Service to School, a National Veteran-Serving Nonprofit, Selected for OpenAI’s People-First AI Fund

Grant Expands Capacity to Support Transitioning Veterans Pursuing Higher Education

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, January 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Service to School (S2S), a national nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans and active-duty service members gain admission to college and graduate school, announced it has been selected as a recipient of the OpenAI People-First AI Fund. S2S is one of the few veteran-serving organizations included in this year’s cohort, recognizing its trusted veteran-to-veteran advising model and leadership in expanding access to higher education for those who have served.

S2S has supported more than 20,000+ veterans with admissions advising to undergraduate and graduate programs since its founding in 2010. The grant will support critical capacity-building initiatives that enable Service to School to reach more transitioning service members nationwide. Funding will strengthen advising infrastructure, enhance internal systems, and expand S2S’s ability to connect applicants with experienced veteran mentors, ensuring that every service member navigating the admissions process receives high-quality, personalized support at no cost.

“For more than a decade, Service to School has demonstrated that veterans thrive when they are supported by other veterans who understand the transition firsthand,” said Sydney Matthes, CEO of Service to School. “We are honored to receive this grant, which directly strengthens our ability to serve more veterans and active-duty service members with the people-first advising they deserve. This partnership invests in our capacity without replacing or automating the human relationships that make our model effective.”

The OpenAI People-First AI Fund supports organizations that use technology to strengthen human-centered services and expand access to opportunity. Through this grant, Service to School will:
Expand outreach to active-duty service members preparing to transition from military service into higher education
Improve advising systems to better match applicants with veteran mentors who share similar backgrounds, goals, and lived experiences
Enhance internal technology and data tools so staff and volunteer ambassadors can support applicants more efficiently
Scale high-touch, personalized advising while preserving the human connection at the core of S2S’s mission

“Our commitment has always been to deliver admissions advice that is relational, personalized, and rooted in trust,” Matthes added. “This partnership allows us to extend our reach by investing in infrastructure that empowers our team and volunteers to do what they do best: mentor, guide, and support veterans as they pursue their academic goals.”

Service to School remains deeply committed to its people-first mission and to delivering veteran-to-veteran advising that supports successful transitions from military service to higher education. The organization is grateful to OpenAI for recognizing the importance of human-centered support and for investing in the capacity needed to serve more veterans nationwide.

For more information about Service to School or to learn how to get involved, visit the Service to School website.

About Service to School
Service to School (S2S) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that empowers service members and veterans to successfully navigate the path to higher education. Through free, personalized advising and near-peer mentorship, S2S helps applicants craft competitive applications, connect with resources, and pursue meaningful academic and career goals.

About the OpenAI People-First AI Fund
The People-First AI Fund supports mission-driven organizations working to extend opportunity, strengthen equity, and build responsible, human-centered service models that improve outcomes for underserved communities.

Amanda Dobias
Service to School
+1 202-455-6384
email us here

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