NYC Veterans Alliance

What NYC Veterans Alliance does

NYC Veterans Alliance was a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 and operated until 2022, focused exclusively on veterans and their families in New York City and the surrounding metro area. Its core work combined policy advocacy, civic-leadership training, and community organizing rather than direct service provision. The organization mobilized members through policy forums, rallies, candidate workshops, the Speak Up Rise Up Storytelling Festival, the Battle of Brooklyn Ruck March, and volunteer-led programs including a Veterans Mutual Aid initiative that delivered groceries, utility assistance, and housing aid to more than 400 veterans and family members during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 through June 2021).

Its product portfolio consisted of four service lines: the OurVeterans.NYC community events calendar (aggregating events from hundreds of partner organizations, transferred to Pathfinder Labs in 2022 with Bob Woodruff Foundation support); civic-leadership training programs hosted at Civic Hall from 2015 to 2020; the Veterans Mutual Aid program; and legislative advocacy campaigns. The advocacy track produced three durable policy outcomes: creation of the NYC Department of Veterans' Services (2015), passage of Local Law 119-2017 protecting veteran and military status under NYC's Human Rights Law (2017), and federal legislation renaming the Manhattan VA after Margaret Corbin (2021). The organization also extended veterans' property tax exemptions to include school-tax exemptions.

The business model was donation- and grant-funded: individual donations, corporate sponsorships (JUUL Labs, T-Mobile, Backward Flag Brewing among others), and foundation grants (notably the 50 Bricks Matching Challenge launched by Craigslist founder Craig Newmark in 2017). All programming was provided free of charge; the organization did not generate fee-based revenue and was not a venture-backed entity. Five Borough Veterans now carries forward the alliance's legacy.

Name

NYC Veterans Alliance

Legal name

NYC Veterans Alliance

Website

https://nycveteransalliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NYC Veterans Alliance was a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit (2015-2022) that advocated for veterans and military families in NYC through policy campaigns, civic-leadership training, the OurVeterans.NYC events calendar, and the COVID-era Veterans Mutual Aid program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Advocacy and Community Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAHAL

Veterans Affairs & Military Family Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Defense & National Security

SECONDARYBPAGADAI

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGACAD

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAIAGAF

Disaster Relief & Humanitarian Aid Volunteering

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

Keywords

• Veterans advocacy services
• Policy advocacy campaigns
• Community organizing programs
• Civic leadership training
• Mutual aid assistance

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: NYC Veterans Alliance operated primarily through donations, sponsorships, and grants from individuals and organizations. The 50 Bricks Matching Challenge launched by Craig Newmark in 2017 provided significant foundation support. The organization also received corporate sponsorships from companies like JUUL Labs, T-Mobile, and others.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NYC Veterans Alliance was a nonprofit veterans advocacy organization that served veterans and their families in New York City through policy advocacy, civic leadership training, community organizing, and direct mutual aid. It operated programs including the OurVeterans.NYC community events calendar, candidate and civic leadership workshops, the Veterans Mutual Aid pandemic relief program, and legislative campaigns that led to protections in NYC Human Rights Law and the creation of the NYC Department of Veterans' Services.

Product overview

NYC Veterans Alliance was a veteran advocacy and service organization (2015-2022) that operated as a single unified program rather than a technology platform. The organization offered community programs including the OurVeterans.NYC Calendar (a community events calendar), civic leadership training, veterans mutual aid, and legislative advocacy campaigns. The website served as an informational and memorial site maintained by TrueBoots LLC, with no commercial product offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OurVeterans.NYC Calendar: The first year-round community calendar created in 2015 where veterans and their families could find events hosted by dozens of organizations in one place. Transferred to Pathfinder Labs in 2022.

