Valhalla Dive Group
Healing veterans through diving
Mission
Valhalla Dive Group, a 501(c)(3) public charity, provides adaptive/classified SCUBA diving instruction, equipment and dive travel to persons dealing with physical and emotional trauma – particularly military veterans and first responders – using the freedom and adventure of diving to inspire, empower and educate.
Ruling year
2018
Executive Director
Ms Marissa Nicole Candelore
Main address
9511 NE 87th Ave
Vancouver, WA 98662 USA
EIN
82-3046990
NTEE code
Swimming, Water Recreation (N67)
Sports Training Facilities (N40)
Services to Promote the Independence of Specific Populations (P80)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990-N.
Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Veterans and First Responders living with physical and emotional trauma sustained in the line of duty all too often endure a profound sense of loss. While once capable and part of a strong support network, following life-changing events, these team-oriented professionals find themselves isolated, feeling hopeless, and struggling to deal with everyday life. To date, more American service members have died by suicide in the past 10 years than died during the entire Vietnam War. This staggering statistic makes clear that these veterans desperately need to regain their senses of empowerment and capability.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Every veteran faces a touch transition to civilian life after their time in uniform. After years of specialized training, the need for continued growth remains. VDG seeks to inspire veterans to continue their adventures through diving.
There is a strong sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from learning a new skill. For those living with the effects of physical and emotional trauma, becoming a diver means more than simply being able to dive. It is proof that they have limitless potential.
Valhalla Dive Group is committed to the education of its students and staff on all matters regarding diving, marine life science, understanding the physiological and psychological concerns of students and developing confident, competent divers.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Scuba Diving International 2018
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of new champions or stakeholders recruited
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The global pandemic severely impacted the organization's projected growth. As the pandemic subsides, we seek to ramp-up operations toward growth milestones in providing services to veterans.
Number of requests for advocate products or information, including downloads or page views of online material
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of overall donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Caregivers, Veterans
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
"Donations" include money and diving equipment
Number of new organizations signing on as collaborators
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of people on the organization's email list
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of scholarship applications received
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2022 saw VDG leadership crossed over to National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) to partner with local dive training center, Thunder Reef Divers, to use their pool for training.
Number of rallies/events/conferences/lectures held to further mission
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of staff members certified in subject area training
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of participants attending course/session/workshop
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of students
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Training suspended due to Covid. Resumed March 2023
number of donations received
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
total amount of donations
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Includes monies and equipment donations; Measured in Dollars
Number of organizational partners
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
amount of training equipment
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Measured in Dollar value
Number of participants remaining active in the diving community
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of participants reporting improved quality of life
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of customers reporting satisfaction with program
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Veterans, People with disabilities
Related Program
Scuba Diving Instruction for Disabled Veterans and First Responders
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Valhalla Dive Group was founded as a means of bringing veterans and first responders out of isolation, providing the means for building new abilities, and creating a restored sense of self-confidence with a community of fellow veterans living with disabilities. Our goal: Program participants will embrace the sport of diving, benefiting from its well-documented physical and psychological benefits in addition to a restored sense of belonging to a peer group.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Many disabled veterans subsist on a fixed income in the form of a disability pension. Valhalla Dive Group offers scholarships for no-cost dive instruction/certification for qualified applicants. To qualify, the student must have served honorably (Honorable or General- Under Honorable Conditions discharge), have a Veterans Administration Disability Rating of 50% or greater, and be medically cleared to participate in dive training. For individuals not eligible for a scholarship, Valhalla offers instruction/certification at minimal cost to the student.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Valhalla possesses a staff of highly motivated volunteers. Three out of five of our Board members are military veterans, two commissioned officers and one non-commissioned officer. Our dive staff is led by Instructors specially trained to evaluate, instruct, and manage disabled diving students. Our online presence and professional network is growing continuously, increasing our ability to reach and impact our target demographic. As we participate in a gear-intensive sport, we've made considerable progress acquiring the physical tools to implement our training program and have partnered with a supportive certification agency, Scuba Diving International (SDI).
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The global pandemic that began early in CY2020 resulted in reduced training events. The decision was made to suspend group training to mitigate the potential for spreading Covid. Instead, the Organization's focus was shifted toward the acquisition and maintenance of diving equipment and generating donations in an effort to better position itself for when the pandemic abated, allowing group training to resume. Valhalla succeeded in securing monetary and equipment donations surpassing our CY2020 fundraising goal of $10,000. In recent months, Valhalla has partnered with Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to provide services to their members. The VFW has committed itself to assisting Valhalla with grant writing assistance.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Valhalla Dive Group
Board of directorsas of 07/25/2023
Ms Marissa Candelore
Valhalla Dive Group
Term: 2016 -
Robert Venturini
Valhalla Dive Group
Tom Monahan
Valhalla Dive Group
Ryan Maves, MD
US Navy
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
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