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Bar News - July 25, 2003 NH Bar Association Budget Questions & Answers How is the budget created and approved? The Finance Committee, chaired by the president-elect (Russell Hilliard during spring 2003), works with the management staff to develop a proposed budget based on projections of continued, new, changed or discontinued programming and services. The proposed budget is presented to the full Board of Governors for approval, and is then presented to the membership through publication in Bar News. Also, a separate information session is held at the Bar Center for member questions and comments. This year’s session is scheduled for Thursday, August 21, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Bar Center. Are the financials audited? What do the auditors say? The financials of the New Hampshire Bar Association are audited on an annual basis by an independent CPA firm. For a number of years, the auditors’ notes and comments have been brief, expressing no serious concerns. The last audit indicated no negative findings or "reportable" conditions. What is the size of the budget? What are the major components? Virtually all activities of the NHBA are service-related; hence the single largest expense in the budget is staffing to carry out those services. Of the 25 full-time and 8 part-time positions in the budget, 10 are grant-funded. Benefit costs rose 20.7 percent over last year’s budget, attributable primarily to insurance premium increases. That’s a big budget – how does it affect dues? In 2003, the Board of Governors approved the Finance Committee’s recommendation of a $10 per active member dues increase to offset the costs of new member benefit programs. The majority of the Association’s revenue is generated by staff from non-dues sources. Your Bar Association staff continues to aggressively pursue new sources of non-dues revenue; however, increased competition for limited resources continues to make this a very difficult challenge. According to information compiled by the American Bar Association, NHBA dues are in the average range nationally, compared to other state bars. (The highest membership fee of $250 should not be confused with fees charged by the Supreme Court for the Professional Conduct Committee and the Public Protection Fund.) Why do we make money on CLE? The NHBA CLE program is designed to offer high-quality continuing legal education, specific to New Hampshire law, in a variety of formats and covering a wide range of subject and experience levels to meet member needs – while generating revenue for the Association. Our most recent offering, Online CLE, which is available 24/7 through this site, is already proving very popular with members. The pricing of the programs is generally below market cost, and participant evaluations indicate consistently high quality and value. The CLE Club offers NHBA members a volume discount, and if a member is experiencing financial hardship impacting his or her ability to attend, he or she is encouraged to contact the CLE program to inquire about the availability of scholarships. Why have CLE fees and subscription rates increased? Subscriptions to NH Bar News and NH Bar Journal continue to be provided at no additional charge to members of the NH Bar. Non-member subscription rates were increased to reflect additional production and distribution costs. CLE fees have also been adjusted to reflect current expenses and market conditions. Shifting more of the costs to users of the Bar’s services helps to minimize increases in Bar dues to all members. What are Reserve Funds, and how do they work? The use of Reserve Funds is recommended for most not-for-profit organizations to set aside funds to ensure their long-term viability in the case of unforeseen events, as well as to build funds to pay for future significant capital expenditures or other special projects. This year’s budget anticipates drawing funds from reserves to replace outdated equipment and to subsidize the cost of providing Casemaker free to all members of the Bar Association.
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