Wounded Warriors In Action Foundation

What Wounded Warriors In Action Foundation does

Wounded Warriors In Action Foundation (WWIA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Apollo Beach, Florida with operational presence in Phillips, Wisconsin. Founded in 2007, the organization serves combat-wounded Purple Heart recipients by delivering all-expense-paid outdoor sporting experiences — including hunting, fishing, and shooting sports events — delivered through a distributed volunteer host and outfitter network. Events are funded primarily through individual donations, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) workplace giving, planned-giving programs, and emerging digital channels including cryptocurrency donations.

WWIA's core product is the hosted outdoor sporting event: small groups of Purple Heart veterans (typically 4–6 per event) are paired with professional guides and outfitters who donate lodging, meals, transportation, equipment, and access to private property. The foundation organizes approximately 36 events per year across 17 U.S. states (with additional activity in Canada and Mexico), reaching an estimated 150–200 veterans annually. Programmatic quality and impact are externally validated through a research partnership with Cornell University (since 2022) that studies longitudinal wellness outcomes, an operational partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Adaptive Sports Program for Guide School events, and third-party accreditations including a #1-of-78 ranking by Independent Charities of America, a GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency, and a Telly Award for media production. A podcast (72+ episodes) extends donor and veteran engagement beyond in-person events.

The business model is a donation-funded nonprofit: revenue is raised through diversified streams (individual giving, recurring corporate sponsorships, CFC, fundraising events, planned giving, crypto) and deployed with a stated 90% program-spend ratio. The foundation is led by founder and CEO John J. McDaniel and operates with a lean staff of 1–10 employees, scaling capacity primarily through volunteers, host outfitters, and corporate sponsors such as Hot Tubs of Tennessee (cumulative giving exceeding $60,000 since 2016).

Name

Wounded Warriors In Action Foundation

Legal name

Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation

Website

https://wwiaf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wounded Warriors In Action Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes all-expense-paid hunting, fishing, and shooting events for combat-wounded Purple Heart veterans through a nationwide volunteer outfitter network, serving roughly 150–200 recipients per year.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Support Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Return-to-Sport / Post-Rehab Athletic Reconditioning (HSADAEAJ)

Keywords

• Adaptive outdoor recreation
• Veteran therapy programs
• Therapeutic hunting excursions
• Purple heart support
• Nonprofit veteran services

Headquarters

HQ city

Apollo Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Program and Event Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individual donors supporting the organization's mission to provide therapeutic outdoor sporting adventures for combat-wounded veterans at no cost to participants.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsors like Hot Tubs of Tennessee that commit per-transaction donations (e.g., $100 from every hot tub, swim spa, sauna, and cold plunge sold during May). Partners receive recognition including the Purple Heart Patron Award.
3. Fundraising Events: Community fundraising events including banquet dinners, game luncheons, silent auctions, athletic events, and holiday parties hosted by supporters.
4. Combined Federal Campaign (CFC): Federal employee workplace giving program allowing government employees to support WWIA through payroll deductions.
5. Planned Giving: Wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, and stock gifts as ways to support the organization beyond lifetime donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

WWIA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides all-expense-paid therapeutic outdoor sporting activities (hunting and fishing excursions) to combat-wounded Purple Heart recipients across North America. The organization also runs training programs (WWIA Guide School, Adaptive Sports Training and Safety Symposium) to certify adaptive sporting guides and develop organizational leaders.

Product overview

Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation (WWIA) is a nonprofit organization that provides therapeutic, world-class outdoor adaptive sporting activities for combat-wounded Purple Heart recipients. The core offerings include the Therapeutic Adaptive Sports Program (hunting and fishing excursions), the Training and Education Program (WWIA Guide School, Adaptive Sports Training and Safety Symposium, and Leadership Development Program), and the WWIA Podcast. The organization operates events across North America, typically serving 3-5 Purple Heart veterans per event over 3-5 day periods. Veterans can apply through the Hero Application Portal to participate in events including big game hunting, upland bird hunting, waterfowl hunting, turkey hunting, and freshwater/saltwater fishing. The organization also offers corporate partnership opportunities for businesses seeking to support the mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Therapeutic Adaptive Sports Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of donations go directly to field programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered key partner, flagship and core.

