CONFERENCE REPORT
C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2024
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT
(Revised Aug. 23, 2024)
INTRODUCTION AND COMMENTS:
It is the Finance Committee’s responsibility to oversee the prudent control, management, and use of monies donated by the individuals of the Fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous.
This year was a very an extraordinary year in that a historical move of the CAWSO is planned to, and will, take place before year end 2024. This historic undertaking for the Fellowship of CA caused the projected budget for FY’2024 to project a potentially extreme burden on the Fellowship’s finances. As is typical for making financial projections of such a significant undertaking, the Finance Committee, along with our Treasurer, planned for some “Worst Case” (some might say Best Case) scenario projections for the upcoming financial cycle. This budget when presented to the 2023 Conference floor for vote was approved and we have been, and will be, closely monitoring the actual revenue and expenses, from all sources, especially related to the move this year. On a positive note, donations have been strong, and we feel the fellowship is, and has, stepped up to the challenges put forth at conference. We will continue to promote the Freedom Fund through Give Butter as they provide advantages in the methods of fund raising for individuals.
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AT CONFERENCE:
| Position | Name | Phone | |
| Chairperson | Jim G. | Jimut2501@gmail.com | +1(801)243- |
| Vice-chairperson | Ewan C. | ewan.picascotland@gmail.com | +44 (771) 145-9772 |
| Secretary | Clinton R. | clintonrackley@gmail.com | +1(602)772-7179 |
| ANR Trustee | Richard B. | anrt@ca.org | +1(202)363-0226 |
| SWR Trustee | Barry H | swrt@ca.org |
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| CAWS Treasurer | Jonathon H. | treasurer@ca.org | +1(520)990-1983 |
| Member | Rick K. | Rickkloeckner66@gmail.com | +1(405) 517-1445 |
| WSCCC Vetting | John R. | Johnrosa13@yahoo.com | +1(917)805-7012 |
| Member | Maria K. | Ca.maria@hotmail.com | |
| Member | Darci R. | All4dees@gmail.com | |
| Member | Jay F. | Finesilver1988@gmail.com | |
| Member | Deborah G. | Caligirl510@gmail.com | +1(510)706-2454 |
| Member | Kenny E. | Kennys.dtrt.mad@gmail.com | +1(416)400-7517 |
| WSO Trustee | Robert B. | anirishbird@hotmail.com | +1(713)657-5187 |
SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE MOTIONS:
MOTION 1:
To approve the AMENDED Conference Approved FY’2024 Budget. (Attachment 1).
Review FY’2024 BUDGET vs. ACTUALS financial report with PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. This report compares the Actual Income and Expenses (YTD) in a comparison with the 2023 Conference Approved FY’2024 Budget and proposes Amendments for the Budget through the end of FY’24. Review the YTD Balance Sheet (Attachment 2).
This also serves as a Treasurer’s report of CAWSO for FY’2024, as of 8/30/2024 (On or about the Reporting Date).
NOTE: The reports provided in the Pre-Conference report will be updated at the Conference.
MOTION 2:
To approve the Proposed budget for FY’2025 (Attachment 3)
Present the Proposed FY’2025 CAWS annual budget. This Budget is based upon the reported needs of all standing committees, the WSBT, and CAWSO.
MOTION 3:
To approve the addition of new section to the CA Financial Guidelines entitled Internal Committee Guidelines. (Attachment 4)
MOTION 4:
To approve the addition of new section to the CA Financial Guidelines entitled WSC Fund Raising Guidelines. (Attachment 5)
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REFERRALS THAT WERE FORWARDED TO OTHER COMMITTEES:
None
REFERRALS STILL IN COMMITTEE:
REFERRAL 14480813
Individual – Pre-conference
Consider adding a section to the WSC Finance Guidelines specifically for WSC Committees and touching on the following subjects:
- How to create a WSC Committee budget request, what needs to be included, when it needs to be completed, etc
- What can this budgeted funds be spent on? When?
- Check Request vs Expense Report
- When/How to submit a check request, general timeframe to get a check issued, etc.
- Anything else that might help a WSC Committee know how to use/request their budgeted funds.
There is no info about this in any Manual or Guideline that is easily available to our members.
A new Guideline is in progress to address this referral.
CLOSED REFERRALS:
13573443
Individual – Pre-Conference.
I believe it to be financially irresponsible to send trustees to the world service convention. They are not needed there. They are guardians of the traditions, not Guardians of Unity. They basically, are being paid to attend meeting as if in an area.
