{"value"=>"<p>The minutes of the board of directors which include regular meetings of board members and annual meetings of members of the Foundation, consist of typescript minutes and collateral documents arranged chronologically from the date of the first board meeting on December 14, 1955 until the final meeting on November 21, 1996. Attached to the minutes of the first meeting are the Foundation's original by-laws and certificate of incorporation. Attachments to other minutes include employment and other agreements, statements of assets and liabilities, disclosure statements, waivers, memoranda, and amendments.</p> <p>The minutes reflect the decisions of the board regarding the approval (or disapproval) of grant proposals submitted to the Foundation by charitable and non-profit organizations for the funding of special projects or programs or for general support. The composition of the board changed through the years and was limited to not less than three or more than nine directors. Founding directors included, in addition to Aaron and Irene Diamond, Bernard Gartlir, Mary Hennessey, Henry Hofheimer, Jr., and Henry Winestine. Other directors serving in subsequent years included Robert L. Bernstein, Noreen Clark, Adrian DeWind, David Dinkins, Peggy Dulany, Marian Wright Edelman, Alfred Gellhorn, Vartan Gregorian, Norman Gross, Peter Kimmelman, Vincent McGee, Charles Mandelbaum, Irving Mark, Jean Diamond Sargent (daughter of Irene Diamond), Martin E. Segal, William H. Shron, and Lewis Thomas.</p> <p>The early minutes concern mainly the transfer of financial assets from Aaron Diamond to the Foundation and other matters including the setting of organizational goals; the appointment, education and resignation of directors and members; administrative structure; and routine legal matters including amendments to the certificate of incorporation. Beginning in the fall of 1984 and continuing until the last meeting the minutes reflect the discussion of grant proposals submitted by charitable and non-profit organizations for the funding of specific projects in the fields of education, culture and medical research; and other matters including financial strategies for the management of the Foundation's investments.</p> <p>The minutes of annual meetings contain for each year a detailed set of background documents prepared by staff for the use of directors which include agenda, copies of proposals submitted by grantees; copies of correspondence between Vincent McGee and the grantee; alphabetical lists of grants approved and rejected; grants committed by the president; lists of grant renewals; and lists of projects funded in the fields of education, culture and medical research docketed with amount of funding approved.</p>"}