Products and services

• OurVeterans.NYC Calendar A year-round community events calendar aggregating veteran-related events from dozens to hundreds of NYC-area organizations into one searchable platform, enabling veterans and families to discover opportunities and resources. Originally created and operated by NYC Veterans Alliance from 2015 to 2022; subsequently transferred to Pathfinder Labs with Bob Woodruff Foundation support.
• Civic Leadership Training Programs Training and mobilization programming that empowered veterans and their families as civic leaders through policy forums, workshops, rallies, legislative meetings, candidate workshops, storytelling festivals, public speaking and media training, and ruck march events. Several members went on to community board appointments and electoral campaigns.
• Veterans Mutual Aid Program Volunteer-driven mutual aid program running from March 2020 through early June 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing check-ins, groceries, meals, emergency help with utilities and housing expenses, and referrals to service providers for veterans and family members in need. Reached more than 400 veterans and family members with direct aid.
• Legislative Advocacy Campaigns Policy advocacy campaigns that delivered concrete legislative outcomes, including protections for veteran and military status in NYC Human Rights Law (Local Law 119-2017), the creation of the NYC Department of Veterans' Services, the federal renaming of the Manhattan VA hospital to honor Margaret Corbin, and the extension of veterans' property tax exemptions to include school tax exemptions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 veterans and family members received direct aid during COVID-19 mutual aid program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• Pathfinder LabsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022OurVeterans.NYC calendar was successfully handed over to Pathfinder Labs in 2022, which expanded the resource further with generous support from the Bob Woodruff Foundation. Elana Duffy is CEO and Founder of Pathfinder.vet.
• Civic HallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided organizational home for NYC Veterans Alliance from 2015 to 2020. The founders and staff nurtured member organizing and provided venue for events connecting membership with civic tech innovators and elected leaders.
• Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner organization, listed as both a Founding Champion and supporter. Signed on in support of Margaret Corbin VA renaming legislation.
• Minority Veterans of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization that signed on in support of Margaret Corbin VA renaming legislation. Focused on ensuring diverse representation in veteran community.
• Service Women's Action NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization that signed on in support of Margaret Corbin VA renaming legislation and other advocacy initiatives.
• New York Legal Assistance GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal services partner that signed on in support of Margaret Corbin VA renaming legislation.
• Veteran Advocacy ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization that signed on in support of legislation and advocacy campaigns.
• United Spinal AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization that signed on in support of Margaret Corbin VA renaming legislation.
• NYU Tandon School of Engineering Veterans Future LabmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as Founding Champion and provided support for veteran entrepreneurship and professional development initiatives.
• Backward Flag Brewing Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeteran-owned brewery and Founding Bricklayer. Showed enthusiasm and support for advocacy initiatives including Margaret Corbin VA renaming.
• American Legion Department of New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor veteran service organization that signed on in support of Margaret Corbin VA renaming legislation.
• Disabled Veterans of America Department of New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor veteran service organization that signed on in support of Margaret Corbin VA renaming legislation.
• Merging Vets and PlayersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding Bricklayer organization supporting veteran community programs.
• With Honor ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding Bricklayer organization supporting veteran civic engagement.
• NYC Department of Veterans' ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe agency that NYC Veterans Alliance advocated to create in 2015 became a key partner in serving NYC veterans. The organization's policy paper served as a roadmap for the agency's services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Wounded Warrior Project: Large national nonprofit providing programs and advocacy for wounded veterans. Broad incumbent: operates the same advocacy-plus-services model as NYC Veterans Alliance but at significantly greater scale and scope.
• Bob Woodruff Foundation: National foundation supporting veterans and military families. Broad incumbent: funded the expansion of OurVeterans.NYC after it transitioned from NYC Veterans Alliance and operates in the same veterans-services space at national scale.
• American Legion: Largest U.S. wartime veterans service organization. Broad incumbent: named coalition partner of NYC Veterans Alliance; operates legislative advocacy, community programs, and member services across all 50 states.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): Major congressionally chartered veterans service organization. Broad incumbent: coalition partner of NYC Veterans Alliance; operates legislative advocacy, community programs, and veteran support services nationally.

Direct peers

• The Mission Continues: Nonprofit that empowers veterans as community leaders through service and civic engagement. Direct peer: operates the same civic-leadership development model (training, fellowships, community impact) that NYC Veterans Alliance delivered in NYC.
• Service Women's Action Network (SWAN): Advocacy organization for service women and women veterans. Direct peer: coalition partner of NYC Veterans Alliance with overlapping policy-advocacy and member-mobilization activities.
• Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA): National nonprofit advocacy organization for post-9/11 veterans. Direct peer: IAVA was an active coalition partner of NYC Veterans Alliance and operates the same model of policy advocacy, member mobilization, and legislative testimony on behalf of veterans.
• Minority Veterans of America: Nonprofit advocating for the needs of minority veterans. Direct peer: a listed coalition partner of NYC Veterans Alliance on the Margaret Corbin renaming and other campaigns, with comparable advocacy and community-organizing approach.

Emerging players

• Team Rubicon: Veteran-led humanitarian organization mobilizing veterans for disaster response and community service. Emerging player: shares NYC Veterans Alliance's model of leveraging veterans as civic/community actors, particularly relevant given the mutual aid program during COVID-19.
• Five Borough Veterans: Successor organization to NYC Veterans Alliance, carrying forward NYC-focused veteran advocacy. Emerging player: explicitly established to continue the legacy of NYC Veterans Alliance with overlapping mission and audience.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nycvetsalliance
• Facebookfacebook.com/NYCVeteransAlliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nyc-veterans-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about NYC Veterans Alliance