[Nfbf-l] Stipend for Convention
Dan Hicks
danjhicks at yahoo.com
Sun Jun 21 02:59:07 UTC 2009
Dear Rachel,
You are most certainly right that the NFBF needs to raise more funds. This
is a given, and something that is never far from the minds of any board
member. The NFBF will be conducting a fundraiser at the convention. I hope
it is a glowing success!
This year, the NFBF board decided that our limited funds will be more
well-spent if we help individuals, rather than give blanket grants to
chapters.
Please consider these points:
1. As you know, grants are being made to individuals who have a need, on an
individual basis.
2. Blanket grants to chapters have never been large. Each chapter is
responsible for holding its own fund raisers and managing its own treasury.
It is one of the most difficult and time consuming thing a chapter does, but
it is vital.
3. The NFBF does not require that chapters make donations to the affiliate.
However, chapters who have an NFBF Board Member as a member do not have to
worry about providing funds for that member.
4. While NFBF board membership does not require one to attend the NFB
convention, such attendance is very important. NFBF board members enjoy NFB
conventions as much as anyone, but we work very hard throughout the
convention.
5. The amounts allocated to the NFBF board members may seem large, but they
are not out of line with allocations which have been made in past years.
Board members often return monies not used to the treasury. I will be
returning all of the funds advanced to me, as most of my expenses will be
covered by the national organization.
6. Most or all NFBF board members are members of the Affiliate Action
Committee, which means additional demands are placed on us, including
financial demands which I will not go into here.
Rachel, while you are at the convention, you, as a scholarship winner will
have a mentor every day. These mentors are members of the scholarship
committee, and most of them are presidents of a state affiliate. I encourage
you to discuss this issue with some of these mentors. As a past scholarship
committee member and mentor myself, I can assure you, they will be happy to
discuss this matter -- or any other issue -- with you. I can almost promise
you that you will come away with a very different perspective on this
matter.
Of course, as a member of the NFB and the NFBF you have a right to have an
opinion about the quality of the decisions made by the leadership at all
levels. However, I would urge you not to be quick to jump to judgment
without adequate information. Each NFBF board member tries to make decisions
that will be best for the entire organization at all levels. Each board
member puts in an unbelievable number of hours per week, working for the
affiliate. This is in addition to the time needed to lead our chapters, and
the time needed for family, sleep, and that nasty daily business of earning
a living.
If I sound like I am lecturing, please forgive me. I really don't mean to
come across that way. I feel your concern warrants an explanation, and I
hope you are at least partially satisfied with this attempt.
I also hope that this puts this topic to rest. Again, I encourage those who
are attending the NFB convention and need some help with funding to please
write me privately -- that means off-list. All of this talk of transparency
is one thing, but individual privacy and respect must also play a part.
Thank you, Rachel, for writing, and thank you al for reading this lengthy
message.
Dan
"If you are going to walk on thin ice,
you might as well dance."
- Inuit Proverb
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rachel Jacobs" <oceanrls at hotmail.com>
To: "NFB of Florida Listserv" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 21, 2009 2:37 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Stipend for Convention
> With all respect, I have to agree with Marion on this. I think that the
> board should have maybe decided this well in advance so chapters could
> figure out other ways to raise funds for national convention. I do not
> feel that it is fair for the board to elect for themselves this large
> amount of money especially when most people on the board will be sharing
> rooms with one another. I think that it is really important that the NFBF
> affiliate tries to find ways to raise money. If money is constantly going
> out and very little is coming in, there will be no money at all pretty
> soon. I think as members we all need to work together at figuring out ways
> to raise funds for our state affiliate. I also feel that if the board is
> going to elect that they each get 900 dollars each, they also need to take
> the responsibility and find ways to raise funds. After all, we did put our
> trust in each of you, and we all need to be able to trust one another. I
> say all of this with respect for each of you.
