USNA Out members,
The first objective of our group is to become visible to alumni, midshipmen, classmates, other officers, and the public. To achieve that objective, we have long considered the value of increased visibility from donating to the Naval Academy Foundation. A USNA Out goal in 2011 was to make a Foundation to Foundation gift at the President’s Circle level ($2,500). Through the generosity of our members and significant efforts of a few to secure corporate grants, we raised enough funds to support our operations and make a gift to the USNA Foundation a reality.
A Foundation to Foundation gift is a significant step for our organization and you, the members, will determine how we proceed. That is why I am asking each of you to vote on whether or not USNA Out should make a donation and (if yes) what initiative we should fund.
Your perspective as a member is important. You can read the previous membership discussions open to all USNA Out members at http://usnaout.org/2012-usna-foundation-membership. In addition, you can read “Pro” and “Con” positions on this page.
USNA Out members,
The first objective of our group is to become visible to alumni, midshipmen, classmates, other officers, and the public. To achieve that objective, we have long considered the value of increased visibility from donating to the Naval Academy Foundation. A USNA Out goal in 2011 was to make a Foundation to Foundation gift at the President’s Circle level ($2,500). Through the generosity of our members and significant efforts of a few to secure corporate grants, we raised enough funds to support our operations and make a gift to the USNA Foundation a reality.
A Foundation to Foundation gift is a significant step for our organization and you, the members, will determine how we proceed. That is why I am asking each of you to vote on whether or not USNA Out should make a donation and (if yes) what initiative we should fund.
Your perspective as a member is important. You can read the previous membership discussions open to all USNA Out members at http://usnaout.org/2012-usna-foundation-membership. In addition, you can read “Pro” and “Con” positions on this page.
After you have an opportunity to review the information presented, you will find the link below to the voting page where you can participate in this important decision.
Although voting on this issue is over, you may still comment within this discussion below.
Background
The USNA Foundation was established in the late 1990’s. Most of you experienced USNA before the Foundation when Congress provided the sole funds to operate the Academy on a bare-bones budget. In fact, 70% of you, the USNA Out membership, are alumni of classes graduating before the formation of the USNA Foundation.
Today, the USNA Foundation provides about one-quarter of the annual operating expenses of the Naval Academy. Within the past few years the Brigade of Midshipmen has become keenly aware of how the Foundation contributes to their positive experiences while attending USNA.
The Foundation’s mission is:
To support, promote and advance the mission of the Naval Academy by working in conjunction with Academy leadership to identify strategic institutional priorities, and by raising, managing and disbursing private gift funds that provide a margin of excellence in support of the nation’s premier leadership institution.
The USNA Foundation is a separate organization from the Alumni Association. The Alumni Association publishes Shipmate magazine, coordinates class reunions and class events and oversees the local geographic Chapters structure through a Board of Trustees. They have separate offices, totally independent governing bodies (USNA Foundation Board of Directors vs. the Alumni Association Board of Trustees), serve different constituencies, and have separate missions. They share two common connections: Byron Marchant serves as the CEO of both organizations and they share the same website.
The proposed USNA Out gift to the USNA Foundation
The USNA Out Board of Directors is asking for a vote from you, our members, to provide guidance regarding a proposed $2,500 gift from USNA Out to the USNA Foundation for 2012.
Of course, as USNA Out members, we would like to do all we can to promote the safety, welfare and quality of life of all LGBT midshipmen. In the short time since the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Superintendent (and therefore the Academy) has not requested funding for LGBT-specific purposes. A few initiatives are in development, such as the Gay Straight Alliance, Spectrum. Until the Academy identifies an LGBT-specific need, a USNA Out gift can only serve other priorities of the Academy. A USNA Out gift may be designated for one of the 420 restricted funds or as an unrestricted gift. Our highest visibility may be for our gift funds to be unrestricted.
