MISSION Statement: SMDRA REALTORS® Care Foundation supports and engages in charitable, civic, humanitarian activities and programs designed to improve quality of life/home ownership in neighborhoods within our communities.

VISION:  CARE – C – Community/ A – Aid / R – Relief / E – Engagement

OBJECTIVES:

1. A tax-deductible method for members to contribute to SMDRA’s charitable endeavors.
2. To provide support to SMDRA’s communities.
3. To assist qualified SMDRA members due to extraordinary crisis or critical health issues to ensure they can remain a REALTOR® or Affiliate member.

The SMDRA Board of Directors approved the formation of a SMDRA Foundation at their Board meeting on Thursday, January 19, 2023.  The foundation will benefit SMDRA members by helping them to remain a REALTOR^® while in extreme crisis and benefit existing 501(c)3 organizations, approved by the Charities Committee and the Board of Directors, that assist with housing related endeavors to raise the quality of home life for individuals and families in our community housing needs. 

The fund type and structure is an Award Fund and set up as an endowment which is where the principal of $25,000 is preserved in perpetuity. The Member Relief portion of the Foundation is set up as a “Scholarship Fund” which is the term required by the IRS; but will be referred to as Member Relief of the Foundation.  The initial funding came from the balance of Member Relief $20,494.46 and the remining amounts will be funded from Foundation donations and Legacy members.

The framework of the Foundation was based on a Foundation Working Group that met on January 3, 2023, with CAR Foundation Representative, Amy McDermott.  The Working Group reviewed information of the CAR Foundation Charitable Funds, administered through the Colorado Association of REALTORS Foundation, to benefit SMDRA and its members. 

FOUNDATION STRUCTURE: The Foundation will consist of two SMDRA Committees:   

GRANT COMMITTEE: (A Closed Committee)

• Consists of 12 Voting Members with 3-year staggered terms/2 term limit
• Composition – 9 REALTORS®, 3 Affiliates/Industry Partners
• Ex-officio/non-voting members – President, President Elect, CEO, CCIC Committee Chair and Vice Chair, and CAR Executive Director
• 2023 Committee Appointed by President and Ratified by BOD with staggered one-, two- or three-year terms.
• Grant Committee Chair and Vice Chair is elected by the Grant Committee from within the current committee.
• 2024 Committee will be Application Process and Recommendations by Grant Nominating Committee (different composition of the Nominating Committee) – Consists of President, President Elect, CIC Committee Chair, CIC Committee Vice Chair, Grant Committee Chair and Vice Chair – all voting and CEO as non-voting.
• Requirements for Grant Committee:
  • Must have served on Community involvement for at least one year and be actively involved,
  • and/or past BOD Past Chair/President, or BOD Director
  • Sign Confidentiality agreement
  • Main responsibilities – Review and Approve grant recipient(s) and fundraising for the foundation.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE: (An Open Committee)

• Open to all SMDRA members with no limit on members
• Chair and Vice Chair chosen by President and President Elect
• Responsibilities – Same – act as working entity with continuation of toy drive, backpack drive, Diamond Silent Auction, and other determined by the Committee.