254 238
Graduate School 91 37 37
Breakdown of Applicants by Fallen Branch 2023 2022 2021
Army 526 490 454
Navy 115 75 41
Air Force 102 68 68
Marines 131 106 108
Coast Guard 3 7 N/A
Government 10 8 7

TOP 5 STATES BY NUMBER OF GRANT RECIPIENTS

2023 2022
Texas 64 63
North Carolina 55 52
Florida 50 48
Virginia 47 44
California 38 31

THANKS TO OUR UNDERWRITING SPONSORS

100 percent of all public donations are able to go directly to providing these scholarships.

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2024 AND BEYOND

As recently as 2003, the benefits paid to eligible survivors of military personnel killed in the line of duty was a one-time payment of $6,000. Since then, the death benefit has increased but still does not provide the necessary support for Gold Star family members.

Our goal is to not only help supplement the current death benefits, but to also provide a strong community for the spouses and children of fallen service members to connect with others who are going through the same hardships.

The Folded Flag Foundation has identified more than 5,000 spouses and children who will need educational funding over the next 20 years. It is our mission to help every single one of them.

If you would like to contribute to our mission and help our nation’s Gold Star spouses, please consider making a donation.