More than a Margin
Private support of the Air Force Academy provides so much more than a margin of excellence, a higher education phrase used to describe the role of private philanthropy.
Your impact is, in fact, immeasurable.
Our focus on “More than a Margin” is a celebration of the generous individuals who make our mission possible. It more adequately describes the true impact of private support.
We believe strongly, as many do, that our Academy is a vital national resource — one that is deserving of our emotional and financial support. The Academy's mission is simply too important to leave to the vagaries of federal funding alone. As a result, the Air Force Academy Foundation (formerly the USAFA Endowment) will work actively to identify and to cultivate key relationships with current and potential Academy donors to support the superintendent's strategic priorities.
We also believe that a foundation, singularly charged with the abiding stewardship of donated funds and constituted in such a way as to ensure the permanency and efficacy of the gift, is the most effective structure for providing this support to the Academy.
As a result, the founders of the Air Force Academy Foundation chose to establish a new type of foundation and to memorialize a number of unique Founding Principles into the organizational bylaws.
Founding Principles
Our board of directors is stable and independent. The structure of the Air Force Academy Foundation is such that donors can have confidence that their gifts will be stewarded carefully and consistently over time by other donors.
We are committed to a positive and supportive approach. The singular role of the Air Force Academy Foundation is to provide financial support for vital Academy programs. We will not make any public pronouncements on the policy decisions of the Academy or the Air Force.
We are fully transparent. Our operations have complete audit and donor visibility annually. Annual reports are provided to each donor — both for the Air Force Academy Foundation as a whole, and for each donor's individual gift.
Our Commitment to Donors
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We hold donor service first and foremost.
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We commit to integrity and transparency in all our dealings. We will recognize our donors' contributions while respecting donor-requested privacy.
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We seek perfection in every written communication and report we produce.
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We under-promise, over-prepare, and over-deliver.
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We get the job done regardless of who gets the credit.
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We welcome constructive criticism.
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We seek continuous improvement in every aspect of our operation.
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Cooperation and respect characterize our interactions with each other and the outside world.
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Quality preempts quantity.
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Execution supersedes intention.