The trusted servants of S-Anon’s Board of Trustees (BOT) devoted the majority of their November 2022 monthly board meeting to discuss and approve the 2023 operating budget for S-Anon International Family Groups, Inc. We are including an overview copy of the 2023 budget for you, and I would like to take a moment to discuss some of the items included in the budget.
Below are some highlights as you review the budget:
We utilized averages from 2020 through 2022 to estimate projected Literature Sales and Donations in 2023 (Income). Though our literature sales have continued to outperform the historical average, I do not think they will reach the $92,556.75 we sold in 2021.
The fellowship has continued to send generous contributions as they did in 2021, albeit at a lower overall rate as of November 2022. I want to express the Finance Committee’s, the BOT’s, and my own gratitude for the fellowship’s continued incredible Seventh Tradition contributions.
There were no international conventions planned for 2022 to generate proceeds and donations. I am pleased to say that our 2023 budget contains both revenue and expenses for the Together Again in Hope, Joy, and Gratitude S-Anon and S-Ateen International Convention in Nashville, TN, June 23-25, 2023, hosted by the International Convention Committee (ICC), with the support of the World Service Office (WSO). Registration is now open in the online store.
We included more revenue from recording sales in the 2023 budget because we will be recording speakers and hopefully two breakout rooms at the June International Convention in Nashville, TN. Be on the lookout for these new recordings in August 2023. In the meantime, if you have not seen our available recordings, you can find them in the online store.
Changes and other items of note for the 2023 budget:
We continue to use the Cost of Goods Sold account for projected literature production expenses. In 2023, we will reprint S-Anon Twelve Steps. We also anticipate printing two new bound books in the fourth quarter, Into the Light, a compilation of S-Anews articles, and Along the Journey, which tells the story of the history of S-Anon.
Funds continue to be included for the replacement and upgrading of some of the equipment at the World Service Office.
The budget includes a provision to have a part-time paid special worker as the Chair of the WSO Technology Support Team to help S-Anon utilize technology at the WSO.
We budgeted funds to continue with the approved Motion-In-Concept from the Public Information and Outreach Committee, which began in 2022, for Search Engine Optimization to potentially increase the online awareness of S-Anon. We continue to utilize a portion of prior year Retained Earnings for this project.
According to the S-Anon International Family Groups, Inc. Bylaws and the World Service Conference Charter, the Board of Trustees is tasked with ensuring a Prudent Reserve is set aside as a safety net in case of emergency or financial problems. Currently our Prudent Reserve is based on 6 months of operating expenses (calculated by dividing total annual expenses of the most recent two years by four). Our Prudent Reserve account has been fully funded since 2018 by strong literature sales and donations, and our Retained Earnings account also has continued to increase due to revenues exceeding expenses in most years.
A Motion-in-Concept to draft a Request for Proposal for a consulting firm to help the BOT develop strategic goals and action plans to pursue these goals was approved. We budgeted up to $20,000 for this consulting service and $6,200 for BOT members to travel to meet for strategic planning and training with the consulting firm. We voted to utilize a portion of the Retained Earnings to fund this special project.
Please consider serving beyond your local groups by reaching out to the committee chairs of the BOT standing committees for opportunities to serve the fellowship as a trusted servant and committee member. I have found volunteering as a member of the Finance Committee, and currently as the Treasurer/Finance Committee Chair, has greatly expanded my personal recovery and growth. I have been given the opportunity to meet and serve with many incredible S-Anon members, beyond the group level, by serving the S-Anon Fellowship.
Thank you,
Dawnielle A.
Treasurer, Board of Trustees