ARP Invest Program

ARP Investment Program Program Description

Background The ARP Investment Program is a low cost, expertly managed investment option for ARP churches and agencies that are seeking investment solutions for their contributed funds. The purpose of the Investment Program is to create an investment option for the people who are responsible for the ARP churches’ and ARP agencies’ funds while removing the administrative burden of day-to-day management of these funds from the local church or agency.

As of December 31, 2009, approximately $9,100,000 in endowments and permanent funds were invested in the Investment Program, which is overseen by the Investment Committee of General Synod. General Synod created the Investment Committee in 2005 for the sole purpose of handling investments for the denomination and its related entities.

The investment advisor to the Investment Program is Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC. This firm’s preeminence in the investment consulting industry reaches back to 1973, when customized long-term investment strategies and managed accounts were offered to institutional and individual investors. The Charitable Trust Administration Corporation (CTAC) provides accounting and sub-account reporting for our program. CTAC, based in Cleveland, OH and established in 1995, is one of the leading full service administrative companies in the country with close to $1 billion under administration. All funds invested through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and administered by CTAC have oversight by the Synod central office in Greenville, SC. They are governed by the Investment Committee of Synod that meets quarterly to discern results, costs, utility, strategies and fund manager peer comparisons of the hired professionals mentioned.

The Investment Program is a pooled account management approach with individual accounts tracked via allocation and reporting subcontractor, CTAC. The invested funds have access to separately managed accounts in addition to mutual funds. The combined value of our accounts allows us to access investment managers in some asset classes that typically have high minimum investments (such as $1 million). The combined value also allows us to have lower investment expenses.

Investment Options The ARP Investment Program offers four investment options:

1.

Conservative Allocation of 20% equities and 80% fixed income and cash;

2.

Moderate Allocation of 53% equities and 47% fixed income and cash;

3.

Moderate Aggressive Allocation of 75% equities and 25% fixed income and cash; and

4. Aggressive Allocation of 88% equities and 12% fixed income and cash.

We do not encourage splitting a single account into two or more of the allocations. The four options simply allow participants to look at the investment needs of each endowment and permanent fund of the church/agency and select the allocation that best meets the investment goal and needs for each fund.

An example might better illustrate what we mean: A church has three Investment Programs – cemetery, scholarship, and building. The cemetery fund must preserve the value of the invested assets and generate income for the care and upkeep of the cemetery. Therefore, either the Conservative or Moderate Allocation Fund may be the right choice. The scholarship fund, on the other hand, needs to grow and generate

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ARP Investment Program

Investment Options continued funds from income and appreciation for the annual award to a deserving student. In this case, the Moderate or Moderate Aggressive Allocation Fund might be better. Finally, the building fund is a reserve set aside for a planned renovation and expansion effort in five or more years, so the Moderate Aggressive Fund might be best. The best fund will depend on the situation of the participant including risk tolerance and investment time horizon.

Features The following features and services of the Investment Program are very helpful to the trustees and boards of member churches and agencies as they fulfill their fiduciary and faithful steward responsibilities.

Information about your finances is critical to

Monthly Reports We acknowledge that information about your finances is critical to operating your church/ agency and carrying out your duties. In addition to the investment options, the Investment Program provides monthly investment reports on the performance and activity for each account 5 to 8 business days following the end of the month. Online access to reporting is also available.

operating your church and carrying out your duties.

Distributions Along with reporting, the Investment Program generates distributions on a schedule that meets the church's/agency's budget planning needs. The amount distributed is determined by the account holders and can be a percentage of total assets, a fixed dollar amount, or the amount may vary depending on the church/agency’s more immediate needs. You can also choose to reinvest all earnings and not take a distribution. This feature helps churches and agencies comply with restrictions on distributions as imposed by benefactors, boards, and/or the trustees.

Contributions & New Investments Additions to current investments and the creation of new funds can occur at any time during the month. Once a new or additional investment is received by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, it is invested and put to work within forty-eight hours. The funds are valued daily so that deposits purchase units based on the previous day’s price.

Investment Policy The investment strategy of each model is governed by an investment policy which is approved by the Investment Committee annually. This policy places important restrictions on the range of available asset classes for each model, limits the portfolio to liquid assets only, and provides guideline for the selection and review of the investment managers participating in the Investment Program. A copy of the Investment Policy is available upon request.

ARP Investment Program

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Management Fee The total fee charged to each participant is currently 1.02% of the asset balance for that participant. Fees are billed quarterly based on the previous quarter-end balance. For this reasonable fee, each subaccount gains governance over their funds via the Investment Policy, tactical asset allocation strategy overseen by the Investment Committee, investment manager research and selection led by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, access to managers with higher investment minimums, and reporting on the subaccount level. This fee includes all costs associated with the investment. If comparing to other program’s fees, you will need to consider the manager fees, trading costs, as well as the additional oversight and access gained in the above program.

Current performance reports are available for each model and can be provided upon request.

Access to Funds Church or agency access to funds is not restricted by Synod, the Investment Committee, or investment professionals. Contributions to and distributions from these pooled accounts are open at all times. There are no entry or exit fees. It should be understood that market timing, especially over the short term, can be counterproductive in achieving best returns when investing in equities and fixed income instruments. There is volatility and risk in these investment areas, just as there is opportunity and/or comfort, in knowing that long-term results should be favorable when compared to alternatives.

Emphasis is on the long-term in achieving favorable returns, often referring to horizons of five to ten years. Therefore, this program is designed for long-lived church or agency funds, where corpus is to be preserved or grown, when considering a multiyear horizon.

Expand the witness and outreach of God’s Word and people.

Goal The goal and purpose of the Synod Investment Committee and the aforementioned program is to allow churches and agencies the vehicle to achieve higher annual earnings in conservative-oriented models or long-term greater fund valuation in aggressive-oriented models. In so doing, such funds will generate greater amounts for Christian programs of the ARP Church, thereby expanding the witness and outreach of God’s Word and people.

For further information, contact: ARP Investment Committee ARP Center One Cleveland Street Greenville, SC 29601 864-232-8297 Or email Paul Bell at pbell@arpsynod.org