Design for World Service Special Gifts
2001-2004 Quadrennium

The Book of Discipline, 2000, assigns the General Council on Ministries (GCOM) the responsibility for the administration of the World Service Special Gifts Program. "There shall be a World Service Special Gifts Committee within the Council to give administrative oversight to the World Service Special Gifts program, including establishing the procedure and criteria for approving specific projects, providing for staff administration of the program, and assuring program accountability to the Council by the administering agencies." (&907.6a). During the 2001-2004 quadrennium, the GCOM has placed this assignment in the Agency Relationships Work Area.

In fulfilling this responsibility the GCOM, through its Agency Relationships Work Area, shall approve projects to receive World Service Special Gifts under the guidelines approved by the General Conference. Projects approved by the Agency Relationships Work Area shall be reported to the GCOM plenary for information and comment. The Agency Relationships Work Area shall also report and make other recommendations to the GCOM.

Background Information
World Service Special Gifts historically have been administered by the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) in order for the individual donors or local churches to make special gifts to support any cause or project of any one of the World Service agencies. This mechanism of funding was used in a limited manner.

During the Study on Program and Funding Patterns conducted in the 1981?1984 quadrennium, by GCOM, GCFA, and the Council of Bishops, it was determined that there was need to open up a second?mile designated giving channel to general agencies so they could make direct appeals to constituencies for specific project funding. The Study on Program and Funding Patterns was to determine among other things, if there were sufficient funding channels to support the programs of the general agencies. As a result of consultations with the general program?related agencies, the need for an additional funding channel became apparent. It was agreed that the General Advance program has been successful in supporting mission work and should not be expanded to include other kinds of general church programming, Therefore, the GCOM and GCFA presented legislation to the 1984 General Conference to provide for the modification of the World Service Special Gifts as a test program during the 1985?1988 quadrennium. The 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000 General Conferences continued this legislation as follows: "All general boards and commissions except units of general agencies authorized to receive general Advance special gifts are authorized to recommend World Service Special Gift projects for approval by the Council, provided the project is specifically related to one or more of the Disciplinary functions of the recommending agency." (&907.6b.1), The Book of Discipline, 2000). Future recommendations for modifications of Disciplinary provisions will come from both the GCOM and GCFA.

Operating Principles and Administrative Procedures

1.	"All general boards and commissions except those units of general agencies authorized to receive general Advance special gifts are authorized to recommend World Service Special gift projects for approval by the Council, provided the project is specifically related to one or more of the disciplinary functions of the recommending agency." (&907.6b.1), The Book of Discipline, 2000.
2.	Each submitting agency's program request must fulfill the Criteria for Approval as established by the General Council on Ministries.
3.	Representatives from the administering agencies shall be provided with voice but without vote, and any cost related to such representation shall be borne by the respective agencies.
4.	The GCFA shall be represented with voice and without vote. (&907.6a), The Book of Discipline, 2000.
5.	Funds shall be channeled from individual donors or churches through annual conference treasurers to GCFA and then distributed to the agencies.
6.	Administering Agencies shall acknowledge the receipt of every gift of $25.00 or more to primary donors and a record of all gifts must be retained by the administering agency.
7.	Program requests shall be made by use of a standard application form developed by the GCOM, and with timeliness specified by the Work Area.
8.	If more funds are received than have been authorized for a given project, the administering agency shall contact the donor(s) to negotiate the possibility of the gift going to other similar projects, and if this is not possible, will return the gift. It is understood that the donor retains authority to stipulate the final designated use of any gifts in the excess of the amount authorized for a given project. Earning on funds received for a project shall be used for that project unless approval is given by the Agency Relationships Work Area for an alternate use.
9.	If minimum funds are not available, the procedure outlined in above principle shall be followed.
10.	Funds donated for a specific project must be used for that project.
11.	Income from World Service Special Gifts shall not be included in the approved agency's over?all operating budget.
12.	Administering agencies shall be accountable to the GCFA for the proper administration of all funds received.
13.	Cultivation costs related to the project and the source from which they will be paid shall clearly be identified in the application and may not be disbursed without prior approval of the project by the Agency Relationships Work Area of GCOM and GCFA.
14.	Promotional and cultivation costs are not to be paid from World Service Special Gifts Fund monies.

