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THE
TALE OF TWO FOUNDATIONS
At each meeting of the ACBL Board of Directors (“BOD”), we
try to spend some time addressing broad policy issues and/or strategic
direction. One of the discussion topics during the Cincinnati meetings
was a review of ACBL’s support of the ACBL Charity Foundation (“CF”)
and the ACBL Educational Foundation (“EF”).
The mission of the CF is to give money to
worthy charitable causes. The mission of the EF is to fund activities
that promote bridge education.
Both Foundations receive their funding from
ACBL sanctioned events and members. Each year, the CF collects about
$275,000, the EF about $150,000.
Here are some of the policy questions that we
addressed:
1. Do the missions of the two foundations deserve our continued support, given members’ attitudes and financial constraints? 2. If so, is each foundation satisfactorily meeting its stated mission?
3.
Should we change the relative weight of financial support to each
foundation?
Some of the recommendations that came out of the discussion groups include: 1. Both foundations should continue to be supported by the ACBL. 2. The EF should take a more active role in funding educational programs that are currently financed by ACBL general revenues. 3. The EF should put more effort in seeking additional funding via non-ACBL sources such as Charitable Remainder Trusts, bequeaths, etc. 4. The CF should gravitate toward more local charity grants as opposed to one large national charity grant. 5. Monies contributed to the CF are higher than appropriate for an organization the size of ACBL. 6. Since monies spent by the EF are closer to the purposes of the ACBL, the EF should receive a larger share from the revenue sources provided by the ACBL.
7.
Clubs, tournament committees, and ACBL members should have more
control over whether the proceeds from a special event should go to
the CF or the EF.
As of this writing, I am not aware of any agenda items that have its genesis from these discussions/recommendations. However, you can be fairly certain that some will appear for consideration by the BOD at the summer meetings in Anaheim. If you have a recommendation, constructive criticism, or a strong opinion on the subject, please let me know. Chuck Wilkinson Chuck Wilkinson |