WORKSHOPThe future shape of GALHA

Introduction to discussion

Adam Knowles

Chair

THE STORY SO FARA BRIEF HISTORY OF GALHA’S FORM

1979: ‘Gay Humanist Group’ founded as an unincorporated association

1980s: changed name to explicitly include lesbians. Renamed ‘GALHA’.

1996: GALHA creates the PTT charity 2000s: Relationship between GALHA and

the PTT breaks down. Formal relationship stopped at the PTT end, continues at the GALHA end.

2008: GALHA itself applies for charitable status, setting up a Ltd company as part of the process.

2011: GALHA application for charitable status declined.

ON BECOMING A CHARITYWHAT WAS THE BIG IDEA?

Benefits Tax Kudos Support available Limited liability for the organisation by

being a Ltd company. Updates and strengthens our formal

constitution

Drawbacks Additional administrative burden Additional constraints on activity

WHY OUR CHARITY APPLICATION WAS DECLINED Political campaigning as a proportion of

our whole activity is too high to justify a tax break from the government

Risk of private benefits for members judged too likely.

Target audience not defined widely enough

THE CONTEXTTRENDS AND INSIGHTS

Those who give money and those who give time are often not the same people.

Usually people have a broad but shallow range of causes they support.

They support them in less formal, looser ways such as online (Facebook, Meetup), joining a protest or regular Direct Debit.

THE CONTEXTTHE COMMITTEE

Many on the current Committee are nearing the end of an appropriate ‘term’ i.e. 2 – 4 years

Despite best efforts we have increasingly struggled to replace Committee members

Keeping up with legal and mandatory reporting requirements is becoming increasingly complex and costly

SO..SOME THINGS WE COULD DO

Shift toward campaign-specific fundraising eg atheist bus rather than member subscriptions.

Change the membership structure to provide greater flexibility in how people can contribute to advancing LGBT Humanism.

We can try this if we rethink our fixed costs.

Outsourcing key admin tasks (membership management, financial reporting) means they benefit from efficiencies of scale.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?A. Stay as we are, an unincorporated

voluntary associationB. Transfer in to the Limited company via an

SGMC. Go back to the drawing board and come

up with a new option

BECOME THE LGBT SECTION OF THE BHA

Key features They will take care of all our membership

admin They will fulfill all official financial reporting

requirements They will provide 1 x Committee member

plus a minute-taker for Committee meetings

We will operate from a ‘restricted fund’ We will become constrained to activity

allowable by a charity We use the name ‘GALHA, the LGBT section

of the BHA’.

COMPARE TO THE CHARITY PLANRECALL WHAT WE AIMED FOR

Benefits Tax Kudos Support available Limited liability for the organisation Updates and strengthens our formal

constitution Reduced administrative burden More next..

Drawbacks Additional administrative burden Additional constraints on activity More next..

GALHA AND THE BHA

KEY BENEFITS Closer working relationship with the BHA:

Access to their 28,000 members & supporters. Links easier/more productive with the AHS, the IHEU etc.

Administration of members and annual finances removed from Committee responsibility.

Better legal protection for committee members. Significant reduction in costs from efficiencies of

scale in postage, affiliations. Tax benefit as part of a charity. Press releases and contacts joined together. VAT paid on services and supplies can be reclaimed. New constitution removes historical anomaly of PTT

donors being GALHA members without GALHA receiving money.

Ends having to run and submit reports on both unincorporated GALHA and the present Ltd company.

GALHA AND THE BHA

KEY DRAWBACKS/RISKS Loss of independence, autonomy and name equity Cost of the change to GALHA: couple of all-member

mailings, legal fees Members may leave if they object to it, including

some key members or VPs A reduced committee size may have unintended

consequences Risk that by moving closer to the BHA we move

further from other partners including the NSS Significant risk of reduced income if current GALHA

members do not made additional donations Risk the Charity Commission will see this as GALHA

becoming a charity by the back door

GALHA AND THE BHA

REDUCING ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD

Current

Future

Activity; 40% Activity; 60%

Admin; 60% Admin; 40%

GALHA AND THE BHA

RISK: IMPACT OF REDUCED COMMITTEE SIZE

Chair Secretary Treasurer

Newsletter Editor

Press and Communicatio

ns

Minute Secretary

Events and Campaigns

Co-ordinator

Committee member

Committee member

Chair Deputy Chair

Finance Officer Newsletter Editor

Events? Press &

Communications?

BHA Appointee

Minute Secretary

Current Future

GALHA AND THE BHA

IMPACT ON MEMBERS THEMSELVESBenefits Single, complementary source for

Humanist news, views and leadership Those already BHA members no longer

pay a 'dual' subscription to GALHA (though we hope for additional donations)

Drawbacks Increase in subscription fee for non-BHA

members Loss of independent identity of the current

organisation

GALHA AND THE BHA

ABOUT THE NAME

The name GALHA.. retains the equity built up in our

reputation over many years.

But..

Excludes ‘B’ and ‘T’. Would no longer stand for anything.

We cannot be an association within an association. 

GALHA AND THE BHA

WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR1. Held initial meetings with the BHA to

discover the feasibility of such a move.2. Written draft bye-laws that would govern

the new GALHA.3. Submitted these to a meeting of the BHA

Trustees who agreed the approach.4. Mailed all members the detailed

proposal and an invitation to come here and discuss it.

GALHA AND THE BHA

POSSIBLE TIMELINE1. Within 2 months: finalise the new

constitution and arrangements in detail.2. +1 month: mail all members with at least

1 month notice of an SGM where winding up will be discussed

3. +1 month: convene an SGM to decide the matter

4. Then as soon as possible:1. Mail all members with option to

opt-out/request refund by post or online.2. Opt-out available/pro-rata refunds issued3. Move existing GALHA members into the BHA

via the transitional arrangement to be agreed

GALHA AND THE BHA

Have your say Excepts from emails received following the mailer

“I am opposed to the proposal that GALHA become a section of the BHA. I have been a staunch supporter of the BHA. However, the founders of GALHA, including myself, opted to set up an autonomous organisation and I think it should remain so.”- George Broadhead, Founding member and Vice President

“I am very much supportive of the idea of becoming a subsection of BHA for most of the reasons set out.   A further point may be made is of the expertise of the BHA in matters of civil ceremonies and funerals etc., and GALHA members could consider this as a positive reason for closer ties.”- John Watt, Ormskirk Lancs

“I support the proposal to affiliate as an independent sub-section of the BHA.  I have attended various of their events and have respect for Andrew Copson, and they are obviously keen to support us and our particular field. I also think it might help us to a more balanced membership - more women in particular especially if they only have to be supporters not necessarily out gay.”- Maureen Duffy, GALHA President

“Has the Committee considered the other, cheap and easy, route to 'charitable recognition' - an' Industrial and Provident Society?”- Chris Richardson, GALHA member

Have your say

www.galha.org

2011 AGM