2018-09 pt 2 -- Finance Committee notes on AVP-I proposal

Post date: Sep 09, 2018 1:29:16 PM

At the August 2018 meeting of the AVP-USA Finance Committee, the committee came to the following conclusions, and tasked its members with the following actions:

Proposals from AVP-International to AVP-USA:

• 1. That AVP International offer all facilitators free electronic access to pdf versions of all known manuals, regardless of their geographical location, but that AVP International not announce or advertise this with specific reference to facilitators in the United States; with review of possible effect on AVP USA distribution centre income in 6 months.

     1. TRANSLATION:

        1. Currently: AVP USA facilitators do NOT have access to all the FREE ONLINE AVP International Manuals; however ALL OTHER AVP Facilitators do have access.

        2. Proposal: AVP International would like to lift the restrictions on AVP USA facilitators.

        3. Consequences:This would NOT be advertised but all manuals including AVP USA Manual would be available for free from AVP International. Distribution Center may be affected by sales of the manuals.

The committee currently is reluctant to support this change.

Research would be helpful: How much income are we able to lose and maintain our operations? If our revenue decreases by 20%, how does that impact the organization? Can we estimate what percentage of our customer base is inside or outside facilitators? Can we use the CLARG report, or individual vs. multiple orders (1 copy vs. 20) to help with this? Can the Distribution Center poll its major users to estimate the percentage?

Action: Archer and Joe will work on seeking data, and Archer will then analyze the data. The Committee will address this at the next meeting.

• 1. That AVP groups (in this case AVP USA) communicate with the creator/author of the materials that the group would like to sell to facilitators to obtain their permission; that such materials be sold at cost (recognising there is a cost to produce, store and distribute); that the formula for setting the ‘cost’ be transparent and provided to both the creator/author and AVP International; only if the material’s being sold at cost is not feasible, then a royalty should be considered; such royalty would be negotiated with and go to AVP International as a global amount.

     1. TRANSLATION:

        1. Currently: AVP USA has sold materials from our website without permission from the author/creator. We have also sold them above cost.

        2. Proposal: AVP USA agrees to make contact with creators/authors of all work that we sell. AVP USA agrees to sell at cost or if not, then to give a royalty to the creator/author.

        3. Consequences: AVP USA would have to be diligent about the people when selling materials on AVP USA website. (What does this mean? Valentine)

Action: The committee would like clarity on this item, including specific examples. That said, the committee feels that treating authors ethically has been and continues to be important.

• 1. A multi-national review group of experienced facilitators be established and charged with such decisions. This could be the AVP International Education Committee (Manual Editors team), with a transparent selection process.

     1. TRANSLATION:

     2. Currently: No official body within any AVP Program that [omit] monitors AVP curriculum development. Right now anybody can create new material and say it is AVP. Currently there is no real standard for saying their [there] is .

        1. Proposal: AVP International is reaching out to all AVP countries and asking for their permission to create an AVP Material Review board to be [omit] able to decide what can be officially published as AVP Material.

        2. Consequences: Any new materials created by any facilitators would need to be submitted to the Review Board for approval.

        3. Note: We are NOT being asked to lead this. Just approve AVP international beginning to create this AVP Material Review Board

Action: The Committee will address this next month.