AWG 2010 Annual General Meeting - Treasurer's Report

15 June, 2010

The report below was given at the 2010 Australian Writers' Guild Annual General Meeting held on Thursday 27 May 2010.Income for the year 2009 was the highest in the guild's history, at nearly $2m. This, however, included revenue from the highly successful National Screenwriters’ Conference which of course is only run each second year.Membership fees, reflecting the increased numbers, was slightly up for the year at just over $408,000.It is interesting to note that member subscriptions comprised only 23% of income,highlighting that the Australian Writers’ Guild remained successful in sourcing other funding whilst continuing to operate in an increasingly competitive marketplace.Expenditure on direct services to members - in line with the increased income noted earlier - also was the highest in the guild's history.Indeed, if this direct expenditure is added to the money spent in having staff and premises to deliver those services, we see that overheads for the year were only 7% of income. This is a cost/benefit ratio that other not-for-profit organisations can only dream about.Following the precedent of the last few years, the 2009 surplus of $1662 is about as near to breaking even - in other words, of giving every dollar we can back to members - as anyone could hope to see. It reflects the very careful stewardship of the Guild resources that is exercised by your NEC Board and, particularly, the Finance Committee.All in all, another highly successful and well managed financial year for the Guild.