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By Jordan King
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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced nearly $2.2 million in grant funding awarded to eight educational and research institutions nationwide. Totaling $2,199,686, these grants will support localized student- and educator-led research initiatives dedicated to preserving and sharing the legacies of veterans interred in national and VA-funded cemeteries.
The awards were facilitated through the National Cemetery Administration’s (NCA) Veterans Legacy Program (VLP), an initiative designed to engage the public and promote educational outreach. According to the VA, the eight recipients were selected following a highly competitive and rigorous review process.
“These grants connect America’s youth with America’s veterans,” VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Sam Brown said. “They help teach young people valuable lessons about service, sacrifice, courage and perseverance that will last a lifetime.”
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The newly funded initiatives range from deep-dives into the service of Omaha Tribe veterans in Nebraska to national projects documenting World War II Navy and Coast Guard personnel. Other programs will focus on veterans with ties to Alaska, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, and Texas.
Full List of VA Veterans Legacy Program Grants
The following institutions have been awarded funding for their respective commemorative and educational projects:
1. National History Day Inc. | $356,582
The nonprofit organization will recruit 50 educators from communities near VA and VA-funded cemeteries. Participating students will conduct historical research on Navy and Coast Guard veterans who served during World War II, with up to 100 profiles projected for publication on the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM) and the National History Day Silent Heroes database.
2. U.S. Korea Global Strategy Foundation | $329,997
This research institute will launch a series of webinars connecting students and teachers with national cemeteries and the VLM. The initiative will task students with researching the lives of local Vietnam War veterans buried in national cemeteries, with an estimated reach of 21,000 students and 900 educators nationwide.
3. University of Alaska Anchorage | $325,000
Focusing on the unique contributions of Alaska’s veteran population, the university will engage high school and undergraduate students in researching local military history. The institution will also establish a physical memorial on its Anchorage campus to showcase student research and presentations.
4. Montclair State University | $318,971
Through the Garden State Veterans Legacy Program, the university will enroll educators in a yearlong curriculum-development initiative focusing on historical research methodologies. Teachers will investigate veterans tied to New Jersey, incorporating educational site visits to Beverly National Cemetery, Finn’s Point National Cemetery, Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery, and Washington Crossing National Cemetery.
5. Texas State University | $286,985
The TexVet Legacy Project will develop comprehensive veteran profiles for the VLM and generate K-12 educational resources centered on Gold Star families. Incorporating guided visits to VA-funded cemeteries across Texas, the program is projected to reach approximately 4,000 students annually.
6. University of Central Missouri | $255,451
This initiative will educate students and faculty on the veterans interred at Fort Scott National Cemetery in Kansas and the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville. Funding will support five student researchers tasked with writing biographies, launching a project website, producing multimedia content, and organizing public walking tours and community events.
7. University of Denver | $201,699
Partnering with local K-12 schools, the university will expand its More Than a Headstone initiative. High school and university students will document the biographies of Colorado veterans, develop virtual walking tours for the VLM, and explore enhanced community collaboration with Fort Logan National Cemetery.
8. Umoⁿhoⁿ Nation Public School | $125,000
This Nebraska school district will implement a K-12 curriculum focused on veterans from the Omaha Tribal community. While younger students complete local remembrance projects, middle and high school students will conduct historical research to write biographies for publication on the VLM platform.
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About the Veterans Legacy Program
Established on Memorial Day in 2016 by the NCA, the VLP honors the memory of the nation's fallen service members by uncovering and sharing their historical narratives. The program encourages K-12 and university educators and students to utilize the rich historical resources available through VA national, state, territorial, and tribal veterans cemeteries.
Since its inception, the VLP has awarded dozens of grants and engaged more than 15,000 students in creating instructional lesson plans, documentary videos, and biographical profiles.
Much of this research is permanently preserved via the VLM, the VA’s comprehensive digital memorial platform. The VLM currently hosts dedicated memorial pages for more than 10.3 million veterans interred across 157 VA national cemeteries, VA-funded state, territorial, and tribal cemeteries, Arlington National Cemetery, and overseas cemeteries managed by the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Matthew Robinson and Anthony Murray.
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