How the Air Force Association Saved 120 Hours a Summer and Grew Revenue with Mimeo

CHALLENGE

Running a national network of summer camps means getting the right materials to the right places at the right time, every time. Before Mimeo, that was a significant operational burden for the Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot staff. Their previous process relied on a traditional offset printer that required bulk printing upfront before camp season began, meaning the team had to estimate how many copies of each document every camp would need months in advance. A separate vendor handled custom t-shirts. Everything was shipped to the CyberPatriot office, where staff then managed individual camp orders, packaged supplies, shipped them out, and handled invoicing themselves.

The process consumed 5-10 hours per week for all 12 weeks of camp season, totaling 120 hours every summer. That’s the equivalent of three full work weeks spent on logistics rather than program development. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and staff moved to remote work, the process became completely unsustainable. Supplies were stored in the office, which meant someone had to commute in just to ship materials out to camp locations. Something had to change.

HOW MIMEO HELPED

CyberPatriot made two key changes with Mimeo that transformed their operation from the ground up.

First, they switched to on-demand printing. Instead of bulk printing materials months in advance and hoping their estimates were right, CyberPatriot now prints exactly what they need, when they need it. That flexibility means lower overall print costs, no wasted inventory, and the ability to update documents as cybersecurity information evolves without being stuck with outdated materials.

Second, they set up a branded Mimeo Marketplace storefront. Instead of managing orders out of their office, CyberPatriot now publishes materials to a secure online storefront where each camp logs in and orders directly. Mimeo handles printing, shipping, and invoicing to each camp location without requiring any time from the CyberPatriot staff. Custom t-shirts are now sourced through Mimeo as well, stored in Mimeo's warehouses alongside print materials, and packaged together in a single shipment when camps place their orders. CyberPatriot staff can check in on orders anytime through online reporting, but the day-to-day management is handled entirely by Mimeo.

Best of all, Mimeo's Marketplace markup feature allows CyberPatriot to earn revenue on each camp order, returning money directly into the program to support continued expansion of their STEM offerings. "Before Mimeo, my team wasted 5-10 hours per week managing print supplies. Switching to Mimeo saved us time, lowered prices, and increased revenue." - Rachel Zimmerman, Senior Director of Business Operations, CyberPatriot

THE RESULT

The impact has been felt across every part of the CyberPatriot operation. The staff now saves 120 hours every summer, three full work weeks, that can go toward strategic program work instead of logistics. Camps benefit from lower document prices and a wider variety of print options including both black and white and color printing. And because CyberPatriot no longer has to order in bulk or manage fulfillment themselves, the entire experience is simpler and more reliable for everyone involved.

THE BOTTOM LINE

For a nonprofit running a national youth education program on a lean team, every hour and every dollar matters. Mimeo gave CyberPatriot the infrastructure to scale their camp program without scaling their administrative burden, and the results have been compelling enough to expand the partnership.

"Working with Mimeo has been so easy and successful that we are now actively looking for ways to leverage Mimeo in other Air Force Association programs." - Rachel Zimmerman

Key Takeaways

Switching from bulk printing to on-demand printing eliminated the need to estimate quantities upfront, reducing costs and eliminating wasted inventory
A branded Marketplace storefront removed 120 hours of annual logistics work from the CyberPatriot staff by letting camps order directly
Mimeo's ability to store, package, and ship both print materials and physical items like t-shirts in a single order simplifies fulfillment for distributed programs
The Marketplace markup feature gives nonprofits a way to generate revenue on material orders, reinvesting it back into the program
A streamlined print and fulfillment operation frees small teams to focus on mission-driven work rather than logistics

Download the Case Study

The Air Force Association (AFA) is an independent, nonprofit, civilian education organization promoting public understanding of aerospace power and the pivotal role it plays in the security of the nation. Every summer, their CyberPatriot program runs AFA CyberCamps, bringing STEM education to middle and high schoolers across the country. CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Education Program created by the AFA to inspire K-12 students toward careers in cybersecurity and other STEM disciplines.

Visit afa.org