VFW Post 1
VFW Post 1 is the first and oldest Veterans of Foreign Wars Post (founded 1899), operating a Denver community hub that serves veterans and civilians through membership services, an arts gallery, wellness programs, and event rentals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1899
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What VFW Post 1 does
John S. Stewart VFW Post 1 is a 501(c)-style nonprofit veterans organization established on December 1, 1899 in Denver, Colorado, recognized as the first and oldest Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in existence. It is headquartered at 841 Santa Fe Drive in Denver's Santa Fe Arts District and serves the regional veteran population alongside a broader civilian community. Its functional role is that of a Veteran Community Center hub, operating a continuous calendar of membership services, wellness and yoga programming, civic events, and the Veterans Arts Council (VAC) gallery, which represents approximately 150 veteran artists, 80% of whom are disabled veterans.
The Post's programming stack centers on three operational pillars: (1) a membership base paying $50/year dues, (2) a gallery and arts programming layer that takes a 10-20% commission on art sales and is anchored by First Friday Art Walks drawing 40,000+ annual visitors, and (3) a venue-rental business that monetizes the Post's physical halls to private, civic, and cultural-event users. No proprietary technology platform, software product, or digital infrastructure is disclosed; operations are described as facility- and community-driven rather than technology-driven.
The Post's revenue mechanics are diversified across membership dues, hall rentals, gallery commissions, donations, and grants channeled through the Post 1 Foundation. Institutional revenue partnerships include authorization as a vendor with the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System and a Capitol Arts Project collaboration with the Colorado State Capitol. Leadership is centered on Post Commander R. Enrique Rodríguez, with a 127th Founders Day anniversary event indicating continued civic positioning around the Post's heritage status and contemporary programming for disabled and aging veterans.
VFW Post 1 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VFW Post 1
- Legal name
- John S. Stewart VFW Post 1
- Website
- https://vfwpost1.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1899
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- VFW Post 1 is the first and oldest Veterans of Foreign Wars Post (founded 1899), operating a Denver community hub that serves veterans and civilians through membership services, an arts gallery, wellness programs, and event rentals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VFW Post 1 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Veterans Services
- NAICS
- Administration of Veterans' Affairs (92314)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Veterans Affairs & Military Family Services (BPAIAHAL)
Keywords
Where VFW Post 1 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
VFW Post 1 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership dues and life membership programs. Annual dues are $50 per year. Life Membership offers one-time payment options with 12-month installment plans available.
- Hall Rental: Event space rental for weddings, receptions, corporate events, fundraisers, and private celebrations. VFW Member pricing available.
- Art Gallery Commissions: Veterans Arts Council charges 10% commission on gallery sales from veterans and 20% commission on gallery sales from non-veterans. VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System authorized non-profit vendor for veteran artists at Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center.
- Donations: Donations accepted through Zeffy platform to support VFW Post 1 and its programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership - $50/year |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Founders Day 127th Anniversary Tickets |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Art Gallery Commission Structure |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Hall Rental - Quote Based |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
VFW Post 1 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VFW Post 1 is the first and oldest chartered Veterans of Foreign Wars post, founded December 1, 1899, in Denver, Colorado. It provides veterans with membership services, advocacy programs, a venue for community events through hall rentals, arts programming via the Veterans Arts Council (VAC), wellness offerings such as Veteran Yoga, and continuous community events serving veterans and the broader Denver community.
Product overview
VFW Post 1 is a veterans membership organization offering multiple interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include VFW Membership (providing advocacy, benefits, and community) and Hall Rental (event venue). Signature programs under the membership umbrella include the Veterans Arts Council (VAC) art gallery, Veteran Yoga wellness classes, and a Continuous Events Program hosting regular community activities. These offerings work together to fulfill the post's mission of serving veterans from all eras while engaging the broader community through art, wellness, and events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Veterans Arts Council (VAC): A signature program at VFW Post 1 founded in 2015, operating as its own non-profit veteran organization. Showcases, mentors, educates and provides economic opportunities for veteran artists working in any medium. The art gallery is one of the largest in Denver's Art District on Santa Fe.
Products and services
- VFW Membership Annual membership program for U.S. veterans with foreign service, providing access to post programs, advocacy, and community at the historic Denver location.
- Hall Rental Rental of the historic post hall at 841 Santa Fe Dr. for private and community events such as weddings, reunions, and meetings.
- Veterans Arts Council (VAC) Arts programming initiative offering veterans opportunities to create, exhibit, and engage with the arts, including an associated art gallery.
- Veteran Yoga Wellness program offering yoga instruction tailored to veterans for physical and mental health benefits.
- Continuous Events Program Ongoing calendar of community events, ceremonies, and veteran-focused gatherings hosted at the post.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40,000+ annual visitors to First Friday Art Walks
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use VFW Post 1
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
VFW Post 1 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
VFW Post 1 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars)coreParent organization. VFW is one of the largest and most active veterans organizations in the United States. VFW Post 1 is the founding post and nationally recognized as a model and innovative leader for VFW's across the country.
- Veterans Arts Council (VAC)coreSignature program at VFW Post 1 founded in 2015. Operating as its own non-profit veteran organization under the VFW Post 1 umbrella. Showcases, mentors, educates and provides economic opportunities for veteran artists. Gallery is one of the largest in Denver's Art District on Santa Fe.