• Hot Tubs of Tennesseekey partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 July 2026Hot Tubs of Tennessee has been a corporate partner since 2016, donating $10,000 during its annual May fundraiser in 2026, bringing cumulative contributions to over $60,000. The company commits $100 from every hot tub, swim spa, sauna, and cold plunge sold during May to support WWIA's mission. Recognized with the Purple Heart Patron Award as one of WWIA's most valued long-term partners.
• Cornell UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Multi-year research partnership with Cornell University's Dr. Keith Tidball (Assistant Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension; Senior Extension Associate, Natural Resources and the Environment; WWIA Science Advisor). Study centered on ten protective factors influencing suicide risk among 500+ veteran participants. Research confirms WWIA programs reduce suicide risk factors and contributes to reducing veteran suicide.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Adaptive Sports ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA Adaptive Sports Program provides partial funding for the WWIA Guide School program, the world's first multidisciplinary adaptive sporting guide program created exclusively for Purple Heart recipients.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wounded Warrior Project: One of the largest U.S. veteran-support nonprofits, providing a broad portfolio of programs (mental health, career, physical wellness) to post-9/11 wounded veterans. Comparable because it competes for the same Purple Heart donor dollar and veteran mindshare, though at vastly larger scale and with a much broader service mix than WWIA's outdoor-sports-only focus.
• Semper Fi Fund: Marine Corps-focused nonprofit providing financial assistance and recovery programs for wounded and critically ill service members and veterans. Comparable because it competes in the wounded-veteran charity space, drawing on similar donor segments, though with a broader financial/wellness support model rather than outdoor recreation.

Emerging players

• Outdoor Mindset: Nonprofit using outdoor experiences to support individuals affected by traumatic brain injury, including veterans. Comparable peer in the therapeutic outdoor recreation space with similar TBI/PTSD recovery thesis, though operating at smaller scale and without WWIA's exclusive Purple Heart focus.

Direct peers

• Team Rubicon: Veteran-led nonprofit that engages ex-military in disaster response and outdoor/adventure service programs. Comparable as a peer veteran-serving organization using outdoor and experiential programming for post-service purpose and recovery, with overlapping veteran beneficiary population but a different programmatic focus on disaster response.
• Outdoors for All Foundation: Nonprofit providing adaptive outdoor recreational activities for people with disabilities, including youth and veterans. Comparable as an adaptive outdoor recreation peer with overlapping therapeutic mission and instructor/guide training programs, though more focused on year-round adaptive sports than seasonal hunting/fishing.
• Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing: Nonprofit dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and veterans through fly fishing and associated activities. Closely comparable direct peer delivering therapeutic fly fishing programs to wounded veterans, operating nationwide with volunteer-based event model similar to WWIA's host network.
• Warrior Path Adaptive Adventures: Nonprofit providing outdoor adventure therapy (hunting, fishing, paddle sports) for combat-wounded veterans and active-duty service members. Closely comparable direct peer using nearly identical outdoor hunting/fishing activities for combat-wounded veteran recovery, though typically smaller and more regionally focused than WWIA.
• Disabled Sports USA: National nonprofit providing adaptive sports and recreation programs for individuals with disabilities, including disabled veterans. Directly comparable to WWIA's adaptive outdoor sporting model, with overlapping beneficiary populations (wounded veterans with PTSD, TBI, amputations) and similar therapeutic-through-sport value proposition, though operating at broader disability-population scale.
• Hope For The Warriors: National nonprofit supporting post-9/11 veterans, service members, and their families through clinical, financial, and community programs including outdoor retreats. Comparable as a wounded-veteran charity with overlapping donor base and adaptive/recovery programming, though with a broader clinical-services mix rather than exclusively outdoor sporting events.
• Veterans Outdoor Adventures: Nonprofit providing outdoor recreational experiences (hunting, fishing, hiking) for disabled and wounded veterans at no cost. Highly comparable direct peer offering the same therapeutic outdoor activity model for the same beneficiary population, though typically at smaller scale and more regionally concentrated than WWIA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wwiaf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WWIAF
• Facebookfacebook.com/wwia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wwiaf
• Instagraminstagram.com/wwiaf

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Wounded Warriors In Action Foundation