Budget shorts: 1 June 2023-31 May 2024:
Income £26,117 (predicted £25,685)
Expenses:
*includes £5048 which is sent to WSO for other service bodies. Donations were down approximately £+€10,000 from the previous year.
Summary of Key items:
Donations: There continues to be a downward trend in donations (About Approximately £+€10 K) however we did make our goal set by last year’s Assembly.
Support Funds for OA Region 9 service bodies:
There is a Representatives to OA Region 9 Assembly Support Fund and Delegates to World Service Business Conference Support Funds: This is direct support that OA Region 9 provides for its service bodies or groups. Our goal is to fund as many people as possible for these two activities. It is one way of generating enthusiasm for members to pass along their experience, strength and hope to their groups and service bodies. Many of our service bodies do not have the funds to do this on their own. It is to be noted that the World Service Office assists us in this endeavor with their support fund for the World Service Business Conference.
Seven service bodies were able to send delegates.
£10,000 was budgeted, There was an overspend £1,1675 in this category due to increased flight expenses and increased prices overall.
WSBC will be virtual next year, a considerable reduction in costs.
Assembly 2023 and 2024:
OA Region 9 funded two people to attend Assembly 2023 in person and four people to attend virtually. This year 2024, four people were funded to attend Assembly in person and four people funded to attend virtually.
Translation of OA literature. As you will hear during the Assembly, this is an important way for members to learn about and practice program in their own language. This year we were able to assist one IG in these efforts and with the renewal of the translations committee, we will hopefully have more applications in the future . We also encourage members to apply for support from the WSO literature fund.
Funding for the Website project was completed and there are ongoing improvements. The OA Region 9 Digital Budget line now reflects a combination of the website and subscriptions supporting the website as well as other subscriptions required for the administration of OA Region 9. There was no overspend in the category.
We continue to fund the Lawyer to complete the Charity Incorporated Organization (CIO). We are in the final stages of the work which will include opening the new charity bank account as well as hiring an accounting firm to review our OA Region 9 accounts . It is expected that there will be changes to our reporting system and budget. There was an overspend in this item2021 by £882 .
On a personal note:
I volunteered to become treasurer at my first OA Region 9 Assembly because I am one of those people who love to budget, to see how funds can be used to accomplish dreams. This includes funding Representatives to the Assembly to help OA Region 9 better understand the needs of the countries in our geographic area. Equally important, the Delegate Support fund to Service Bodies in our region helps OA World Service Office and our membership throughout the world, understand the unique nature of our Region and it’s needs. Our current updated Website allows access of information to all members of our region with the ability to translate almost all documents into their own language. This along with the Translation funds we grant to service bodies all help OA Region 9 meet its’ goal of fulfilling our primary purpose: to help the still suffering compulsive overeater.
To the members of OA Region 9, your seventh traditions contributions have directly enabled us to do the activities mentioned above. We are grateful for your donations, as well as your service and confidence in the Board’s ability to carry out the decisions of our Assembly.
This report and all the work involved in the banking matters of OA Region 9 (payments, record keeping and tracking donations) could not have been completed without the help of Mel, our Region 9 Banker. Mel will be leaving her position as Banker after four years but will be moving over to OA Region 9 CIO as a trustee. Thank you, Mel, for your service, direction and help with the finances of OA Region 9.
I also want to thank the many members of OA Region 9 for their help, explanations, support and patience, as well as the many Treasurers who were willing to share their experiences in the Region Treasurer’s group.
Ricki I