First Quarter 2008 Volume 18, Number 1    Page 2 of 2 Apply for Matching Grants Web Links OA Budget Set for 2008 To All Computer Buffs OA Carries Message to Professional Community Unity With Diversity Apply for Matching Grants Delegates to the 2005 World Service Business Conference (WSBC) adopted a motion directing the Board of Trustees to implement a Matching Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to extend to service bodies financial help that would allow them to participate in projects that enhance OA unity and carry the message of recovery to compulsive eaters within and outside OA. The projects can be in the areas of professional outreach, public information, Twelfth-Step-Within or local literature development. Intergroups, national/ language service boards and regions may apply for funds. The motion states that yearly funding for this program will not exceed 1 percent of total donations to the World Service Office (WSO) for the prior year. For 2008 this amount is $2500. In the spirit of “matching grants,” the Matching Grant Program will award no more than 50 percent of the cost of the proposed project. Please note that service bodies working together on a project will receive preference in fund allocation. The coordinating service body will provide progress reports to its region trustee. Since its inception, this program has funded projects in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. The Matching Grant Application is available as a PDF file. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2008 (postmarked), and the Matching Grants Committee of the Board of Trustees will allocate funds at its meeting immediately preceding the 2008 WSBC. It will announce the allocations at the WSBC and by letter following the Conference. For more information, contact the WSO or 505-891-2664 (USA). Top Discover interesting and helpful OA Web-site links. Ask-It Basket — Can I discuss with my partner my experiences at OA meetings? Group Meeting Record Book — PDF replaces printed version November BOT meeting — highlights from minutes BOT 5-Year Strategic Plan 2008-2013 The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of OA …A Kid’s View — PDF replaces printed version Ask-It Basket Questions — Delegate questions from WSBC 2007 answered (Links are current when A Step Ahead is published online; however, some pages will be updated during the quarter.) Top OA Budget Set for 2008 The 2008 budget, adopted by unanimous consent of the Board of Trustees, is US$1,750,500 in receipts and US$1,750,500 in expenditures. The Board of Trustees (BOT) views the approval of the budget as one of its most important tasks and carefully considers each budget request and commitment. It seeks the prudent expenditure of funds with the focus of carrying the OA message of recovery. The BOT references the Strategic Plan and the Operations Plan in all budget discussions. The budget process is as follows: Budget submissions are made following the August BOT meeting and the adoption of the Strategic and Operations Plans. The controller puts together a draft of the budget based on the submissions of the trustees, managing director and WSO Managers. The chairman, treasurer, managing director and controller go over the draft budget. The treasurer clarifies budget requests with the relevant trustees and WSO staff. The Executive Committee reviews the budget both with and without WSO staff. The Executive Committee recommends to the BOT the proposed budget. Concurrent to #6, the treasurer notifies the trustees as to the specific recommendations and the rationale. The BOT discusses the proposed budget at the BOT Informal in November and ultimately adopts a budget for the following fiscal year. Some highlights of the 2008 budget include funds for a 2008 survey of OA members, included in the Strategic Plan, to establish a member count; and preparation for a 2009 survey to establish the demographics of our membership, such as age, length of abstinence, length of time in OA and ethnicity; translation of the OA Web site into Spanish; an ongoing Public Awareness Campaign. The three projects total approximately $74,000. OA is in the fortunate position of having sufficient projected income to cover these three important projects without using funds from our prudent reserve. The profit made on the Philadelphia World Service Convention, as well as a surplus in the 2007 budget, contributed to this position. We also received a $25,000 bequest from a deceased member of the Fellowship. Our prudent reserve is currently funded at about six months. Three special funds can always use the support of the Fellowship: Delegate Support Fund, Professional Exhibits Fund and Public Awareness Campaign Fund. When the budget is sent to the Finance Committee I will be flagging the various funds and will ask for suggestions on how to raise the level of awareness in the Fellowship. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your Treasurer. — Bob F., General Service Trustee/Treasurer Would you like to tell your story to the media? Participate in OA's Public Awareness Campaign Be a media contact! For more information contact Naomi. Members' anonymity will be respected at all times. Top To All Computer Buffs Exercise your fingers by punching on your keyboard www.oa.org/subscribe_online.html. What’s there? Just the easiest way to subscribe to e-Lifeline online, the best recovery magazine in cyberspace for compulsive eaters. View it online, or download the PDF file to carry in your purse, briefcase or lunch bag. Wander through the 12 previous issues at your leisure. For US$13 a year, it’s the best recovery snack you can buy. Attention Service Bodies When reporting elections (local, regional, and world service) and other OA news in your newsletters, please be sure to use only the first names and last initials of OA members, especially when posting newsletters to your OA Web sites. While the news may be internal to your service body, it is external when posted online, and you may inadvertently compromise the anonymity of your fellow OA members. Top OA Carries Message to Professional Community In 2005, the Board of Trustees set a goal to carry the message of Overeaters Anonymous to the professional community. In 2006 and 2007, OA exhibited at four professional expositions: the American Physical Therapy Association, the American Public Health Association, the American Dietetic Association and the American College of Nurse Practitioners. These expositions provided the opportunity to reach more than 27,000 professionals. Four hundred and seven professionals signed up to receive the Courier, OA’s annual newsletter for the professional community. To continue this goal, the board has decided to exhibit at three professional expositions in 2008: the American Diabetes Association in San Francisco, California USA, June 6 - 10, with 10,000 attendees expected; the National Medical Association in Atlanta, Georgia USA, July 26 - 31, with 4,000 attendees expected; and the American Public Health Association in San Diego, California USA, October 25 - 29, with 13,000 attendees expected. Top Use the Unity Day flyer to let others know about any Unity Day events planned by your group. Top EACH GROUP HAS BUT ONE PRIMARY PURPOSE — TO CARRY ITS MESSAGE TO THE COMPULSIVE OVEREATER WHO STILL SUFFERS. Top Previous page Attention Intergroups: Please inform the WSO whenever you have meeting changes to your directory. A Publication of: Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. P.O. Box 44020 Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4020 USA Phone: 1-505-891-2664 Fax: 1-505-891-4320 E-mail: info@oa.org OA Homepage Registered OA service bodies may reprint articles crediting A Step Ahead and Overeaters Anonymous. © 2008 Overeaters Anonymous®, Inc. All rights reserved.