Scholarships to Attend the Annual Gathering

[THIS PAGE NEEDS REVIEW BY THE TREASURER AND REGISTRAR TO LEARN HOW WELL THE PROCEDURE WORKED IN 2005.] 

[ALSO, REVIEW BY PEOPLE WORKING AT THE MONTHLY MEETING LEVEL.  HOW DID IT WORK FOR YOU?] 

Note on current practice:  From Finance Committee Report, June 17, 2005

SCHOLARSHIPS:  We’ve simplified the scholarship process with the Registrar accepting all scholarships approved by the monthly meetings and notifying the Finance Committee when the IMYM scholarships exceed $1700, so we can evaluate the financial impact.  We are working to clairfy our accounting of scholarship funds.

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[The statement appearing below, which differs in procedure from the 1998 Guide, is adapted from Guidelines: Scholarships for the IMYM Annual Gathering, attached to Continuing Committee minutes, February 2003.  IT SHOULD BE REVISED TO INCORPORATE THE LANGUAGE USED IN 2005 REGISTRATION MATERIALS, WHICH RECEIVED DISCUSSION AT THE JANUARY 2005 CONTINUING COMMITTEE.] 

Your attendance at the annual gathering and participation in its life are what give the Yearly Meeting its strength of being.  Lack of funds should not prevent any member or active attender from attending the gathering.  Therefore, the Yearly Meeting maintains a scholarship fund that is funded by individual donations, the annual gathering registration fee, and, as needed, the Yearly Meeting’s general fund.  If your financial situation discourages you from attending the gathering, we strongly encourage you to read on and reconsider. 

Individuals and families who need financial assistance to attend the annual gathering should inform their Monthly Meeting of the amount needed as soon as possible after registration information becomes available.  Monthly Meetings should publicize the procedure for obtaining scholarship assistance, including to whom applications are submitted.  If the Monthly Meeting is able to provide scholarship aid for partial or full payment of registration, housing and meals, it so notifies the applicant.  Meetings are encouraged to provide the individual or family with a check in the amount the Meeting can fund as well as a letter requesting that any remaining amount be made up from the IMYM Scholarship Fund.  Recipients should indicate on the registration form the amount they can pay, and include their payment along with the Monthly Meeting’s check and letter.  

As in other Yearly Meeting matters, each Monthly Meeting bears responsibility for informing Worship Groups and Preparative Meetings under its care about scholarship availability and for handling their applications. 

Every effort will be made to keep scholarship information confidential, both within the Monthly Meeting and at the Yearly Meeting level. 

Are You Serving the Annual Gathering in an Official Capacity?

Individuals who serve the Yearly Meeting in an official capacity and need financial assistance to attend the annual gathering should show on the registration form the amount of financial responsibility they can assume and what is needed from the Yearly Meeting.  Questions should be directed to the clerk or coordinator of the committee or activity involved, or to the Clerk of the Yearly Meeting.  Every effort will be made to keep scholarship information confidential.  

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 Administrative Notes about the Scholarship Process

1.  The above descriptions of the scholarship process are intended for use in the annual registration packet. 

2.   Any negotiation or fact-finding by the Yearly Meeting should normally be directed back to the Monthly Meeting, not the recipient. 

3.  "Minute IMYM 96-5  To ensure access to the services of Friends whose skills and capabilities would otherwise be denied the Yearly Meeting, the Executive Committee may, at its discretion, authorize the coverage of any such portion or all, as may be required in specific instances, of the costs of attending the annual sessions and the committee meetings or retreats required in their planning.  These costs include room and board, registration fees and transportation.  Funds for this purpose will be budgeted by the Finance Committee.  Executive Committee will report to the 1997 Yearly Meeting on the operation of this procedure." 

4.  While the Executive Committee is charged with overseeing the policy behind IMYM 96-5, the success of meeting individual needs rests largely in the hands of the Registrar and Treasurer during the registration process.  

5.  The costs associated with scholarships are to be funded from annual gathering income, specifically as part of the registration fee.  Should that source be insufficient, the balance will be paid from the Yearly Meeting’s general fund and the Finance Committee will adjust budgets for future annual gatherings accordingly.