History

The Mission Evolution

In June 1992, The AMAF was established by action of the American Marketing Association (AMA) Board of Directors with the mission:

• 1992-1998:  "To foster the development and adoption of marketing practices which will benefit society.”

The AMAF worked to accomplish this good cause through programs such as the East Europe Book Drive (now known as the International Journal Distribution Program).  Organizations in the former Soviet Bloc were transitioning from centrally directed to market-driven economies. A group of volunteers from the AMA Knoxville Chapter traveled to Czechoslovakia in 1990 and 1991 and discovered the need and desire for marketing assistance and publications.  The Foundation worked with the AMA and its Chapters to gather and send marketing materials and journals to organizations in Eastern Europe. 

During this time period, the AMAF also began to recognize excellence in marketing and promote training programs through several endowed awards and programs.  These include the John A. Howard/AMA Doctoral Dissertation Award, David K. Hardin Award, and the AMA/Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium.

In 1999, the AMAF mission evolved and the charge of the Foundation became:

• 1999-2002:  "To benefit society through marketing knowledge and practice."

The AMAF continued its work with diverse, international populations through the expansion of the International Journal Distribution Program by providing 21 business libraries in emerging economies with subscriptions to several AMA journals. The Foundation also recognized additional marketing excellence through the awards such as the Berry/AMA Book Prize for the Best Book in Marketing, the Thomas C. Kinnear/Journal of Public Policy & Marketing Award, and the Sheth Foundation/Journal of Marketing Award.

In July of 2002, the AMAF, in partnership with the AMA, also undertook the first Nonprofit Marketing Conference bringing together over 210 nonprofit marketing professionals.  This experience, along with nonprofits'/foundations' growing need for marketing knowledge, best practices, and resources challenged the AMAF to evolve the mission:

• 2003-present:  "To be an essential resource to nonprofits, helping them achieve greater success through effective marketing. As the nonprofit philanthropic arm of the American Marketing Association (AMA), the AMAF achieves this goal through support of nonprofit marketing conferences and other training initiatives, scholarships, research, on-line and electronic resources. It works in partnerships and other strategic collaborations with the AMA, AMA chapters, marketing practitioners and academics, and scores of voluntary and community organizations. The Foundation also champions and supports excellence in marketing and diversity in the marketing profession."

With a focus on nonprofit organizations, the AMAF continues to provide tools, resources, and training that assist nonprofit organizations to market more effectively and raise additional funds for their good causes.  This support comes in the form of the AMA Nonprofit Marketing Conference, Nonprofit Marketing Boot Camps™, AMA Professional and Collegiate Chapter Community Service Grants, and on-line resources.

The AMAF also desires to increase diversity in the marketing profession through programs such as the International Journals Distribution Program and its Valuing Diversity Ph.D. Scholarship Program.