The foundation at the naval postgraduate school is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization whose mission is to support, promote and advance the mission of the naval postgraduate school by working with school leadership to identify strategic institutional priorities, and by raising, managing and disbursing private gifts that provide the margin of excellence for continuing educational and intellectual discourse in areas of strategic consequence at the nation's preeminent national defense research university. This mission is accomplished through four distinct pillars: research funding, institutional advancement, community outreach and student and faculty recognition. The foundation is committed to serving the students, faculty, staff and community of the naval postgraduate school.