The Kaufmann Fund

What The Kaufmann Fund does

The Kaufman Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1990 by Wayne Kaufman, a Vietnam-era U.S. Army veteran, in memory of his brother Ralph Kaufman, a U.S. Air Force veteran. The organization is headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri, and serves Veterans and military families in need across the St. Louis region, with all funds raised explicitly retained locally. Its service model combines direct program delivery with a referral-based ecosystem: it runs its own programs (Food for Vets, Trees for Vets, Tax Prep for Vets via an IRS VITA-certified site, Winter Warm-Up, and Artist First for Vets) and operates referral networks connecting Veterans to partner providers for dental care, legal representation, mental health support, and chiropractic care.

The organization's technology footprint is minimal and non-proprietary, consisting of a Neon CRM-based website for donations and event registration plus standard social media channels (Facebook, YouTube) for awareness and community engagement. There is no proprietary software, mobile app, or AI/ML component. The business model is purely donation-driven: revenue is generated through individual donations across tiered amounts from $20 to $5,000, corporate sponsorships (with named sponsors including Cardinal Legacy Towing, Hollywood Casino, On The Run, and Peoples National Bank), ticket and auction revenue from fundraising events, and proceeds from a vehicle donation partnership with Vehicles for Veterans.

The fundraising engine is anchored by two recurring annual events - the Ralph Kaufman Memorial Golf Tournament (held at Whitmoor Country Club since 2014, the main fundraiser for over 30 years) and Casino Night (since 2017) - supplemented by Blacklight Bingo, Trivia Night, Car Show, and the newer Mental Health Resilience Conference. The organization also convenes VetNet Connect, a monthly networking meeting at American Legion Post 397 that brings together other Veteran-serving organizations. Founder Wayne Kaufman was inducted into the 2024 Missouri Veterans Hall of Fame, and the organization reports having helped over 1,000 Veterans in the past year and coordinated $3.2 million-plus in pro bono services to Veterans and families.

Name

The Kaufmann Fund

Legal name

The Kaufman Fund

Website

https://thekaufmanfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Kaufman Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1990 that provides basic necessities and referral-based services - food, dental, legal, mental health, tax prep, and seasonal aid - to Veterans and families in need across the St. Louis region, funded by donations, sponsorships, and annual events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Support Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Veteran assistance programs
• Nonprofit veteran services
• Food assistance veterans
• Mental health referral veterans
• Charitable veteran support

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals supporting Veteran causes. Donors can designate gifts to specific programs (Food 4 Vets, Trees 4 Vets, Dental Program, Legal Program, Mental Health, Chiropractic, Tax Prep, Outreach, Winter Warm Up).
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship opportunities for annual events and programs including Trees for Vets sponsorship tiers (Tree Tag Sponsor $1,500, Tree Sponsor $50/Tree), Golf Tournament sponsors, and Casino Night sponsors.
3. Fundraising Events: Revenue from ticket sales and auction items at events including Golf Tournament, Casino Night, Trivia Night, Car Show, Blacklight Bingo, and Mental Health Resilience Conference.
4. Vehicle Donations: Partnership with Vehicles for Veterans (Car Donation Foundation) vehicle donation program. Proceeds from donated vehicles support the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Kaufman Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers free direct-assistance programs and referral services to Veterans and their families in the St. Louis region, including food distribution through Food for Vets, Christmas trees via Trees for Vets, free IRS VITA-certified tax preparation, winter clothing through Winter Warm-Up, art therapy through Artist First for Vets, and referral pathways to dental, legal, mental health, and chiropractic care. Services are funded entirely through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events, and vehicle donations, with all funds kept in the St. Louis region.

Product overview

The Kaufman Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1990 that operates multiple veteran assistance programs. The organization provides direct services including Food for Vets, Trees for Vets, Tax Prep for Vets, Winter Warm-Up, and Artist First for Vets. Additionally, the fund operates referral programs connecting veterans to dental care, legal representation, mental health services, and chiropractic care. The organization hosts fundraising events including the annual Ralph Kaufman Memorial Golf Tournament and Casino Night, and facilitates VetNet Connect monthly networking meetings for veteran-serving organizations. All funds raised stay in the St. Louis region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Food for Vets: Program providing food assistance to Veterans in need, holding 6 events per year providing groceries to over 2300 Veterans and families
• Trees for Vets
• Tax Prep for Vets
• VetNet Connect
• Winter Warm-Up
• Artist First for Vets
• Ralph Kaufman Memorial Golf Tournament
• Casino Night

