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Founding Sponsors

Founding Sponsors of the Society

New Founding Sponsors will join this list of distinguished Founding Sponsors of the System Dynamics Society.

FOUNDING SPONSORS

Ventana systems Founding Sponsor SDS Logo
Jay W Forrester Founding Sponsor SDS Logo
Sage Founding Sponsors SDS Logo
isee systems Founding Sponsor SDS Logo

Founding Sponsor Campaign

Sponsorship contributes to the Society’s financial strength and ability to meet the needs of a growing and vibrant worldwide community. The Society already has a core group of sponsors who year-after-year continue to sponsor both the Society and its annual conference.  These sponsors are currently recognized on an annual basis.  The Stewardship Committee’s 2022 initiative will launch a permanent status category to recognize long-term sponsorship commitment.  This is an historic, one-time opportunity to become a “Founding Sponsor.”  In calculating the Founding Sponsor contributions, all past cumulative sponsorship determines an existing base of sponsorship. Any remaining balance is met with a statement of intent showing Society, Conference, and Stewardship Fund sponsorship for each of the next five years, reaching the goal of $100,000 between 2023 and 2027. Sponsor funds not allocated for Society or Conference Sponsorship are earmarked for the Stewardship Fund.

New sponsors willing to make this statement of intent are welcome during the term of the campaign. Founding Sponsors will be permanently recognized on the website and in other materials. This opportunity will close upon completion of the campaign at the end of 2027.

The System Dynamics Society will be honored to acknowledge your Founding Sponsor status on permanent lists available online and in other literature. A statement of intent is the basis for listing. The System Dynamics Society will contact the Founding Sponsor annually and recognizes that this statement of intent is revocable, and any plans noted are not binding. The statement of intent is not a pledge and will not be accounted for until realized. All information will remain completely confidential unless you authorize the System Dynamics Society to publicly recognize your sponsorship.

Where Your Funds Go

Stewardship committee image

Founding Sponsorship complements and builds upon all Society Sponsorship and Conference Sponsorship. Amounts over and above the indicated annual contributions will be earmarked for the Stewardship Fund. The Stewardship Committee oversees the budget of the Stewardship Fund.

Ways to Contribute

The Society will accept the sponsorship from individuals, corporations, trusts, donor-advised funds and other sources consistent with the laws of the state of Massachusetts. Such contributions will be recorded as income at the time they are received.

CASH

Cash and cash equivalents. Checks negotiable at U.S. banks, money orders, wire transfers, electronic funds transfers, and credit and debit card transactions are accepted without limitation. Cash up to $200 per year per person is acceptable in exchangeable currency.

MARKETABLE SECURITIES

The Society readily accepts gifts of securities, including stocks, bonds, exchange traded funds, and mutual funds that are publicly traded on US exchanges. As a general rule, all marketable securities shall be sold upon receipt unless otherwise directed by the Finance Committee. Any financial instrument with restrictions on liquidation (because of law, statute, or contract) must be reviewed by the Finance Committee before being accepted.

IRA QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION

An US-based IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) is acceptable at the correct age of the donor (currently age 70 1⁄2 and older).

Please inform the System Dynamics Society to let us know your sponsorship is coming. This helps us identify your support when it comes in. For further information about the Founding Sponsor designation contact Roberta Spencer at stewardship@systemdynamics.org.  Please review our Gift Acceptance Policy.

These details for ways to contribute are not intended as financial or legal advice. Please directly consult your legal and tax advisors while considering sponsorship opportunities.

Stewardship Campaign

1. Creating a Tradition of Planned Giving and Founding Sponsors

The System Dynamics Society created a new Standing Committee in 2021. The Bylaws state that the Stewardship Committee shall raise funds consistent with the Policies of the Society and identify activities to support the mission of the Society including such things as: underwriting and coordinating research, initiating competitions, organizing apprenticeships, providing scholarships, funding attendance of subject area experts at Society conferences, coordinating workshops, initiating public outreach programs and undertaking other such activities as are consonant with the purposes as described in the Bylaws.

These are the Stewardship Committee’s first campaigns, which are organized for the purpose of encouraging 1) sponsorship and 2) Planned Giving from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other organizations in support of activities and programs of the System Dynamics Society and the field of System Dynamics. These new campaigns encourage both new and past, long-term supporters to take part in shaping the future of the world’s only professional organization for System Dynamics.

Responsibility for the Stewardship Fund is vested in the Stewardship Committee, whose founding members are Laura Peterson, Birgit Kopainsky, Warren Farr, Jorgen Randers, and David Andersen. The Stewardship Committee reports regularly to the Finance Committee and the Policy Council of the System Dynamics Society. The Stewardship Committee is responsible for the oversight of all funds in its campaign and is committed to ensuring their proper financial soundness and that resources are used at the highest standards. The Stewardship Committee will promote the activities and programs for this campaign by providing support, advice, and counsel regarding planned giving and sponsorship.

If you are interested in becoming a Founding Sponsor, or to learn about Planned Giving, please contact Roberta Spencer from the Stewardship Committee via stewardship@systemdynamics.org. We will welcome your membership in this special group and thank you for making the System Dynamics Society a major concern.

These details are not intended as financial or legal advice. Please directly consult your legal and tax advisors while considering sponsorship. No statement of intent is legally binding.

Sponsorships are tax-deductible in the United States of America as allowed by law and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

2. Endowment Fund

The Stewardship Committee will establish a special Endowment Fund to meet some special purposes from time to time.  Such funds will typically be created working with a champion who has the vision and energy to make the specific goal happen.  This champion may be in or outside the Society.

These significant major donations will be set up by the Stewardship Committee to meet unique goals and take advantage of emerging opportunities.

Funds donated to an Endowment Fund shall be allocated and spent in accordance with the purposes and practices that define the fund.  There may be circumstances where funds donated to a particular targeted fund may become part of an endowment or have additional restrictions.

The Stewardship Committee envisions that Endowed Funds may require special negotiations, be tied to a specially targeted fund, and will require minimum contributions of $1,000,000.

As of this date, no special Endowment Funds have yet been developed.

3. Donations of Stocks or Mutual Funds

Donating stocks or mutual funds to the System Dynamics Society is a smart and simple way to help support our community. Transfer appreciated securities to the System Dynamics Society and the SDS sells the securities and deposits the proceeds into current annual funds or the Stewardship Fund.