Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America

What Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America does

The Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America (CWV) is a nonprofit Veterans Service Organization founded in 1935 and headquartered at 237-20 92nd Rd, Bellerose, NY. Its stated mission is to serve, support, and uphold the values that make the nation and the Catholic faith strong, organized around the motto "For God, For Country, For Home." Membership is open to baptized Catholic U.S. citizens who are veterans or currently serving in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces (including National Guard and Reserves) with at least 90 days of active duty, while the Catholic War Veterans Auxiliary (CWVA) extends membership to family members within two degrees of kinship to a veteran of any faith — historically notable as the first VSO to admit men into its Auxiliary.

CWV's core products and programs include the Veterans Service Officer program (accredited VA representatives who help veterans prepare claims and obtain benefits free of charge), Veterans Welfare (volunteering at VA facilities, funeral honor guards, grave decorations, and transportation), Catholic Action & Americanism programs (promoting Catholic social teaching and patriotic engagement through ceremonies and civic participation), Youth Programs (scholarships, essay contests, and leadership conferences), and history-preservation initiatives. The organization distributes a quarterly CWV Magazine as a membership benefit and operates the CWV Store (cwvstore.org) for merchandise, convention tickets, and the Cross of Peace pin used to fund welfare programs. Distribution is anchored by a national network of local posts organized into 9 state-level departments (Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas) and 4 regional commands (Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest).

The business model is a traditional nonprofit membership model. Revenue streams include recurring membership dues (including life memberships), donations channeled through the affiliated Catholic Veterans Service Foundation (CVSF), local post fundraising (including CWV Cross of Peace pin sales), convention ticket and event revenue (e.g., the 2025 banquet ticket subsidized 50% to $100 for members), and merchandise sales through the CWV Store. Go-to-market is community-led: prospective members submit a website contact form, are routed to a local post, and complete enrollment with the support of a local representative. Marketing channels include the CWV Blog, social media (Facebook, YouTube, X/Twitter, Instagram), the quarterly magazine, and in-person participation in parades, patriotic ceremonies, and an annual National Convention (2026 scheduled for Cleveland, OH).

Name

Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America

Legal name

Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America

Website

https://thecwv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America is a 501(c)-style nonprofit Veterans Service Organization founded in 1935 that provides faith-based fellowship, accredited VA claims assistance, welfare programs, and youth scholarships to baptized Catholic U.S. military veterans and their family members across 9 state departments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterans Service Organization

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterans Affairs & Military Family Services (BPAIAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterans & Military Family Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAI), Veterans & Military-to-Civilian Transition Programs (EDAAAOAH)

Keywords

• Veterans service organization
• Faith-based advocacy
• Membership association
• Community outreach programs
• Veteran welfare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellerose

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. Membership Dues: The organization collects membership dues from veterans and family members who join the Catholic War Veterans (CWV) or the Catholic War Veterans Auxiliary (CWVA). Life membership options are also available.
2. Donations: The Catholic Veterans Service Foundation (CVSF) accepts donations to support veterans and their families. The organization promotes donation drives and fundraising activities.
3. Fundraising and Pin Sales: Posts and auxiliary units conduct fundraising activities including the sale of the CWV Cross of Peace pin, which funds Veteran Welfare Programs. The CWV Store sells convention tickets and merchandise.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America (CWV) is a nonprofit Veterans Service Organization that delivers membership-based programs to baptized Catholic U.S. military veterans and their families. Its core offerings include VA-accredited claims assistance, veteran welfare support (funeral honor guards, grave decorations, VA facility volunteering), Catholic Action and Americanism programming, youth scholarships and leadership development, and community outreach through a national network of local posts.

Product overview

The Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America (CWV) is a national Veterans Service Organization offering membership to baptized Catholic veterans and their families. The organization operates through two main entities: the Catholic War Veterans (CWV) for veterans and the Catholic War Veterans Auxiliary (CWVA) for family members. Core programs include Catholic Action & Americanism initiatives, Community Outreach, Veterans Welfare services, and Youth Programs with scholarships. The organization publishes the quarterly CWV Magazine as a membership benefit and operates a merchandise store. CWV provides accredited VA Service Officers to assist veterans with claims, and organizes an annual National Convention. Local posts serve as community hubs throughout the nation with headquarters in Bellerose, NY.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CWVA: Catholic War Veterans Auxiliary - open to baptized Catholic men and women related within 2 degrees to a veteran or currently serving Armed Forces member of any faith.

