Update For Finance – Jan 2025

Record of Minutes
Saturday, January 11,2025
9:00 AM HDT |
11:00 AM PDT |
2:00 PM EDT

Attendees:
Jennifer – OIAA Treasurer
Barry – Finance Committee Member and Vancouver Convention Chair
Felix – Alternate Treasurer
Beth – OIAA International Trustee
Cam – IGR for Life on Life’s Terms
Susan – OIAAA Chair
Mark – OIAA member – Tech
Kevin – Member of the Finance Committee
Nicky – Secretary
Matt – Tech Committee
Ken B – Atlanta – Board Member

Jennifer puts the Agenda on the screen and asks if anyone would like to propose any
changes. There are no responses. She then leads the Serenity Prayer. Afterward, Jennifer
takes attendance and introduces herself as the OIAA Treasurer. Barry introduces himself as
a longtime Finance Committee Member and currently the Vancouver Convention Chair.
Felix introduces himself as the Alternate Treasurer. Beth introduces herself as the
International Trustee for OIAA. Cam introduces herself as IGR for Life on Life’s Terms.
Susan is the OIAA Chair. Mark works with Technology, Kevin is a member of the Finance
Committee, Nicky is the Secretary, and Matt is visiting from the Tech Committee.
Approval of Minutes
Jennifer reviews the agenda and moves on to the approval of the minutes. She reminds
everyone that the change in the charter is effective, and voting in the Finance Committee
now establishes their voting preferences. Jennifer took attendance for the past year to
determine who is allowed to vote in today’s meeting. She reiterates that the requirement is
attendance at three consecutive Finance Committee meetings. If you miss three consecutive
meetings, the attendance requirement resets. She states that the voting rights will go to the
Board tomorrow, but since the Finance Committee already voted on this, it goes into effect
immediately.

Jennifer asks Susan about the voting rights for ex-officio members. Susan responds
that, as an ex-officio of all committees, she has no vote. Jennifer mentions that she wasn’t
sure, as she had voted in the Finance Committee previously.
Jennifer states that as of this meeting, the voting members are Barry, Felix, Nicky, Kevin,
and herself. She asks if anyone contests the attendance status. Cam inquires if these
guidelines were approved as an operational change by the Board. Jennifer replies that it’s in
the charter and doesn’t require Board approval to be used internally within the Finance
Committee since it was already presented and voted on in November.
Jennifer asks if anyone has amendments to the November minutes. No one has any
additions, so Jennifer calls for a motion to accept the minutes. Barry moves to accept, and
Felix seconds the motion. The minutes are unanimously accepted.
November Minutes Approved
Nicky informs the group that the December Minutes are still being worked on and will not
be completed today. Jennifer asks if Nicky can send the minutes to her so she can keep
attendance records for voting.
Contributions Review
Jennifer mentions that this is the highest Contribution to date for OIAA and is comparable
to November by $30, but December is now the highest record in OIAA history, totaling
$12,566. The Mailing and Postage costs were due to a check that both Jennifer and Felix
tried to deposit. Since they couldn’t deposit it, it had to be sent to Jennifer’s house, incurring
a small charge. She says that despite trying everything, it couldn’t be deposited into OIAA’s
Mercury account, so they offered alternative contribution methods via Stripe or PayPal.
Jennifer explains that PayPal and Stripe fees are included in the Revenue section.
Jennifer shares that the Professional Fees listed are monthly charges for the Accounting
System. She mentions that under the Convention line item, the amount was for the Final
Report. The Convention also had Interpretation Services, and this was the final expense for
the Convention. She notes that there was a $410 remainder in the projected Budget, which
was well-budgeted for.
The Tech Special Worker did extra work for the Convention beyond her standard Website
Maintenance, and that cost is included. Translation for the Assembly and Board was for the
December Assembly’s Interpretation Services. Jennifer believes the Translation was
provided for the Malayalam group for Tech Services. Other Technologies listed include the
Wild Apricot program costs. Carrie also worked on the Special Project for the month.
Jennifer confirms that Website Hosting and Management include Google Cloud and
SiteGround.
She asks if anyone has any questions about the budget.

Barry mentions he noticed Individual Donations over $1,000 and asks if this is a new
record. Jennifer says it’s difficult to determine since, prior to her tenure, a lot of Group
Contributions were recorded under Individual names. Barry clarifies that he’s referring to
after they started separating Individual and Group contributions. He notes that $1,000
seems to be the largest Individual Contribution recently. Jennifer agrees and says there was
one Individual Contribution of $500. Barry feels this may be where the boost came from.
Jennifer confirms that anyone who contributes more than $250 to OIAA will receive a
letter acknowledging their donation, which is recommended for 501(c)(3) organizations. She
will identify these individuals throughout the year and send them the letters for tax
purposes.
No Questions or Concerns
Financial Statements Review
Jennifer proceeds to review the Balance Sheet. She mentions that the end-of-year cash
balance is just under $144,000, of which $5,150 is earmarked for the International
Convention suite in Vancouver, leaving unearmarked revenues of $138,800. The budget for
expenses is $139,540. Jennifer states that the requirement to distribute excess funds has
been met. She asks if there are any questions about the Balance Sheet.
Barry comments that they are still within the filing boundaries for the 990 tax form.
Jennifer corrects him, saying they file the 990-EZ form because their revenue exceeds
$50,000, and they’ve been using the 990-EZ for the third year.
Jennifer mentions that the largest Contributions at the moment are from the Just for
Today group, the Sober in China group, and the Zoo Crew. The total Contributions amount
to $12,566. She asks if there are any questions regarding the Contributions or Balance
Sheet.
No Questions or Concerns
2025 Budget Discussion
Jennifer informs the Group that the Assembly has approved the 2025 budget, with one
modification in the Other Technology category. The original budget was $12,200, but it was
increased to $25,000 for a Tech Project, which is still to be determined. She mentions that
the site needs substantial translation work, and the Tech team could use these funds for that
purpose. She asks if there are any questions about the approved budget. There are no
responses.

