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Author Topic: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward  (Read 32719 times)

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Offline gerry

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Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« on: October 12, 2008, 10:48:38 pm »
I am opening up this conversation because of my previous involvement in the Grants Committee (Montreal and San Francisco); I was not involved in this year's GC for the recently held Mexico City AMG.  Being that the next AMG is in Boston and my heaviest participation in the GC was in the only other US destination (San Francisco), I'll give out a few stats on the AMG-2007 SF GC activities.

To date, SF was the most attended AMG.  It also attracted the most number of donors to the GC (17); over 90% were US-based.  The total new donations for that year was a little over $5000.  It helped 25% of the attendees.  Of the funds distributed, 65% was used for airfare, 29% for lodging and 6% for cash allowance assistance for some members.

Dennis predicts that the Boston gathering is going to be bigger than the SF AMG.  Considering the dismal state of the economy in general, now would be a good time to have some conversations around:

1. Do we still find a role for the grants committee to fulfill under this environment?

2. Would there be enough participation from potential donors to allow the grants committee to perform its functions in these tough times?

I'm sure there are other questions out there regarding this; now would be a good time to start the dialogue while the next AMG is still about 10 months away.

Thanks.

Gerry

Offline RAB

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2008, 06:07:06 pm »
Hey Gerry:

I'm willing to take a crack at this discussion, and some of the specific questions you have raised.


I am opening up this conversation because of my previous involvement in the Grants Committee (Montreal and San Francisco); I was not involved in this year's GC for the recently held Mexico City AMG.  Being that the next AMG is in Boston and my heaviest participation in the GC was in the only other US destination (San Francisco), I'll give out a few stats on the AMG-2007 SF GC activities.

To date, SF was the most attended AMG.  It also attracted the most number of donors to the GC (17); over 90% were US-based.  The total new donations for that year was a little over $5000.  It helped 25% of the attendees.  Of the funds distributed, 65% was used for airfare, 29% for lodging and 6% for cash allowance assistance for some members.

I don't think there are any of us who have followed the work of the GC, who don't recognize that SF was truly a spectacular year.  An achievement, which hopefully will serve as a goal for in the future, regardless of the anticipated reality year over year.  What was accomplished by the members of the GC/the generosity of the donors, well I think it pretty much set a bench mark. 

Quote
Dennis predicts that the Boston gathering is going to be bigger than the SF AMG.  Considering the dismal state of the economy in general, now would be a good time to have some conversations around:

1. Do we still find a role for the grants committee to fulfill under this environment?

2. Would there be enough participation from potential donors to allow the grants committee to perform its functions in these tough times?

I'm sure there are other questions out there regarding this; now would be a good time to start the dialogue while the next AMG is still about 10 months away.

I agree that having a dialogue at this early date is a good idea.  What I'm not sure of is whether we'll really come up with any meaningful answers.  The necessity/validity/success of this coming year's Grants Committee probably can't be measured upon previous years. 

There is absolutely no way of predicting whether there will be "enough participation from potential donors to allow the grants committee to perform it's functions", we won't know those possible results until they begin their appeal.  What I would say, is that whatever participation from potential donors is realized, will provide some assistance, even if it doesn't meet all the anticipated need.

So in that vein, to answer your questions: 
Quote
Do we still find a role for the grants committee to fulfill under this environment?  Would there be enough participation of potential donors. . . .?
my personal thought is we won't know unless we try.  Whether there is growth in member donation and whether everyone who has a need can be accomodated, I'm hopeful that the grants committee can continue to play a role in the upcoming gathering.  Their overall level of success will be something we'll have to determine in the future I suspect.

But whatever it is, I applaud those members who have given so tirelessly and quietly behind the scenes, staying clear of drama, and maintaining the confidence of donors, to bring something positive forward. 

Personally, I believe in the efforts and generousity that has been displayed in the past 4 years.  I can only hope that possibility will continue.

RAB

Edit to add: we also have to factor in the apparent changes that are taking place in the forums.  I don't know what impact those changes (see the stats page and compare not just current month to previous month, but also current month to same month previous year(s), to see an obvious pattern in the level of traffic), will have.  But clearly there is a marked change going on in the forums at large, which I think also has to be taken into consideration. 


« Last Edit: October 13, 2008, 09:07:34 pm by RAB »

Offline Robert

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2008, 03:20:53 pm »

Quote
1. Do we still find a role for the grants committee to fulfill under this environment?

Yes.  The grants committee works closely with the AMG coordinator (BUT THE AMG COORDINATOR IS NOT PART OF THE GRANTS COMMITTEE) to help keep things in financial perspective.  Others who are interested in attending the Gathering often contact members of the grants committee for questions and to get a feel of how the Gathering is realzing its goals.

What's needed if more participation my other members.  If the same people are on the committee the perception is that it's a 'clique' of individuals and does not really represent all the members of Aidsmeds.  Nothing could be further from the truth.
What AMG needs more than anything is more volunteers so everyone feels welcome.

Quote
2. Would there be enough participation from potential donors to allow the grants committee to perform its functions in these tough times?

Like Rab says, it's too early to tell.  But I'm encouraged by the responses we had for SF.  I think because the GAthering is in the US it is more feasible that others can come.

robert 
..........

Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2008, 05:57:36 pm »
As long as there is an annuall AMG there will always be need for a Grants Committee.  While I agree with more participation on the part of other members, I don't think this necessarily applies to the Grants Committee.  Too many hands in the cookie jar is not a good thing.

Review the following regarding the role and procedures and let me know what you think.  Feel free offer up revisions.

AMG Grants Committee

Program Purpose

The AMG Grants Committee is set up for the sole purpose of bestowing a sum of money to actively involved AidsMeds.com members.  This sum of money must be used solely for the purpose of direct travel related expenses to the current AMG.

AMG Grants Committee Make-up

The AMG Grants Committee Make-up will consist of 3 acting members and an alternate.  1 of the 3 acting members of the Committee shall be appointed as Chairperson.
When selecting a new Committee, it is recommended, but not required, that at least 1 member of the new Committee be a “hold-over” from the previous Committee in order to maintain continuity.

Operating Procedure

The general procedure for accepting and distributing donations, as well as the time frames in which these applications must be acted upon, are outlined below and should be adhered to precisely.
At the time the Committee is appointed, each member should receive a copy of this procedure. Each Committee member should read this procedure thoroughly in order to insure that they will be familiar with their responsibilities and be aware of the requirements of their position.

Soliciting Donations

It will be the responsibility of the Committee Chairperson to solicit and accept donations.

Accepting and Processing Donations

All donations should be sent to the AMG Committee Chairperson.  All donations (deposits) and grants to members (withdraws) should be listed in a simple Excel balance sheet.  Whenever this balance sheet is updated with either a deposit or withdraw, a copy of the balance sheet should immediately be shared with all Committee members, including the alternate, for review.  The Committee Chairperson shall forward copies of all bank statements, within 10 days of receipt, to all Committee members and the alternate for review.  Committee members should contact the Chairperson immediately to discuss any discrepancies between the balance sheet and the bank statements.

Grant Approval

The Committee shall consider all requests for assistance. It is the Committee’s sole responsibility to approve/disapprove all requests based on the merits of the request.  The Committee shall consider the following factor.

1. The amount of the actual or estimated funds needed and how these funds will be allocated.


Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2008, 11:09:47 pm »
Thanks for the responses.  Dennis, thanks for drafting this.  I'm sure that took a lot of careful thought.

If you want a description of how the committee was structured for the 2 years leading to the SF AMG, this thread had a description of it:

http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=8575.msg103402#msg103402

As far as SF AMG goes, because of the amount raised, I did find it useful to track the detailed activities in an Excel spreadsheet.

As far as the new write-up goes, it is quite risky for an entire committee's finances to practically rest on the shoulders of one person, with the other two merely playing the role of reviewing documents that the "chairperson" forwards to them.

Because the donors are anonymous and the checks are made payable to this person into his or her personal account (not to a committee or organization), you really need to put a lot of trust on the "chairperson" to report truthfully what had been collected. 

