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Fisher Service Award

Amount

$75,000–$100,000 cash award (top winner receives $100K; runners-up receive $75K). Includes a $50K Military Times advertising package.

Deadline

Expected close: March 6 2026 (based on 2025 cycle). Winners announced each fall.

Effort & Priority

Effort: 7  |  Priority: Must Pursue
Success probability: Medium (high competition).

Match

No match required.

Award Overview

The Fisher Service Award (formerly Newman’s Own Award) honors innovative, high-impact programs that improve quality of life for service members, veterans, and their families. FOH’s origin story, scale, and outcomes align tightly with the award’s emphasis on community-powered solutions.

Application Expectations

  • Online submission with narrative questions (mission, innovation, impact, sustainability) plus optional multimedia. FOH should plan to include a short, high-quality video featuring a Gold Star family story.
  • Clear evidence of measurable outcomes (number of scholarships, graduation rates, financial relief) and testimonials demonstrating quality-of-life improvements.
  • Budget narrative showing how the award will expand scholarships or related support for military families.
  • Optional letters of support from partners such as Travis Manion Foundation or DAV to reinforce collaboration.

Strategic Fit

Judges look for programs that embody service, innovation, and community impact. FOH’s mission—“Honor Their Sacrifice, Educate Their Legacy”—pairs a compelling origin with nationwide results (62,000+ scholarships, record awards in 2025–26). The award frequently recognizes organizations supporting military children and survivors; FOH’s focus on educational opportunity for those families fills a crucial gap and showcases a different dimension of resiliency.

FOH can frame scholarships as an innovative, long-term intervention: reducing financial stress, promoting academic success, and strengthening military families. Highlight partnerships (Patriot Golf Day network, corporate allies) that demonstrate the power of community and cooperation—values the award celebrates.

Success Factors

  • Tell a vivid story. Tie Dan Rooney’s founding moment to today’s impact, and showcase one or two families whose futures changed because of FOH.
  • Quantify outcomes—scholarship utilization, credentials earned, improvements in financial readiness, testimonials on mental/emotional relief.
  • Stress scalability: FOH can immediately deploy award dollars to waitlisted families and amplify reach via national events and media.
  • Prepare the marketing benefits plan. The Military Times ad package should be tied to recruitment (new applicants) and donor outreach.

Risks & Mitigation

  • Competition: Nationwide contest with dozens of finalists. Mitigate by submitting an exceptional narrative, professional video, and clear metrics that differentiate FOH’s scale.
  • All-or-nothing award: If FOH is not selected, there is no partial funding. Repurpose the submission (storytelling assets, metrics) for other corporate partners and reapply in 2027.

ROI & Timeline

Estimated 30 hours to craft narrative, gather data, produce video, and polish submission. At a $75K award, ROI ≈ $2,500/hour; at $100K plus advertising, ROI exceeds $3,000/hour. Prep work should begin January 2026 with submission before the March deadline.

Key Resources