 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2003 (XXXXI 4) |
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, 2003, was approved at a Called Session on May 22. Thanks to additional support from Meetings and members, PYM was spared some of the budget cuts originally proposed.
Additional commitments totaling $95,000 came in from 28 Monthly Meetings and 58 individuals after Annual Sessions in March, when the budget was not approved. Thanks to such a positive response from Meetings and members, the Financial Stewardship Committee, in consultation with the Standing Committees, on May 22 presented a revised budget which restored funding for certain programs.
- The full-time staff position for Interpreting Quakerism to Visitors at Philadelphia’s Arch Street Meeting House will continue for one more year.
- The PYM Library will be able to purchase new books and to remain in its current location at the entrance to Friends Center this year.
- Middle School and Young Friends program coordinators will continue to have a paid assistant during youth gatherings. (A grant from Friends Institute supports the Young Friends assistant.)
- Additional funding also goes for maintenance of the Arch Street Meeting House.
Other reductions proposed last winter to balance the 2003-2004 budget have taken effect. The Information Services Librarian was reduced from 5 to 3 days a week. The Nonviolence and Children Program Coordinator position (3 days a week) was eliminated. The one-day-a-week staff position for Conscience, Militarism and War Tax Concerns was also eliminated. Other staff will support the two programs for which staff were laid off. (See personnel news in this issue.) Budgets for some working groups have been reduced.
The income needed to accomplish the ongoing work of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for and on behalf of Friends for the 2003-2004 budget year includes $1,117,000 anticipated in Covenant support from Monthly Meetings and a $435,000 goal for donations to the Annual Fund by members and attenders.
reported by the editor
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM