[Chapter-delegates] Funding and a modest proposal for chapters and events

[Maureen Hilyard]

+1 from the Pacific as well…

 

From: chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org [mailto:chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org] On Behalf Of Carlos Vera Quintana
Sent: Monday, 18 March 2013 4:41 p.m.
To: Ernesto cruz
Cc: ISOC Chapter Delegates
Subject: Re: [Chapter-delegates] Funding and a modest proposal for chapters and events

 

Another +1 how can we influence on this?

 

Carlos


El 18/03/2013, a las 20:30, Ernesto cruz <ernesto at onelinkpr.net> escribió:

Well said... +1

Ernesto Cruz

ISOC Puerto Rico

Sent from my iPhone


On Mar 15, 2013, at 1:18 AM, Dave Burstein <daveb at dslprime.com> wrote:

Folks

 

    What would happen if ISOC shifted 10% of its current budget to low cost local initiatives (as suggested) and modest transportation reimbursements to members for international events? 

 

    I bet the result would be far more bang for the buck than the same money spent on staff  and the current travel expenses.  Think how much the chapters could achieve with a few hundred thousand, much less 10% of the $30M ISOC budget. 

 

    Currently, ISOC is spending several million dollars each year supporting the chapters. It's in the budget as "internal communications" and dozens of other titles, as well as those specifically assigned to regional/chapter work. Folks like Paul Brigner and Sally Wentworth are knocking themselves out to help the chapters. This isn't a criticism of their efforts. 

 

    The current system has a place, but is brutally expensive. It appears a few hundred people are "active volunteers" in ISOC, although overall events pull more. That means we're currently spending several thousand per active volunteer. I think if some of that centrally spent money went directly to chapter expenses, the results could be extraordinary.

 

     How can we make this happen? One possibility is not to hire for the senior economics advocate currently listed as an open job, which is budgeted at several hundred thousand dollars. There is no shortage of economic analysis from ISOC's allies in policy and one more economist will add little to the discussion. 

 

    Think how much more that money could do build the chapters and the direct international work of ISOC members. 

 

    Let's find a way.  

 

Dave Burstein

 

p.s. How I calculate that ISOC is spending several million on member and chapter support. The work of supporting them is shared among a few dozen people. When you think of the percent of the time of regional directors, more senior people, communications people, and their support and supervisory staff, it's easily 10-15 "full-time equivalents," some paid in the six figures. Alternately, if you assume that 20% of ISOC's effort is aimed at the chapters, that's $6M/year.  

 

    I'm not disagreeing with spending the money on chapter support; instead, I'm suggesting some be spent by the chapters locally, efficiently and in small amounts.

 

     Much better results per dollar if done well, I think.

   


 

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