American Legion Auxiliary

What American Legion Auxiliary does

The American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) is a U.S. nonprofit veterans service organization founded in 1919 in Indianapolis, Indiana, operating as one of three components of The American Legion Family alongside The American Legion and the American Legion Riders. The organization serves veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their families through a federated network of 7,000+ local Units organized under 53 State Departments and Regional Divisions, with national headquarters in Indianapolis employing 523 staff.

Its programmatic portfolio spans five core areas: (1) Patriotic youth programs including ALA Girls Nation, ALA Girls State, the Americanism Essay Contest, Junior Members, Star Spangled Kids, Veterans in Community Schools, Youth Hero/Good Deed Awards, and the National Poppy Poster Contest; (2) veterans and military family support through the Poppy Program, Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS), Stand Downs, Troop Care Packages, Christmas Gift Shops, POW/MIA Remembrance, Blue Star Banners, and Wreaths Across America; (3) advocacy via the Grassroots Action Center, Legislative Program, and Flag Advocacy; (4) disaster relief through AEF Emergency Assistance Grants and Community Emergency Response Team training; and (5) scholarships including Children of Warriors National Presidents', Non-Traditional Student, Spirit of Youth, Junior Member Loyalty, Samsung American Legion, and James H. Parke Memorial. Membership eligibility is tied to kinship with wartime-era veterans, which structurally anchors the member base.

The business model is a hybrid of recurring annual membership dues (amounts not publicly disclosed), donations across online, monthly, planned/estate, memorial, and matching gift channels, and ancillary fundraising through the Smile Associate Amazon affiliate program. The technology layer is intentionally light: ALAMIS for member records, the MyAuxiliary Member Portal for self-service membership management, and ALA Academy for online training — with no proprietary platform, public API, SDK, or AI capabilities disclosed. Distribution and member recruitment are community-led through local Units, the national website (alaforveterans.org / legion-aux.org), social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), the Auxiliary Magazine, ALA ENEWS, and annual events including the National Convention, National Poppy Day, the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, and the USA 250 Challenge.

Name

American Legion Auxiliary

Legal name

American Legion Auxiliary

Website

https://alaforveterans.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The American Legion Auxiliary is a 1919-founded, Indianapolis-based nonprofit veterans service organization supporting veterans, active-duty military, and their families through 7,000+ local Units offering youth programs, direct services, scholarships, disaster relief, and federal advocacy as part of The American Legion Family.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterans Support Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterans Affairs & Military Family Services (BPAIAHAL)

Keywords

• Veterans support services
• Membership organization
• Patriotic youth programs
• Veterans advocacy
• Scholarship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Members pay annual dues to belong to the ALA through their local Units and State Departments. The organization is funded substantially through these membership contributions.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The ALA accepts online donations, monthly gifts, planned/estate giving, memorial gifts, and matching gifts. A dedicated donation portal and Smile Associate (Amazon affiliate) program drive individual contributions.
3. Planned Giving: The organization promotes planned giving and estate giving programs as a long-term revenue stream, with dedicated FAQ resources on the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The American Legion Auxiliary is a membership-based nonprofit that delivers veterans support, patriotic youth development, scholarship, advocacy, and disaster relief programs through a federated network of more than 7,000 local Units, 53 state Departments, and National Headquarters. Its core revenue and engagement come from annual membership dues, donations, and fundraising, and its offerings include ALA Girls Nation/State, the Poppy Program, Stand Downs, Troop Care Packages, scholarships, legislative advocacy via the Grassroots Action Center, and emergency assistance grants. The organization does not sell a technology product; instead it provides people-driven programs and services supported by basic digital member management tools such as ALAMIS and the MyAuxiliary Member Portal.

