World Service Business Convention Letter - June 27 2011
June 27, 2011
Dear FA Fellows:
As many of you may know, the 10th annual World Service Business Convention (WSBC) was held in Danvers, MA, June 3-5, 2011. The following briefly addresses highlights of the convention, the main motions, and the Financial Report provided by the WSI treasurer at the convention. An additional WSI Report will be sent next week specifically detailing those motions whose outcome affects FA meetings directly. The World Service Board is asking groups to hold an additional business meeting next week for the sole purpose of hearing about these motions. In August, the entire 2011 WSBC Report, which will include a summary of all convention activity, WSI committee and intergroup and chapter reports, and opening and closing remarks, will be emailed to all WSI contacts and be available online as well.
HIGHLIGHTS: 268 members attended from Australia, Canada, Germany, England, the District of Columbia, and 24 of the U.S. states. Four new CD’s were recorded by FA members including two in German, and there was one FA sharing meeting. WSI committee chairs summarized services and resources available to the fellowship, and each intergroup and chapter chair also reported accomplishments from this year. Elections were held for six positions and resulted in two new officers, and four WSI committee chairs (who were all reelected for a second-term). The conference engaged in a Sharing Session, i.e. focused comments presented in rapid succession (not to be confused with a sharing meeting), for 45-minutes divulging a wide array of successful PI activities used by meetings to help reach the newcomer.
MOTIONS: Eight business motions were discussed and all were passed with substantial unanimity. Motions 4 and 5 resulted in the creation of meeting standards for all registered FA meetings. Again, the details of this, and how it directly affects FA meetings, will be sent out next week as a separate letter from the FA WSI chair. The WSB is requesting that each group holds an extra business meeting for the sole purpose of hearing this very important information. Please plan to stay for a few minutes after next week's meeting.
FINANCIAL OVERVIEW: The newly revised pamphlet, Your FA Seventh Tradition, was distributed to convention attendees, who were asked to take a copy back to the treasurer at each of their meetings. WSI contacts will receive a copy via postal mail to give to their meeting treasurer if no one from that meeting was present at the convention. The pamphlet will also be for sale online as a literature item and will be posted in the “Meeting Information” section in “For Members” on the website.
The Financial Report detailed a) how WSI funds are managed b) the estimated income and expenses for this past fiscal year (July 2010 through June 2011) and c) the planned budget for the next fiscal year (July 2011 through June 2012). The two diagrams included with this letter summarize the overview of our FA finances.
The first diagram shows how 7th Tradition funds are passed on.
- Our donations at meetings are used first to cover the meeting expenses and its prudent reserve, and then the extra funds are passed on to the other FA service levels (chapter, intergroup and World Service).
- At each service level, these funds again cover expenses and a prudent reserve, and then extra funds are passed on to the next level. In this way, our donations reach beyond our own meeting and ensure that all levels of FA service can continue to carry the FA message of recovery.
The second diagram shows more specifically how World Service manages its funds.
- It sets aside a prudent reserve of one year’s expenses and has a project reserve for special projects. Several projects, including the FA Book, website, and design changes, are in progress through next year.
- FA WSI publications and conventions cover their own expenses.
- Donations to WSI cover the operating expenses for all WSI services and functions. Any extra funds go towards projects.
- This year, the average operating cost was $265 per meeting per year while the average meeting donation was $210 per meeting per year. Adding in the intergroup and chapter donations brings the amount to $283 per meeting per year, which does cover the operating cost and provides some funds for projects.
FA WSI continues to rely in large part on meeting donations to meet operating expenses, so please continue to contribute generously.
Yours in service,
The World Service Board
Passing on extra funds – how donations support meetings, chapters, intergroups and WSI
How Seventh Tradition funds are used:
Members donate to meetings.
A meeting covers its expenses and prudent reserve, and then passes on extra funds.
A meeting registered with an Intergroup passes on its extra funds to WSI and to its Intergroup.
A meeting registered with a chapter passes on all extra funds to its chapter. A chapter covers its expenses and prudent reserve, and then passes on extra funds to WSI and its Intergroup.
An Intergroup covers its expenses and prudent reserve, and then passes on any extra funds to WSI.
WSI has expenses, a prudent reserve and a project reserve (for special projects).
FA-WSI Financial Practices -- how World Service manages its funds
WSI budget is planned so that:
Donations to WSI cover the Operating Expenses.
Publications and Conventions: their income covers their expenses.
Extra funds from donations, publications and conventions are applied toward projects.
Projects are funded by the Project Reserve.
The Prudent Reserve is one year of operating and connection magazine expenses; it is set aside and not touched.