Inside Behavior Analysis
Volume 1 | 2009 | Number 2 | On-line ISSN: 2151-4704
SABA and ABAI Financial Update
By Maria E. Malott
Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis
SABA assets have increased steadily over the past 30 years and, today, SABA has over $650,000 in funds. Figure 1 shows SABA’s cumulative assets by year since 1989. As you may be aware, labor to manage the business of SABA is provided in kind by ABAI; all of the money donated to SABA is strictly used for grants and funds.
Figure 1. SABA's cumulative assests since 1989.
Today SABA has the following funds:
The Sidney W. and Janet R. Bijou Endowment Fund is SABA's largest, with over $337,000 at the end of 2008. This fund has generated 19 grants for doctoral students studying child development from a behavior-analytic perspective.
The Experimental Endowment Fund had approximately $121,000 at the end of 2008. This fund has generated grants for 10 doctoral students conducting research in the experimental analysis of behavior.
The International Endowment Fund provides financial assistance for individuals and organizations pursuing the development of behavior analysis internationally. By the end of 2008, this fund had just over $96,600. The International Endowment Fund has generated 28 grants to date.
The Student Presenters Fund supports student participation at ABAI events. Over 1,000 students have benefited from this fund, which had approximately $5,600 at the end of 2008.
The Doctoral Dissertation and Master's Thesis Research Endowment Fund provides financial assistance for individuals for long-term development of dissertation and Master's thesis research. This fund was created in 2009 and has already awarded two $1,000 dissertation grants and two $500 thesis grants.
SABA's Unrestricted Fund had just under $63,900 at the end of 2008. The money in this fund is not designated for a specific purpose, but is put to use as the Society sees fit.
SABA manages the principal of each fund to maintain a minimum growth rate of 3% per year. Grants are dispersed based on the rolling average of the last 5 years. In doing this, the Society ensures that each fund will last perpetually.
Association for Behavior Analysis International
Despite a difficult economic environment worldwide, ABAI has managed its finances conservatively to protect its assets and survive in an increasingly challenging market. Income at the end of 2008 totaled $2,007,245 and expenses $1,968,557, with a 2% net revenue.
Following is an assessment of the income and expenses for 2008, as well as ABAI's current and future undertakings. In 2008, ABAI was able to buy its new headquarters in Portage, Michigan (for more information about ABAI’s new building, please see Inside Behavior Analysis, vol. 1 (1), pp. 12-15). This has allowed the Association to move some of the funding from its cash reserves to fixed assets. ABAI’s combined cash and fixed assets totaled over $3 million at the end of 2008.
Income
Figure 2 shows income sources in 2008.
Figure 2. 2008 ABAI income by category.
The annual convention provides the greatest source of annual income to support ABAI activities (41%). Membership (27%) is also an important revenue stream, followed by the ABAI bookstore, autism conference, publications, and the education conference. The international conference will factor into 2009's total income.
ABAI's membership has grown an average of more than 7% annually over the past 10 years. In 2008, members totaled 5,367—a record high for the Association. Membership levels have remained in this range in 2009. Figure 3 shows membership trends for the past 10 years.
Figure 3. ABAI membership by year, 2000-2009.
Expenses
Figure 4 shows the distribution of expenses for 2008. ABAI’s major expense is payroll (44%), followed by the annual convention at 20%.
Figure 4. 2008 ABAI expenses by category.
Due to conservative income estimates, average versus projected income for the past 11 years has been +9%. Expenses during this period have averaged 3% below projections. Returns on investment in 2008 were -4%. An investment management company has carefully conserved ABAI and SABA funds during the recent recession. We feel confident that we will continue to manage the organization successfully during uneasy economic times; throughout the years ABAI has maintained funds in a cash investment reserve that allows the Association to meet challenges without disrupting the quality of its services.
2009
Annual convention registration has grown an average of about 5% annually from 1979 to 2008. However, this year the impact of the economic recession was felt at the 2009 Phoenix convention, where registration was 7% lower in relation to the 2008 convention. Still, we are pleased that, in spite of the economy, our annual convention attendance was comparable to the 2007 convention, the second highest in ABAI history. Figure 5 shows trends from 2000 to 2009.
Figure 5. ABAI convention registration by year, 2000-2009.
Although attendance fell in 2009, annual submissions remained constant, as reflected in Figure 6.
Figure 6. ABAI convention submissions by year, 2000-2009.
The stability of submissions across years is a good indication of the overall health of the annual convention. Furthermore, we expect a successful 2010 convention in San Antonio. Our room block in the headquarter hotel sold out only 5 days after its release. As the newsletter goes to press, the room blocks of our first and second overflow hotels are also sold out and our third overflow hotel is almost full. San Antonio will offer the best of all worlds; the headquarter hotel and adjacent convention center will provide comfortable and accessible meeting space and there are numerous restaurants and shops just outside, along the San Antonio Riverwalk.
ABAI’s 5th international conference, held this past August in Oslo, Norway was also a successful endeavor, and another model for how ABAI is seeking to diversify its income sources to protect long-term growth. A recap of the international conference in Oslo can be found here.
Future Financial Developments
At the end of 2008, ABAI held 84% of total assets in reserve as a safeguard against economic distress. As well, rental income from tenants occupying the extra offices of our building will provide additional income over the next several years, until those offices are needed to accommodate our own growth. Although we have always been conservative with our expenses, we are being especially careful and in the management of these assets, in light of the current worldwide financial climate.
We are very thankful for everyone who has donated to SABA over the past year (click here for a list of all 2009 SABA donors). The generosity of donors and loyalty of our members allow SABA and ABAI to preserve the integrity of the field and shape the future of behavior analysis. The successful combination of sound financial planning and the support of our members allows ABAI and SABA to remain on solid foundations even in these uneasy times.