When we did the SF GC, all check/money order donations (which comprised a majority of the donations) were mailed to Jody first, then Jody mailed them to me (I held the bank account).  That way, Jody knows what donations came in first before they reach me.  The paper account statement was not mailed to me; I instructed the bank to mail it directly to RAB.  I did have on-line access to the balance through BA.  RAB was in charge of reviewing the statement and publicly posting a summary of the activities.  The reason for doing this was to ensure checks and balances since all the donors are anonymous.

There were a few donations that were sent by Paypal and I made it a point for the donor to send a PM to the Grants Committee documenting the amount donated; ones received, I sent a PM back to the donor with copies to other GC members that the donation had gone through.

The same checks and balances were in play when the funds were disbursed.  After deciding who to give it to and in what form (usually, we booked the tickets and reserved the rooms, rather than give the recipients cash), I send the check to whoever handled the initial expense (usually through credit card) after receiving confirmation receipts by e-mail or print.  I also notify the other members of the GC by sending them a PM indicating the amount disbursed and to whom.

It's a tad complex, but if you recall, there was an issue that arose from the very first GC regarding moneys owed.  That's the reason why we went through this length to provide as much checks and balances while maintaining the donors and recipients' anonymity.

Just my 2 cents.

P.S.  I'm not sure if the same structure applied to the Mexico City AMG; Robert would be the person to ask about this.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2008, 11:14:07 pm by gerry »

Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2008, 12:00:39 am »
These procedures do seem to be a bit complex.  The process of money changing hands so many times, just to complete a single transaction, leaves room for error.

My procedures above does put a lot of responsibility on the Chairperson.  Ultimately (unfortunately), someone (a single person) needs to be held accountable when dealing with finances.

I'm still a bit confused as to why donations are mailed to one person in the Grants Committee and then forwarded to someone else for deposit. With this process, we're placing our faith in two people rather than one.  Who is held accountable if funds do not make it from point B to point C? 

One idea is to have all grantors make his/her donation public via a pm to the Grants Committee as you did with Paypal payments.

I am in agreement that cash should not be given to grantees (unless designated by the donor) and all air/hotel reservations should be made by the Grants Committee.  I would imagine the bank account the Grant's Committee uses to deposit funds comes with a Visa Check Card.  Couldn't this be used as the form of payment when making airline reservations and reserving hotel rooms, therefore eliminating the need to send out reimbursement checks?

Another option, especially with today's technology, is to have all donations transferred and deposited directly from the grantors bank account to the Grants Committee bank account.

I'm sure with a little brainstorming, a set of simplified procedures can be drafted which would still allow the same amount of transparency.

Dennis

It's a tad complex, but if you recall, there was an issue that arose from the very first GC regarding moneys owed.  That's the reason why we went through this length to provide as much checks and balances while maintaining the donors and recipients' anonymity.

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2008, 01:39:47 am »
I'm still a bit confused as to why donations are mailed to one person in the Grants Committee and then forwarded to someone else for deposit. With this process, we're placing our faith in two people rather than one.  Who is held accountable if funds do not make it from point B to point C? 

One idea is to have all grantors make his/her donation public via a pm to the Grants Committee as you did with Paypal payments.

Another option, especially with today's technology, is to have all donations transferred and deposited directly from the grantors bank account to the Grants Committee bank account.


Dennis:

There is no "Grants Committee Bank Account."  We debated this and concluded it is too complex to open one like this, especially since the "membership" to the GC can change even during the same year.

In the SF AMG, I opened a Bank Account under my name but using RAB's address so the monthly statements go to RAB directly.  The donated checks were made payable to me.  We added another layer of safeguard by having donors mail the check first to Jody (he cannot use them because his name is not in the check).  He then mails them to me.  All the checks submitted this way were accounted for; none got lost.  As the person directly accountable for handling these funds, I actually felt more comfortable with this process because some other people were responsible for "looking at" what I was doing independently without relying on what I report to them.

I guess the donor can make a point to PM the amount donated, but this person should, in addition to sending it to the GC mailbox, also remember to send a copy of the PM to the individual members of the GC, since all GC members have access to the GC mailbox and have the ability to delete messages sent and received. 

I realize that this sounds so distrustful, which is in direct contradiction to the spirit of the Grants Committee principles.  But when you are dealing with several thousands of dollars of donated money, I'd rather err on the side of more checks and balances.

Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2008, 09:48:47 am »
Then if this is the procedure everyone is comfortble with, I fail to see what the problem is.

I say we proceed with implementing a Grants Committee for AMG 2009 and begin work. 
AMG is only 10 months away and there's a lot to be done this year.

Shall we solicit interest in holding a position on the Grants Committee from the group at large?

Offline Cliff

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2008, 10:27:04 am »
I don't think AMG 09 will be materially impacted if we were to allow this dialogue to continue for a little while longer to get input from others. 

Quote
1. Do we still find a role for the grants committee to fulfill under this environment?
Because we have chosen a relatively expensive city, I think there is still a role for the GC to play, however, I think it's crucial that we set realistic expectations or perhaps play down the role the Committee can play this year in comparison to San Francisco.

Quote
2. Would there be enough participation from potential donors to allow the grants committee to perform its functions in these tough times?
It's hard to tell, but I wouldn't be surprised if people are less able to give next year than in previous years.  I suspect, but could be wrong, that donations are linked to the amount of excitement and (inversely related) to the amount of drama.  I think San Francisco had a lot of excitement and relatively few dramas going into the event.  Public feuding can put people off, especially since there is a certain amount of trust involved in giving.

As for the structure, I see no need in changing it.  A slightly more complex, but one that safeguards the funds is a safe move.  I think it's also crucial that there is transparency in the process, particularly in terms of periodic reporting of funding status.

Cliff

Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2008, 10:58:26 am »
I still fail to see what there is to discuss.  Someone please enlighten me.  There is a agreement there is a need for a Grants Committee, regardless.  Everyone appears to be happy with the procedures and reporting that is currently in place.  We agree donations may not be as high as in the past. 

And yes, I do think AMG 09 will be materially impacted if we don't continue to move forward.  Would you rather have 10 months to solicit and raise funds for a project or 8 months.  In reality, less, since travel arrangements need to be confirmed at least 30 days prior to arrival.

If the Grants Committee does not begin to see funds flow in then something needs to be done.  My suggestion thus far has been fundraising.  The more time on the side of the Grants Committee the more successfull they will be.

We have the fundamental roles in place for the Grants Committee that has worked for the past few years.  If things need to change, than so be it.  But there is no reason we can't move forward. 

The key to success is to keep moving forward!

Offline Cliff

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2008, 11:27:31 am »
Dennis,

By a little while longer I had a few more days in my head, not 2 months.  The thread has only been up for a couple of days, with comments from only 2 or 3 people.  I doubt allowing a couple more days to give us a chance to arrive at a consensus and allow people enough time to comment on the process isn't going to set us back much.  Now I do think most people, if not everyone, may come to the same conclusion.  However, we should allow everyone a sufficient amount of time to provide their input.

I understand and agree with your desire to push us forward.  But much like climbing up and down those damn pyramids, not everyone can do it at your pace.   :P

Cliff

Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #11 on: October 15, 2008, 06:10:44 pm »
Cliff...you can have your few days.  Hell,  you can have a few months.

My point is, there is no need to take 10 steps back just to move 1 step forward.  There is a task at hand to complete, and we have the fundamental basics to proceed with the completion of these tasks. 

If procedures need to be revamped along the way, sobeit.  That doesn't mean we have to stop moving forward.

Excuse my persistence in the need to keep things moving forward (there's that phrase again.) I'm a bit anal when it comes to tasks and goals.  One way to complete a task or goal is to have a timeline.  And According my timeline, as Coordinator, we are behind where I think we should be.  While 10 months may seem like a lot time to someone sitting on the sidelines, to those coordinating these events it is not. Considering most details need to be finalized and presented to the group at large months prior, that leaves the coordinating committee even less time.

