Twice a month, retired Rear Admiral Roger Nolan leads a group of business people on a guided tour of the Naval War College in Newport, walking them through such rooms as Pringle Hall, where U.S. military commanders conceived virtually every naval battle plan between 1890 and World War II.

The tours are part of an ambitious effort underway at the War College to triple the more than 5,000 individual and corporate sponsors that contribute to its foundation and double the size of its $17 million endowment...

...Defense contractors and other businesses that work closely with the Navy in Newport have supported the Naval War College Foundation for decades, Nolan said. But as he ramps up the foundation’s capital campaign, Nolan is reaching out to companies that haven’t traditionally worked with the Navy – including local small businesses in Newport, Middletown and beyond.

The foundation, which contributes about $600,000 annually to the War College, pays for activities at the institution not funded by the federal government...

...Last year, the foundation also paid for much-needed technology upgrades in every classroom at the Naval War College, at a cost of $10,000 per classroom, Nolan said.