MARAC Development Committee

The Development Committee was established in October 2000 as an ad-hoc committee, and attained special committee status at the January 2001 Steering Committee meeting. It is one of the standing committees of MARAC.

Mission and Goals
The Development Committee is responsible for assuring alternate revenue streams to support MARAC's educational programming. The primary purposes of the committee are to coordinate a development plan for internal (member) fundraising for the MARAC Educational Endowment Fund and to acknowledge and track such donations; and to make recommendations and oversee the investment of the Educational Endowment Fund. The committee also coordinates external fundraising for conferences, workshops, and publications with professional services vendors.

Operations
The Development Committee consists of up to nine members appointed by the MARAC Chair, plus the MARAC Chair who serves ex officio. The MARAC Chair shall appoint the members of the committee, including one at-large Steering Committee member, who have knowledge and experience in development, fundraising, investments, and vendor relations. Committee members shall serve two-year staggered terms and may be reappointed.

The Development Committee shall meet at the biannual conferences and at other times as needed.

The Committee shall keep minutes of its meetings and shall submit written reports of its activities and recommendations prior to meetings of the Steering Committee.

The Committee shall be divided into three subcommittees of two to three members for the following activities:

a) Member Fundraising -- establishes fundraising plans for MARAC members, including public relations outreach, and planned giving/bequests, and coordinates acknowledgment of donors with MARAC Treasurer.

b) Educational Endowment Fund investment -- oversees and makes recommendations on investment options, including contracting with investment brokers or advisors; tracks performance of fund and coordinates with the MARAC Treasurer release of funds for educational programming.

c) External vendor/corporate development -- coordinates vendor and other corporate contacts for sponsorship of workshops, conference vendor tables, and advertising in conference programs, membership directories, and the Mid-Atlantic Archivist.

All subcommittees report to the Development Committee Chair.

last revised June 2010

Members

History

In Fall 2000, MARAC Steering Committee chair Jim Byers appointed an ad hoc Development Committee to look into ways of developing an educational endowment fund. The endowment would be inaugurated with funds raised in memory of recently deceased MARAC members, Arthur Breton and Brother Denis Sennett. Annual member contributions would be used to supplement the initial investment.

The ad hoc Development Committee was chaired by Tom Connors. Other members were Robert Sink, Lisa Mangiafico, Mary Ellen Rogan, and Paul Lasewicz.

In Spring 2001, the Committee began researching investment services groups to find the best firm to manage MARAC's endowment fund. In Fall 2001, the Steering Committee voted to employ the investment advisory services of Gerald Cannizzaro, a NARA employee who did investment consulting on the side. (Mr. Cannizzaro is now retired from NARA and does investment advisory work full-time.)

In Winter 2002, MARAC signed an investment services contract with Gerald Cannizzaro who proceeded to develop an investment plan for us.

This essentially concluded the work of the ad hoc Development Committee. At its Fall meeting, the MARAC Steering Committee discussed converting the ad hoc Development Committee to a Standing Committee. Lisa Mangiafico drafted a Development Committee description, which the Steering Committee approved at its Winter meeting.

The Steering Committee now requests MARAC membership to approve the conversion of the ad hoc Development Committee to a Standing Committee.

At the April 2002 business meeting in Towson, MD, the membership approved the conversion.