And may I dare say, most people probably don't care much about the planning process.  All they want is a competant group to put together a worthwile gathering without poll after poll after discussion after discussion.  Again, I may be wrong. 
« Last Edit: October 15, 2008, 10:31:22 pm by AMG Coordinator »

Offline bocker3

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2008, 10:24:16 pm »
I'm not quite sure what the debate is here? 

I have not heard that the system isn't working -- only some speculation (reasonable speculation, I agree), that donations might not be where we would like this year.  So, I agree with Dennis here -- I think it's time to start finding out, by setting things in motion. 

I would be more than happy to offer myself as a volunteer for the Grants Committee.  I've not been to an AMG as yet, so if that disqualifies me, so be it, but the offer is out there (not sure how the committee gets formed, so if I should not be or can not be, I won't hurt).

Mike

Offline Cliff

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #13 on: October 16, 2008, 04:36:02 am »
I see nothing wrong with this thread.  It's simply an attempt to start a dialogue about the role of the Grants Committee in this AMG and perhaps all future AMGs.  The way the Committee has operated has not been consistent year over year and there has been debate in the past as to whether or not we should even have a Committee.  Perhaps it's time to decide exactly how the Committee should be set up before we start "fundraising."

It would be nice to hear from members of this past year's Committee, before we start selecting new members.

The GC and the planning of AMG have always operated separately.  And I don't think this thread, no matter how long it goes on, will have any appreciable impact on the planning of AMG or even the potential funding of the GC.  While time may be of the essence in planning the event, it's not when it comes to setting up the Committee that will handle funds donated by folks in this forum.  We need to get the set up right and if that takes a few days of discussion and receipt of input, then so be it.

And may I dare say, most people probably don't care much about the planning process.  All they want is a competant group to put together a worthwile gathering without poll after poll after discussion after discussion.  Again, I may be wrong.
I disagree.  I think people are starting to feel that they can't have a discussion about anything related to AMG less you come in and shut the conversation down. 

Dennis, you have complained about being stressed and not having enough time to do everything.  Well this is one area where you haven’t been involved in and need not get involved in this year.  Why concern yourself with the Grant Committee when you have complained that you are overloaded with work?

Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #14 on: October 16, 2008, 06:14:18 am »
You are absolutely correct, Cliff.  I am done.  In all aspects of AMG.  As a matter of fact, I turn the AMG Coordinator hat over to you!  You appear to understand in great detail what will hold up the planning and whatnot.

Where are your ideas, in all this, Cliff.  I have yet to hear one fundamental idea in any of your posts.  In fact, you have done nothing but attack me as Coordinator since the return from Mexico City. 

I'm not going to argue or stress about all this anymore.  One of the roles of a Coordinator was to keep things moving forward in an effort to get things accomplished. Obviously, that is not the case.  I never once, in any attempt, tried to shut any thread down.  I only made an effort to keep things moving forward.  As a matter of fact, it was myselft who contacted the Grants Committee almost two weeks ago to get things moving on that end. 

Cliff, please pm at my personal addy and I will supply you with the AMG Coordinator log-in.


Ciao,
Dennis



Dennis, you have complained about being stressed and not having enough time to do everything.  Well this is one area where you haven’t been involved in and need not get involved in this year.  Why concern yourself with the Grant Committee when you have complained that you are overloaded with work?

« Last Edit: October 16, 2008, 06:27:50 am by AMG Coordinator »

Offline Cliff

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #15 on: October 16, 2008, 07:08:26 am »
ok Dennis.  I'll PM you. 

To be honest, I think you have overreacted but that's neither here nor there now.

Cliff

Offline bocker3

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #16 on: October 16, 2008, 08:05:39 am »
Dennis,

I hope you'll change your mind -- I haven't made it to any AMGs as of yet, but attendees seem to return happy with the results.

I would hate to see you go, but would understand if you did.  I am amazed at how some folks simply have to complain about everything.  The planning of AMG is just filled with drama every year.

I'll ask a question to you Cliff -- have there been complaints that I've missed about the Grants Committee?  It seems this whole thread stems from a fear of smaller donations.  Well, there isn't much anyone from AM can do about the economy, so let's stop dismantling something that has seemed to work (again, unless I'm missing some info) and move onward.  No matter which aspects of the gathering we talk about, some people aren't going to like what is decided.  So let's move with what has seemed to worked.  I am really looking forward to finally attending one and would hate to see it fall apart due to unneeded drama.

Instead of needling Dennis constantly, maybe some thanks are in order.  If someone has some concerns, address them -- with some suggestions of your own vs. a suggestion of "more time for others to weigh in".

My 2 cents.

Mike

Offline Cliff

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #17 on: October 16, 2008, 08:57:03 am »
I'll ask a question to you Cliff -- have there been complaints that I've missed about the Grants Committee?  It seems this whole thread stems from a fear of smaller donations.  Well, there isn't much anyone from AM can do about the economy, so let's stop dismantling something that has seemed to work (again, unless I'm missing some info) and move onward.  No matter which aspects of the gathering we talk about, some people aren't going to like what is decided.  So let's move with what has seemed to worked.  I am really looking forward to finally attending one and would hate to see it fall apart due to unneeded drama.
I'm not sure if there have been complaints, certainly none publicly.  But I don't see that being the issue here.  The issue is that Gerry started an open dialogue on the structure of the committee and I don’t see any need in shutting that discussion down early.  I’m struggling to see how continuing it is going to affect AMG.

Quote
Instead of needling Dennis constantly, maybe some thanks are in order.  If someone has some concerns, address them -- with some suggestions of your own vs. a suggestion of "more time for others to weigh in".
My suggestion was to continue this discussion because to have it will not have a material impact (delay) on AMG.  I also clearly stated that we should continue with the current structure vs changing it to make it less complex, and ensuring that we maintain transparency with periodic reports to the forum members.  My participation in this thread had nothing to do with "needling Dennis" or trying to agitate him.

I’m quite happy taking on the Grant Committee project and moving it forward.  This will be something else that Dennis doesn't have to worry about.  However, I maintain (and that has been my main message in all of this) that an open dialogue on the Grant Committee is not a bad thing here.

Finally, Dennis knows I think he does a great job.  I’m surprised at the way things are turning out, especially considering we have all met in person (a few years in row now) and genuinely get along.  It would be nice if the rhetoric was turned down.

I hope Dennis knows that I sincerely think he’s a pretty good guy and an asset to the forum and AMG.   I’m saddened that this was ever in question.

Offline David_CA

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #18 on: October 16, 2008, 11:26:24 am »
I hope Dennis knows that I sincerely think he’s a pretty good guy and an asset to the forum and AMG.   I’m saddened that this was ever in question.

Cliff, I don't think there is any doubt that we all (if not all, I've not heard of it) think Dennis is a good guy and has done a wonderful job on the past AMG's.  That should never be questioned.

David
Black Friday 03-03-2006
03-23-06 CD4 359 @27.4% VL 75,938
06-01-06 CD4 462 @24.3% VL > 100,000
08-15-06 CD4 388 @22.8% VL >  "
10-21-06 CD4 285 @21.9% VL >  "
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01-08-07 CD4 429 @26.8% VL 1872!
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08-21-08 CD4 725 @34.5%
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02-17-10 CD4 678 @39.9%  
06-03-10 CD4 768 @34.9%
09-21-10 CD4 685 @40.3%
01-10-11 CD4 908 @36.3%
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Offline thunter34

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #19 on: October 16, 2008, 12:08:56 pm »
The planning of AMG is just filled with drama every year.


Q F - freakin' T.  One would never suspect how truly wonderful the event itself really is based on the prep threads.

Personally, I think this discussion has been very beneficial thus far.  I've learned a lot.
AIDS isn't for sissies.

Offline woodshere

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #20 on: October 16, 2008, 01:34:56 pm »
The planning of AMG is just filled with drama every year.

