Final Weeks of the 2026 CGMA Annual Campaign: The Power of Us

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By Erica Chapman, CGMA

The 2026 Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Annual Fundraising Campaign is entering its final stretch. With the campaign concluding Sept. 30, these remaining days are an opportunity for Coast Guard members, civilian employees, families, commands and communities to come together around the theme: The Power of Us.

This year’s campaign focuses on our collective effort of Helping Our Own. CGMA set a goal of 1,600 new allotment donors across the Coast Guard, recognizing that consistent participation—even a few dollars each month—helps sustain assistance for shipmates when unexpected financial challenges arise. The challenge is best tackled together!

CGMA receives no government funding, yet in 2025, CGMA provided $12.1 million in grants and interest-free loans to more than 4,000 Coast Guard families. More recently, CGMA responded to government shutdowns, evacuations from Bahrain, typhoons in Oceania and the everyday financial challenges Coast Guard families face. On average, CGMA delivers approximately $38,000 in assistance each day.

Every Unit Can Make a Difference

Across the Service, Campaign Coordinators and commands have found different ways to build awareness and participation. Training Center Yorktown continues to lead unit-level participation with over 80 new allotments, while Base Charleston, ATC Mobile, Sector Key West and Sector St. Petersburg are among the other leading units. Smaller commands are making their mark as well, like Station Woods Hole, demonstrating that campaign impact is not determined by unit size.

Starting or updating an allotment is simple and does not require Direct Access. Active Duty members, civilian employees and retirees who receive a Coast Guard paycheck can start an allotment.

More Than a Campaign

Behind every campaign donation is a Coast Guard member or family.

This year’s stories of support include an Active Duty family whose child needed a $4,300 adaptive stroller recommended by his medical team. When insurance denied coverage and the cost put the equipment beyond the family’s reach, CGMA provided a grant that allowed the family to obtain the specialized equipment.

Stories like this illustrate what an allotment can ultimately represent: a Coast Guard family getting help when they need it.

As Sept. 30 approaches, every command still has time to participate, every Coordinator still has time to reach another shipmate, and every new allotment strengthens a resource built specifically for the Coast Guard community.

Let’s finish the 2026 Annual Campaign strong.