1.	Program requests must include the program title, purpose, need, rationale, and how this program will be administered. A specific project recommendation shall contain a time schedule, including:
	a. when the project should begin; b. the time span needed for completion; and c. the expected dates of its completion.
	Well-defined measurable goals shall be stated in each project.
2.	All requests must be first approved by the agencies and/or their Executive Committees prior to being submitted to the Agency Relationships Work Area for action.
3.	Project recommendations shall be specifically related to one or more of the disciplinary functions of the recommending agency. Specific project recommendations within a continuing program shall be for projects that are substantially new. Project approval made during previous quadrennium may be re-submitted for approval for the 2001-2004 quadrennium.
4.	World Service Special Gift Projects within boundaries of an Annual Conference shall be approved by the Agency Relationships Work Area only after consultation by the administering agency with the presiding bishop, the conference council director, the Council on Ministries of that Annual Conference or its equivalent, and the appropriate district superintendent(s) of that Annual Conference. (&718 and 907.6b (3), The Book of Discipline, 2000). The administering agency is to work with the Director of Connectional Ministries (or equivalent) and the Conference Council on Ministries or its equivalent to assure that local churches within the area served by the project are alerted to the project so that they may participate.
5.	Project recommendations shall include a statement of both the minimum funds needed in order for the project to begin as well as the total optimum funding sought.
6.	A well-defined budget shall be included within the project recommendation showing both expenses and all sources of income. The budget shall spell out precisely what the World Service Special Gift monies being sought would be used for within the total program and budget. The budget shall also outline cultivation expenses.
7.	Agency project recommendations shall include a listing by categories of those specific constituencies who will be cultivated to contribute to the recommended program.
8.	Project approval will be for a stipulated period of time not to exceed the end of the 2001-2004 quadrennium.
9.	Participating agencies will report annually to the GCFA and GCOM on each approved project showing contributions received, earnings on funds received, expenditures for such projects and cultivation expenses. Total project progress and evaluation shall be reported to GCOM annually with copies to GCFA.

1.	A general agency or its executive committee takes action on a project by approving it for submission to the Agency Relationships Work Area of the GCOM.
2.	This request is forwarded to the Agency Relationships Work Area and will include a completed application form and responses based on the established criteria.
3.	The Agency Relationships Work Area will review the project request based on the criteria.
4.	The Agency Relationships Work Area will report its action to the GCOM plenary and the recommending agency.

1.	A general agency or its executive committee takes action on a project geared specifically to an Annual Conference by approving it for submission to the Work Area.
2.	The general agency must first consult with the respective Annual Conference (i.e. resident bishop, conference council director, the Conference Council on Ministries or its equivalent and the appropriate district superintendent(s) prior to submitting the request to the Agency Relationships Work Area.
3.	A signed form from the Annual Conference indicating consultation has occurred must accompany the agency's request to the Agency Relationships Work Area.
4.	The Agency Relationships Work Area will review the project request based on the established criteria.
5.	The Agency Relationships Work Area will report its action to the GCOM plenary and to the recommending agency and annual conference involved.

1.	General promotion for purposes of name identification and visibility in the church, and
2.	Specific cultivation of each approved project by administering agencies.

1.	Program requests must include the program title, purpose, need, rationale, and how this program will be administered.
2.	All requests must be first approved by the agencies and/or their Executive Committees prior to being submitted to the GCOM Agency Relationships Work Area for action.
3.	Project recommendations shall be specifically related to one or more of the disciplinary functions of the recommending agency. Specific project recommendations within a continuing program shall be for projects that are substantially new.
4.	World Service Special Gift Projects within boundaries of an Annual Conference shall be approved by the WSSG Committee only after consultation with the presiding bishop, the conference council director, the Council on Ministries or its equivalent, and the appropriate district superintendent(s), of that Annual Conference. (&718 and 907.6b.3), The Book of Discipline, 2000.
5.	Project recommendations shall include a statement of both the minimum funds needed in order for the project to begin as well as the total optimum funding sought.
6.	A well-defined budget shall be included within the project recommendation showing both expenses and outside sources of income (i.e., the project needs matching funds from participating conferences, registration fees, etc.). The budget shall spell out precisely what The World Service Special Gift monies being sought would be used for within The total program and budget. The budget shall also outline promotional expenses.
7.	Agency project recommendations shall include a listing by categories of those specific constituencies who will be cultivated to contribute to the recommended program.
8.	Project approval will be for a stipulated period of time not to exceed the end of the 2001-2004 quadrennium.
9.	A specific project recommendation shall contain a time schedule including: a) when the project should begin; b) the time span needed for completion; and c) the expected dates of its completion.
10.	Participating agencies will report annually to The GCFA and GCOM on each approved project showing contributions received, earnings on funds received, expenditures for such projects and promotional expenses.
11.	Well-defined measurable goals shall be stated in each project.