National Fund Update
4 April 2022
15 Bahá’ 179 B.E.
Contents:
– National Fund Update
– Sample press release for forthcoming conferences
– National Online Memorial Meeting
GC-36412
Download as PDF
To all believers in the United Kingdom
Dearly loved friends,
Throughout this One Year Plan, our community has been focussing on achieving the outstanding goals of the last Five Year Plan. Opportunities for increased teaching have arisen out of the troubling world situation and as we engage in conversations with friends, neighbours and colleagues about the forthcoming conferences. All of these remarkable, ongoing efforts are surely creating a strong foundation for the forthcoming launch of the Nine Year Plan at Riḍván.
Another feature of this year has been the National Spiritual Assembly’s encouragement for fund deepenings to take place within localities and clusters, facilitated by Local Assembly Treasurers in consultation and collaboration with the Treasurers of the four Regional Bahá’í Councils. Although raising consciousness of the needs of the Funds of the Faith is a line of action that is a constant focus of the National Assembly, the following guidance from the Universal House of Justice has more recently given impetus to this endeavour:
As you are aware, there is a range of ways in which Local Spiritual Assemblies and individual Bahá’ís can give material support to the activities carried out in their cluster. For example, Local Assemblies may support the work of the cluster agencies by hosting or arranging certain events and gatherings. The friends are also able to make donations towards specific activities or projects carried out in the cluster. Further, contributions earmarked for the support of the cluster’s activities can be made to the National Fund, or to its regional branch.
Universal House of Justice, 4 December 2018, To the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom
During the course of the year, direct contributions to the fund, although down from 2020, were still above £1 million. This means that the total income deficit during 2021 was just over £500,000. The shortfall was taken from the Growth Fund. The remaining income was generated from Gift Aid as well as from income generated by the National Assembly’s invested reserves.
Expenditure during the year was split fairly equally between the cost of growth, the functioning of the National Office and contributions to the Bahá’í World Centre. But this year there will be a significant increase in costs because of the forthcoming wave of conferences. The 2022 budget will be shared initially at National Convention before being circulated to the whole community.
As we advance into the Nine Year Plan, the friends are invited once again to consider the increasing needs of the fund, and to reflect upon what it means to achieve coherence between the material and spiritual dimensions of life.
Nothing short of a continuous flow of contributions to that [National] fund can, indeed, ensure the financial stability upon which so much of the progress of the institutions of the Faith must now inevitably depend.
Shoghi Effendi, 29 July 1935, To the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Darren Smith,
Treasurer
Sample press release for forthcoming conferences
A sample press release – announcing the forthcoming conference in your own region, sub-region or locality – has been created which may be helpful to the friends in approaching their local press and media. The content can be adapted or changed as you wish, and all items highlighted in yellow need to be localised. The press release is available as a word document here >
National Online Memorial Meeting
The National Spiritual Assembly warmly invites all the friends to a National Online Memorial Meeting at which the Roll of Honour, remembering those believers from the United Kingdom – and others who had a close relationship with this community – who have passed away during the year, will be read and prayers will be said for the progress of their souls. The meeting will take place on Zoom on Sunday 29 May at 7.30pm.
The Zoom link will be: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88940399964?pwd=aXlSbWxNNk1QUjBhK3ZjVytCeHVQdz09
Meeting ID: 889 4039 9964Passcode: 225234