[WCUSP] Response Requested from WCUSP/WILPF

[Regina Birchem]

Dear Joan and all,

The issue (how we get the resources to do our work/what do we do with  
the money given to us)  raised by Joan should be the concern of every  
committee and every member.   It is really more than a management issue.
It is a membership issue and an organizational issue.  It is also a  
political question.

As Kim Klein (writer and expert on fund-raising for social change)  
commented at the US San Francisco Congress,  it is astounding that an  
organization over 90 years old does not have a substantial endowment.
A good thesis topic for someone might be to analyze our  
organizational attitude and relationship with money over those 90  
years.  Is it rooted in our political and economic philosophy of the  
way the world should work?  Lack of future planning or long-term view?

At the international level since 2004, we are committed to have the  
Jane Addams Peace Fund grow as a quasi-endowment fund ("quasi"  
meaning that it would not be completely tied up and inaccessible).   
The starting point for the Fund is the money Jane Addams received for  
winning the Nobel prize which is one of the funds JAPA ministers.   
This was recommended when Bruna was president but never implemented.   
We are building the fund not just in dollars, but also in euros.   
Since 2004, 30% (or more if possible) of undesignated bequests and  
gifts is put in the JA Peace Fund.  [I think it should be ALL such  
gifts, but the international Standing Finance Committee has said  
gifts over 50,000 -- (I am not sure whether it is Swiss Francs or USA 
$).]

The persons who make these gifts or bequests then are listed as  
contributors to the JA Peace Fund.  In my opinion, no matter how  
small the gift, a portion should be put in fund and the donor  
formally remembered.

1)  We need to invest the money held in Geneva for the JA Peace Fund  
strategically and wisely.  Right now it is just in an interest- 
bearing account.
2)  We need a way of remembering with appreciation and dignity those  
who give us money -- for WILPF members, most often out of their  
frugal living, political commitments, and trust in us to carry on.
3)  We need three persons to be on the international "fund-raising  
committee" which was re-instituted in London 2007 without a clearly  
defined mandate or working methodology or support capacity to work.   
This does NOT take the place of staff fund-raising responsibilities  
but a governance mechanism - advising and seeing to it that fund- 
raising is done.   Any of you interested?
4)  We have the Committee of 100 to which you can donate (by 28 April  
2007 hopefully):  the Committee of 100 is 100 or more donors, groups  
WILPF- or non-WILPF who give 1000 euros, $, or Swiss francs to a fund  
to prepare for the 100th anniversary in a way that rejuvenates us as  
an organization - what should WILPF be in the future?  Why WILPF?   
This might through a series of "summer school", seminars, etc.....   
JAPA and the Geneva office are both receiving those donations.  We  
have 7 persons/groups pledged so far.  By donating to this fund, the  
person or group is saying she/he believes in the future of this  
organization WILPF.

What we do with the money we get is a political decision.  It should  
be a membership, participative decision.  So I think it is good for  
all of us to be concerned and speak up.

Regina Birchem





On Dec 5, 2006, at 10:26 AM, Linda Belle wrote:

> Hi Joan,
>
> You've addressed this email to the  US WILPF WCUSP campaign and  
> some International
> Staff and officers.  If you specifically are speaking of US WILPF  
> issues,
> it might be that you need to address your concerns to the Steering  
> Com./Finance Com.
> of US WILPF, or at the least, to the Co-Presidents.
>
> thanks for all you do,
> Linda
>
>
> JoanWDrake at aol.com wrote:
>
>> I agree with J. McLean that our country's foreign policy is a  
>> source of great frustration for all peace lovers and that WILPF is  
>> not good at raising money, but neither of these issues has a  
>> bearing on WILPF's failure to protect its assets. I do not agree  
>> that we should be silent on this very serious management problem.
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>> ---
>>
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>>
>
> -- 
> Linda B. Belle
> Executive Director
> Jane Addams Peace Association
> janeaddamspeace.org
> 212.682.8830
> Jane Addams Peace Association is
> the Educational Fund for the Women's
> International League for Peace and
> Freedom
>

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