Case for Support

The West Point Association of Graduates raises funds from graduates and friends to support the Margin of Excellence—additional programs, facilities, and opportunities the West Point Superintendent and other Academy leaders have determined are most important for preparing ethical and agile leaders of character that are complementary to the core mission of the Academy.

Each year approximately 15% of the resources available to the Academy comes from private funding. Federal dollars fund 85% of West Point's budget, to include Margin of Excellence programs when available. However, in an era of reduced funding across the board, it is no longer possible to grow the Margin of Excellence needed to attract, yet alone develop, the caliber of people we expect to lead our Armed Services.

Your gifts to West Point support cadet internships and overseas experiences, athletic teams, and clubs, as well as the Academy’s world class centers and academic programs. Each gift, be it an annual gift or a planned estate gift, enriches every aspect of a cadet’s West Point experience.

Donations are also solicited for the Long Gray Line Fund which helps keep Herbert Hall, your home at West Point, open and functioning. The LGL fund supports programs such as the Ring Melt and 50-Year Affiliation Program, as well as communications from West Point, memorial services, class and society support, career services, and graduate archives—keeping you connected to West Point and the Corps of Cadets.