SUMA Advocacy Funding

At the SUMA convention this year, delegates had the chance to provide feedback to Board members on the proposal to increase membership fees to create a dedicated pool of funding to advance SUMA’s advocacy work.

Feedback from members was generally very supportive. However, several key messages were received by SUMA:

• SUMA needs to be extremely transparent with members about how this money will be used and what objectives will be achieved with the funding.
• Members need to be able to see progress and there needs to be measurable performance indicators.
• SUMA needs to regularly report to members with regards to the funding.
• The size of the base fee increase is too large to expect in one year.

As a result of this feedback, and other feedback received from members in the days before convention, the SUMA Board of Directors chose to move forward with an increase in fees. Here is the resolution passed by the Board:

That the SUMA Board of Directors approves the following:

• An increase in SUMA membership fees, commencing in the 2013 membership year, to provide direct funding for the advocacy work of the association;
• That the new funding be collected through an adjustment to the SUMA membership fees, as follows:
  • An increase to the base fee of $500;
  • An increase to the per capita fee of $0.05 for the first 100,000 in population and $0.0225 for any population in excess of 100,000;
• That the increase to the base fee would be phased in over a two year period, with full implementation in the 2014 membership year;
• That in 2013, the base fee increase for advocacy funding would be $250, bringing the base fee to $758.03;
• That in 2014, the full $500 base fee for advocacy would be implemented;
• That the full funding will be in place for a three-year period, for membership years 2014, 2015, and 2016;
• That a vote of members will be held at Convention 2016 on the question of whether to continue the advocacy funding beyond the 2016 membership year;
• That SUMA will identify measurable outcomes for the advocacy funding, and report on these outcomes to the SUMA membership at regular intervals which must include all regional meetings and annual conventions; and
• That SUMA will adjust its multi-year advocacy framework, and annual advocacy plans, based on these new funds, and will report to the members on these plans.

So the resolution approved by the Board addresses the concerns raised by members:

• There will be a detailed plan developed which will be shared with members.
• There will be measurable outcomes, the progress towards which will be reported to members.
• The increase of the base fee will be phased in over two years, giving SUMA members time to prepare for the increase.

When SUMA members’ invoices are sent out in March, they will include a new itemized line for the advocacy funding. The base fee and the per capita fee will be calculated together on the same line.

If you’ve got questions or concerns, please contact SUMA at suma@suma.org.