This is the third year of my observing this planning process and each time there have been people getting mad, hurt feelings and quitting the planning process or from ever posting again in the forums (the later seems to only last a short time)  This year the planning process started earlier with the announcement to choose the city between Chicago and Boston (cities chosen by the 2008 participants) - then there were people complaining that the entire forum community wasn't allowed to offer suggestions for cities to choose from.  Next up was the hotel choice.  Members were asked for suggestions few were presented as feasible possibilities, based on his research the AMG Coordinator chose one that he thought was best suited for the group from those few that had been suggested and people were unhappy with that choice or the process that led to that choice.  Next up was a little unhappiness with the date that was proposed so a poll was started to offer us an opportunity to choose a different date and after that bit of drama I believe it was decided to go with the dates originally suggested.  And now we have this mess.  I am all for process, but strictly to do process for the sake of process with nothing changing in my opinion is a total waste of energy. 

As strictly an observer it seems there tends to be a need to discuss virtually every detail in the planning process, except for one - which I will return to shortly.  This does make it more inclusive, however not the most efficient way of planning a conference.  In my experience of planning state and national conferences for a professional association I was a member of and for my job, a planning committee was appointed and given the task of planning the event.  The next year's location was chosen by attendees at the current year's conference (hmmm, where have i seen that recently). The committe alone chose the hotel, the menus, the activities, etc.  When the planning process was done the event was announced  those who wanted to attend did, those who didn't want to attend stayed home. The dates for the various conferences were basically the same week each year, there were a few activities that were held year after year and  any new activities could be suggested to the commitee.  After 3 AMG's there seems to be a very workable format in organizing why not let the process continue as it has been, if it ain't broke why fix it.  Everything doesn't have to be talked to death or voted on to work, look at the one activity that doesn't get a lot of input but plays a very significant role in the AMG, the Memorial Service.  Perhaps that event should be a guide to the entire process of organizing the AMG.

Just my thoughts,
Woods
(who even with all the drama will be in Boston next Aug)
« Last Edit: October 16, 2008, 01:38:51 pm by woodshere »
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Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #21 on: October 16, 2008, 03:40:55 pm »
Cliff...Please point out to me anywhere within this thread that I suggested there was a need to discontinue this discussion.  Unless I'm missing something, I don't think I did.  However, I did suggest moving forward with the processes in place. 

While you may not think that prolonging the roles of the Grants Committee will have a major affect on planning, I'm sure those who will require assistance in attending AMG 09 will disagree.  The sooner funds are raised, the sooner funding attendees can occur. 

And how does this assist me in planning, you may ask?  Well, to answer your question, the sooner I have a realistic attendance count, the more I can receive for our gathering.  Currently, I have 25 rooms blocked out at the hotel.  The hotel only has 5o something rooms.  The more rooms we book, the lower our hotel rate. Unfortunately, the closer we get to our arrival date, the less bargaining power I have.  With a significant amount confirmed, I am able to obtain freebies, discounts, etc, as I did in San Francisco.  From a planners point of view, this is much easier to accomplish the further out from our arrival date. 

Dennis

Offline bocker3

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #22 on: October 16, 2008, 09:17:49 pm »
I'm not sure if there have been complaints, certainly none publicly.  But I don't see that being the issue here.  The issue is that Gerry started an open dialogue on the structure of the committee and I don’t see any need in shutting that discussion down early.  I’m struggling to see how continuing it is going to affect AMG.

It seems to me that Gerry's questions were fairly simply.  Do we see a need for a grants committee?  and Will there be enough donations for them to do their thing?

We can discuss until the cows come home, but unless a member has a crystal ball, we will never know if there will be enough donations to meet all needs.  However, even if we only get enough to meet the needs of one or two, it feels like a success to me -- at least given the other option -- no grants committee and you either come up with your own money or don't.

Now -- if we want to have a discussion about ADDITIONAL things we can do to help, that is a whole different thing (and probably a very good one), but let's get the ball rolling on the grants.

However, I maintain (and that has been my main message in all of this) that an open dialogue on the Grant Committee is not a bad thing here.

I'm all for dialogue -- so long as things keep moving.  What is it, exactly, that you would like to see discussed about the Grants Committee -- I've not been able to pick up on it.

So, given your past involvement I have to assume you are here with very good intent, but your message isn't being clear (at least to me).  What is the goal of taking some time for dialogue vs. starting the grant process?  What suggestions do you have?  There really is no reason to stop moving -- at least none that I've seen brought out here.

Dennis -- just let me know when we need to start reserving rooms -- I will be first in line.

Thanks,
Mike

Offline Ric Wilke

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #23 on: October 16, 2008, 11:01:56 pm »
Bocker3,

Thanks for your efforts to keep this thread on track.  Unfortunately, unless two participants take off the gloves we will continue to see brothers fighting brothers.

Cliff and Dennis, please focus on the question posed by Gerry.  You are both bringing personal agendas into this discussion and they have no place here as they have nothing to do with the question at hand.  Why not battle each other via PM's and not cause drama in this important forum.

Having said that, I will tell you both how much I value your friendships and hope that this dispute comes to a quick solution.

Love and hugs to all, Ric
« Last Edit: October 16, 2008, 11:04:50 pm by Ric Wilke »

Offline Cliff

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #24 on: October 17, 2008, 06:04:27 am »
Ric,

We'll be alright.  I'm giving Dennis a call and will discuss further and will try to make contact with some of the current year Grant Committee members.  Sometimes things are easier face-to-face (so to speak), less room for misunderstandings.  I'll report back shortly!  But I don't think there are any personal agendas on either sides.  Just boys being boys.

Cliff

P.S.- I think these dramas, if you want to call it that, aren't so bad.  It means that people are emotionally involved in seeing AMG be the best that it can.  Sometimes, as with any family, debates can spiral out of control. 

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #25 on: October 18, 2008, 12:21:11 am »
Mike and others:

I can tell you that being involved in the GC is not an easy task; in addition to the time and organizational requirements, it is highly emotionally charged and pretty draining.  And this does not even include other fundraising activities.

Historically, the GC donor base has been fairly limited.  There are several repeat donors but the base has never really expanded other than to a handful of people (relative to the forum membership at large).  It’s been my observation having been involved for a couple of years formally and another year informally that because of the limited number of donors, it puts more pressure on these folks to shell out more money (than what they had indended to do; at least I know of about 3 or 4 folks who have done that). 

Every year, the GC folks have appealed for a bigger donor base from the members, even if the contributions are less per donor (e.g., if 100 people donated $10 each, that would be a good $1000).  Because donations are voluntary, this is something we could just ask and hope for.  But over the past 3 years, this has really never materialized, in spite of the consistent message delivered. 

In spite of the large sum that was raised in SF (and the donors were truly awesome in making reaching that sum), as the person who had the most involvement with the GC that year, I felt that I still fell short of reaching out to an even potentially bigger donor base.

If we have not succeeded in expanding the donor base substantially in the past 4 years, I honestly don’t have too much reason to think that it would be any different this year.  This is why I brought up those 2 questions for discussion, which is even more relevant in tougher economic times.  If the Grants Committee, after doing the whole 9 yards of asking for donations, succeeds in helping just a couple of people, even though it may already be a “success,” I don’t think you need an entire committee to make that happen.

Truthfully, this was probably my biggest motivation to step down (other than I’ve really been busy this year).  I honestly didn’t think it could be sustained.  Now, if I suddenly get 50 PMs from people saying that they are wanting to donate to next years’ Boston AMG, that might get me more enthusiastic about the process all over again.  Don’t get me wrong; I do believe it is a very worthwhile endeavor.  I just don’t see how much more people can reasonably expect from it to finance other members’ needs, no matter how worthwhile the experience has turned out to be each and every year. 

I have several other things in my mind that I may need to say about this, but I will save that for later and see what others think.

Gerry



« Last Edit: October 18, 2008, 12:31:19 am by gerry »

Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #26 on: October 18, 2008, 12:52:49 am »
Gerry,

Your reasoning above is the exact reason why I sent a pm to the grants committee two weeks ago.  I wanted to get an idea regarding statistics of donations over the past few years.  My suggestion at that time was to have a fundraiser to reach that donor base that could contribute $5 - $10 rather than relying solely on the large donations of a few. 