>
> Rachel Jacobs
> President of the Manasota Chapter
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Marion & Martin" <swampfox1833 at verizon.net>
> To: "Dan Hicks" <danjhicks at yahoo.com>; "Sherrill O'Brien"
> <sherrill.obrien at verizon.net>; <minichiellog at comcast.net>; "Kathy Davis"
> <kdavisnfbf at cfl.rr.com>; "Joe Minichiello" <jbmini at comcast.net>; "Gloria
> Hicks" <gloria at irescue-tax.com>; "Dwight Sayer" <REPCODDS at aol.com>; "Betty
> McNally" <bethmac at bellsouth.net>; "NFBF List" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 10:23 PM
> Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Stipend for Convention
>
>
>> Dan & Board,
>> I find it very interesting that, with only about two weeks left before
>> convention, the board has made a decision to not support a Chapter's
>> eforts to send members to convention. Though you mention that, as NAGDU
>> President, I could ask NAGDU or national for monies to attend
>> convention, this is not an option for Tom Goldman or Merry Schoch.
>> In adition, I also find it interesting that the Board has taken care
>> of itself first by authorizing to give itself $900 per person well in
>> advance enough to make arrangements while forcing Chapters to wait for
>> word on your support. I think it is important for the membership to know
>> that I have figured that one person can attend national convention,
>> including air fare, hotel room, banquet, and registration for about $830
>> and, if a room is shared between two people, for under $1100 or $550 per
>> person! It is my understanding that, with the exception of three Board
>> members who will be sharing rooms with their families, each of the other
>> Board members will have another Board member as a room mate.
>> I feel it is fiscally irresponsible and borders on a breach of trust
>> for the Board to vote to pay itself such an amount while not supporting
>> the Chapters' efforts to get their members to the convention, the supreme
>> voice of the organized blind movement. The treasury belongs to the
>> stakeholder members and it is my opinion that they should be concerned at
>> the lack of transparency and accountability that is being exhibited by
>> those we have elected to manage our affairs and entrusted with our
>> treasury!
>>
>> Marion Gwizdala, President
>> East Hillsborough Chapter
>> National Federation of the Blind
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Dan Hicks
>> To: Marion & Martin ; Sherrill O'Brien ; minichiellog at comcast.net ;
>> Kathy Davis ; Joe Minichiello ; Gloria Hicks ; Dwight Sayer ; Betty
>> McNally ; NFBF List
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 8:24 PM
>> Subject: Re: Stipend for Convention
>>
>>
>> Hello Marion,
>>
>> The NFBF Board voted not to provide a blanket stipend for chapters this
>> year. Chapter Presidents -- or individuals -- are free to contact me if
>> they are attending the NFB Convention and have a financial need. As
>> president, I can always approve individual grants on a case-by-case
>> basis.
>>
>> As NAGDU president, you may be able to get funding from the national
>> office or from NAGDU itself. I don't know how the organization handles
>> such things; I'm just offering this as a suggestion.
>>
>> Dan
>>
>>
>> "If you are going to walk on thin ice,
>> you might as well dance."
>> - Inuit Proverb
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Marion & Martin
>> To: Sherrill O'Brien ; minichiellog at comcast.net ; Kathy Davis ; Joe
>> Minichiello ; Gloria Hicks ; Dwight Sayer ; Dan Hicks ; Betty McNally ;
>> NFBF List
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 2:34 PM
>> Subject: Stipend for Convention
>>
>>
>> Dear NFBF Board of Directors,
>> I understand that the NFBF Board met via teleconference last
>> night. One of the items of business that we were told by President Hicks
>> was on the agenda to be discussed was the amount of the stipend to be
>> provided to Chapters to assist members planning to attend the National
>> Convention in Detroit. I would like to know what the decision was in
>> regard to this. Furthermore, in the interest of transparency, can you
>> share with the membership what amount each member of the Board of
>> Directors will receive for this purpose?
>>
>> Marion Gwizdala, President
>> East Hillsborough Chapter
>> National Federation of the blind
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>
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