Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The brave men and women of the Coast Guard sacrifice so much to serve our nation. We envision a future where all members and their families have the support they need to be prepared for service, build resilience, and excel throughout their lives.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Education Support for Coast Guard Spouses and Children
Education is essential to a strong future for the Coast Guard community, but the rising costs of school and other barriers make it inaccessible to many. The Coast Guard Foundation steps in to make higher education possible.
○ For children of active duty, retired, or active reserve members, we offer scholarships that reduce student loan debt, allowing them to focus on their studies. For children of fallen Coast Guard members, we offer scholarships that cover all the expenses of higher education.
○ For spouses , achieving higher education or professional licensing and certification boosts the family’s financial stability and gives them personal fulfillment. The Coast Guard Foundation offers grants and scholarships to spouses so that they have everything they need to provide for their family and strengthen their well-being.
○ For enlisted Coast Guard members, we offer grants and scholarships so that members can earn their degrees.
Prioritize Health and Morale of Coast Guard Members and Families
Prioritizing the health and wellness of the Coast Guard is crucial so they remain always ready for their assignments, maintain their own physical and mental well-being while at sea or stationed in remote areas.
○ We provide exercise, sports, and outdoor recreation equipment at Coast Guard stations and onboard cutters so Coast Guard members have the resources they need to remain physically ready for duty.
○ We fund recreation spaces in Coast Guard communities so members and families have a place to be together, form strong support systems, and improve morale.
○ The mental health of Coast Guard members is as important as their physical health. We help members maintain strong mental health by partnering with them and offering morale support where needed.
○ We support healthy marriages through training programs that equip Coast Guard chaplains to counsel and guide members and their spouses toward strong family relationships.
Prioritize Resiliency for Coast Guard Members and Families
When a Coast Guard family faces difficult times, the Coast Guard Foundation is there. We prioritize family resilience, so that members, spouses, and children have the support they need to recover. When natural disasters strike, Coast Guard members are often first responders—leaving their own impacted homes and property to aid others. The Foundation offers them immediate relief. We assess member and family needs through our disaster relief program and make sure they get the resources to bounce back from hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and more.
When Coast Guard families or units face the loss or critical injury of an active duty member, we are there with immediate financial and morale support. We listen closely to individuals and families—and anticipate their needs—to ensure we provide relevant care in the wake of tragedy.
Build Community for Coast Guard Members and Families
A sense of community is powerful for members and families, as Coast Guard deployments can be remote and isolating. The Coast Guard Foundation creates and celebrates communal bonds so that our heroes always feel supported.
○ We fund the building of community spaces that serve as gathering places for Coast Guard families to meet and connect with each other while stationed far away from loved ones. Members and families can also spend time together at these spaces when members are off duty.
○ We celebrate Coast Guard members through our tribute events and the Run to Remember. These events take place across the country, honoring individual acts of heroism and the Coast Guard’s importance as a whole.
Where we work
External reviews

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Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of academic scholarships awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Non-adult children, Children and youth
Related Program
Education Support for Coast Guard Spouses and Children
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Our dependent scholarship program supports Coast Guard children enrolled in college + technical-trade school.
Total dollar amount of scholarship awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Non-adult children, Children and youth
Related Program
Education Support for Coast Guard Spouses and Children
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of overall donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Our partnership with generous supporters from all across the country makes our work possible. Our annual totals include all donors: individual, corporate, and foundation.
Total dollars received in contributions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Our 2021 contribution number is unaudited.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
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?
The Coast Guard Foundation tackles the toughest challenges confronting our heroes. We strengthen the Coast Guard community and service by being there for members and their families, where and when they need it the most.
We understand the realities facing Coast Guard service members, as well as the unique challenges that come with their decision to serve our country. This positions us to provide comprehensive support for members, veterans, and their families.
● Education is essential to a strong future for the Coast Guard community. The Coast Guard Foundation steps in to make higher education possible for Coast Guard members, spouses and children.
● Employment opportunities for Coast Guard veterans and spouses ensure that families have a strong, diversified income throughout their service and beyond. The Coast Guard Foundation is stepping in to change that with support with workforce development programs for Coast Guard members and professional licensing and certification for spouses.
● We prioritize family resilience, so that members, spouses, and children have the support they need to recover with comprehensive support when natural disaster strikes, and tragedy assistance when a Coast Guard member is critically injured or dies.
