Civics PlaybookMilitary Order of the World Wars
- Mission: To serve our nation and local communities by providing programs that promote responsible citizenship, patriotism, youth leadership, military and public service, veteran support and strong national security.
- Geographic Focus: National
- Audience: Youth, veterans, the public
- Budget: $900,000
- Focus Areas and Core Competencies:
- Youth leadership
- Civics education
Veteran-led Programs: Serving Youth, Community and Nation
Impact: Military Order of the World Wars
For nearly 40 years, the Military Order of the World Wars has hosted veteran-led youth leadership events nationwide, teaching thousands of students about patriotism, civic education and the free enterprise system.
A Conversation with Jenna Tomas, Outreach Program Manager at Military Order of the World Wars
Q: What is the mission/work of your organization? What problem(s) in civics education is your nonprofit working to solve?
The Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW) is dedicated to building a stronger America by preparing young people to be informed, engaged citizens and future leaders. We do this by empowering youth through programs dedicated to civic education, patriotic education and leadership development.
Far too many students today don’t fully understand how our government works, what their rights and responsibilities are as citizens or the values and sacrifices that define our nation. MOWW works to fill these gaps by providing veteran-led leadership events for high school students across the country.
Local events, called Youth Leadership Conferences (YLCs) are executed by MOWW chapters at low or no cost to students. These events focus on teaching leadership, ethics, responsible citizenship, patriotic education, the free enterprise system and effective communication.
Top performing students from local YLCs have the opportunity to attend MOWW’s National Youth Civics Summit (NYCS), in Washington, D.C. The NYCS is a week-long program where students engage with political leaders, experience Capitol Hill, participate in simulated activities and explore institutions like the Supreme Court, Pentagon, State Department and significant historical sites. The NYCS helps to reverse the decline in civic knowledge by offering students a real-world look at how democracy works and what it means to lead with purpose.
The NYCS provides a well-rounded, nonpartisan perspective on how our democracy functions and what it means to participate in it. Students will not only acquire knowledge about our government, but will also cultivate crucial communication skills, empowering them to confidently articulate their opinions. Participants will also strengthen their collaboration skills, enabling effective teamwork which can positively influence students’ lives and their communities.
Q: Does your organization have any upcoming programs or events planned in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the United States?
Yes. MOWW is actively engaged in planning and executing programs to commemorate America’s 250th. In August 2024, we launched MOWW’s America250 Implementation Plan, guided by an ad hoc committee, to ensure consistent visibility, coordinated outreach and alignment with national commemorative goals. This committee is charged with ensuring recognition of the sacrifice of our service members and their families, as well as supporting the families of the larger military and American community.
At the national level, we are incorporating America250 themes into our signature events, including our annual National Convention and NYCS. MOWW chapters across the country are also integrating America 250 themes into their programming through local commemorations, patriotic events, youth events, historical reenactments and more. MOWW chapters are collaborating with their local state-level commissions and like-minded organizations to honor this milestone.
Q: How do you describe the big goals your organization is working to achieve? How do you measure impact?
MOWW’s main goal is to cultivate a nation of active, responsible citizens by investing in youth civic education and leadership development. Our hope is for every high school student to know of the learning opportunities available to them, and for students to be able to seize these opportunities without any financial barriers.
We evaluate the reach of our programs annually by tracking the number of events, number of participants and geographic area. We evaluate the impact of our events through participant evaluation forms, which gather direct feedback on the program’s impact, including knowledge gains, skill development and overall experience.
Evaluations from the 2024 NYCS highlighted significant growth in participants’ civic knowledge, communication abilities and collaboration skills. Many students shared that the summit had a profound influence on their aspirations, particularly in government service. In addition to the evaluations, we maintain regular contact with participants after the events to track and support their ongoing involvement in civic activities and career pursuits.
Q: What are some of the biggest challenges your organization has experienced in working to accomplish its mission? How did your organization overcome those challenges?