Products and services

• Food for Vets Food assistance program providing full weeks' worth of groceries to Veterans and their families in the St. Louis region, holding 6 events per year and serving hundreds of families; over 2,300 Veterans and families served since inception.
• Trees for Vets Holiday program providing free Christmas trees and stands to Veteran families in the St. Louis region; over 2,500 trees distributed since inception and 320 trees distributed in 2024.
• Tax Prep for Vets Free federal and state tax preparation service for Veterans in the St. Louis region operated as an IRS VITA approved site; 69 Veterans served in the most recent reporting period.
• Winter Warm-Up Program providing brand-new winter coats, hats, gloves, sweatshirts, sweatpants, socks, and toiletries to disadvantaged Veterans in the St. Louis region; 250 Veterans served in the most recent reporting period.
• Dental Referral Program Referral service connecting Veterans in the St. Louis region with dental care providers for services not covered by the VA; 572 Veterans served in the most recent reporting period.
• Legal Referral Program Referral service connecting Veterans in the St. Louis region with attorneys for legal representation; 672 Veterans assisted through 1,440 phone calls in the most recent reporting period.
• Mental Health Collaborative Program helping Veterans with mental health challenges find access to care, including equine and dog-assisted therapy (delivered in partnership with CHAMP Assistance Dogs, Got Your Six Support Dogs, and Duo Dogs), art therapy through Artist First for Vets, and counseling services; 57 Veterans and families helped in the most recent reporting period.
• Chiropractic Referral Referral program connecting Veterans in the St. Louis region with chiropractic care providers; 21 Veterans served in the most recent reporting period.
• Artist First for Vets Art therapy program for Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), providing creative outlets for healing as part of the broader Mental Health Collaborative.
• VetNet Connect Monthly networking meeting bringing together organizations and individuals that assist Veterans and active-duty personnel, held on the third Friday of each month at American Legion Post 397; approximately 60 participants per month.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1000 Veterans supported annually
• +5 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered corporate sponsor, minor and core.

• Cardinal Legacy Towingcorporate sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of The Kaufman Fund, supporting fundraising events and Veteran programs.
• Hollywood Casinocorporate sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of The Kaufman Fund, supporting fundraising events and Veteran programs.
• On The Runcorporate sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of The Kaufman Fund, supporting fundraising events and Veteran programs.
• Peoples National Bankcorporate sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of The Kaufman Fund, supporting fundraising events and Veteran programs.
• Vehicles for Veterans (Car Donation Foundation)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerVehicle donation program partnership where Car Donation Foundation accepts vehicle donations and donates proceeds to The Kaufman Fund.
• Whitmoor Country ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue host for Ralph Kaufman Memorial Golf Tournament since 2014, the organization's main annual fundraiser for over 30 years.
• VFW Post 3944coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for events including Blacklight Bingo. Serves as hub for Veteran community gatherings.
• VetNet Connect Partner OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of organizations that share the philosophy of assisting Veterans and active-duty personnel through hiring, discounts, Veteran-owned businesses, and services. Meets monthly to coordinate efforts.
• CHAMP Assistance DogsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides service dogs to Veterans with PTSD through the Mental Health Collaborative program.
• Got Your Six Support DogsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides specialized service dogs to Veterans and first-responders suffering from PTSD and/or sexual trauma.
• Duo DogsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit that trains and connects dogs with people to cultivate positive change, partnering with The Kaufman Fund for Veteran programs.
• Operation Food SearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood bank partner for Food for Vets distribution events.
• Salvation ArmyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Food for Vets events at multiple locations including Citadel and O'Fallon locations.
• American Legion Post 397coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for monthly VetNet Connect networking meetings on Third Friday of each month at 8:30 AM.
• Rebuilding Together St LouisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization serving Veterans in need; Wayne Kaufman serves as board member.
• IRS VITA ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTax Prep for Vets program is an IRS VITA-approved site, providing free tax preparation to Veterans.
• Missouri Veterans CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing Veteran resources and benefits information; featured on Kaufman Fund Veterans Resources page.
• St. Patrick Center SSVFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupportive Services for Veteran Families program providing housing assistance to Veterans.
• Special Operations Charity NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of 2024 Fishing Derby for Veterans event.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• USA Cares: National 501(c)(3) that provides financial assistance and post-9/11 Veterans support; comparable mid-sized nonprofit model focused on direct Veteran aid rather than policy advocacy.
• Hope For The Warriors: Mid-sized national nonprofit supporting post-9/11 Veterans and families with health, wellness, and financial programs; closely comparable in size, mission scope, and direct-aid service model.
• Team Red, White & Blue: Veterans-focused nonprofit building community through physical and social activities; comparable grassroots, community-led engagement model aimed at Veteran reintegration.
• Semper Fi & America's Fund: Provides immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to wounded, ill, and injured service members and Veterans; comparable direct-aid nonprofit model with similar service-breadth orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Wounded Warrior Project: Largest US Veterans services nonprofit offering physical/mental health, career, and long-term support programs; operates at vastly greater scale but addresses overlapping Veteran needs.
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV): National congressionally chartered Veterans service organization providing benefits navigation and direct aid; comparable in mission breadth for vulnerable Veterans though much larger in scale.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): Major congressionally chartered Veterans organization with local posts (including VFW Post 3944 that partners with TKF); comparable Veteran-services mission and chapter-based delivery model.
• The American Legion: Large congressionally chartered wartime Veterans organization; American Legion Post 397 already partners with TKF for VetNet Connect, demonstrating overlapping programmatic territory.

Peers

• Missouri Veterans Commission: State agency providing Veteran benefits and resources in Missouri; geographically overlapping service area and already referenced as a TKF partner resource for Veterans.

Regional players

• St. Patrick Center: St. Louis-based social services nonprofit operating the SSVF (Supportive Services for Veteran Families) program; provides overlapping Veteran housing/employment support and is a current TKF partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/TheKaufmanFund/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/kaufmanfund

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments7 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Kaufmann Fund