This is also one reason why I pushed for the GC to get started immediately.  If the donations did not flow in then a fundraiser could be put into place.  However, for a fundraiser to be successful, time is needed.

We could debate this all until we are blue in the face.  However, we will never know until there is a committee in place (even if it's one person) and work has begun. 

Cliff, Bocker, and Robert have all expressed interest in taking part this year.  May I suggest, once again, you discuss amongst yourselves, come to a concensus, and begin working.  Without a doubt, AMG would not have been as successfull in the past had it not been for the more than generous donors.

Dennis   

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #27 on: October 18, 2008, 09:04:08 am »
Dennis:

The SF GC started relatively earlier than the other GCs did (February) and appealed exactly the same way for small donations from the same base very early on.  It did not happen.  Fortunately, the 17 generous folks who donated were pretty big donors.  You can ask until you are blue in the face for $5-$10 donations (7 months was a long time to ask for this amount from the general membership prior to the SF gathering; we were accepting checks, accommodating electronic transfers and had PayPal set up); if there is no general interest from people to do that, then it would not matter how early you ask.  During the SF AMG, we had to go back to folks who had already donated to ask for more.  Fortunately, one had enough $$$ to make up for what we were short (this person's donations generously made up 1/3 of the total). 

If the goal is simply to collect what can be collected, then I agree there is no more need for further discussion.  However, I doubt that this is what you want from the GC because planning the number of rooms you block requires some knowledge of what amount of money the GC can raise. 

If your goal is to collect a certain target amount (anticipating that 20-25% of folks expressing interest would need help, which I believe had been pretty consistent through the previous years), then I do think there is reason to discuss this further --- and in public before the GC starts embarking on asking for donations.

You also said "If the Grants Committee does not begin to see funds flow in then something needs to be done."  That gets me a little concerned about setting expectations and falling short (because it has happened before) and what amount of work the GC is expected to do in addition to make up for the shortfall.  What, for instance, did you have in mind for this?  And is this going to fall on the shoulders of the GC as well to find a way to make up for the shortfall?  Does this mean you won't be satisfied with collecting $2000 if that's all you get in the end but set your initial goal at $5000?  Would you then ask the GC to do more?

I am giving you a flavor of what the GC is all about here having worked from inside.  This is not something that I think the GC should just take on and discuss amongst themselves.  This needs buy-in from the general membership.  That is the main purpose of discussing it in public.

Gerry

P.S.

I would be more than happy to offer myself as a volunteer for the Grants Committee.  I've not been to an AMG as yet, so if that disqualifies me, so be it, but the offer is out there (not sure how the committee gets formed, so if I should not be or can not be, I won't hurt).

Mike:  I've never been to an AMG and I have done the GC twice.  So it's good to see you volunteer. -G
« Last Edit: October 18, 2008, 10:37:16 am by gerry »

Offline Assurbanipal

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #28 on: October 18, 2008, 11:09:14 am »
Thank you for the last post in the role of the grants committee thread-- it clarified the point of this discussion for me.

Quote from: gerry on Today at 09:04:08 am
You can ask until you are blue in the face for $5-$10 donations; if there is no general interest from people to do that, then it would not matter how early you ask.   ...

If the goal is to collect a certain amount (anticipating that 20-25% of folks expressing interest would need help, which I believe had been pretty consistent through the previous years), then I do think there is reason to discuss this further --- and in public before the GC starts embarking on asking for donations.


If the need is going to be in the $5,000 to $10,000 range then it isn't practical to assume it can be collected solely by appeals for $5 to $10 donations just from AIDSMEDS participants.   It might be realistic to go for $500 to $1,000, but even that would be looking for 100 people to contribute.   The site stats say that the average number of people online per day is only 160 or so and 80% of the members have fewer than 10 posts.  In other words, AIDSMEDS is not a huge community, so to get 100 contributors you would need a VERY high response rate -- something less than 50 might be an optimistic target

Perhaps one of the most useful activities for the grants committee would be to estimate the need and announce a specific fundraising goal and how they expect to raise it.  The target need not be perfect but setting a target early would have a number of benefits:
- individual contributors who have some flexibility can better target their contribution amounts
- the community can discuss whether the announced methods for reaching the goal are feasible
 - if the goal is not likely to be reached the community could discuss other alternatives (e.g. an AMG admission fee, corporate sponsors, appeals to ASO's, approaches to drug companies for support,  ...) and whether they raise unacceptable trade-offs


...

Hesitated to post this, since I haven't attended an AMG and am not sure I will.  But I think the fellowship that develops is part of what makes these forums so approachable and helpful.  Hope these comments are helpful too.

Assurbanipal.

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Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #29 on: October 18, 2008, 11:15:10 am »
Gerry,

I tend to disagree with you somewhat.  I don't think this entire process needs to be discussed out in the open.  Those who have sat on the Grants Committee knows what is involved.  And there have been a couple others who have expressed interest. Again, I'm not saying, and have never said this doesn't need to be discussed.  It just doesn't need to be done in this manner. If a significant membership base donated, than maybe yes.  

As I mentioned in a earlier post...I don't think most care about the ins and outs of how this event is planned.  All they want is a competent group to put together a worthwhile event. Put together a committee and discuss it in the background.  When rules and procedures are in place, then present it to the group at large.  EVERYTHING does not need to be discussed and voted on.  Especially after 4 years.

And yes, in order for the GC and AMG to be successfull, I do believe there does need to be a goal.  As in any business or personal task, sometimes you meet that goal and sometimes you don't.  If the GC foresees that they are not going to meet their proposed goal in a timely manner, than yes, there should be an alternate plan in place to attempt to meet that goal.  My suggestion is a fundraiser. I do have ideas for such a fundraiser, which I have presented to Robert and am still researching further.

Why a fundraiser?  Most people are more prone to give money in exchange for something in return than to just hand over $5 or $10, especially in today's economy.  However, you cannot implement such a project with short notice and expect to be successfull.

Am I asking the GC to do more?  No.  But I would expect, as I'm sure the membership at large does, is a GC and a Coordinator that is dedicated to getting the job done. As with any job, you sometimes have to do a bit more than what is expected or written in the "job description" to get the results you are looking for.  

Time is currently on our side.  I honestly still fail to see what is holding everything up on the end of the GC.  

Dennis  

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #30 on: October 18, 2008, 11:41:56 am »
If the need is going to be in the $5,000 to $10,000 range then it isn't practical to assume it can be collected solely by appeals for $5 to $10 donations just from AIDSMEDS participants.   It might be realistic to go for $500 to $1,000, but even that would be looking for 100 people to contribute.   The site stats say that the average number of people online per day is only 160 or so and 80% of the members have fewer than 10 posts.  In other words, AIDSMEDS is not a huge community, so to get 100 contributors you would need a VERY high response rate -- something less than 50 might be an optimistic target

Perhaps one of the most useful activities for the grants committee would be to estimate the need and announce a specific fundraising goal and how they expect to raise it.  The target need not be perfect but setting a target early would have a number of benefits:
- individual contributors who have some flexibility can better target their contribution amounts
- the community can discuss whether the announced methods for reaching the goal are feasible
 - if the goal is not likely to be reached the community could discuss other alternatives (e.g. an AMG admission fee, corporate sponsors, appeals to ASO's, approaches to drug companies for support,  ...) and whether they raise unacceptable trade-offs

Assurbanipal.


A- Thanks for your comments. 

In terms of "goals", if we are anticipating as big an event as SF, then $5-6K would be a good target to go by.

As for smaller donations, this was meant to be in addition to bigger ones.  Also, I was looking for this as a sign of a broader buy-in, which I did not get to see, unfortunately.

G.

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #31 on: October 18, 2008, 11:55:39 am »
Dennis:

I am not opposed to the concept of fundraising in addition to accepting donated money from members.  However, I do take issue about adding this to the responsibility of the GC, which is already tasked with other things like making sure that the funds are spread out as equitably as possible (i.e., budgeting) and tracking.  Not to mention it would put a lot of pressure on the GC to "meet the goal."

