California GAD InstituteJanuary 17, 2007

Governmental Affairs Directors Subcommittee

This information is for discussion background purposes only and has not been approved by the Local Governmental Relations or Executive Committees or the Board of Directors
 
Issue:
Should changes be adopted to the schedule, fees and/or attendees of the California GAD Institute?
 
Action:
Optional
 
Options:
1. Take no action – maintain the same schedule and fees.

2. Increase fees

3. Limit attendance to California GADs only

4. Shorten the program by one half day or more.

5. Other.
 
Status/Summary
The California GAD Institute started in the year 2001 to provide local Governmantal Affairs Directors with a unique training and networking opportunity outside of the NAR GAD Institute.

I.  Costs
The original concept was presented as something that would eventually become "self-funding", with local Associations providing most, if not all, of the necessary funding.  However, to help the program get off the ground, in the first couple of years, fundingwas provided from a combination of sources, including C.A.R.'s Political Activities Fund and State IMPAC, registration fees from local attendees, and one sponsorship.  Over time, the funding sources shifted, and in the last few years, funding has come entirely from C.A.R.'s PAF and registration fees.

The original registration fee for attendees was set at $200.  After a few years, the fee was raised to $250 per attendee.

The revenue from registration fees, however, covers only  a small portion of the overall costs.  Roughly, registration covers the cost per attendee for food provided at the institute and some of the other incidental costs, such as speaker fees and audio visual rentals.  Lodging representsthe greatest portion of the costs for the program and this is covered by the revenue provided from C.A.R.'s PAF.

The costs change every year, but to provide some frame of reference, the following is a simple breakdown of the costs and revenuefor the 2006 GAD Institute:

Total Cost:                                 $32,632
Revenue from Registration:   $12,000
PAF Sponsorship:                    $20,632

As the primary sponsor of the program, the coststructuring of the Institute is ultimately up to the discretion of C.A.R.'s PAF.  However, GADs could increase the local share of the cost burden by voluntarily raising their registration fee.  Fees would have to increase almost three-foldto approximately $670 to cover all of the costs of the Institute (assuming the costs and number of registrants remain the same in 2007).  However, a smaller, incremental increase would also make a significant impact and demonstrate to C.A.R.'s PAF that local AORs are prepared to increase their share of the cost burden.

II.  Out-of-State GADs
In recent years, out-of-state GADs have also been invited to attend.  Approximately, four or five out-of-state GADs have attended eachyear in the past few years.  They are charged the regular registration fee of $250, and they are required to pay for their own lodging, so essentially, out-of-state GADs pay their own way to the Institute.

While there is little or no costimplication to C.A.R., the question remains as to who benefits more from attending the program by having out-of-state GADs in attendance.  If the benefit is greater to non-California GADs , then this open-invitation policy should pehraps be reconsidered.

III.  Duration of the Program

The Institute has always run for three and a half days, from Wednesday afternoon through Saturday morning.  The first half day, on Wednesday, has typically been set aside to cover basic introductory topics for newer GADs.  Topics typically become more advanced as the agenda progresses through to the weekend.

In the interest of cost cutting and eliminating a Saturday work-day for GADs and C.A.R. staff, the programcould conceivably be consolidated to end on Friday afternoon instead.