One of our biggest challenges is visibility and making sure students, educators and families know our programs exist. Although MOWW was established in 1919, many people simply haven’t heard of us. That’s partly because our local chapters focus heavily on community service rather than self-promotion. To improve awareness, we’ve worked to modernize our programs, enhance our online presence and continuously build new partnerships with schools, Scouting groups, JROTC units and other like-minded organizations.
Funding is another significant challenge as our programs are volunteer-led and supported by donations. We offer our local YLCs at no or low cost to participants, and we fully cover the cost of attendance at the NYCS. To remedy this funding need, we’ve worked to diversify our donor base and have created more effective ways to market ourselves and the positive impact of our programs. With that said, we are actively seeking philanthropic partners who recognize the profound value and transformative power of these youth leadership events.
A third challenge is the need for more support to help deliver and run our programs. As a volunteer-led organization, our capacity can sometimes be stretched thin, which makes it harder to grow. Although we have increased our recruitment efforts, we still struggle to find dedicated volunteers.
Q: What are your organization’s biggest needs? How can philanthropists help your organization achieve its goals?
Our biggest need is increased funding dedicated to patriotic and civic education. Additional financial support would enable us to host more students at each event and significantly increase the number of Youth Leadership Conferences offered nationwide. Crucially, it would also allow us to grow the National Youth Civics Summit in Washington, D.C., potentially welcoming more students each year and eventually offering two summits annually, effectively doubling our national impact.
MOWW also seeks greater philanthropic support for visibility and outreach. While we’ve strengthened our marketing efforts, many potential funders, students, educators, veterans and communities are still unaware of our organization and programs. Philanthropic investment can directly fund more effective outreach campaigns, ensuring our valuable programs reach the widest possible audience.
Finally, we’re always in need of expert guest speakers for our youth leadership events. Professionals with experience in government, military, public service or leadership complement our programming and offer real-world inspiration. Philanthropists can greatly assist by connecting us with their networks of leaders and experts who share our mission and are willing to contribute their time and insights.
Q: Beyond your organization, where should philanthropists who care about advancing civic knowledge and education invest their charitable dollars?
Beyond the direct work of MOWW, philanthropists committed to advancing civic knowledge and education have an incredible opportunity to invest in the field. We believe that effective civic education prioritizes hands-on, nonpartisan learning experiences, especially those reaching students in underserved communities. Such initiatives move beyond textbooks to foster direct engagement with civic processes and responsibilities, promoting critical thinking and an understanding of foundational principles across diverse viewpoints.
We also see tremendous value in supporting robust teacher professional development in civics as empowering educators is crucial for shaping informed citizens nationwide. The MOWW Foundation embodies these principles, operating independently to fund events and forge strategic partnerships that strengthen civic education nationwide, building civic knowledge and patriotism in America’s youth.
Q: If you received an increase in funding, how would your organization expand its programming?
One of our top priorities is to significantly scale the NYCS in Washington, D.C. We are committed to steadily increasing attendance each year (from 16 students in 2024 to 20 in 2025), but this national leadership experience, at an average cost of around $3,000 per student (including travel, lodging and meals), depends on dedicated funding. Increased funding would allow us to welcome more students each year and eventually offer two NYCS events annually, doubling our national impact in cultivating future civic leaders.
Increased funding would also allow MOWW to significantly amplify the reach and impact of our local youth events. Rising costs for venues, transportation and event logistics often limit how many students we can serve. With additional support, we could eliminate participation costs for YLCs, making them fully accessible to all students regardless of financial circumstance. We could also invest in more effective marketing and outreach campaigns, ensuring we can hold more events and bring our civics education to an even wider student population.
Additional resources could also allow MOWW to strategically hire dedicated staff to manage and grow our youth programs. This operational enhancement would not only ease the burden on our invaluable volunteers but also ensure consistency in program quality and delivery.
Contact Our Team
Contact the Roundtable’s Programs team to learn more about this investment opportunity.