Purpose: In response to a resolution of the Board of Governors and approval by the membership of an amendment to The Company’s Bylaws an Endowment Fund (the “Fund”) has been established as part of “a program to promote [The Company’s] future financial viability,” including support of its goals and programs.
Contributions: As a 501(c)3 organization all contributions are tax deductible to the extent provided by IRS regulations. They will be acknowledged by the Administrator as having been made without an exchange for goods or services. Contributions must be unrestricted and currently may be made to the Fund only in the form of check or marketable securities; it is not set up to receive real property. Contributions may be made as gifts, memorials, or bequests. Matching corporate gifts should not be overlooked and may be a way to substantially increase your support of the Fund.
Management: The Endowment Fund Manager is Bill Emerson. His term coincides with that of the president of The Company. He can be reached via email or by mail via the Company Headquarters with any questions about the Fund.
The Fund is kept separate and managed independently of The Company’s general operating funds. Quarterly reports are made to the President, Treasurer, and Administrator, with an annual report to the Board of Governors.
Disbursements: As provided for in the authorizing resolution, it is anticipated that five percent of the Fund’s value would be transferred to the general operating funds of The Company once the Fund reaches $100,000. Such a transfer, of course, may be waived by Board action, and two-thirds of the Board may approve disbursements for any purpose they deem appropriate.
GIFTS
Unrestricted gifts may be made without notation, or they may be made in honor of someone. If such a notation accompanies the gift it will be so noted at the top of the memorials section. Gifts above the following levels of giving are recognized by the Company beginning at the USD $250 level and above.
Giving Recognition Levels
| Division Commander ($5,000 or more) | Craig Bell, Fred Gaede, Beverly DuBose |
| Brigade Commander ($4,000 – $4,999) | Merle Cole |
| Battalion Commander ($3,000 – $3,999) | Bill Emerson |
| Company Commander ($2000 – $2,999) | Marko Zlatich, Cricket Bauer |
| Command Sergeant Major ($1,000 – $1,999) | 1st Lt William Greer, USMC (Ret.), Dave Sullivan Ken Baumann, Robert McCully |
| Platoon Leader ($500-$999) | Dr. Gordon Jones, John Thillmann, Charles Grondona, Lewis Leigh Jr., Robert Chapman, Robert L. Kotchian, Rick Ashbacker, Mark G. Rentschler, Hayes Otoupalik, Beverly Dubose III, John DePue, Anthony Gero, Paul Elseth, Raymond E. Bell Jr. |
| Squad Leader ($250-$499) | Greg Wade, William Reynolds, John Conradis, Mitch McGlynn |
MEMORIALS
Memorials are gifts to the Fund that are made in honor of someone departed and are generally accompanied by a notation about the person being memorialized. The wording accompanying memorials will be included in this section, below gifts.
BEQUESTS
Bequests are generally made through the estate of an individual. They may take the form of a specific amount, a percentage of the estate or as a residuary amount. In all cases it is advisable that you have both a will specifying your intentions and counsel during the preparation of the will or other documents pertaining to personal and financial goals.
While this is not intended as legal advice, a General or Percentage Bequest could be worded simply as “I give [insert a dollar amount or percentage of estate] to The Company of Military Historians, a nonprofit corporation incorporated in Washington, D.C., to be used by it for the purposes in its charter and approved by the IRS.” A Residuary Bequest could be worded as “I give the rest and residue of the property I own at my death to The Company of Military Historians, a nonprofit corporation incorporated in Washington, D.C., to be used by it for the purposes in its charter and approved by the IRS.”