- VFW Department of ColoradocoreState-level VFW organization representing Colorado veterans and supporting local posts.
- Colorado Veterans ProjectminorColorado-based veterans organization partnering with VFW Post 1 for community events and support.
- Healing Warriors ProgramminorHolds sessions at VFW Post 1 on the 2nd Saturday of every month from 9am to 1pm. Provides wellness and healing services to veterans.
- Veterans Exploration Therapy (VET)minorPartner organization providing exploration therapy services to veterans.
- VFW Post 9644minorAnother VFW post in Colorado, partnership for inter-post collaboration and events.
- Post 1 Foundation (Leadership Veteran)coreFoundation supporting VFW Post 1 programs and leadership development for veterans. Jared Stepp serves as Post 1 Foundation Director.
- Denver Yoga SocialminorHosts yoga events at VFW Post 1 on 1st/3rd/4th Saturdays. Yoga class also held every Tuesday at 7pm. Nicole Jirtle serves as Yoga/Wellness Director.
- All Veterans Honor GuardminorProvides honor guard services for veteran ceremonies and events.
- VA Eastern Colorado Health Care SystemcoreVAC is authorized non-profit vendor representing all veteran artists displaying and selling their art at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center.
- Colorado State CapitolminorCapitol Arts Project pairs VAC members with participating Colorado state legislators to display art in capitol offices of state representatives and senators.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
VFW Post 1 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Legion: The closest direct peer to VFW Post 1: a chartered, membership-based veterans service organization with local posts, advocacy programs, hall rentals, and benefits assistance. Operates the same model of community-based veteran posts with comparable programs, demographics, and funding mechanisms (dues, donations, hall rentals).
- Team Rubicon: Veteran-led nonprofit organization with community service, disaster response, and reintegration programs. Comparable to VFW Post 1's modern, mission-driven veteran engagement model and community-focused programming, though operating at national scale rather than through a physical post hub.
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV): National veterans membership organization focused on disabled veterans (which represent 80% of VAC artists at VFW Post 1). Comparable mission of supporting service-connected veterans through advocacy, benefits navigation, and community programming, with a similar dues/donation funding model.
- Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA): Membership-based veterans organization focused on the post-9/11 cohort. Directly comparable to VFW Post 1's stated objective of diversifying membership beyond the legacy demographic and modernizing the veteran service organization model for younger, more diverse veterans.
- Student Veterans of America: Membership-based organization supporting veterans in higher education through local chapters, advocacy, and community programming. Operates a structurally similar local-chapter membership model to VFW Post 1's post-based structure, serving overlapping modern-veteran demographics.
- Wounded Warrior Project: Major nonprofit serving post-9/11 wounded veterans through wellness, mental health, and community programs. Highly comparable to VFW Post 1's Healing Warriors Program, yoga, and non-narcotic therapy offerings, with an overlapping focus on the modern veteran cohort Post 1 is actively trying to attract.
- Travis Manion Foundation: Veteran-service nonprofit offering character-development, community service, and veteran mentorship programs. Comparable in mission, veteran-led programming model, and community-engagement approach, but operates without the local physical "post" hub that anchors VFW Post 1.
Broad incumbents
- USO (United Service Organizations): Long-established nonprofit supporting active-duty service members and veterans through community programming, entertainment, and wellness events. Comparable to VFW Post 1 in veteran-focused community programming and event-driven engagement, but with a broader national footprint rather than a single local hub.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW): National parent organization of which VFW Post 1 is the founding chartered post. Comparable as the umbrella entity governing the same membership-based veteran service model, advocacy, and benefits-navigation mission, but at national scale rather than local hub level.
Others
- Healing Warriors Program: Non-narcotic pain and trauma therapy nonprofit that holds sessions at VFW Post 1. Comparable as a veteran-wellness program partner with overlapping service delivery (non-narcotic therapy, veteran-focused care), and as an adjacent ecosystem participant in the same veteran-care value chain.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights1 record
Customer concentration
VFW Post 1 social profiles
Digital presenceVFW Post 1 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VFW Post 1 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
VFW Post 1 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VFW Post 1 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VFW Post 1
What does VFW Post 1 do?
VFW Post 1 is the first and oldest chartered Veterans of Foreign Wars post, founded December 1, 1899, in Denver, Colorado. It provides veterans with membership services, advocacy programs, a venue for community events through hall rentals, arts programming via the Veterans Arts Council (VAC), wellness offerings such as Veteran Yoga, and continuous community events serving veterans and the broader Denver community.
Is VFW Post 1 a public or private company?
VFW Post 1 is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was VFW Post 1 founded?
VFW Post 1 was founded in 1899. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is VFW Post 1 based?
VFW Post 1 is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does VFW Post 1 make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are hall Rental, art Gallery Commissions and donations.
Who are VFW Post 1's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Legion, Team Rubicon, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Student Veterans of America, Wounded Warrior Project and Travis Manion Foundation. Broad incumbents are USO (United Service Organizations) and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW). Healing Warriors Program is listed as an others.
Does VFW Post 1 have an API?
No public API is recorded for VFW Post 1.
What industry is VFW Post 1 in?
VFW Post 1's product category is Veterans Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAHAL, Veterans Affairs & Military Family Services. Its NAICS code is 92314 and its SIC code is 8600.