Products and services

• Catholic War Veterans (CWV) Membership A national Veterans Service Organization membership offered to baptized Catholic U.S. citizens who are veterans or currently serving in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard and Reserves, with at least 90 days of active duty. Members gain access to VA claims assistance, veteran welfare programs, community events, the quarterly CWV Magazine, and local post participation.
• Catholic War Veterans Auxiliary (CWVA) Membership Family membership organization open to baptized Catholic men and women related within two degrees (parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, spouses, and in-laws) to a veteran or currently serving Armed Forces member of any faith. CWVA was the first VSO to open Auxiliary membership to men, enabling broader family participation in veteran welfare programs and community outreach.
• Veterans Service Officer Program

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hampton Inn LaGuardia Airport HotelminorOthers · 24 January 2025The hotel serves as the venue for the 2025 Spring CWV National Board Meeting (May 31 – June 2, 2025), offering discounted rates, free transfers to/from LaGuardia Airport, and free buffet breakfast.
• Immaculate Conception Church (Our Shrine Church)minorOthers · 24 January 2025CWV National Board members attended the 100th Anniversary Banquet of the Immaculate Conception Church at Russo's on the Bay on June 1, 2025.
• VA (Department of Veterans Affairs)coreOthersCWV has accredited VA Service Officers who assist veterans in preparing claims and obtaining VA Benefits. Members volunteer at VA facilities providing companionship, transportation, and donations. The organization also has a VAVS (Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service) program.
• Holiday Inn Cleveland SouthminorOthersThe 2026 CWV National Convention will be held at the Holiday Inn Cleveland South at 6001 Rockside Road in Independence, Ohio, with a room rate of $180 per night with free parking.
• JACKS Casino, Flats Entertainment AreaminorOthersEvening entertainment venue for the 2026 National Convention, providing transportation for attendees from the Holiday Inn Cleveland South.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Legion: The largest U.S. wartime veterans service organization with ~1.6M members, providing VA-accredited service officer support, youth programs (Boys State), scholarships, and legislative advocacy. Overlaps directly with CWV's welfare, youth, and claims-assistance mission but operates secularly and at national scale.
• Marine Corps League: Branch-affiliated veterans fraternal organization with detachments (analogous to CWV posts) providing community, advocacy, and youth programs. Operates a similar grassroots chapter structure to CWV but is anchored in Marine Corps identity rather than Catholic faith.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): The largest combat-veteran fraternal organization in the U.S. with ~1.4M members. Operates as a national VSO with accredited service officers, scholarships, and advocacy — directly comparable mission to CWV, but at vastly larger scale and without the Catholic-faith anchor.
• AMVETS (American Veterans): National VSO open to all honorably discharged veterans since WWII, providing VA claims help, scholarships, and community programs. Comparable mission and service mix to CWV, with a similarly membership-based but non-faith-specific structure.
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV): National VSO with ~1M members focused on service-connected disabled veterans. Operates the largest free VA-accredited claims service in the U.S. — directly comparable to CWV's Service Officer Program but at national scale and with disability-focused rather than faith-focused identity.
• Vietnam Veterans of America: National VSO with chapter-based structure providing VA claims assistance, advocacy, and community programs for Vietnam-era veterans. Comparable chapter/post model and service mix to CWV but with a generation-specific rather than faith-specific identity.

Emerging players

• Catholic Charities USA: National network of Catholic social service agencies serving veterans and families through counseling, housing, and benefits navigation. Overlaps with CWV's veteran welfare and claims-assistance mission within the broader Catholic services ecosystem, representing a larger institutional peer for veteran-services delivery.
• Knights of Columbus: The largest Catholic fraternal service organization in the U.S. with ~2M members, offering insurance, community programs, and faith-based service. Overlaps with CWV in the Catholic community-organization space and represents the dominant Catholic fraternal network against which CWV competes for Catholic member mindshare.

Direct peers

• Military Order of the Purple Heart: Fraternal VSO for combat-wounded veterans providing VA claims assistance, advocacy, and chapter-based community. Operates with similar chapter/post structure to CWV and serves an analogous niche identity (Purple Heart recipients) within the broader VSO ecosystem.
• Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America: Faith-anchored (Jewish) national VSO founded in 1896, providing analogous membership-based community, VA claims assistance, and youth programming. The closest structural analog to CWV — combining a specific religious identity with veteran advocacy — making it the most directly comparable peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/CWVUSA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/CWVUSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/CWVUSA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America