● Prioritizing the health and wellness of the Coast Guard is crucial—not only so they remain always ready for their assignments, but so they can maintain their own physical and mental well-being while at sea or stationed in remote areas.
● A sense of community is powerful for members and families, as Coast Guard deployments can be remote and isolating. The Coast Guard Foundation creates and celebrates communal bonds so that our heroes always feel supported.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We’re a vital partner to the Coast Guard. We collaborate with Coast Guard leadership to identify the best ways to support members and families and effectively address new and emerging needs. Our partnership spans the entire community—whether supporting individuals, bolstering entire units, or honoring the Coast Guard’s mission at a national level.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Foundation has over 50 years of experience investing in the resilience of the Coast Guard. Our respect for the community in addition to our smart use of funds equip us to make strong investments consistently.
● We have a close rapport with Coast Guard leadership. We’re the first organization they call to collaborate with on a wide range of issues and opportunities, and we do the same.
● We’re deeply connected to the Coast Guard community. Our staff are stationed across the country to work with leadership and members, and because we’re on the ground, we’re able to respond to needs as soon as they arise.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We’ve created a better future for the entire Coast Guard community. The resolve and resilience of members is stronger. Families have complete support. From enlistment to long after retirement, with us, the Coast Guard remains always ready.
● Since our founding in 1969, we’ve distributed over $87 million to Coast Guard members and their families. Each dollar has strengthened service and improved lives.
● We’ve provided $46 million in education initiatives, helping thousands within the community—members, spouses, and children—achieve their dreams of higher education.
○ More than 1,600 students have benefited from the Foundation’s scholarships, which help them finish college and enter the workforce with little or no student loan debt.
○ We’ve helped Coast Guard spouses access higher education and secure long-term employment through scholarships, grants, and pilot programs like the Family Child Care business grants.
○ We’ve provided more than 18,000 grants for Coast Guard members to support college tuition or professional training, so they are set up for success after their service ends.
● We’ve made career transitions easier through workforce development programs. Hundreds of talented members get the civilian credentials they need to compete for jobs in technical trades and industries once their service has ended.
● We’ve helped members prioritize their physical and mental health by investing $26 million in health and morale services.
● We’ve invested $3.9 million in direct support for families who have suffered the tragic loss of a loved one or needed critical support during natural disasters and emergencies.
● The sense of community and support we offer is a benefit to Coast Guard members and their families.
● Working closely with Coast Guard leadership, we are piloting programs to boost the retention rates of female members, improving the diversity of the entire force.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
The Coast Guard Foundation serves Coast Guard members and their families.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
In the summer of 2020 we needed to pivot our Youth Enrichment Program because in-person summer camps and enrichment programs were canceled because of COVID-19 concerns. In consultation with senior enlisted Coast Guard members, we assessed there were additional needs to meet, specifically technology- like Chromebooks and tablets - so kids could enhance their school-year learning over summer break, on their own devices and participate in online enrichment activities (like zoom book clubs We were able to meet our program participants where they were and about 1/2 of the grant recipients participated in non-camp activities. This year, we offered the expanded view of youth enrichment, and 20% accessed grants for technology, while 80% returned to in-person camp and extra-curricular programming.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback
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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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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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
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
COAST GUARD FOUNDATION INC
Board of directorsas of 02/23/2022
Mr. Tom Allegretii
Thomas A. Allegretti
Sally Brice-O'Hara
VADM, USCG, Ret.
Fred Brodsky
Abbott Brown
Nicki M. Candies
Ruth Anderson Coggeshall
Charley L. Diaz
CAPT, USCG (Ret.)
Peggy Duxbury
Cheryl D. Felder
David W. Grzebinski
William E. Jenkins
R. Christian Johnsen
Corrine X. Kosar
Leo Paul Koulos
Stein Kruse
H. Merritt Lane
III
Susan P. Ludwig
Kevin McSweeney
Robert W. Montgomery
James P. Muldoon
Julie Nelson
Thomas H. Niles
James A. O'Hare
Loretta J. Rietsema
Judith A. Roos
Duncan C. Smith
RADM, III, USCGR (Ret.)
Board leadership practices
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CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
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
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Gender identity
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Sexual orientation
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Disability
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