$7.5M investment directly supports efforts to scale community-based support for those who serve and their families
WASHINGTON, D.C. – DEC. 12, 2025 – Blue Star Families (BSF) has received a $7.5M grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., to strengthen its organizational capacity to more effectively support military service members, veterans, and their families nationwide.
The grant is one of 18 that Lilly Endowment is making to help military service organizations and veteran service organizations across the country build their capacity to provide direct support to members of the U.S. military and veterans and their families.
With this funding, Blue Star Families will strengthen the systems, tools, and talent that power its nationwide network of military family support. The grant will support targeted investments in technology and data systems, staff and leadership development, research initiatives, and program evaluation, enhancing BSF’s ability to scale its programs and digital community-building platforms like Blue Star Neighborhoods. This grant will also support communications and fundraising efforts, and will deepen partnerships with local and national organizations. Together, these investments will help ensure that military and veteran families can more easily access trusted support wherever they live.
“This investment from Lilly Endowment fuels Blue Star Families’ ambitious mission to close the critical gap in community support facing military families where they live and serve,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. “Guided by a data-driven approach informed by military families nationwide, this gift strengthens our capacity to grow and scale proven solutions – reaching more families across the country so none are overlooked in the communities they call home.”
Since 2009, Blue Star Families has grown from a grassroots network of military spouses into a nationally recognized organization shaping how communities show up for those who serve. By pairing large-scale research on military family experiences with on-the-ground programs and partnerships, BSF has helped inform policy, influence employers, and build stronger local support systems for military and veteran families. This investment from Lilly Endowment comes at a pivotal time, enabling Blue Star Families to strengthen the infrastructure behind that work and meet growing demand for trusted, community-based support as military families navigate increasingly complex service and post-service landscape.
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About Blue Star Families
Blue Star Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest military and veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach builds strong communities with a focus on human-centered design and innovative solutions. A “blue star family” is the family of a currently serving military member, including active duty, National Guard, Reserve forces, and those transitioning out of service. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered more than $336 million in benefits and impacts more than 1.5 million people annually through an expansive network of chapters and outposts. For more information, click here.
About Lilly Endowment
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
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