American Dream
The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles.
OUR MISSION
HONOR
To induct as lifetime Members of the Association contemporary role models whose experiences exemplify that opportunities for a successful life are available to all individuals who are dedicated to the principles of integrity, hard work, perseverance and compassion for others.
SUPPORT
To provide scholarships assistance to deserving young people who have demonstrated integrity, determination in overcoming adversity, academic potential and the personal aspiration to make a unique contribution to society.
EDUCATE
To mentor scholarship recipients and educate all youth about the limitless possibilities that are available through the American free-enterprise system, while underscoring the importance of helping others.
The Horatio Alger Association was established in 1947 to dispel the mounting belief among our nation’s youth that the American Dream was no longer attainable. It bears the name of the renowned author Horatio Alger, Jr., whose tales of overcoming adversity through unyielding perseverance and basic moral principles captivated the public in the late 19th century. The organization’s founder, Dr. Kenneth Beebe, in close association with Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, hoped to inspire individual Americans to reach their highest potential, thereby strengthening American society as a whole. They created the Association to recognize men and women of outstanding achievement as a way to remind Americans of the limitless possibilities that exist through the free-enterprise system.
Honoring perseverance, integrity, and excellence
The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Since 1947, more than 750 distinguished individuals from all walks of life and diverse professional backgrounds have received the Horatio Alger Award and lifetime membership in the Association. There are currently more than 300 living Members, including ten Members from Canada.
Enabling young people to pursue their dreams through higher education
Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity and pursue their dreams through higher education. Thanks to their generosity, by 2023 the Association will award more than $18.2 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada and provide college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $245 million in college scholarships to more than 35,000 deserving students.
In 2009, the Association incorporated the Horatio Alger Association of Canada to provide an opportunity for its Canadian Members to develop scholarship programs for Canadian youth. In light of its rapidly expanding scholarship programs, the Association also established the Horatio Alger Endowment Fund in 2011 as a separate 501(c)(3) in order to endow all of its scholarships in perpetuity. Today, through its Members, the Association continues to educate American and Canadian young people about the economic and personal opportunities afforded them through the two nations’ free-enterprise systems.
LEADERSHIP
The Board of Directors, composed solely of Horatio Alger Members, is charged with guiding the Association in advancing its mission and ensuring the achievement of strategic goals. To this effect, the Board has established core policies to govern its actions and ensure the overall effectiveness of the organization. Board Members are elected by the membership to serve four-year terms and may serve consecutive terms.
STAFF
The Horatio Alger Association is committed to the principles of transparency, efficiency and sustainability, and to stewarding donations received in a responsible and accountable manner. For six consecutive years, the Association has received the highest rating of four stars from Charity Navigator, the largest independent evaluator of
U.S.-based charities.
FINANCIALS
The Horatio Alger Association is committed to the principles of transparency, efficiency and sustainability, and to stewarding donations received in a responsible and accountable manner. For six consecutive years, the Association has received the highest rating of four stars from Charity Navigator, the largest independent evaluator of
U.S.-based charities.