No motion is appropriate for this referral since there are good reasons for Trustees to attend WS Conventions and usually a scheduled in-person business meeting is part of that visit. Our committee Trustee was tasked with contacting the individual directly to help explain the importance of Trustees being able to attend and that only limited expenses are covered for their trip and visit.
13582909
Individual – Pre-Conference
To ensure the best possibility of enhanced transparency in financial reporting, ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO EXPENSES OR BUDGETARY COSTS MADE OUTSIDE OF THE VOTE OF THE GENERAL BODY is of utmost importance. It allows all members of an organization to understand where the money is being spent and the projected costs for the upcoming fiscal year.
No motion was developed regarding this referral. We, the Finance Committee and CAWS Treasurer, regularly monitor, review, and critic the revenue and expenses posted for CAWSO. When required, appropriate administrative reviews and adjustments are made. Also, at each CAWS Conference the financials for the current Fiscal Year are reviewed and compared to the approved budget from the previous year’s Conference. CAWSO, CAWS Finance Committee, and CAWS Treasurer are available through various means to answer questions or receive comments for the membership of the Fellowship regarding the finances.
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13819221
WSOB – Pre-Conference
During our monthly WSOB meeting, we had a great discussion around the challenges groups and/or areas, especially outside of the US, face in properly transacting PayPal or other online payment methods. As our world technology changes, so do the needs of our members. We would request that the WSC Finance Committee develop sound practices for these activities within the Financial Guidelines and/or the World Service Manual to support groups to facilitate instructions and practices for properly and safely utilizing these platforms
No motion was developed or is pending for this referral. The scope of the Financial Guidelines is limited, and the intent of the Financial Guidelines is to provide general and prudent suggestions for practices of Groups, Districts, and Areas to incorporate and monitor the money handling within their unique financial systems. The World is still a very diverse arena for currencies and banking practices and this referral is beyond the expertise, in general, of this committee.
REFERRAL NO. 14085125
Individual – Pre-Conference.
At the 2023 Conference the members took the gruesome decision to accept a deficit budget. We were told that if we do not contribute, we might have to give up our CAWSO in the near future.
Since then, I have been spreading the message that everyone who can should contribute extra via the Freedom Fund (www.givebutter.com/caworld) to make sure that we can afford to effectuate the CAWSO move. I believe that our members have answered the call, but I have no facts to prove it.
Today I am getting questions from members who contributed. Asking how we did.
My question is: Can you give a status to pass on, in layman’s terms, of our financial status in regard to the move of CAWSO?
Tom – The short answer is not yet. Your question was posed before the end of 2023. At that point we hadn’t even begun working within the FY’2024 Budget framework.
PRESENTATIONS OF CURRENT ACTIVITIES OR TASKS (no motions)
This year represents a paradigm shift in our format of financial reporting. In place of presenting an Amended Current FY budget for approval on the Conference floor, we are presenting a more traditional corporate financial report that measures our performance to the budget approved at the last conference. The format of the data presented will be very familiar, in that it will still compare the Budget to the Actuals and show a comparison column indicating the shortage (red) or excess (green) for each line item of the budget. We are hopeful this change will be welcomed and is intended to provide more transparency and insight for future budgeting processes.
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We have been actively engaged in several updates to the Financial Guidelines. Considering many questions regarding electronic collection of 7th tradition and other donations, we have also been attempting to draft guidelines for selecting and using various methods of processing electronic contributions. We also have been very active at our local and regional conventions raising awareness and promoting contributions to the Freedom Fund through GiveButter. This coming year’s work will include hopefully completing a Sub-committee Budgeting Guidelines. This guideline could streamline the submissions of Sub-committee budget requests and allow a more comprehensive and complete future FY budget to be in the SR-14. This could allow for a more informed membership, at all levels, prior to Conference and provide more guidance, and group conscience, from the membership at Conference.
CLOSING COMMENTS:
Thanks to all the participants on the Finance Committee, please stand and be recognized. We are a ragged bunch of NERDS just banging the numbers and planning and thinking about our finances every month but enjoy our service work. We thank our areas for trusting us to serve them.
Respectfully Submitted:
Jim G
Finance Committee
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AT END OF THIS CONFERENCE:
Jim G. Motion 75:
To approve the AMENDED Conference Approved FY’2024 Budget.
