Introduction
America’s national cemeteries are more than burial grounds—they are places of honor, remembrance, and gratitude. Across the nation, rows of headstones mark the final resting places of men and women who answered the call to serve our country. Each stone represents a person, a family, and a story of service and sacrifice. By learning their stories, visiting their graves, and preserving their memories, we honor their service and carry their legacy forward.
Program Overview
With support from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Korean War Legacy Foundation (KWLF) Mini-Grant Program helps offset the cost of K-12 field trips to one of the 157 national cemeteries maintained by the National Cemetery Administration (NCA). These grants enable educators to offer students meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom. To make these experiences more accessible and reduce financial barriers, we are offering grants of up to $1,250 to help cover transportation and substitute teacher costs associated with student field trips to National Cemeteries. Participating teachers will implement a Foundation-provided pre-visit lesson plan focused on student research of service members buried in the cemetery and a Foundation-provided field trip lesson on the day of the field trip.
About National Cemeteries
National cemeteries are special places dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration maintains 157 national cemeteries across 44 states and Puerto Rico, along with 35 soldiers’ lots and monument sites. These cemeteries contain more than 4.3 million graves of service members and eligible family members. In addition to those already buried, the Veterans Administration conducted 130,963 interments in 2025. Together, they preserve our nation’s military history and provide future generations with places to remember, reflect, and understand the meaning of service and sacrifice. A complete list of NCA cemeteries can be found here: https://www.cem.va.gov/find-cemetery/all-national.asp
Requirements
- Applicants must be an active and full-time K-12 educator or administrator to apply for the KWLF field trip mini-grant.
- Teachers receiving mini-grants will be required to implement two modules provided by the KWLF. Modifications to the modules to better meet the needs of your classroom and students are permitted.
- Prior to the field trip: Module 1: “Student Research Methods to Explore and Document Veteran Narratives”, which includes researching veterans buried at the cemetery and submitting information to the Veterans Legacy Memorial website.
- On the day of the field trip: Module 10: “Visiting a National Cemetery”
- Documentation of the experience and submission of a video or a minimum of five (5) reproducible photos of your trip (which follow your district policies), a press release (template will be provided), and the completion of a trip report and survey by the applicant.
- Funding is only for visits to VA cemeteries. Please check this list before applying https://www.cem.va.gov/find-cemetery/all-national.asp (Note: This list does not include Arlington National Cemetery, state veteran cemeteries, or the cemeteries administered by the National Park Service.)
- Please note: This is a teacher-directed field trip. National Cemetery staff are generally not available to provide guided tours, so teachers should plan to lead students through the visit and Module 10 activities.
Application Process
- A limited number of grants will be awarded. Applications will be reviewed and processed on a rolling basis until all slots are full
- All applicants will be notified within two weeks regarding their application status.
- Approval of an application is at the discretion of the Korean War Legacy Foundation.
- Please ensure you have calculated your estimated total field trip expenses prior to applying. See eligible expenses in the funding requirements section.
- Applications must be submitted at least two (2) weeks prior to the field trip.
- You must answer all required application questions for your submission to be considered.
- The grant award amount cannot exceed $1,250. To maximize the program’s impact for approval and funding, applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Number of students and chaperones participating in the field trip.
- Thoroughness of the application packet.
- Participation with previous Korean War Legacy Foundation programs.
- Demonstrable positive impact on your students.
Funding Requirements
- Funding will be through a reimbursement process up to a maximum of $1,250. In no circumstances will more than $1,250 be awarded.
- Field trips must be completed prior to May 30, 2027.
- Funds can be applied to transportation costs to and from the site(s), and coverage for substitute teachers, if needed. We do not provide funding for overnight stays, souvenirs, food, etc.
- Rental or service costs for vehicles used to transport students are eligible. Examples may include district school buses, charter buses, and vans owned by the school district or nonprofit organizations. Expenses may include pro-rated driver salary and benefits, maintenance, fuel as well as tolls and parking. Itemized receipts or invoices should be provided for all transportation expenses.
- All payments will be disbursed after the completion of the field trip and your submission of the following requirements to our grant coordinator, in good order, and within four weeks of the field trip:
- Field Trip completion form
- valid receipts or invoices
- video and/or photos from the trip
- One check made payable to the school, a school club, PTA/PTO or the school district will be issued. In no case will payments be made to an individual educator or administrator.
- Funding may be adjusted or withheld if required documentation or program requirements are not completed.
Please contact Jaime Jarvis with any questions at jjarvis@koreanwarlegacy.org.
This program was made possible through the generous support of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Legacy Program.