True North Foundation

## Approach Strategy

True North Foundation operates as a partner-first model rather than a traditional grantmaking foundation. Instead of accepting unsolicited grant proposals, True North actively identifies and champions established veteran-serving nonprofits, providing both financial support and promotional amplification through its network.

How to position your organization: - Demonstrate direct, measurable impact on veterans in your local community. True North prioritizes organizations that run programs with boots on the ground, not advocacy or research organizations. - Align explicitly with one or more of their four pillars: transition/employment, education, adaptive sports, or mental/physical rehabilitation. The strongest applicants will have clear outcomes in at least one pillar. - Showcase community embeddedness. True North emphasizes local impact - organizations with deep roots in a specific veterans community will resonate more than national federations. - Propose a partnership narrative, not just a funding request. True North's model is about co-promotion and storytelling (newsletters, events, social media spotlights). Offer them a compelling story about your veterans.

Contact approach: Reach out via the contact form at truenorthfoundation.org or directly at (212) 612-9000. The office is in midtown Manhattan. A personal introduction through board or Founding Patron networks is likely the most effective channel given the partnership-centric model.

## Funding Patterns

True North Foundation is a private operating foundation (IRS foundation code 4), which means it primarily expends resources directly on its own programs rather than distributing grants to outside organizations. This is an important distinction from a private grantmaking foundation.

Financial trajectory from IRS 990-PF filings: - 2023: Revenue $521,170 | Expenses $382,028 | Assets $1,515,010 - 2022: Revenue $416,157 | Expenses $269,305 | Assets $1,290,471 - 2021: Revenue $457,892 | Expenses $225,845 | Assets $1,391,477 - 2020: Revenue $503,025 | Expenses $369,542 | Assets $1,249,017 - 2019: Revenue $470,139 | Expenses $223,154 | Assets $1,172,199

Key observations: - Revenue has grown from approximately $470K (2019) to $521K (2023), a modest 11% increase over five years. - Expenses surged in 2020 and 2023, likely reflecting program expansion and event costs for Patagonman campaigns. - The asset base has remained stable at $1.2-1.5M, suggesting the foundation reinvests operating surpluses rather than building an endowment. - No discrete grants paid are reported in ProPublica data, consistent with the operating foundation model - funds flow to programs, not external grantees. - As a T20 NTEE-classified organization with Founding Patrons listed on the website, the foundation depends heavily on individual major donors and event revenue.

Implication for applicants: Monetary grants from True North are likely small and discretionary. The primary value of a True North partnership is visibility and co-marketing to their network of Founding Patrons and social media followers rather than large grant dollars.

## Peer Comparison

True North Foundation occupies a niche among veteran-support foundations, positioned as a platform and connector rather than a large direct-service provider.

Comparable organizations: - Mission United (United Way): Like True North, connects veterans to employment, housing, and education services through a partner network. Operates at much larger scale but uses a similar referral-and-partnership logic. - Pat Tillman Foundation: Focuses on education scholarships for military veterans and spouses. Overlaps with True North's education pillar but targets veteran students directly rather than military children. - Semper Fi and America's Fund: Provides immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to critically ill or injured veterans. Overlaps with True North's rehabilitation pillar; much larger with $60M+ in assets. - Team Red White and Blue (Team RWB): Veteran-focused athletic and social network, directly comparable to True North's adaptive sports pillar. Operates at national scale with a membership model. - Gary Sinise Foundation: Celebrity-driven, high-profile veteran foundation. Operates relief programs and performing arts therapy. Comparable in the entertainment and event-driven fundraising plus veteran programs model.

True North's differentiation: Its smaller scale and Patagonman event partnership give it a distinct identity in the adventure and endurance sports space. This niche attracts a specific donor profile (high-net-worth endurance athletes and executives) and differentiates it from the broader veteran nonprofit landscape. Organizations with sports-related or wellness-oriented veteran programs are the strongest fit.

## Recent Activity

Programmatic: True North Foundation has been expanding its four-pillar model, with particular emphasis on the Adaptive Sports and Transition/Employment programs. The Patagonman event (a full-distance triathlon in Patagonia, Chile, set for December 2026) continues to be a flagship fundraising and storytelling vehicle.

Financial trend 2019-2023: Expenses have grown from $223K to $382K over five years, suggesting active program expansion. The 2023 revenue of $521K represents healthy operating capacity for a boutique veteran foundation.

Digital presence: The foundation maintains active social media on Instagram at truenorth4heroes, Facebook at truenorth4heroes, Twitter at TrueNorth4Vets, and LinkedIn. The website was recently rebuilt on Squarespace and reflects a mature organizational identity with professional branding.

Office: The NYC office at 777 Third Avenue, Suite 2102 (Midtown East) signals a focus on engaging the New York City financial and corporate donor community, a significant asset for fundraising.

Founding Patrons program: True North maintains a Founding Patrons recognition program, suggesting an active major donor cultivation strategy that likely drives a meaningful share of annual revenue.

Note on organizational history: An archived version of the website from 2022 showed the domain previously hosted an arts-focused nonprofit. The current veteran-focused True North Foundation appears to have either repurposed the domain or underwent a major mission transformation after 2022. All current public-facing materials are clearly veteran-focused.

## Application Tips

1. Lead with local impact and personal stories. True North's communications are story-driven - their social media, newsletters, and events all feature individual veterans' journeys. A proposal that opens with a specific veteran's story rather than statistics will resonate with their culture.

2. Align with a single pillar first. While multi-program organizations can eventually engage all four pillars, a first outreach should demonstrate deep excellence in one area. Transition/Employment and Adaptive Sports appear to be the highest-profile pillars based on the website and Patagonman tie-in.

3. Offer a co-marketing hook. True North values its role as a storytelling amplifier. Include a specific proposal for how True North could feature your program - a newsletter spotlight, event co-branding, or social media campaign. This transforms your ask from a funding request into a partnership proposal.

4. Leverage the Patagonman connection. If your organization has athletes or a fitness and endurance culture, proposing a collaboration around the Patagonman event could be a compelling entry point. The race attracts serious endurance athletes and generates significant social media content.

5. Connect through Founding Patrons. A warm introduction through a Founding Patron or board member is likely the most effective channel. Research their patron list available on the website and look for overlaps with your board, donors, or corporate partners.

6. Keep the ask proportionate. With $521K in annual revenue and the operating foundation model, True North is not positioned to make six-figure grants. Frame your request for seed funding, event co-sponsorship, or in-kind promotion rather than a large general operating grant.

7. Submit at the right time. The foundation does not publish deadlines. Time your outreach to avoid the months surrounding the Patagonman event (typically December) when staff attention is concentrated on event logistics.