CGMA’s Forward Focus

Transformative Changes in Educational Support for our Coast Guard Community, Embracing New Horizons Beyond Tutor.com Partnership

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) is a donor supported 501(c)(3) charitable organization that has always been committed to supporting the educational goals of our Coast Guard community. Over the years, we have offered various programs to help individuals pursue their education, including partnerships with organizations like Tutor.com.

Tutor.com for U.S. Military Families is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) General Library Program and provides program coverage for DoD members, but not USCG which falls under the Department of Homeland Security.

In 2015, CGMA entered an agreement with Tutor.com as a temporary measure to bridge the gap and provide parity of service to Coast Guard families while the Coast Guard considered delegating federal funding to do so. During the 2020 Pandemic, CGMA chose to extend our contract with Tutor.com to ensure that Coast Guard families had access to the program during school closures. That year, CGMA provided $4.5 million in COVID-19 related assistance, with nearly $3.5 million in education related grants.

After recently carefully re-evaluating our educational programs, CGMA made the difficult decision to sunset our partnership with Tutor.com. This decision was based on several factors including changes in the educational landscape, the evolving needs of our community, and a desire to better account for the use of our donor dollars.

The Supplemental Education Grant (SEG), designed to help cover the costs of higher education that Coast Guard Tuition Assistance or similar programs might not, will continue to be available. This grant can be used for USCG members, spouses, or dependent children under 23. It is a helpful resource to support your educational goals and financial well-being.

CGMA remains dedicated to supporting the educational aspirations of the Coast Guard community and will continue to explore new ways to provide valuable educational assistance and resources to our members and their families. By adapting to changes in the educational landscape, we plan to better serve our members and their families in their pursuit of academic success.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation and look forward to continued collaboration in providing the best educational opportunities for our future Coast Guard leaders.

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) is a 100-year-old Coast Guard community focused 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Serving as the official aid society for the United States Coast Guard, CGMA’s mission is to enable financial resiliency within the Coast Guard Community.  Each of CGMA’s grant and interest-free loan programs are purposefully designed to ensure that short term financial challenges do not become chronic financial problems. In 2023, CGMA fulfilled 6,825 requests for financial help and provided over $9.9 million in support — assisting 1 in 7 Active Duty members. Since its inception in 1924, CGMA has provided over $240 million in direct financial assistance for disaster and emergency relief, family support and education assistance.  Its work is performed by collateral duty Coast Guardsmen at 168 local Coast Guard units.  For more information: visit www.mycgma.org or find CGMA on Facebook or Instagram @myCGMA.