IFF Update 2006#26 Board of Directors update

International Feldenkrais Federation 

2006 November 24th

IFF UPDATE # 2006 26  Board of Directors update.

TO: IFF Member Representatives, Presidents and Chairs

Dear Colleagues,

Your new IFF Board is maintaining our operations, developing our working style, and planning for the upcoming year.

At this Year's Assembly, you asked us to do several specific things:

1. You passed the 2006 budget with the proviso that the Board amend it to reduce the deficit to no more the 20,000 euros.  We went right to work in July, and accomplished this.  The results are shown at the end of this letter.  As we near the end of the year, we are pleased to say that through several cost-cutting measures, we may even finish 2006  in better shape than we projected in July.  Both the Board and our hard-working Project volunteers have  contributed to this success.
2. You wished to receive the 2007 Budget in time to review it prior to the Assembly.  We are currently budgeting and setting priorities for 2007, and will be working with the Finance Committee for review soon.  You will definitely have this budget in hand to consult with your Boards, and to consider the implications, long before we meet again.  We are also thinking about the implications for 2008 so these can be considered as well.
3. You asked the Board to emphasize managing the organization, and to consider the Policy Governance model and staffing.  At our mid-year meeting in July, we recognized that we were not yet prepared to hire an Executive Officer. The Board has been continually in process of appraising the method of our overview of current IFF projects, contract employees, and skillful volunteers.  In 2007, we anticipate hiring some assistance to guide the Board in this process. 
4. Improve communication between the IFF and its member organizations. We have recently sent your organizations copies of the revised CD with information for you to share about the IFF with your members.  Please send in your review and suggestions as requested.
5. Improve communication between our member organizations.
Now that the new website is functional we are almost ready to use some of the extended functions it offers. During this month our team will be installing an upgrade to the software, which will allow us to set up discussion forums so we can easily communicate with each other. So for example, if we need to discuss something together or if the presidents, treasurers  or others want to create an international discussion, that would be easily done.  We expect this to be ready by the end of the year.

So what else is notable?

The IFF Academy. Later this month you will receive a seperate Update informing you of what has been happening within the Academy since Assembly.

We thank Yvette Higgins for her help as Administrative Assistant for the last year, and introduce to you Joanne Waldron, who is taking on an expanded version of this position .  You can reach Joanne at iffadmin@feldenkrais-method.org.   She will provide an accessible presence for you and support our communication functions. You will hear from her soon asking for updated contact information for the people in your organization.

IFF General Assembly 2007
Next year's Assembly is scheduled for 24-27 May in Bordeaux, France.
The Logo.  With thanks to the Swiss Guild and Mr. Cezanne, we are gradually making progress on the legal underpinnings of the logo transfer.  

So what about YOUR organization?  YOU are the topic of an upcoming Update.  Please write a few lines about what is taking the attention of your association at present. We will collect these and distribute them as an Update so we can all have a snapshot of our Feldenkrais world. Send your message to iffadmin@feldenkrais-method.org  by November 30th - remember to include contact details in case someone wants to communicate with you about what you wrote.

Thank you for your contributions to our Federation.

The IFF Board of Directors.

Summary of 2006 Budget Revisions below:  If you desire further budget information, please contact Marilynn Anderson, and she will send you a more detailed report.  ifftreasurer@feldenkrais-method.org

Summary  of  2006  Budget  Revisions  (Figures in Euros)

At the Assembly, you directed the Board to revise the Budget to reflect a deficit of no more than 20,000 euros.

As you can see,  our primary reductions were in the 2006 projected Administrative and Academy expenses.

During 2006, we have been able to make significant reductions in the Board Expenses as well.  However, resolving a backlog of legal costs related to the separation of the Distribution Center from the IFF member organization in 04 and 05 has increased some non-budgeted costs.

 The "bottom line" of all of this, is that we will likely finish 2006 within the "bottom line" of the July Budget Revision.
 

                                 2006 Budget                     July 2006  

                           Passed at Assembly          Board Budget Revision
 
EXPENSES
 
Board Expenses        -19,750                                -19,750

Communication Expenses
                                  -16,950                                -16,950
Academy Expenses
                                  -50,856                                -45,496
Assembly Expenses
                                   -15,000                               -15,000
 Archive and Materials
                                   -13,532                                -13,532
 Administrative Expenses

                                  -36,342                                  -19,142

Total EXPENSES
                                   -152,430                               -129,870
 

INCOME
 

Member Organization Fees
                                  110,000                                    110,000
 Assembly Fees              4,180                                        4,180
 Bank interest BNP
                                      1,000                                        1,000
 Archive Donations
                                      5,000                                        5,000
 Total INCOME
                                      120,180                                120,180
 
Profit or -Loss                -32,250                                  -9,690