Product overview

The American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) is a membership-based veterans support organization operating a portfolio of interconnected programs and services rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include: Youth Programs (ALA Girls Nation, ALA Girls State, Americanism Essay Contest, ALA Junior Members, Star Spangled Kids, Veterans in Community Schools, Youth Hero/Good Deed Awards, National Poppy Poster Contest) that develop civic engagement and patriotism among young people; Veterans Support Programs (Poppy Program, VAVS, Service to Veterans Volunteers, Troop Care Packages, Stand Downs, POW/MIA Remembrance, Blue Star Banners, Wreaths Across America) providing direct assistance and advocacy for veterans and military families; Advocacy Programs (Grassroots Action Center, Legislative Program, Flag Advocacy) promoting veterans interests in public policy; Disaster Relief (AEF Emergency Grants, Community Emergency Response Team) offering emergency assistance; Scholarship Programs supporting educational pursuits of veterans' children and members; Training Programs (Mission Training, ALA Academy) developing member leadership skills; Publications (AUXILIARY Magazine, ALA Blog, ALA History Blog, Enews) communicating with members; and Events (National Convention, National Poppy Day, National Veterans Creative Arts Festival) bringing members together. Supporting infrastructure includes the MyAuxiliary Member Portal for membership management and ALAMIS for internal membership information systems. The organization does not offer a technology product with third-party integrations, API access, or AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ALA Girls Nation A mock-government civic education program where female high school students learn about the democratic process, federalism, and civic engagement by simulating the structure of U.S. government. Target audience: female high school students, typically rising seniors selected through ALA Girls State.
• ALA Girls State An immersive civic leadership program for female high school students that provides hands-on experience in state government operations. Target audience: female high school students entering their senior year.
• Poppy Program A signature veterans support initiative that distributes artificial poppies to raise funds for veterans and commemorate those who served, with proceeds supporting veteran services. Target audience: veterans and the general public participating in remembrance activities.
• Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) A partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs providing volunteer services at VA medical facilities and centers to support veteran healthcare. Target audience: veterans receiving care in VA facilities.
• Stand Downs Community-based events providing homeless and at-risk veterans with essential services including health screenings, housing assistance, and support resources. Target audience: homeless and at-risk veterans in local communities.
• Troop Care Packages A program that sends care packages containing essential items, comfort goods, and supportive messages to deployed military personnel. Target audience: active-duty servicemembers deployed overseas.
• AEF Emergency Assistance Grants Emergency financial grants providing rapid assistance to veterans, military families, and communities affected by natural disasters or emergencies. Target audience: veterans, military families, and communities facing emergency hardship.
• Children of Warriors National Presidents' Scholarship Need-based scholarship for students whose parents served in the military during wartime, supporting their educational opportunities. Target audience: children of veterans who served during wartime.
• Samsung American Legion Scholarship Merit-based scholarship partnership with Samsung supporting higher education for descendant members of the American Legion Family. Target audience: high-achieving descendants of veterans in The American Legion Family.
• Grassroots Action Center Online platform enabling ALA members to engage in legislative advocacy by contacting representatives on veterans issues and policy priorities. Target audience: ALA members and legislators.
• ALA Academy Online training platform offering courses and educational resources for ALA members to develop leadership and program skills. Target audience: ALA members seeking leadership and program training.
• National Convention The annual national gathering of ALA members featuring leadership meetings, awards, and strategic planning for the organization. Target audience: ALA members and leadership from across the United States.
• Wreaths Across America Annual patriotic observance placing wreaths on graves of fallen veterans at national cemeteries to honor their service and sacrifice. Target audience: families of fallen veterans and the general public.
• ALAMIS (ALA Membership Information System) Internal membership management system enabling state departments and local units to track and manage member information and records. Target audience: ALA state departments and local units.
• Member Portal (MyAuxiliary) Online member portal providing access to membership management, forms, guides, training materials, and organizational resources. Target audience: ALA members.
• Annual ALA Membership Annual membership in the American Legion Auxiliary, providing individuals who are eligible family members of veterans with access to programs, events, publications, and a network of 7,000+ local Units. Target audience: eligible family members of U.S. wartime veterans.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The American Legion FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ALA is one of three components of The American Legion Family, alongside The American Legion and American Legion Riders. The ALA supports The American Legion and advances its mission. The organizations share advocacy efforts, legislative priorities, and the GI Bill legacy, operating as a coordinated nonpartisan veterans advocacy and service network.
• Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ALA participates in the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service program, a cooperative effort between the VA and national veterans service organizations to provide volunteer services in VA medical facilities and programs across the country.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA): Congressionally chartered veterans service organization with chapters, an auxiliary, advocacy programs, scholarships, and direct services for veterans with spinal cord injuries—operating a comparable mission, structure, and Capitol Hill advocacy footprint.
• AMVETS (American Veterans): Congressionally chartered veterans service organization with a similar federated Post structure, an auxiliary (AMVETS Auxiliary), scholarships, and advocacy on Capitol Hill—comparable in mission, scale, and demographic focus to ALA.
• The American Legion: The parent organization within The American Legion Family. The ALA exists to support The American Legion and shares advocacy priorities, governance conventions, and the federated Unit structure; this is the most directly comparable organization as it operates the same mission, distribution model, and legislative agenda.
• Marine Corps League: Federated veterans organization with detachments and an auxiliary, focused on preserving Marine Corps traditions, supporting Marines and veterans, and conducting community programs—similar to ALA in membership/eligibility model and community service delivery.
• Military Order of the Purple Heart: Congressionally chartered veterans service organization with a federated chapter structure and an auxiliary, focused on veterans advocacy, scholarships, and direct service programs—directly comparable to ALA's mission and operating model.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): One of the largest and oldest U.S. veterans service organizations, with a similar federated structure (Posts/Auxiliary), Capitol Hill advocacy focus, and program portfolio spanning scholarships, youth programs (VFW Patriot's Pen, Voice of Democracy), and direct veteran support.
• Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA): Congressionally chartered veterans service organization with state chapters and an auxiliary, providing advocacy, self-help, and direct services to a specific veteran cohort—a comparable mission-aligned peer serving overlapping populations.
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV): Major congressionally chartered veterans service organization focused on advocacy for disabled veterans, with an auxiliary (DAV Auxiliary), scholarship programs, and direct services comparable to ALA's mission scope.

Emerging players

• Wounded Warrior Project: Modern, high-visibility post-9/11-focused veterans nonprofit with a centralized operating model, heavy digital engagement, and significant donor base. Comparable in mission (supporting wounded/transitioning veterans) but operationally distinct from the ALA's federated, dues-based model.

Others

• Sons of the American Legion: The male counterpart auxiliary organization within The American Legion Family, sharing the same Unit infrastructure, scholarships, and programs as the ALA; relevant as an internal peer for member recruitment, governance coordination, and program delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AmericanLegionAux/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/alaforveterans
• Instagraminstagram.com/alaforveterans
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-legion-auxiliary

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Legion Auxiliary