So this would be my counter-proposal:

Create a Fund-raising Committee separate from the Grants Committee who will be in charge of doing additional fund-raising for the Grants Committee (assuming of course that we get approval from Peter Staley et al to use this site for that purpose).  They will NOT be tasked with asking donations directly from members as this is still part of the Grants Committee responsibility.

Keep the Grants Committee's role the same as it has been:  Accepting donated funds (from members and fund-raising activities) and keeping the donors anonymous, regular reporting (based on an agreed upon standard), determining and facilitating disbursements to recipients while keeping them anonymous, and tracking all the money received and disbursed.

This way, the GC will continue to act independently and be shielded from any pressure to meet the goal amount and concentrate on keeping their historical role intact.

Gerry

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #32 on: October 18, 2008, 12:02:25 pm »
P.S.

I still insist that this be discussed openly.  Not necessarily get a vote.  But in keeping with transparency and maintaining the credibility of the Grants Committee.

I think the potential donors would appreciate this exchange (i.e., those who are willing to shell out money and not expecting anything in return other than it reaches the people they had intended to assist).

Gerry

Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #33 on: October 18, 2008, 12:03:34 pm »
I have not served on the GC so I have to ask are the roles of 5 GC members that daunting with only 17 donations and a few thousand dollars?

What I propose is keeping the fundraising with the GC rather than build another committee at this time since money will be involved.  Perhaps taking the current tasks away from one of the GC members and letting them handle the fundraising end.  Or...add another member to GC.  

If fundraising is successful, then perhaps next year we can look into adding a separate committee.

Dennis

Dennis:

I am not opposed to the concept of fundraising in addition to accepting donated money from members.  However, I do take issue about adding this to the responsibility of the GC, which is already tasked with other things like making sure that the funds are spread out as equitably as possible (i.e., budgeting) and tracking.  Not to mention it would put a lot of pressure on the GC to "meet the goal."

So this would be my counter-proposal:

Create a Fund-raising Committee separate from the Grants Committee who will be in charge of doing additional fund-raising for the Grants Committee (assuming of course that we get approval from Peter Staley et al to use this site for that purpose).  They will NOT be tasked with asking donations directly from members as this is still part of the Grants Committee responsibility.

Keep the Grants Committee's role the same as it has been:  Accepting donated funds (from members and fund-raising activities) and keeping the donors anonymous, regular reporting (based on an agreed upon standard), determining and facilitating disbursements to recipients while keeping them anonymous, and tracking all the money received and disbursed.

This way, the GC will continue to act independently and be shielded from any pressure to meet the goal amount and concentrate on keeping their historical role intact.

Gerry

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #34 on: October 18, 2008, 12:10:29 pm »
I have not served on the GC so I have to ask are the roles of 5 GC members that daunting with only 17 donations and a few thousand dollars?

What I propose is keeping the fundraising with the GC rather than build another committee at this time since money will be involved.  Perhaps taking the current tasks away from one of the GC members and letting them handle the fundraising end.  Or...add another member to GC.  

If fundraising is successful, then perhaps next year we can look into adding a separate committee.

Dennis


I would not exactly call it daunting, but I would call it big enough to stand on its own without any additional fund-raising responsibilities.  I stand by my proposal of separating the two.

Offline woodshere

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #35 on: October 18, 2008, 12:17:17 pm »

Create a Fund-raising Committee separate from the Grants Committee who will be in charge of doing additional fund-raising for the Grants Committee (assuming of course that we get approval from Peter Staley et al to use this site for that purpose).  They will NOT be tasked with asking donations directly from members as this is still part of the Grants Committee responsibility.

Keep the Grants Committee's role the same as it has been:  Accepting donated funds (from members and fund-raising activities) and keeping the donors anonymous, regular reporting (based on an agreed upon standard), determining and facilitating disbursements to recipients while keeping them anonymous, and tracking all the money received and disbursed.


This is exactly what I was thinking as I started reading this post.  One group to seek ways to raise funds another to disburse.  I would be glad to offer help in the fund raising arena.  Just reading posts and such from past participants in AMG's it is obvious that it is a great experience and I am really looking forward to participating in my first next Aug in Boston.  It seems that with those past experiences and the dedication of several members that a good solution could be found that will be beneficial to all those interested.

Woods

edited to add:

Well obviously we don't want to have a lengthy debate over this issue.  Perhaps there might be 2-3 members who would like to work with the GC in an ad hoc way to assist in raising the funds.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2008, 12:19:51 pm by woodshere »
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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #36 on: October 18, 2008, 12:20:13 pm »
I'd like to hear feedback from other members who have served on the GC regarding the tasks they have undertaken before deciding to implement another committee. Until then, I stand by my proposal of implementing fundraising into the GC and either changing the roles of 1 of the current spots or adding another member. I also stand by this proposal in the interest of time.  Another committee would command a whole new set of rules and procedures regarding transparency between the GC and a Fundraising committee.  I think at this time the two can easily be blended together.  

Honestly, in my opinion, I don't think this event is that large to warrant 3 separate committees.  

I would not exactly call it daunting, but I would call it big enough to stand on its own without any additional fund-raising responsibilities.  I stand by my proposal of separating the two.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2008, 12:25:41 pm by AMG Coordinator »

Offline Cliff

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #37 on: October 18, 2008, 12:36:44 pm »
If we can get a GC conference call going for early next week, we can include the fundraising governance on the agenda.  We can come to a consensus and then present the structure to the wider forum.

I think fundraising duties should be distinct and somewhat separate from GC duties.  However, I lean towards a compromise of dedicating a member on the GC to head up fundraising activity.  This can shield much of that activity from the core GC duties/members, but doesn't result in the creation of an additional committee.

Cliff

Offline David_CA

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #38 on: October 18, 2008, 05:12:00 pm »
In the past years' AMGs, the GC didn't do a lot of fund raising.  Sure, we accepted donations and worked up how important attending can be for many members.  Fund raising is a lot different than actually handling and issuing grants.  I don't know if a separate committee / group is needed for this, but if it's going to be TRUE fund raising (as opposed to collecting funds volunteered to the GC), I think it may be worthwhile. 
For example, I'm perfectly capable of participating with GC like we have in the past.  I don't know that I'd be all that good at fund raising.  A member may be interested in helping fund raising but not have the time to do much else in terms of grants.  They may not even feel comfortable deciding how to disperse the funds.

Perhaps we need to decide if we want to operate the same as years past or actively solicit donations.  I think deciding that should make the decision a bit easier. 

David
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Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #39 on: October 18, 2008, 05:27:37 pm »
Honestly, I don't see fundraising as being a big project. 

One idea I have takes no participation from anyone since it is completely web based.  It actually requires no money either. 

The second idea I have consists of the sale of a product.  A simple website can be put togethor to sell this product with all payments going into a paypal account.  The only action needed from the person in charge of fundraising would be to remind the community via a post every know and then about our fundraising efforts and direct them to the website to make a purchase. 

After the close of  the fundraising event, the GC would then take over the funds raised in the paypal account and disburse as they have in the past. 

After the close of the fundraiser someone would need to place the order and disburse the product.  This is the most time consuming task of the person who overtakes the fundraising responsibilities.

Dennis

In the past years' AMGs, the GC didn't do a lot of fund raising.  Sure, we accepted donations and worked up how important attending can be for many members.  Fund raising is a lot different than actually handling and issuing grants.  I don't know if a separate committee / group is needed for this, but if it's going to be TRUE fund raising (as opposed to collecting funds volunteered to the GC), I think it may be worthwhile. 
For example, I'm perfectly capable of participating with GC like we have in the past.  I don't know that I'd be all that good at fund raising.  A member may be interested in helping fund raising but not have the time to do much else in terms of grants.  They may not even feel comfortable deciding how to disperse the funds.

Perhaps we need to decide if we want to operate the same as years past or actively solicit donations.  I think deciding that should make the decision a bit easier. 

David

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #40 on: October 18, 2008, 06:04:48 pm »
If you're concerned about the number of members that might be interested in participating in the committees, I think we can work out a way to decrease the number of members needed to run the Grants Committee to 3 and still keep it functional.  I can be part of that committee.  But I still think the "fundraising" part should be distinct and separate.

