American Warrior Initiative Inc
American Warrior Initiative Inc. is a private foundation based in Madison, Wisconsin. It funds service dogs for veterans and first responders and supports community efforts addressing veterans’ needs.
American Warrior Initiative Inc at a glance
In short: American Warrior Initiative Inc gave $854K across 135 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), top state Wisconsin. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $854,322
- -3.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 135
- +0.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,328
- -4.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $613
- Total assets
- $3,446,715
- +2.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (7 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (34% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to American Warrior Initiative Inc
- Contact
Application contact: American Warrior Initiative
Mailing address: 4750 S Biltmore Ln, Madison, WI 53718
Phone: (724) 900-6045
Email: awi@fairwaymc.com
Website: https://americanwarriorinitiative.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who American Warrior Initiative Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Custom Canines Service Dog Academy ($281K). Together the top 10 received $636K.
Organizations only. It also paid 120 grants to individuals ($175,436), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
722 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 705 grants of 722 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
AWI’s 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest reported shares were Wisconsin (36%), Colorado (12%), Washington (8%), Texas (6%), and Louisiana (6%). Examples of 2024 recipients also include organizations in Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Florida, Oregon, and Arizona.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 135 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is American Warrior Initiative Inc open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 16 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $78K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 31% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−20%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 558% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $854K (2025) to $1.8M (2021). In 2025 it made 135 grants totaling $854K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Canines Service Dog Academy Madison, WI | Service Dogs | $280,700 |
| K9S for Veterans NFP Plainfield, IL | Service Dogs | $82,500 |
| Knightwatch K9 Service Dogs Sierra Vista, AZ | Service Dogs | $71,000 |
| Stillwater Ranch Loveland, CO | To Support General Mission | $57,975 |
| Northwest Battle Buddies Battle Ground, WA | Service Dogs | $30,000 |
| Soldier's Best Friend Peoria, AZ | To Support General Mission | $30,000 |
| Hero Pups Inc Stratham, NH | Service Dogs | $28,300 |
| Ultimate Canine LLC Westfield, IN | Service Dogs | $23,806 |
| Dog Training Elite Greater New Hampshire Concord, NH | Service Dogs | $16,349 |
| Dog Training Elite Salt Lake Sandy, UT | Service Dogs | $14,935 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,446,715 | $1,006,965 | $840,004 | $854,322 | 135 | $865,785 | $91,915 | $155,288 |
| 2024 | $3,366,368 | $827,311 | $931,145 | $885,001 | 134 | $914,969 | $111,429 | $156,691 |
| 2023 | $3,413,772 | $1,139,521 | $977,389 | $879,944 | 125 | $899,766 | $41,599 | $159,536 |
| 2022 | $3,344,756 | $1,621,034 | $1,395,945 | $1,064,816 | 157 | $1,096,327 | $8,842 | $143,312 |
| 2021 | $3,298,583 | $1,806,705 | $1,802,312 | $1,772,750 | 171 | $1,802,078 | $2,150 | $141,818 |
| 2020 | $3,251,183 | $2,640,983 | $1,467,184 | $1,015,960 | 220 | — | $5,942 | $87,894 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, American Warrior Initiative Inc reported a distributable amount of $155K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
AWI’s stated mission includes educating and equipping real estate professionals to serve active-duty and former military clients, while its current work focuses on funding service dogs and supporting veterans and first responders through local communities. Its website also describes past support for veterans through business grants, home upgrades, and mortgage-free housing.
Its 2024 grants include service-dog providers and other organizations serving veterans. For example, Northwest Battle Buddies describes its mission as partnering combat veterans with PTSD with professionally trained service dogs at no charge. Brigadoon Service Dogs says it provides trained dogs for veterans, children, and adults with disabilities. Stillwater Ranch says it provides resources and activities for veterans, service members, and their families to promote health, healing, and connection. Other 2024 recipients included Fort Kennedy, which describes work in transitional housing, shelter, employment support, and counseling for veterans, and Beads of Courage, which provides arts-in-medicine programs for children coping with serious illness.
Grantmaking
In 2024, AWI made 134 grants totaling $885,001. Grants ranged from $150 to $305,303, with a median grant of $1,836. Its largest 2024 grant was $305,303 to Custom Canines Service Dog Academy Inc. in Madison, Wisconsin, for service dogs. Other large grants included $65,000 to Guardian Service Dogs; $30,000 each to Brigadoon Service Dogs and Northwest Battle Buddies; and $24,890 to Ultimate Canine for service-dog training. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 135 grants totaling $854,322.
AWI’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. To apply for veteran assistance, its filing directs applicants to the Veteran Support Form. Applicants must have been honorably discharged; AWI also requires a valid DD 214, with all pages uploaded if the document has more than one page. The filing states that AWI does not make grants outside its funding priorities.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Steven Jacobson as president, Leonard Krupinski as vice president, Todd Gavinski as treasurer, and Julie Fry and Louise Thaxton as directors. AWI’s website identifies Louise Thaxton as a national speaker, author, veterans advocate, and mortgage professional.
American Warrior Initiative Inc is led by Steven Jacobson, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Steven Jacobson
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Louise Thaxton
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Fry
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leonard Krupinski
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Todd Gavinski
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Sean Parnell (2020–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about American Warrior Initiative Inc
How much does American Warrior Initiative Inc give each year?
American Warrior Initiative Inc gave $854K across 135 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $885K across 134 grants.
What is American Warrior Initiative Inc's typical grant size?
American Warrior Initiative Inc's median grant in 2025 was $613, and its average grant was $6,328, across 135 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from American Warrior Initiative Inc that year got $22K on average.
Where does American Warrior Initiative Inc give grants?
American Warrior Initiative Inc's top state is Wisconsin, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Arizona (14%) and Illinois (12%).
Does American Warrior Initiative Inc give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of American Warrior Initiative Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 135) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Family Grant" (44 grants), "Gift Card" (36 grants) and "Financial Grant" (33 grants).
Who are American Warrior Initiative Inc's largest grantees?
American Warrior Initiative Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Custom Canines Service Dog Academy ($280,700), K9S for Veterans NFP ($82,500) and Knightwatch K9 Service Dogs ($71,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 120 grants to individuals ($175,436), which are not listed by name. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is American Warrior Initiative Inc?
American Warrior Initiative Inc reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $866K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $155K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does American Warrior Initiative Inc fund?
AWI’s stated mission includes educating and equipping real estate professionals to serve active-duty and former military clients, while its current work focuses on funding service dogs and supporting veterans and first responders through local communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from American Warrior Initiative Inc?
American Warrior Initiative Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check americanwarriorinitiative.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is American Warrior Initiative Inc's EIN?
American Warrior Initiative Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-3566126. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 16, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 24, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work American Warrior Initiative Inc funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). American Warrior Initiative Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/american-warrior-initiative-inc-morg_d7dd604b336c46a7a50f0a270d992967
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_473566126_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{American Warrior Initiative Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/american-warrior-initiative-inc-morg_d7dd604b336c46a7a50f0a270d992967},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from American Warrior Initiative Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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