Where Does $100 to Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Go (2022)?

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization is a 501 (c) (4) – a social welfare organization – that was created by Congress in 1920 to assist disabled military veterans and their families.  Based in Cold Spring, Kentucky, DAV provides services nationwide to disabled veterans through staff, national service offices and more than 1,300 local chapters.

With more than a million members (who pay $0-$300 for a lifetime of assistance and benefits), DAV is the largest disabled veteran assistance organization in the country.

In 2022, DAV reported total revenue of $147 million (compared to $171 million in 2021, $154 million in 2020 and $145 million in 2019) although only $4 million (about 3% of revenue; compared to $4 million in 2021 and $9 million in 2020) came from membership fees.  $123 million (84% of revenue) came from contributions. $20 million (14% of revenue) came from investment income and the gain on the sale of asset.

Expenses totaled $147 million (not including $2 million in depreciation) in 2022 with expenses categorized as follows:

• $55 million (37% of revenue): Compensation
• $56 million (38% of revenue): Office-Related Expenses
• $12 million (8% of revenue): Advertising, Promotion, and Royalties
• $ 9 million (6% of revenue): Fees for Services (primarily other with no detail provided)
• $ 7 million (5% of revenue): Grants
• $ 4 million (3% of revenue): Travel and Conferences and Other Expenses
• $ 4 million (3% of revenue):  Other Expenses 

As illustrated above, the two largest expenses (that used 75% of revenue) were compensation and office-related expenses. $12 million or 8% of revenue was spent primarily on advertising and promotion while $7 million was spent on grants – primarily to veterans services in state governments and camps for children of veterans. $9 million was spent on fees for independent contractors – primarily other “professional” marketing and fundraising fees , and $8 million was spent on travel and conferences and other expenses.

DAV reported the organization pays for first class or charter travel, travel for companions, and providing discretionary spending accounts (See the Form 990, Schedule J, Part III, Supplemental Information for more detail).

Using the above information, every $100 in revenue was spent as follows:

$100: Revenue

-$ 38: Office-Related Expenses

-$ 37: Compensation

-$ 8: Advertising, Promotion, Royalties

-$ 6: Fees for Services

-$ 6: Travel and Conferences and Other Expenses

-$ 95: Subtotal: Office, Compensation, Advertising, Fees, Travel

  $  5: Revenue Remaining

-$  5: Grants

$ 0: Revenue Remaining

As illustrated above, most revenue is spent on office-related expenses and compensation for the 687 employees who received an average compensation of $83,000 in 2022 (compared to an average compensation of $80,000 in 2021).  68 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with the most highly compensated employee reported to be J Marc Burgess, the National Adjutant, CEO, and Secretary who received $534,675 in 2022 (compared to $591,176 in 2021,  $603,396 in 2020 and $585,906 in 2019).

At year-end 2022, DAV reported total net assets of $421 million (compared to $499 million in 2021, $415 million in 2020, $365 million in 2019 and $313 million in 2018).  The decline in net assets was primarily due to $90 million of unrealized net losses on investments in 2022.   

To read the IRS Form 990 (2022), click here.