The Legacy Endowment Fund was seeded in 2017 with $60,000 by the ACL Board of Directors in celebration of the Association’s 60th anniversary. Through generous donations and additional Association investment, it has grown to nearly double that original amount. The purpose of the Legacy Endowment is to further the mission of the Association by assisting ACL member librarians as they identify and address challenges that they are facing in their libraries or in their own career development.
What is the purpose of the Legacy Endowment Fund?
The ACL Board of Directors recognizes the mission of the foundation as one that is rooted in a legacy of faithfulness. As such, the board approved and established the Legacy Endowment Fund for the purpose of furthering the mission of ACL, particularly in the areas of scholarship, research, professional development, and conference attendance. This board-designated endowment allows ACL members to contribute to the ongoing mission of the organization and also to apply for grant monies to advance librarianship within the purpose of the endowment. After establishing the fund, the board has looked for ways to continue to grow the principal balance of the endowment.
Growing the Legacy Endowment Fund
The Legacy Endowment Fund continues to grow through earned interest and contributions. One of the ways the fund experiences growth is through special, short-term campaigns, such as the Faithful Words campaign that began in the summer of 2022. Another way the fund is growing is through consistent contributions from faithful donors. When you donate to ACL, you can choose the Legacy Endowment as an option for your gift, and even give in honor or in memoriam of someone you’d like to recognize. Lastly, the Legacy Endowment Fund is growing on an annual basis as the organization experiences positive financial results as the board adopted a policy to transfer a portion of income over expenses on an annual basis, barring any unexpected expenses that would need to be covered first. This allows the organization to direct excess revenues to the fund to ensure a lasting legacy for the mission and purpose of ACL.