Internal Financial Review Discussion
Jennifer turns to Kevin for updates on the Internal Financial Review. Kevin reports that he
gained access to the accounts and is now involved in deposits and withdrawals. One key
observation was that the system is mostly hands-off, but he had concerns about internal

controls within OIAA and the external organizations providing services. He reviewed
PayPal’s process and feels comfortable with it. Kevin mentions that all external
organizations audited by large firms have solid internal controls, so he feels confident in the
process.
Kevin says he has downloaded all necessary information and has begun analysis, finding that
the system looks clean so far. He expects to present his findings at the next Board or
Finance Committee meeting, which is scheduled for February 8th.
Jennifer mentions that Susan, Kevin, and herself spoke before the meeting and agrees that
Kevin should be on the Agenda for February 9th to present his report to the Board. She
also suggests adding this to the March Assembly Agenda.
Ken B – Atlanta joins the meeting
Jennifer speaks to Kevin and informs him that he will need to present the report three
times. Kevin agrees but mentions that he will need some assistance when presenting. He
suggests it would be helpful if everyone on the Finance Committee, the Board, and possibly
the Assembly could have access to the report prior to the meetings. Jennifer responds that
once the report is completed, Kevin can send it to the Finance Committee via email and
then to the Board. She specifies that Kevin should send the report directly to them so that
everyone has it on hand. She adds that she does not want to be involved in any way to avoid
any perception of influence on the report. She wants everyone to see it directly from Kevin.
Kevin acknowledges this but expresses that he hopes the audience will also have access to
the report when he is presenting.
Jennifer then brings up a topic that was raised in the Assembly and would like to discuss it
with the Finance Committee. She says she would like to get their thoughts in order to
provide a recommendation to the Board and the Assembly, as it’s a clear financial issue
with other considerations. She asks if anyone has any questions.
Ken asks if he is allowed to ask questions as a Board member or if he is just supposed to
observe. Jennifer responds that he can participate in the discussion but clarifies that he
cannot vote in the Finance Committee until he has attended three consecutive meetings.
She adds that anyone can participate in the discussion.
Ken explains that the point was raised in an email to the Board, where someone mentioned
that the Convention was supposed to be self-supporting. He asks if there was a vote by the
Body that decided whether the Convention has to fund itself or not. He goes on to say that
if contributions from Groups increase due to the Convention, the money could be
considered, in spirit, as funding for the Convention. He also suggests that increasing OIAA
Membership would naturally increase the number of Groups contributing, which, in essence,
would make the Convention self-supporting.

Jennifer responds that there have been discussions about wanting to distribute excess funds
to other entities. It was also brought up at the Assembly that they would ultimately vote on
whether to charge a registration fee for the upcoming Convention.
Ken says he’s trying to figure out whether the Assembly decided to charge a fee or not.
Jennifer responds that last year, it was decided to rely on Contributions, but they failed to
fully promote this during the 2024 Convention. She explains that the invitation to
contribute was only posted in the chat during the meeting and that the focus wasn’t on the
Contributions button. Jennifer shares that she and Beth had discussed adding a more visible
Contributions button on the registration page, making it easier for people to contribute.
Jennifer also brings up that there has been a conversation about actually charging a
registration fee. She mentions that in an Intergroup, there are various functions, and from
her experience attending different Intergroup events, if the Intergroup has sufficient funds,
they don’t charge a fee. This model can easily support the Membership and other events.
She says that when an Intergroup has enough funds, there’s no need to charge a fee. She
then asks if there are any questions.
Cam states that in other conventions held by AA, particularly the International Women’s
Convention and the upcoming Vancouver Convention, they are self-supporting. Regarding
Vancouver, OIAA is providing a hospitality suite available to OIAA members and others who
would like to stop by. She mentions that OIAA is also contributing money to this effort and
points out a pattern of self-supporting conferences. Cam suggests that they should support a
conference that is working toward unifying the AA community worldwide. She notes that it’s
not clear how the Membership wants to spend their income, and when there is no clear plan
for spending, money can be misused or end up unaccounted for in the Budget. She clarifies
that she’s not accusing anyone of mismanaging funds, but this is something she’s seen
happen in other organizations. Cam expresses her hope to volunteer and work with other
members this year to help generate income through the OIAA budget and raise money
during registration to ensure the Conference is supported.
Jennifer responds that they had a Budget process in December that the Assembly voted on.
Beth then speaks up, saying that initially, she did not agree with Jennifer that the
Convention was supported by the Seventh Tradition. She shares that she’s old-school and
believes everyone should at least pay five dollars. However, she changed her mind after
working with the Unity Committee and communicating with people from other countries
who had no way of contributing. She explains that these attendees often have the highest
attendance at the Convention. She mentions people from Iran, Russia, and South America,
who, despite not being able to contribute much financially, gave what they could, which was
significant. Beth also recounts her experience at a large Convention in Kenya two years ago,
both online and in person. She tried to pay but couldn’t due to the differences in the banking
systems between Europe and Kenya. Since only Kenyan locals could pay, the organizers
graciously allowed everyone to attend the virtual part for free. She reflects on how inspiring

