Legion posts: COVID-19 assistance grants available

The American Legion understands the financial impact felt at the post level during the COVID-19 pandemic as member and community outreach efforts were limited, resulting in a loss of revenue. To provide some relief during these challenging times, The American Legion wants to remind you that financial grants are available for eligible American Legion posts.

The American Legion’s Mission Blue Post Assistance Program provides up to $1,000 in grants to posts that are in good standing with their respective department and meet the qualifying criteria (see below). These funds must be used exclusively to pay current or past due rent, mortgage, utilities and insurance premiums.

The Mission Blue Post Assistance Program went into effect following the approval of Resolution No. 36 by the National Executive Committee in October 2020. Since then, more than $450,000 in financial grants have been provided to posts that have been negatively impacted from COVID-19.

American Legion Post 118 in Rio Rancho, N.M., had to close its doors during the pandemic. Even with the closure, the post continued to pay monthly building expenses without its more than 600 members able to use it. And when the insurance bill was due, it was a significant expense that had Post 118 Commander William Jennings worried about finding the means to pay. Financial relief came to Jennings with a grant from The American Legion’s Mission Blue Post Assistance Program.

“The $1,000 that the National American Legion sent us allowed us to make that payment to keep our insurance active. It will keep us going to May,” Jennings said. “The grant came at a really good time. We really needed it.”

Apply for a grant

Eligible American Legion posts can apply for a Mission Blue Assistance grant through July 1, 2022. Application is online here. All applications will first need to go through the respective department prior to being submitted to National Headquarters.

Grant application qualification To apply, posts must have: 1. A Consolidated Post Report on file at National Headquarters. 2. Filed an IRS 990 within the prescribed due date. 3. Filed all other required forms and reports as prescribed by the department. 4. Actively participated in one or more American Legion programs within the last 18 months. 5. A financial need. 6. A certificate of insurance for all liability coverage naming The American Legion doing business as (dba) The American Legion National Headquarters and the post’s department as an additional insured. (Submit declaration page showing coverage.) 7. Documentation indicating that the post is properly incorporated.

American Legion posts that receive a grant are required to submit a grant report within six months of the grant/check issue date. There is a standardized grant report that is sent out with every inclusion letter to the department for the recipient posts. When completing the Mission Blue grant report, a recipient post needs to only report how the grant, which is capped at $1,000, was utilized. For example, $250 used for insurance and $750 used for utilities. Reported figures should not exceed the amount that was awarded.

The American Legion National Headquarters is here to support posts in this time of need. If you have further questions, please email the Internal Affairs Division at IA@legion.org.