What is it and why does Western Quarterly Meeting have it?
Western Quarterly Meeting’s Unified Budget is the method by which the Quarterly Meeting and its Monthly Meetings support the work of the Quarterly Meeting and that of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
In 1994 the Yearly Meeting decided to no longer use the Quota system of assessing each monthly meeting based on number of members. The Quota and the Annual Appeal, which had been a separate method of asking for contributions from individual members, would be combined into one budgeting process. Each Quarter, with its Monthly Meeting treasurers, would determine how to provide for the Quarter’s work and its share of Yearly Meeting work. Western Quarter, after consultation with its Monthly Meetings, in July 1994 agreed to experiment with this means of financing.
It began by taking the amount raised the previous year through the Quota system as well as the amount contributed through the Annual Appeal from Quarter members as well as the amount budgeted for the Quarter as a base from which to calculate what the total obligation might be for each Monthly Meeting. Each year since then each Monthly Meeting after hearing what the Yearly Meeting and the Quarterly Meeting budget committees request, decides how much it wishes to contribute to the Quarterly Meeting and the Yearly Meeting to cover both PYM Monthly Meeting Covenant and Annual Appeal as well as Quarterly Meeting needs. The treasurers along with the Quarter’s budget committee then meet to recommend to the Quarter the total amount to send to PYM.
This method of finance was approved as an experiment for five years. In replacing it with “Unified Budget.”
There are at least two advantages to this method. Monthly Meetings and individuals can considers the funding needs at one time of all three levels of meetings. And Monthly Meetings as one family can take care of those individuals and Monthly Meetings that may be able to contribute less than others or who choose not to contribute.
If individuals wish to contribute more to PYM, they are free to do this either through their Monthly Meeting treasurer so that it comes from the Meeting rather than an individual; or they may send a check directly to PYM with the notation that it be credited to Western Quarterly Meeting.
Members of Western Quarter do not receive the regular mailings from Annual Appeal unless Monthly Meetings or individuals request them.
Frances N. Beer, Kendal Meeting
April 2013
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