2019
ANNUAL REPORT
A Message From
Kim Frank
President, The Folded Flag Foundation
As president for The Folded Flag Foundation, it is my privilege to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country by helping the spouses and children left behind.
The Folded Flag Foundation had a big year in 2019 as we celebrated our 5-year anniversary. Last year, we were able to award more than $2.4 million in educational scholarships to 342 recipients from across the nation – the most Gold Stars we’ve been able to help yet!
Since starting our mission in 2014, we have been able to help hundreds of spouses and children of fallen service members obtain their educational dreams by providing them scholarships and grants. Year after year, we continue to see an increase in the total amount of funding we’ve been able to provide and an increase in the number of families we have been able to help. However, we are also seeing the number of individuals who are needing financial aid to help cover the increasing costs for education continue to grow.
In order for us to provide qualified recipients with educational funding, we rely on the generous support and donations from the public. And thanks to our underwriting sponsors – Black Knight, Inc., Fidelity National Financial, FIS and ServiceLink – 100 percent of all public 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 thank each and every one of you for your continuous support for our organization and our nation’s military. We would not be able to deliver the impact to help spouses and children without your unwavering support.
Thank you,
Kim Frank
OUR MISSION
The Folded Flag Foundation’s mission is to provide educational scholarships and grants to the spouses and children of U.S. military and government personnel who died as a result of hostile action or in an accident related to U.S. combat or stateside military operations.
SUPPORT THE FUTURE
of the families that have been left behind.
MAINTAIN A STAFF AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
dedicated to supporting our nation’s Gold Star Families.
PROTECT THE LEGACY
of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
SHOW APPRECIATION
to military and government personnel, and their families.
WHAT WE DO
The Folded Flag Foundation was formed in 2014 as a non-profit organization that relies on public donations to provide scholarships to spouses (any age) or children (0-26) of fallen service members.
Scholarships are awarded for K-12, college/trade school or grad school, and they help cover the costs for tuition, tutoring, room/board, books, supplies and more.
The scholarship application period is opened each year in early March and the deadline is in mid-May for scholarships to be awarded in time for the following summer school/camp or academic school year.
THANKS TO OUR UNDERWRITING SPONSORS
100 percent of all public donations are able to go directly to providing these scholarships.
2019 RECAP
In just five years, Folded Flag has provided nearly $6 million in educational scholarships to more than 400 individuals from across the nation. You can read more about last year’s results below.
SCHOLARSHIPS
| YEAR | NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS | SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT |
| 2019 | 350 | $2,537,420 |
| 2018 | 205 | $1,888,359 |
| 2017 | 160 | $1,054,927 |
| 2016 | 50 | $387,171 |
| 2015 | 12 | $137,300 |
| 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Change from ’18 to ’19 |
|
| New Students | 170 | 109 | 97 | +56% |
| Returning Students | 180 | 90 | 34 | +100% |
| 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Change from ’18 to ’19 |
|
| Surviving Children | 305 | 177 | 117 | +72% |
| Surviving Spouses | 45 | 22 | 14 | +105% |
| 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Change from ’18 to ’19 |
|
| K-12 | 195 | 107 | 85 | +81% |
| College/Trade School | 127 | 76 | 32 | +67% |
| Graduate School | 28 | 16 | 14 | +75% |
| Breakdown of Applicants by Fallen Branch | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Change from ’18 to ’19 |
| Army | 242 | 138 | 86 | +75% |
| Navy | 17 | 17 | 12 | 0% |
| Air Force | 23 | 14 | 10 | +64% |
| Marines | 63 | 26 | 20 | +142% |
| Government | 5 | 4 | 3 | +25% |
| 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Change from ’18 to ’19 |
|
| Total Number of Unique Families | 239 | 154 | 96 | +55% |
COUNTRY/STATE BREAKDOWN
| 2019 | 2018 | |
| Total U.S. States With Grant Recipients | 39 | 35 |
| Total Countries With Grant Recipients | 4 | 3 |
TOP 5 STATES BY NUMBER OF GRANT RECIPIENTS
| 2019 | |
| North Carolina | 43 |
| Florida | 34 |
| California | 33 |
| Texas | 28 |
| Virginia | 24 |
THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR 2019
IS AS FOLLOWS:
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2020 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 out 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.