it was to see older members from the United States, aged 60-65, participating, and she
found it beautiful.
Beth adds that the money for the Convention was raised through in-person attendance. She
emphasizes how wonderful it was to allow people to attend for free when they couldn’t pay,
calling it an important gesture. She doesn’t want to start excluding anyone simply because
they can’t contribute financially. She mentions that this ties into a Third Tradition issue.
She then asks if there are any other questions before they take a vote on what the Finance
Committee recommends.
Ken shares a memory from the '80s when he was in Ghana working for the World Bank. He
remembers that there was only one person listed with GSO at the time. He agrees that it's
hard to fathom that some people don’t have money, but he can see why that might be the
case, especially considering the availability of information about the Convention.
Mark speaks up, explaining that, similar to Beth, he was initially convinced that there were
many valid reasons to charge for the Convention. However, the more he thought about it,
listened to others, and reflected on what OIAA is about, the more he feels that OIAA is a
Spiritual Service Organization rather than a mere corporate entity. He explains that OIAA
offers all its services for free, as that’s its purpose. Mark highlights that OIAA delivers two
core services: Steppers provide emergency hotline response to Alcoholics in need, and
there’s a meeting directory listing thousands of groups that are not charged for space,
letters, storage, or membership fees. Mark believes the convention embodies OIAA's mission
and fits with their Third Tradition. He also proposes that they should have an Annual event
bringing alcoholics together globally, whether through an internet connection or phone
lines. While he’s not against charging, he believes doing so would contradict the spiritual
essence of the organization.
Felix seconds Mark’s comments, wholeheartedly agreeing. He sees this as a hallmark of their
existence — bringing Alcoholics, sick and suffering, together. He believes this is why OIAA
does everything possible to help each other. Felix feels that Contributions from excess funds
should be used to support this cause. He also believes that the membership has already
spoken through their actions and past decisions. Referring to the Assembly held in
December, Felix notes that everyone was grateful for the Convention and even received a
beautiful thank-you letter. He concludes that the way the funds were raised last year should
be the model for this year as well.
Barry suggests that since the beginning, AA has relied on voluntary Contributions to sustain
service work. He proposes placing a Donation button at every Conference, Assembly, and
area meeting. He notes that in the US, there is always an opportunity to pitch in and help
cover costs, allowing everyone the chance to contribute if they are able.

Jennifer responds, acknowledging that this is their first year and that they can learn and
improve for 2025. She sees this as a positive step and mentions that they can make the
donation button available at registration moving forward.
Susan shares her experience, explaining that in AA meetings, they are self-supporting
through voluntary Contributions. It's not a fee but rather passing the basket. She draws a
distinction between her own Intergroup and an event, saying that while a breakfast might
have a fee, the idea of being self-supporting through Contributions aligns with the Seventh
Tradition. She suggests that adding a Donation button on the registration page would be a
compromise, offering people the chance to contribute if they feel able to. Susan also points
out that in the future, OIAA might not have all the funds needed, and they may need to
revisit this discussion again. She thanks everyone for listening to her thoughts.
Ken agrees with Susan’s point, noting that when people attend a meeting and pass the
basket, they are contributing to the costs. Likewise, when attending an event with a service
provided, people often pay for that too. He suggests that the Convention is essentially a
large meeting, a gathering of meetings, and that they could make the Seventh Tradition
announcement during the Convention.
Jennifer then states that she will make her motion based on the consensus in the room. She
motions that the Finance Committee recommend not charging a fee for the 2025
convention. Susan suggests that, as Chair, she shouldn’t make the motion, so Jennifer asks if
anyone else would like to. Barry offers to make the Motion, stating that the Finance
Committee recommends not charging a mandatory fee for attending the 2025 Unity
Convention and that voluntary Contributions will be solicited upon registration and during
the Conference. Felix seconds the Motion. Jennifer calls for all in favor to raise their virtual
hands. The Motion passes unanimously, and Jennifer says she will convey the
recommendation to the Board and Assembly.
Jennifer asks if anyone has anything else to bring up for discussion, but there are no
responses.
She closes the meeting with the Responsibility Statement.