Speaker Subsidies

COC Policy on Travel Subsidy to Support Educational Events for Orchid Societies

Approved at 21st COC AGM, October 18, 2009

COC Travel subsidy application form

COC Travel subsidy policy for 2010

Decision Taken:

At the AGM held in conjunction with the Fraser Valley Orchid Society Show, October 18, 2009 COC representatives agreed to Option 3. This option and the attached procedures come into effect January 1, 2010.

Background

For several years the establishment of a travel subsidy to support educational events in societies has been debated. In 2007, a one year pilot was approved to make available $200 to societies in good standing to assist with travel costs associated with bringing in a speaker. Two societies applied for and received the subsidy, the Orchid Society of Nova Scotia and the Kingston Orchid Society. However, guidelines had not been worked out, and the program was difficult to administer. In 2008, the merit of the proposal was reiterated at the AGM, and it was decided to review the policy in light of overall policy. This has been done. An early proposal was circulated for comment and three options were presented based on the suggestions received:

  1. The COC will not provide any funds to support a speaker subsidy.
  2. The COC will provide matching funding for societies of up to $200 per year for educational purposes. A sum of $1000 per year will be set aside in the COC budget to support this program.
  3. The COC will provide matching educational travel funds, as above in Option 2, but to small, and/or geographically isolated societies and/or co-operating societies and/or societies that have not yet received a travel subsidy as a priority.

Decision:

Option 3 was the approved option.

Administrative procedures for the educational travel subsidy

  1. Dates will be set for application and dispersal of the subsidy and published in the newsletter at least two months in advance of the deadline.
  2. Funds can be used any time within the calendar year.
  3. Any society in good standing can apply for the travel subsidy. Preference will be given to geographically- isolated societies (those farther than 200 km from a major urban orchid society), and to small societies, defined as those societies having less than 75 members. Additional priority will be given to those societies cooperating to bring in a joint speaker, e.g two or more societies could share the travel costs of a speaker who would visit each centre. In future years, priority may also be given to societies that have not yet received a travel subsidy. (Participating societies could reasonably expect to access the fund once every 4 years).

    Societies in good standing can apply for the educational subsidy in several ways:

    • to match society funds 50/50 to bring in a speaker of choice;
    • to join with other societies to bring a speaker that will go to several societies, thus increasing value for funds outlaid; the matching 50/50 formula would still apply to the society’s contribution and a maximum of three societies could apply for tour support (to allow the money be distributed nationally in an equitable fashion)
    • to pay bus or other travel costs for society members to travel as a group to another centre for a speaker at a show, or other educational event. Funds would be matched 50/50 as above.
  4. Eligible expenses will be limited to travel costs of the speaker or group transport vehicle, and will not cover accommodation or meals. Societies are required to identify the matching amount required up to $200 and present some form of estimate to back up their application, e.g. a computer printout of the anticipated airfare.
  5. Applications will be sent to the Education Chair, by mail or e-mail on the application form attached.
  6. The Education chair and other members of the Board will review the applications to determine that selection criteria are met. Allocation of funds will be made on priority and time-of-receipt basis, e.g. the COC will not determine the worthiness of the application, but only if it meets the selection criteria.
  7. The decision on applications received will be announced within 30 days of the application deadline and sent first by e-mail to all participants and subsequently published in the COC newsletter. Funds will be advanced from the treasurer to receiving societies following the decision.
  8. Societies receiving the subsidy are expected to submit a final receipt of costs, along with a short write up (and photograph) which can be published in the COC newsletter. Failure to comply would carry a penalty of ineligibility to access future funds for a period of two years.
  9. Each society is responsible for making its own travel arrangements, submitting receipts of travel expenses for review by the COC treasurer and auditor, write- up and photographs as outlined above.
  10. The COC’s responsibility will be to announce the application deadline giving two months for receipt of applications, the review of applications and allocation of funds, provision of an annual summary report to the AGM and to the auditor. The COC will periodically review and amend the program to ensure it is working efficiently and fairly. The first review will take place any time before the end of the first two years ( e.g. before October 18, 2012) when the Board will review and adjust the program as needed and set the value of funds to be dispensed for the following years on the basis of the treasurer’s recommendation of what is sustainably affordable. This will allow for flexibility and priority setting on an annual basis.

Finalized policy.
Approved AGM
October 18, 2009