Review FY’2024 BUDGET vs. ACTUALS financial report with PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. This report compares the Actual Income and Expenses
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(YTD) in a comparison with the 2023 Conference Approved FY’2024 Budget and proposes Amendments for the Budget through the end of FY’24. Review the YTD Balance Sheet (Attachment 2).
This also serves as a Treasurer’s report of CAWSO for FY’2024, as of 8/30/2024 (On or about the Reporting Date).
NOTE: The reports provided in the Pre-Conference report will be updated at the Conference.
Seconded
Russell S. Would you like to speak to the motion?
Jim G. Not at this time.
Russell S. Any debate?
Louissin B. – Why has this changed?
Jim G. – Please see the 3rd column, it was changed to the approved budget. It was either reduced or increased. Red is a reduction or increase in expense. Green is the opposite. #2 is estimated from actuals.
Louissin B. – Why the drastic changes?
Jim G. Based on income from the convention. We went from predictions to actual.
Louissin B. What about others that are not green.
Jim G. – 7th tradition, sales, etc. we didn’t’ want to predict from that.
Robert B. – From the reports received, we had the actual income statement from 7/31 and it showed positive numbers. When we go to the amended budget we don’t have actuals, only the approved and the proposed amended budget which goes into a negative number. Why are we losing so much money?
Jonathan Ha. – there’s a lot of items that don’t get seen on an annual basis. We have large amounts of income in the very first months of the year and the expenses occur at the end of the year. This is how the comparison shows up. I don’t believe we’ll have that big of a negative number. We look
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at what happened last time and then we get an estimation on this. There are some bills that have to be paid (office and conference) and they don’t happen consistently and they’re not in here yet.
Peter M. – Why is the proposed amended budget so different from the previous budget? Line Item #900070
Jim G. One of the board of trustees will need to answer that.
Richard B. We had the approved budget and then we had the proposed budget. We had our second meeting there.
Peter M. This doesn’t explain the discrepancy.
Richard B. because of the different countries the numbers were different based in currency.
Peter M. Who approved the increase of the budget
Clayton P. The difference is between the meals and the airfare, it was more expensive when we started looking and the numbers when it came time to purchase were more.
Peter M. – This was approved by the WSBT?
Richard B. – Yes
Peter M. – This budget was approved by the floor last year.
Russell S. The trustees do have the authority to move the line items around as long as it doesn’t affect the bottom line.
Peter M. – But it did
Barry He – Changes in the proposed budget for plastic chips and literature. Why are the chips and pamphlets raised so high?
Jim G. – Are you talking about the cost of making them? We sold more plastic chips in our old location. There was an would be an increase in
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plastic chip sales and pamphlet sales. There was a notice sent out to buy before the move. Prices weren’t increased.
Jennifer G. Line item #500239 under moving expenses, 3rd column, it’s blank, has that impacted the sum?
Jim G. It shows 15k less in moving expenses. It did not get totaled up and it should be shown for tenant improvement. But it doesn’t affect the projected net profit. It should be 10k more.
Jonathan H. It’s just calculating the difference.
Judson W. Do you give a line item or allow for a discrepancy item to show that the numbers might change?
Jonathan H. Inflation affects both sides. Prices has been raised due to inflation. The expenses are real numbers that have affected us so far this year, not years ahead.
Judson W. This only for 1 year, not projected many years ahead. You did not factor in inflation costs? When you presented the budget last year, did you not factor in inflation?
Johnathan H. we don’t use a standard inflation cost.
Milton L. Line Item #500303 website and email a 30k increase. What is that?
Johnathan H. That was from the motion ruled out of order to build a new website. It also includes costs for CRM, and everything involved.
Stuart J. Are you aware the WSBT have a travel expenses policy. This would have helped answer the previous question. The WBST follows this policy with travel.
Clayton P. Just wanted to apologise, we do have the right to amend our budget. We had meetings in other places, and we amended our budget as those numbers went up. We are under budget for our year for our trustee budget.
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Rebecca A. It looks like my question was answered.
Robert B. Speaking in favor of the motion. Please put the actuals in so we can see the actual numbers.
Russell S. Any further debate? Seeing none, prepare to vote. All in favor/all opposed?
Motion passes with substantial unanimity.
Jim G. – Motion 76:
To approve the Proposed budget for FY’2025 (Attachment 2)
Present the Proposed FY’2025 CAWS annual budget. This Budget is based upon the reported needs of all standing committees, the WSBT, and CAWSO.
Seconded
Russell S. Would you like to speak to motion
Jim G. Not at this time
Russell S. Any debate?
Peter M. Are we confident that London’s numbers are right?
Richard B. We’re confident that we will be in budget.
Russell S. Seeing no further debate, prepare to vote. All in favor/all opposed?
Motion passes with substantial unanimity.
Ewan C. Motion 77:
To approve the addition of new section to the CA Financial Guidelines entitled Internal Committee Guidelines. (Attachment 4)
Seconded
Russell S. Would you like to speak to the motion Ewan C. – Not at this time
Russell S. Prepare to vote, no debate. All in favor/all opposed? Motion passes unanimously
Ewan C. Motion 78 :
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To approve the addition of new section to the CA Financial Guidelines entitled WSC Fund Raising Guidelines. (Attachment 5)
Seconded
Russell S. would you like to speak to the motion?
Ewan C. Not at this time
Russell S. Any debate?
Wesley B. That’s going into a personal bank account? Is there a way to an area account?
Jim G. The groups and areas are autonomous, and they can decide how to do that.
Miriam F. Is there a plan to expand this to include other forms or 3rd parties or other fundraising tools?
Ewan C. – ****
Wesley B. Have you thought about providing greater guidance to dilemmas about accepting funds?
Ewan C. – Yes, it needs more work
Russell S. Further debate, seeing none, prepare to vote. All in favor/all opposed?
Motion passes unanimously.
Russell S. Any questions for the Finance Committee.
Wade G. I see attachments with different numbers. Which one are we voting on.
Jim G. Attachment 3 is not valid.
Russell S. This is a constantly fluid committee so it better to understand with some compromise. Would you like to conclude your report?
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Jim G. Let’s talk about the freedom fund. Can I see who participates with the freedom fund. This is great. It’s a way to personally and directly donate a few dollars to help us with the needs of the fellowship. Thank you for supporting the fellowship.
Russell S. Any questions?
Miriam F. – Proposed budget. Conference unity event, why is the number 0, why was it cut?
Jonathan Ha. It’s in the unity budget, not the conference budget.
Miriam F. – That’s the number requested for the unity budget not for the unity breakfast.
Jim G. The numbers were provided to us by the conference committee.
Miriam F – I have been shown where it is. Thank you.
Tom T. A previous member suggested adding the actuals. Will you be doing that?
Jim G. Please review the financial reports in the WSOB, they are actuals.
It’s in their reports, not ours.
Louissin B. CRM, what is it, what does it do?
Jim G. It’s been discussed in the IT report. CRM (customer relationship management) is software to be used going forward, a data tracking software. Payments, conversations and such tracked.
Milton L. Freedom fund, there’s not link to it and last year it was pushed to use it. What is being done to access it and use it?
Jonathan Ha. We had a lot of people register last year and we do need to place it on the website. Not sure what to do when the new website comes out. It hasn’t been promoted
Parthi T. Contributions page the limit has been temporarily increased how long is temporarily?
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Johnathan C. – It hasn’t been updated.
Parthi T. Contributions from all groups or individuals?
Johnathan C. From all groups.
Judson W. Is it possible to share any new information with the fellowship?
Jonathan C. I’ll work with the office to find a formal process.
Miriam F. – conference committee report – accessibility report – it was stated it’s a financial issue. How would I go about proposing something to the finance committee, some referrals have been sent. The ability to pay for items of purchase to accommodate people of different needs.
Jonahtan C. – that should be submitted to the conference committee. We are also tied into hotel contracts, and we would have to look into that.
Jacqueline R. – Unity committee – conference committee budget? 1500 goes to the food, and some merchandise plus other items.
Johnathan C. – there’s an x-out line item, it was a part of the conference committee, then it became a part of unity. I don’t foresee any issues with the budget and see the unity breakfast continuing
Chris M. – Quarterly reports – they are put in the delegates reports, so they’re there for all to see.
Russell S. – Jim, I would like to thank you for your service and thanks to all of you on the finance committee.
5th Concept – Robert Ha – I love C.A. I wanted to express concern for tradition 11. When Bill W wrote the traditions, he did it hoping it would never be used. There is a spiritual meaning in these principles. I worry we have opened the door to change things and that we’re going to go into a place where we haven’t been. I admit that I wanted to change things but as I was reminded, there’s a step 4 and to study the 12&12 and try to understand it before wanting to change it. When I discovered what was there, I was relieved as I found it was ALL there.
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Russell S. – we still have S&B – we’ll take a quick bio break – Please be back at 4:20pm
Break
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