Strategic Partnership Forged with BVSJ

Strategic Partnership Forged with BVSJ

September 23rd, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services formalized a strategic partnership with Black Veterans for Social Justice (BVSJ)—a pivotal step in advancing our shared mission to ensure veterans and their families thrive where they live.

This new collaboration brought together leaders from both organizations in Brooklyn, New York, to outline a joint framework that strengthens the capacity of BVSJ and its partners to deliver comprehensive, coordinated services across the city.

Dixon Center is aligning some resources and projects around BVSJ’s services in New York City’s underserved communities. We are also sharing innovative solutions garnered from our national network. As a result together we are creating a model for scalable, sustainable collaboration that strengthens the broader ecosystem of local veteran-serving organizations.

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Pipeline of Dreams

“Achieving our vision to be the resource of choice for organizations and partners that work to improve the lives of veterans and their families requires a robust and aspirational pipeline.”    – Eileen Greenlay,

Building Internal & External Capacity

Building Internal & External Capacity

Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services’ is actively attending conferences and celebrations to leverage and strengthen the Center’s network of partners, supporters, community-based programs, veterans and their families. 

As an example, recently we participated in the Community Work Service’s (CWS) “City of Champions Celebration” in Boston, MA.  

After more than 10 years of working together we and CWS are still enabling veterans and their families living and working in the New England area. Of note, we and CWS are both members of The Fedcap Group.

Attending events like this is a way to build public awareness, encourage community involvement and promote community-based services that are integrating veterans into their direct services. 

We cherish these opportunities to be the voice of the veterans. To this end, we will be attending the Opportunity Finance Network’s (OFN) conference in Washington, D.C. to seek information on access to capital and technical assistance for veteran small business owners. 

If you see us make sure you say hi. 

Pictured: Craig Stenning, Executive Director, CWS & Col. Duncan Milne, USMC(Ret.), President, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services

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Pipeline of Dreams

“Achieving our vision to be the resource of choice for organizations and partners that work to improve the lives of veterans and their families requires a robust and aspirational pipeline.”    – Eileen Greenlay,

Our Development Framework for 2026

Our Development Framework for 2026

The development team at Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services is leveraging our learning and analysis of the previous years to refine our fundraising strategy. 

As part of our 3-year strategic growth plan, Dixon Center’s fundraising strategy for 2026 will be to diversify resources, deepen our major donor engagement, and solely invest our time in relationship development with funders aligned with our mission.
 
We will allocate resources to our four priority funder segments and propose solutions based on the impact and outcomes they seek:

  • Major Donors: Transformational change.
  • Corporate: ROI and employee engagement.
  • Research and Policy funders: Evidence of system redesign with our partner institutions.
  • Systems-change foundations: Collaborative and scalable solution models.

Additionally, we will leverage the networks and connections of our Command Council and current donors in our engagement with prospects. We will also invest in useful tools that enhance our relationship building and the procurement of new sources of revenue.

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Pipeline of Dreams

“Achieving our vision to be the resource of choice for organizations and partners that work to improve the lives of veterans and their families requires a robust and aspirational pipeline.”    – Eileen Greenlay,

Strengthening Partnerships at the NASDVA Annual Training Conference

Strengthening Partnerships at the NASDVA Annual Training Conference

Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services participated in the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) Annual Training Conference in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The Conference is an opportunity to engage, listen, learn, and collaborate with leaders in every state who are addressing the most pressing needs of veterans and their families.

Dixon Center took the opportunity to influence others, by sharing ideas, and actions that are enhancing the capacity and capability of our partners. By working side by side with state directors, we help identify emerging well-being challenges faced by veterans and their families.

We are advancing comprehensive solutions that ensure veterans and their families receive the right services at the right time.

A highlight of the Conference is Dixon Center’s recent collaboration with the New York State Department of Veterans’ Services. Working with Viviana DeCohen, Commissioner of New York State Dept. of Veterans Services, we are enhancing the capacity of community-based organizations and state agencies across New York to better support veterans, with a special emphasis on empowering women veterans.

Dixon Center’s participation at the NASDVA Annual Training Conference is another step towards ensuring that the voices of veterans and their families are heard and that solutions are developed collaboratively, across states, and within communities.

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Pipeline of Dreams

“Achieving our vision to be the resource of choice for organizations and partners that work to improve the lives of veterans and their families requires a robust and aspirational pipeline.”    – Eileen Greenlay,

Remembering 9/11

Remembering 9/11

Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services is participating in events around the country remembering the victims of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. 

By participating in local ceremonies, we recognize, remember, honor, and mourn those who died, and their families affected by the heinous actions.

A few of our team will visit the Pentagon Group Burial Marker in Section 64 of Arlington National Cemetery. Others will attend ceremonies in local communities or will be watching the televised 24th Anniversary commemoration ceremonies from the Pentagon, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, and the Flight 93 National Memorial (Shanksville, PA).

Members of our team have always made the annual visit on 9/11 to the Group Marker whose significance is best described by the  Monuments and Memorials narrative, “On September 12, 2002, a funeral service was held in Memorial Amphitheater for the final remains of the 184 victims of the September 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon. While the service honored all 184 victims, it offered special recognition of the five families who did not receive any recovered remains of their loved ones.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld offered words of condolence at the service, stating, “We remember your loss, our loss, our country’s loss, and the loss of precious lives.” Following the service, a group burial was held in Section 64. A five-sided granite group marker stands over the gravesite, bearing the names of all those who perished in the Pentagon or aboard American Airlines Flight 77.”

