West Point leadership must ensure appropriate federal funding, targeted towards core programs. These programs constitute the requirements to earn a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission in the United States Army.

Federal funding provides for:
•    tuition, room and board
•    an accredited academic program;
•    military and physical training
•    moral-ethical training
•    basic facilities in which to conduct these programs

Private Funding...Margin of Excellence

The West Point Association of Graduates must seek private funding for additional developmental programs that go beyond the core elements to create the Margin of Excellence. These programs: 1) allow the Academy to remain competitive in attracting high quality cadet candidates, and 2) enable cadets to achieve their highest potential.

The margin of excellence includes:
•    hands-on and out-of-classroom leadership experiences for cadets
•    cultural immersion opportunities for cadets
•    club and athletic team endowments for cadets
•    renovation and improvements to West Point, the landmark
•    academic centers for cadets, the U.S. Army, and the nation

Such opportunities make a West Point education like no other, and they are made possible through gifts from graduates, parents, corporations, foundations, and other friends of West Point.