The funds collected from fundraising activities need to be tracked separately (i.e., separate accountability and separate reporting) by whoever is in charge of the fundraising activity (whether it be a committee or ad hoc groups) and the total amount can then be turned over to the Grants Committee.

I really feel very strongly about this.

Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #41 on: October 18, 2008, 06:21:48 pm »

I really feel very strongly about this.

Obviously!  At this point, I give up.  I don't care how you make it work, just make it work!  If everyone wants another committee, than make another committee.  I do agree that the GC can be reduced to 3 people.

I propose that whoever is going to head up the GC this year please have your team in place within 2 weeks and announce your goal shortly thereafter.

If a fundraising committee is going to be formed, I would like to see that team in place and discussions and brainstorming begin with one month. Fundraising should begin after the holidays.  As I mentioned, I do have a couple of ideas if the head of that team would like to pm me.

In my opinion, this has become much more complicated than it needs to be.

Dennis

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #42 on: October 18, 2008, 11:59:28 pm »
Obviously!  At this point, I give up.  I don't care how you make it work, just make it work! 

I am really baffled by the hostility of your tone.  I hope you are doing okay health-wise.  You can PM me if you like.  I had tried my best to be respectful in presenting my case from my experience with being part of the GC in the past...

Offline AMG Coordinator

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #43 on: October 19, 2008, 01:19:55 am »
Gerry,

There's absolutely no reason to get personal here.  What is your reasoning behind bringing up my health (which is absolutely fine by the way).  This is the "forums gathering" thread.  Not the "living with" thread.

You still have not convinced me, and I'm sure others, what is wrong with the way the GC has been operating for the past 4 years.  What makes the task of accepting a few thousand dollars and disbursing to approximately 15-20 people with a team of 4 or 5 people over a 10 month period so daunting? Help me understand by stating specifics.  What exactly is wrong with the current procedures.  What has not worked in the past. I have heard nobody else from the GC express any concerns.

In an earlier post you mentioned the need for a separate fundraising committee so "They (referring to the GC) will NOT be tasked with asking donations directly from members as this is still part of the Grants Committee responsibility."  Is soliciting donations from the community that time consuming?  What else is done by the GC to solicit donations other than a reminder post every know and then requesting donations. 

Perhaps you and I have different ideas regarding fundraising.  As I mentioned above, the ideas I have would require very little effort accept toward the end when an order would need to be placed and items disbursed to members. In fact, one idea requires absolutely no effort other than a post directing members to a website. This fundraiser also requires no money from members in order to contribute.  So what would a whole new committee do in this instance?

As far as a specific fundraising committee is concerned...I'm sorry.  I just don't feel a whole new committee is warranted; not this year.  I stated above in a previous post what I thought the responsibilities of fundraising would entail.  Surely, one or two persons can accomplish this over a 9 or 10 month period and easily integrate with the GC.  What do you think the role of a separate committee would entail?  All you keep mentioning is transparency.  Can transparency not be accomplished by integrating the two tasks?  And if not, why not?

I (as well as others) have suggested roles and procedures, timeframes, and explained my reason why it's necessary to begin the work at hand as soon as possible.  However, unless I've missed something, you have not supplied any specifics or reasoning for a separate committee and why the current procedures are not working.

You stated plain and clear how you felt about your proposal.  We disagree.  You have stated on several occassions "you stand by" and you "feel very strongly" about what you have proposed.  I do as well.  All I did was simply give in to your proposal and put forth a couple of timeframes. 

Dennis

I am really baffled by the hostility of your tone.  I hope you are doing okay health-wise.  You can PM me if you like.  I had tried my best to be respectful in presenting my case from my experience with being part of the GC in the past...
« Last Edit: October 19, 2008, 01:21:52 am by AMG Coordinator »

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #44 on: October 19, 2008, 05:43:20 am »
Okay, Dennis, I believe we are at an impasse here.

Since you already "gave in" to the proposal, I will take that as the end to our discussion.

I will now take into account everything that has transpired here, take the grants committee discussion specifics with the others who have been part of it, and come up with a consensus decision of what it is and what its not.

Thank you for your input.  Thanks to the others as well.


Offline Jody

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #45 on: October 19, 2008, 04:51:10 pm »
When we first began the concept of AMG's and a grants committee to assist those who would not otherwise be able to afford to go Gerry was at the forefront of getting a committee together.  Though he has never attended one himself, Gerry virtually wrote a how-to book on what needed to be done to start a committee, collect monies, ensure honesty and accountability and get the funds to those most in need.

Over the last few years no one could have done a better job at being the coordinator than Dennis...We have had outstanding accomodations at reasonable prices and many amenities that would not have been possible otherwise. 

In fact Gerry and Dennis would probably be outstanding running a business together !!!

Many others have contributed their ideas and their valuable time to make this work since 2005 in Toronto.  I will try and help as much as I can...Keeping the system about the same would work as far as I am concerned...A vote on the committee members each year always ensures transparency.  Reminding posters every month or so that contributions, large and small, all add up and are much appreciated is always a good idea that can never hurt.

As coordinator Dennis would like to get the ball rolling earlier and this cannot hurt and would give everyone the ability to make their transportation reservations and if applicable their vacation schedule at work.

Keep on truckin'

Jody  :)
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Offline Assurbanipal

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #46 on: October 19, 2008, 05:48:54 pm »
Thought I'd offer one other comment on process simplification, based on experience as a treasurer for other groups.

The complicated process of collecting the checks at one address and then mailing them to another doesn't appear to add any security to the process.  It simply changes the person who has the ability to potentially divert funds from the person who makes the deposits to the person to whom the checks are mailed (from person 2 to person 1).  That's because person 1 could potentially just endorse the check over to their own account.

NOTE THIS IS NOT TO IMPLY THAT FRAUD IS IN ANY WAY LIKELY, JUST COMMENTING ON THE FACT THAT THIS STEP ADDS NO SECURITY.

A more secure and simpler process would be for the person who is going to have the relationship with the bank to open the account in the name AMG (or something of the sort) and then for the Grants Committee (as part of the solicitation of donors) to ask donors to PM an email address which the bank relationship person does not control (the PM would include the amount contributed). 

In the example Gerry gave above, Gerry would open an account labeled AMG and receive and deposit the funds -- account statements from the bank and PM's from donors would go to RAB.  This adds an information step (from the donor to an independent third party) and eliminates half the delay and potential for mailings to go astray.

Hope this is helpful.

A



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Offline Moffie65

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #47 on: October 19, 2008, 06:41:36 pm »
As a recipient of a gifted trip twice; I find this discussion a bit touchy and find myself feeling a bit guilty.  I had no input, or ideas into the creation of GC or even the idea that it would be possible from the start.  However, the trips that I was privileged to take were two of the most astounding experiences I have ever had in my life.  I never dreamed I would have the chance to meet any of you, outside the few who have come by the house, and to see Toronto and Montreal were just amazing treats added into the AM fellowship.

I am posting these ideas to let each one of you know just how important and how vital the grants are to those of us who under normal circumstances have curbed our travels to nothing.  I used to travel for business, holidays and just about whenever I felt the urge, but since becoming disabled and having my salary cut to whatever the social security system will give out; travel is a true dream and luxury for this HIV+ queen.  Being a part of this group, and being offered the opportunity to travel to meet all of you was not only a surprise, but a very moving experience for me. 

In the early days of this idea, I was one that pushed for international focus, but recent world wide financial constraints have obviously made it necessary to have multiple international gatherings, which is not a bad thing at all.

I have already seen Boston, but have missed seeing some of you guys, so the health and welfare of the Grants Committee is of some interest to me.  I would ask all of you involved to stay focused on the fact that these donations are a lifeline so to speak, for some of the members.  I probably wouldn't take up another offer for a trip, because I have already had two and others need to be able to have the opportunity to share some of my experiences.

Whatever happens, I would ask you to remain open to all opportunities.  I no longer have a 501 (c) 3 that can accept donations, but if someone did, it would create the opportunity to seek donations from other entities, like pharma, and organizations that like to give to PLWHA.