We hope you will have the chance to reflect and remember on the anniversary of 9/11 and that someday you will be able to visit the Pentagon Group Burial Marker. It is located off Patton Circle in Section 64 — in the southeastern part of the cemetery, closest to the Pentagon.

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Pipeline of Dreams

“Achieving our vision to be the resource of choice for organizations and partners that work to improve the lives of veterans and their families requires a robust and aspirational pipeline.”    – Eileen Greenlay,

Building Solutions Together in Houston

Building Solutions Together in Houston

On August 26, 2025, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services demonstrated its leadership in action at the Easterseals Greater Houston Texas Veterans + Family (TV+FA) Convening. Working alongside our trusted training partners, we helped design, organize, and conduct this important gathering of the 16 organizations that comprise the Texas Veterans + Family Alliance Collaborative.

Dixon Center took a leading role in shaping the agenda to ensure it reflected the real-world challenges facing providers. We facilitated sessions that spurred conversations and engagement among the partners, guided breakout groups focused on improving coordination of care, and provided frameworks that helped participants identify gaps and opportunities. Our team worked hand-in-hand with the team at Easterseals Greater Houston to create a collaborative environment where every voice could be heard and every organization could contribute to solution-building.

By helping convene this gathering and driving the conversations toward practical solutions, Dixon Center reaffirmed its role as a trusted partner in capacity-building—ensuring that together, the participating organizations are better positioned to deliver lasting impact for Texas veterans and their families.

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Pipeline of Dreams

“Achieving our vision to be the resource of choice for organizations and partners that work to improve the lives of veterans and their families requires a robust and aspirational pipeline.”    – Eileen Greenlay,

Work with Purpose & Labor Day

Work with Purpose & Labor Day

This Labor Day, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services is proud to highlight our focus on building the capacity of programs that are connecting veterans with pathways into the building trades—an industry that values discipline, teamwork, and resilience, qualities that veterans bring in abundance. Over the last three months, we have enhanced programs providing transitioning service members with critical skills in the building trades, formed a strategic partnership with an organization that develops apprenticeships and career navigation tools leading to meaningful employment, and developed a model of supportive services for veterans that are tailored for union locals.

Labor Day is a reminder of the dignity of work and the contributions of America’s workforce, especially in the building trades. It is also a reminder of the responsibility we all share in ensuring opportunity is within reach. Work is more than a paycheck—it’s purpose, pride, and a pathway to a better future.  Dixon Center remains committed to breaking down barriers, building capacity, and delivering results so that every veteran and military family can work with purpose, heal with honor, and live with hope.

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Pipeline of Dreams

“Achieving our vision to be the resource of choice for organizations and partners that work to improve the lives of veterans and their families requires a robust and aspirational pipeline.”    – Eileen Greenlay,

Summer 2025 Development Update

Summer 2025 Development Update

While the Development team at Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services was able to enjoy some family time this summer, we were also diligent in our capacity building efforts and seeking new funding opportunities. Our summer highlights (from late May until today) include:

  • Memorial Day mailing to 350+ of our donors and friends
  • Meetings with eight new potential partners
  • Submitted 15 letters of inquiry or grant applications (four of which were collaborations with other partners) to various foundations
  • 35+ one-on-one conversations with individual donors and prospects
  • Attended six high profile conferences and partner events

We are deeply grateful for our partners, donors and supporters who made this summer so special.

Dixon Center supporting our partner, Soldier On, at a summer event.

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Pipeline of Dreams

“Achieving our vision to be the resource of choice for organizations and partners that work to improve the lives of veterans and their families requires a robust and aspirational pipeline.”    – Eileen Greenlay,

Combining Projects to Better Link Resources

Combining Projects to Better Link Resources

Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services is combining two pillar projects to operationalize more resources for women veterans.

We are combining two projects into one, Operation Veteran Empowerment (OVE). Dixon Center is massing the number of resources from partner organizations. We are building capacity and making more resources available at the right place, at the right time, to better meet the evolving needs of veterans and their families.

Operation Veteran Empowerment is the result of combining two projects – Women Veterans Emergency Financial Assistance and the original Operation Veteran Empowerment. This single project will comprehensibly align with two important programs across two pillars, at once – Wellness and Basic Needs.

The exciting part of synchronizing these efforts holistically is that we are still prioritizing the needs of women affected by military service while expanding the scope to include all veterans while staying true to our services as a resource hub building capacity. To learn more, visit our OVE FAQ page.

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Pipeline of Dreams

“Achieving our vision to be the resource of choice for organizations and partners that work to improve the lives of veterans and their families requires a robust and aspirational pipeline.”    – Eileen Greenlay,

A New Partnership, A Stronger Future

A New Partnership, A Stronger Future

On July 23rd, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services took a major step forward in our mission of ensuring veterans and their families thrive where they live, by forming a strategic partnership with Fastport, a recognized leader in workforce development, apprenticeships, and career navigation.

Pathway to Prosperity is a national initiative led by Dixon Center that connects transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses to training, credentials, and career opportunities that lead to family-sustaining employment.

The project is designed to eliminate barriers to meaningful work by building the capacity of organizations that align individuals with industry-recognized pathways and employer networks. Through our collaboration with Fastport, Pathway to Prosperity will expand its reach and effectiveness and will accelerate access to high-demand careers and create measurable, life-changing outcomes for veterans and their families across the country.

At Dixon Center, we believe no veteran should have to navigate the path alone. Through partnerships like this, we’re building bridges to opportunity and increasing the impact of organizations and programs that are making a difference in the lives of veterans and their families.

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Pipeline of Dreams

“Achieving our vision to be the resource of choice for organizations and partners that work to improve the lives of veterans and their families requires a robust and aspirational pipeline.”    – Eileen Greenlay,