Semper Fi Fund


Semper Fi Fund is a non-profit 501 organization that provides a variety of programs to assist wounded veterans in all branches of the United States Armed Forces. The organization describes its mission as "providing urgently needed resources and support for post-9/11 combat wounded, critically ill and catastrophically injured members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families." As of November 2019, the Semper Fi Fund has issued 209,000 grants totaling $210 million in assistance to 24,000 service members and their families.

History

Formation

The Semper Fi Fund began in early 2003 as a gathering of military spouses around a kitchen table discussing ways to help Marines who had been injured during the invasion of Iraq. Early efforts included the distribution of snacks and toiletries at hospitals and a specialized van for a catastrophically injured Marine.

Incorporation

The nonprofit was officially incorporated as the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund on May 17, 2004. General Alfred M. Gray, Jr., who served as the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1987 to 1991, was named the chairman of the board of the Semper Fi Fund and served in this position until November 2014.

First donation

The first official donation to the Semper Fi Fund was made by the Lighthouse Christian Church in Oceanside, California. Throughout 2004, the Semper Fi Fund received more than $2 million in donations.

Milestones

The Semper Fi Fund has maintained an operating overhead of 7% on average since its inception.

Programs and Assistance

The Semper Fi Fund provides a wide variety of assistance to wounded, critically ill and injured service members. These programs are categorized into three main programs:

Service Member and Family Support Program

Described on the Semper Fi Fund website as providing "direct financial assistance and vital programming for combat wounded, critically ill and catastrophically injured service members and their families during hospitalization and recovery," the includes:
The Semper Fi Fund describes their Transition Program on their website as a program that "makes it easier for wounded service members to thrive beyond injury to recovery. Education support and career assistance provides them with the tools and skills to successfully reconnect with their communities and build new, productive lives." The includes:
Described on their website as "inclusive wellness programs provide targeted services and resources to meet the specific needs of those we assist," the Semper Fi Fund's Integrative Wellness Program includes:
Specific assistance made in fiscal year 2019 and reported by the Semper Fi Fund in its 2019 annual report includes:
In the aftermath of the April 15, 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, the Semper Fi Fund paid for a group of veterans to travel to Boston to assist the survivors of the bombings with information and moral support. According to Marine veteran B.J. Ganem, who lost his leg to an improvised explosive device in Iraq, the aftermath of the bombing, "looked exactly like something we saw in Iraq and Afghanistan." The organization began a separate fundraising effort, the Boston Marathon Relief Fund.

Notable Fundraising

Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation

Charity Navigator

Provided the Semper Fi Fund with nine consecutive four-star ratings, reflecting scores of 100 out of 100 for accountability and transparency and 97.50 out of 100 for financial performance. These rankings placed the Semper Fi Fund at the very top of Charity Navigator's list of charities performing similar types of work.

CharityWatch

Gives the Semper Fi Fund an A+ rating, one of only two of the 64 veteran and military charities reviewed to receive this highest ranking. CharityWatch lists the Semper Fi Fund as a Top-Rated Charity in their Veterans & Military category. According to Charity Watch, "groups included on the Top-Rated list generally spend 75% or more of their budgets on programs, spend $25 or less to raise $100 in public support, do not hold excessive assets in reserve, and receive "open-book" status for disclosure of basic financial information and documents to CharityWatch."
Daniel Borochoff, founder and president of CharityWatch, has said this about the Semper Fi Fund: "They give 93, 94 percent of their spending toward bona fide real programs that help veterans, and their cost to raise money is very small. It's only like 3 or 4 percent."

GuideStar

Provides the Semper Fi Fund with Platinum-level recognition, including the 2018 Platinum Seal of Transparency. According to the GuideStar website, "GuideStar Platinum encourages nonprofit organizations to share their progress and results in important new ways—moving way beyond simplistic financial ratios—to reflect the changes organizations are making in the world." As of January 2020, 41 personal reviews on GuideStar provided the Semper Fi Fund with an average rating of five stars.