I will be thinking of you and hoping that you all can come to a resolution of these issues, and keep the way open for some of the AM family who really need these trips.

Thanks to all of you for the work you have tirelessly done in the past.
The Bible contains 6 admonishments to homosexuals,
and 362 to heterosexuals.
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It's just that they need more supervision.
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Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #48 on: October 19, 2008, 09:02:36 pm »
Thought I'd offer one other comment on process simplification, based on experience as a treasurer for other groups.

A more secure and simpler process would be for the person who is going to have the relationship with the bank to open the account in the name AMG (or something of the sort) and then for the Grants Committee (as part of the solicitation of donors) to ask donors to PM an email address which the bank relationship person does not control (the PM would include the amount contributed). 

In the example Gerry gave above, Gerry would open an account labeled AMG and receive and deposit the funds -- account statements from the bank and PM's from donors would go to RAB.  This adds an information step (from the donor to an independent third party) and eliminates half the delay and potential for mailings to go astray.

Hope this is helpful.

A


Thanks.  I was actually thinking of simplifying the process since there would be less folks in the committee.  This idea may be part of the solution.  I don't think it matters what the account is opened under as long as it is a separate account and the statements get mailed directly to someone else (in charge of reporting) other than the account holder.

Offline gerry

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Re: Role of the Grants Committee moving forward
« Reply #49 on: October 28, 2008, 10:41:29 am »
These the proposed AMG Grants Committee and Fundraising Committee Rules.  Comments about the rules welcome.  Thanks.

Quote
AMG Grants Committee

The AMG Grants Committee (the “GC”) was formed in 2005 as a means of pooling donations from generous members and other sources to help out some members who wanted to attend the AMG but were financially constrained. 

STRUCTURE:

Chairperson and account holder (Voting; in charge of tracking finances and updating balance sheet; also tasked to review activities of the Fundraising Committee)

Committee Members (Voting)

Fundraising Manager (Non-voting, serves as a liaison to the GC and tasked to review and report account activities of the GC)

GRANTS COMMITTEE CHARTER

PURPOSE

The Grants Committee aims to grant assistance to as many members in need wishing to attend the gathering as the available funds would allow.  The GC shall manage all AMG grant operations and ensure there is adequate controls and transparency regarding the donation and grant operations process.

The Grants Committee shall support the following specific tasks:
•   Soliciting donations
•   Grant allocation
•   Periodic reporting to the wider forum members

MEMBERSHIP

The Grants Committee shall consist of at least three and at most five members. The GC shall ensure adequate membership to carry out the tasks specified in Rules of Operation.

Membership to the Grants Committee is voluntary.  The membership of the GC shall be appointed by the previous GC, who shall serve a one year term. There shall be no limit to the number of terms any member may serve.

New members shall be elected by a majority vote of the Grants Committee.  Any member may elect to resign from the GC at any time with written notice.  Any member may be removed by a majority vote of the GC.  At any time, a member may be added, removed, or replaced by the GC.  The new GC membership shall be communicated to the forum.

MEETINGS & REPORTS

The members of the Grants Committee must meet at least once per month. These meetings may be held via e-mail, private messaging and/or conference calls. It shall provide a report of all recent operations to the forum at least once every two months, including results (minutes) of any meetings held.

DURATION

The Grants Committee shall serve until dissolved by a majority vote of the forum or until such a time that there is not a sufficient number of members volunteering to serve in the GC to meet its purpose.

RULES OF OPERATION

•   All activities of the GC shall meet approval of the AMG forum moderators in order to be able to use the forum to support such activities
•   The GC shall solicit donations from the forum members.
•   The GC is not tasked to perform any fundraising duties, except for soliciting donations from forum members.
•   The GC may provide target amounts for the year and revise this accordingly depending on the number of requests for assistance received; it is not bound to guarantee that the target would be met.
•   The GC shall obtain periodic updates from any fundraising activities performed on behalf of AMG, including timely receipt of funds from such activities.
•   The GC shall solicit requests for grants.  Grant requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
•   The GC shall establish guidelines for approving grant requests, prior to solicitations.
•   Grant requests shall be evaluated and awarded no earlier than 6 months prior to the AMG dates.
•   Grant awards must have at least 2/3 of the voting members voting in favor of the award.
•   Grants may not be awarded to any member of the GC for the year.
•   The GC shall maintain anonymity of both donors and recipients.  Some donors earmark their contributions to specific members and the GC shall ensure that the instructions were carried out while still keeping anonymity.
•   The GC shall ensure that any money left over is rolled over to the next AMG GC or used in an alternative way determined by the donors.
•   Structural changes -- adding or removing members, adding or removing rules, or changing the chairmanship of the committee -- require at least 2/3 of the GC members to vote in favor of the change. Any changes in rules must be communicated to the forum membership.
•   The GC shall regularly produce a public report to the forum of all funds received and grants issued.  This involves only actual monies received and disbursed rather than pledges or allocations. This will be in summary format in order to protect the anonymity of the donors and recipients.  A closing report at the conclusion of the AMG is also expected.
•   The GC shall work independently of but in close communication with other organizers of the AMG.



Quote
AMG Fundraising Committee

The AMG Fundraising Committee (the “FRC”) was formed in 2008 to supplement funds raised by the Grants Committee through fundraising activities other than solicitations of donations from the forum membership.

STRUCTURE:

Fundraising Manager (Voting, heads the Fundraising Committee; also serves as a liaison to the Grants Committee and in charge of reviewing and reporting account activities of the Grants Committee)

Fundraising Member(s) – (Voting)

Grants Committee Chairperson – (Nonvoting, tasked only to review and report on the activities of the Fundraising Committee)

FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE CHARTER

PURPOSE

The Fundraising Committee shall manage all AMG Fundraising operations and ensure there is adequate controls and transparency in the fundraising operations. 

The Fundraising Committee shall support the following specific tasks:
•   Approving AMG fundraising activities
•   Managing fundraising operations
•   Periodic reporting to the wider forum members

MEMBERSHIP

The Fundraising Committee shall consist of at least two and at most five members. The FRC shall ensure adequate membership to carry out the tasks specified in Rules of Operation.

Membership to the Fundraising Committee is voluntary.  The initial membership shall be solicited and they shall serve a one year term. There shall be no limit to the number of terms any member may serve. The subsequent membership of the FRC shall be appointed by the previous FRC.

New members shall be elected by a majority vote of the Fundraising Committee.  Any member may elect to resign from the FRC at any time with written notice.  Any member may be removed by a majority vote of the FRC.  At any time, a member may be added, removed, or replaced by the FRC.  The new FRC membership shall be communicated to the forum.

MEETINGS & REPORTS

The members of the Fundraising Committee must meet at least once per month. These meetings may be held via e-mail, private messaging and/or conference calls. It shall provide a report of all recent operations to the forum at least once every two months, including results (minutes) of any meetings held.

DURATION

The Fundraising Committee shall serve until dissolved by a majority vote of the forum or until such a time that there is not a sufficient number of members volunteering to serve in the FRC to meet its purpose.

RULES OF OPERATION

•   All activities of the FRC shall meet approval of the AMG forum moderators in order to be able to use the forum to support such activities.
•   FRC members may not receive grants from the Grants Committee for the year(s) they are serving on the committee.
•   The FRC shall decide on which fundraising activities to engage in, ensuring that such activities are legitimate and safe for any potential participant.
•   The FRC shall be in charge of and accountable for all operations of the fundraising activities.
•   The FRC shall regularly produce a public report to the forum of all funds received and turned over to the GC.  A closing report at the conclusion of the AMG is also expected.
•   Structural changes -- adding or removing members, adding or removing rules, or changing the chairmanship of the committee -- require at least 2/3 of the FRC members to vote in favor of the change. Any changes in rules must be communicated to the forum membership.
•   The FRC shall work independently of but in close communication with other organizers of the AMG.

« Last Edit: October 29, 2008, 10:43:05 am by gerry »

 


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