Bob Woodruff Foundation (or Bob Woodruff Family Foundation) is a private grantmaking organization that primarily gives to veteran causes. It was founded by ABC reporter Bob Woodruff and his family after he sustained traumatic brain injury while covering the Iraq War.
The foundation does not solely give money to veterans’ causes. It has also given money to groups like environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) practice Nationswell, tech equity nonprofit NPower, and the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC).
In March 2022, MacKenzie Scott announced she had given $3,863,125,000 to 465 organizations since June 2021, with the Bob Woodruff Foundation among the recipients. 1
Background
Covering the January 2006 transfer of power between American and Iraqi security forces as a reporter for ABC’s “World News Tonight,” journalist Bob Woodruff was riding in an armored vehicle in the region when it was struck by a roadside bomb. Woodruff received a life-threatening traumatic brain injury. His wife, Lee, quickly assumed the role of caregiver for her injured husband. 2
During the time Bob was in a coma, Lee came to know the families of service members suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and depression. When Bob recovered, their family decided to take up philanthropic work for veterans. 2
Activities
Bob Woodruff Foundation specializes in aid for injured veterans, raising money for and donating to veterans, their families, and veteran caregivers. 2 As of 2022, the foundation claimed it had invested $124,000,000 into related programs, amounting to over 585 grants and 12,000,000 veterans and families aided. 3
The foundation does not solely give money to veteran causes. It has also given money to groups like environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) practice Nationswell, tech equity nonprofit NPower, and the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC). 4
Funding
In 2020, the Bob Woodruff Foundation had a total revenue of $9,841,207, total expenses of $13,894,483, and net assets of $17,723,459. In 2019, it had a total revenue $20,205,011, total expenses of $12,530,136, and net assets of $21,779,932. 5
Bob Woodruff Foundation’s past donors have included Alpha-Omega Charitable Foundation, the Amherst Foundation, Ann G. and James B. Ritchey Foundation, Barbara Bradley Baekgaard Family Foundation, Deborah Elkins Foundation, Evan and Tracy Segal Family Foundation, Half Moon Foundation, Rubenstein Family Trust, the Manowitz and Drillings Family Foundation, Morrissey Family Foundation, Sobel Family Supporting Foundation, Theodore Cross Family Charitable Foundation, Thrill Hill Foundation, and Weinberger Family Foundation. 6
In March 2022, MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced she had given $3,863,125,000 to 465 organizations since June that year. The Bob Woodruff Foundation was among the recipients. 1
References
- MacKenzie Scott. “Helping Any of Us Can Help Us All.” Medium, March 23, 2022. Accessed November 26, 2022. https://mackenzie-scott.medium.com/helping-any-of-us-can-help-us-all-f4c7487818d9.
- “Our Foundation.” Bob Woodruff Foundation. Accessed November 26, 2022. https://bobwoodrufffoundation.org/our-foundation/.
- “Home.” Bob Woodruff Foundation. Accessed November 26, 2022. https://bobwoodrufffoundation.org/.
- Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Bob Woodruff Family Foundation. 2020. Schedule I, Part II, Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments.
- Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Bob Woodruff Family Foundation. 2020. Part I, “Current Year” lines 12, 18, 22; “Prior Year” lines 12, 18, 22.
- “Full-Text Search: 189 results for Bob Woodruff Foundation.” ProPublica. Accessed November 26, 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=Bob+Woodruff+Foundation.