All members are being asked to provide input on the following choices:
1. Per the discussion on this page, should USNA Out make a give to the USNA Foundation?
- Yes
- No
2. If USNA Out members choose for USNA Out make a gift to the USNA Foundation, how should our gift be designated?
- Unrestricted (The Superintendent/USNA Foundation determine the priority)
- The Corbin Leadership Summit
- The The Admiral and Mary Lee Anderson Leadership Speaker Series
The proposed gift is for $2,500, minimum level for “President’s Circle” membership. USNA Out would be able to send to two representatives to attend the President’s Circle Weekend in the Fall of 2012.
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| Pros – Yes vote
From the very beginning of USNA Out, a core and steadfast organizational objective is to be positive, visible role models to alumni and midshipmen. Imagine being a midshipman today and knowing that alumni – like you – were standing out as leaders amongst all alumni in support of USNA. Organizations which trail-blazed full LGBT acceptance at other colleges a full generation ahead of USNA Out provide a valuable lesson. The LGBT shared interest groups at leading civilian colleges and universities demonstrated over two decades ago that the path to acceptance began with joining in support of their respective universities. More recently, our peer group at the USAFA, The Blue Alliance, gained official recognition by the USAFA AOG by knocking on the door and asking “what is it that we can do for you?” We asked the current Midshipmen and very recent graduate USNA Out members “How do you feel about USNA Out becoming a USNA Foundation ‘President’s Circle’ 
Our individual members’ gifts to USNA Foundation generate high visibility as LGBT role models amongst academy alumni and increase our influence with key decision makers. Some notable recognition and integration of LGBT alumni include:
Our members are already achieving highly visible recognition as leaders amongst alumni. It is time that USNA Out take the step forward to be a leader and role model amongst the Shared Interests Groups of Naval Academy alumni. The USNA Out Board of Directors recommends a “Yes” vote. |
Cons – No vote
(Submitted by Trey Rhiddlehoover, USNA ’89) First let me start by saying that the USNA Foundation is an excellent organization. As a member of the USNA Alumni Association Greater Washington Chapter, I’m in charge of a luncheon every March where we invite students in the local DC area who have received direct appointments to USNA, appointments to NAPS, and Foundation Scholarships. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of the young men and women who are beneficiaries of the Foundation. But as a member of the Greater Washington Chapter, I also know we don’t give money to the Foundation. The Greater Washington Chapter is one of the three largest alumni chapters in the association and like USNA Out is a 5013c organization. But we provide our support to USNA and local alumni (our constituents) via our luncheons, our networking opportunities, and our academy awareness programs. Events focused on our alumni and potential candidates where the chapter can have the greatest impact. In addition, I don’t know of any chapters who do donate to the Foundation. I do not think there has been a clear case presented as to why USNA Out should donate to the Foundation. What would be our objectives? For several years our objective was to become an official chapter. The Foundation and the Alumni Association are two separate and distinct legal entities so the Foundation has no control, impact, or influence on USNA Out’s chapter request to the Alumni Association. Even if USNA Out pursues designation as a Shared Interest Group, the Foundation would still have no control, impact or influence on the Alumni Association’s decision. So what do we hope to achieve by donating to the Foundation? In addition, I wonder whether a USNA Out donation can make a significant impact or influence on the Foundation. According to their public tax returns, the Foundation took in over $23 million dollars in contributions and grants. Needless to say they have a very effective and robust fundraising capability. What impact is our $5000, $10,000, or even $25000 donation going to make? What do we hope to achieve by giving to the Foundation? Fundamentally, we started USNA Out over 7 years ago to support LGBT alumni including active duty officers and midshipmen. Any donation we make should be targeted to support our LGBT constituency. Giving to the Foundation will do nothing to help or support LGBT alumni or midshipmen. Giving to the Foundation will do nothing to advance our cause for our own chapter/SIG. If other alumni chapters don’t give to the Foundation, if there’s no clear case for giving to the Foundation, if our donation to the Foundation is going to be so small as to not make a significant difference, and most importantly, if giving to the Foundation is not going to help LGBT Alumni, then USNA Out should not give to the Foundation. I would recommend that USNA Out poll its members to determine how any funding should be spent: supporting USNA Out networking opportunities, encouraging fellowship and leadership, subsidizing travel expenses for members to attend OutServe conferences, etc. |
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