[homeles_ot-l] Concerned Community FW: Join us at the United Way Ottawa AGM on June 19th

[Lynne Browne]

FYI

LYNNE BROWNE

Executive Director

Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa

613-241-1573, ext. 314

 <mailto:lynnebrowne at endhomelessnessottawa.ca>
lynnebrowne at endhomelessnessottawa.ca

171 George Street, Ottawa ON K1N 5W5

 
<https://mail.ysb.on.ca/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.endhomelessness
ottawa.ca> www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca

From: Concerned Community [mailto:ottawacommunityaction at gmail.com] 
Sent: June-14-13 5:13 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Join us at the United Way Ottawa AGM on June 19th

Please join us at the United Way Ottawa AGM on Wednesday, June 19th  at 4 pm
at the Hellenic Meeting & Reception Centre,  1315 Prince of Wales Drive

Ottawa Community Action (OCA) has had the opportunity to review the
Financial Statements to be tabled at the 2013 United Way Ottawa (UWO) AGM.
The statements are posted on the UWO website. 

http://unitedwayottawa.ca/sites/default/files/files/documents/annual-reports
/2012-united-way-ottawa-financial-statements-en.pdf

We appreciate the fact that UWO sent us the Financial Statements
approximately 2 weeks in advance of the AGM, thus allowing us the time to
develop informed questions. In turn,  OCA has sent the following questions
to UWO well ahead of the AGM to allow the Board/staff the time needed to
respond in full when they are asked from the AGM floor. We all value the
opportunity for constructive discussion. Our goal is to build a strong UWO
that is as representative of, and responsive to, the community as possible. 

Our questions build on the progress made through the Investment and Impact
Review Report process.

The first two questions address  the issue of transparency and
accountability, particularly in terms of spending that remains internal to
UWO (ie. Community Development Strategies, Investment Stewardship, Targeted
Community Initiatives, etc.)

The third and fourth questions relate to the growing trend towards
designated giving as opposed to general donations.

The Research questions relate to the future shape of UWO's fundraising
campaigns in the Ottawa area, given the unique demographic and economic
characteristics of our City.

A number of OCA supporters/community members nominated an excellent
candidate for the UWO Board this year and she is included on the slate to be
proposed by the UWO Nominating Committee. The candidate is Martha Jackman,
Professor of Law at the University of Ottawa. In addition, the slate will
include the proposed re-election of Patricia Steenberg, originally nominated
by OCA supporters last year. Both will be a valuable asset to the Board over
the coming year.

Questions Specific to 2012/13 Financial Statements:

1.    Based on the Financial Statements and specifically the Statement of
Operations, we note that the total Priority Goal Investment is $14.8
million. We also note that included in this amount is expenditure for UW
Community Development Strategies of $2.15 million (including a 1 time cost
to close the 3C center of $445,000) and expenditure for UW Investment
Stewardship of $1.36 million.

These 2 UW internal costs items represent 23.7 % of the total priority goal
investment. If you back out the 1 time cost to close the 3C center, they
represent 20.7% of the total.

Our question is whether this ratio of internal costs to priority goal
investment is now the new standard and the community can expect that this
ratio will not grow in the years to come?

 2.    The 2012/13 Financial Statements include Schedule 4 - UWO Community
Development Expenses. Why is there not a similar schedule outlining the
expenses for the UWO Investment Stewardship, for Targeted Community
Investments and for Strategic Giving ? Can the membership expect these
schedules to appear in the 2013/14 financial statements?

 3.    In the 2011/12 Financial Statements there was a schedule (#4)
outlining where the  Donor Directed Designations went. Why was this schedule
dropped for these statements? Will this schedule reappear in the 2013/14
statements?

 4.     Given that the total amount of campaigns funds that is designated is
growing year over year (41.9 % in 2010/11, 43.8% in 2011/12 and 50.9% in
2012/13) and only a small portion ($811,000 in 2011/12) of these funds are
directed to priority goal partners, what strategy does the Board have
reverse this trend in order to make more funds available to community
agencies?

Research Questions:

 We have been told that workplace campaigns are becoming less and less
productive for the United Way and that UWs across Canada and the US are
increasing their focus on individual donors, specifically those major donors
who will make very large contributions.

1.    Have you done or commissioned any Ottawa-specific research into the
reasons why workplace campaigns are declining, or have declined, here?  If
so, is it available to the community?

 2.    Was the 2012 GCWCC donor share (number of donors divided by total
federal workforce) less than, the same as, or more than the 2011 donor
share?  Is it possible that the decline in donor numbers simply reflects a
smaller workforce,  that is,  available donor pool?

 3.    The fundraising experience of other UW cities might not be directly
applicable to Ottawa.  For example, a very rough calculation suggests that
Toronto's private sector is 17% larger than Ottawa's, while Ottawa's public
sector is twice as large as Toronto's.  Do you have Ottawa-specific data to
indicate how this mix will play out in terms of the potential pool of large
donors in this city?  If so, are these data available to the community?

4.    Leaving aside government and foundation funding, can you project the
amount of revenue likely to be generated for TCI's from major Ottawa donors
over the next year?  The next 5 years?  And if so, are these data available
to the community?

-- 

Ottawa Community Action

"Put Community First" at United Way Ottawa

www.putcommunityfirst.ca

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<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Put-Community-First/283799898305520>  page

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