Committee supports more detailed requirements for non-profit groups seeking G.A. exhibit space By Craig M. Kibler The Layman Online Monday, June 19, 2006 217th General Assembly Birmingham, Ala. BIRMINGHAM -- A panel is recommending to the full General Assembly that it require all non-profit groups seeking exhibit space during future general assemblies to submit a catalog of information -- including detailed financial data - about their ministries or face being denied exhibit hall space. Based on an overture from the Presbytery of Carlisle to amend Item 4 of "The Guidelines and Policies of the General Assembly Exhibit Hall," the Committee on General Assembly Procedures voted (44-1-0) Sunday afternoon to recommend that any nonprofit organization requesting exhibit hall space be required to provide the following information to the Office of the General Assembly: The name of the organization. Contact information for the organization. The group's statement of purpose or mission statement. That, if the organization is related to the Presbyterian Church (USA), it list the number of synods represented in the membership of its governing board. That, if the ministry is a membership organization, it provide the number of members. A list of the organization's current directors or governing board members, and its officers including their name, address and religious affiliation. A statement of income and expenses for each of the past two fiscal years, including figures for the following line items: income (contributions, gifts and grants received; membership dues and assessments; investment income; net rental income; net gain from sale of assets; other income) and expenses (grants and assistance paid; employee and director compensation, benefits and taxes paid; professional fees -- accounting, legal, fundraising, etc.; office -- rent, supplies and equipment; travel; and other expenses.) All of this material, according to the recommendation, will be filed in the General Assembly office during the assembly meeting and made available for review for those who request it. The recommendation also exempts several categories of organizations, including the entities of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and their divisions, program areas, committees, etc.; middle governing bodies of the denomination; and conciliar bodies to which the denomination relates in ministry and mission. The 216th General Assembly had directed the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly to study the directives of the four most recent assemblies concerning "affinity groups" or "special interest organizations," and to bring recommendations to the 217th General Assembly (2006) that define such organizations and provide coordinated requirements of such groups in providing information to the church about their organization, its membership and goals, and its funding. The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly, based on information received by the organizations, has identified the following groups as not qualifying as affinity groups (as defined by the assembly's actions in 2000 and 2001): BorderLinks; Knox Fellowship; Literacy and Evangelism International; Presbyterian Council for Chaplains and Military Personnel; Presbyterian Lay Committee; Presbyterian Outlook Foundation; Presbyterian Reformed Renewal Ministries International; Presbyterians for Faith, Family & Ministry; Presbyterians Pro-Life; and Voices of Orthodox Women. In its rationale, the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly said that "there have been a number of attempts in recent years to find a way for 'affinity groups' or 'special interest organizations' to voluntarily report to the church regarding their work and funding. After studying the actions of the four assemblies from 2000 through 2003, the Committee on the Office of General Assembly believes the basic information describing the organizations should be required and not optional. Granting an option to the organizations as to whether or not they provide the requested information is of no significant value and knowing the names of the organizations that do not provide this information is not beneficial." The committee cited a statement in the referral from the 216th General Assembly "to define the organizations that are required to provide information about their groups. This directive is answered by requiring the information from all nonprofit organizations that request space in the exhibit hall (with the exceptions noted above). This will clearly define who needs to provide the information." "It is felt that the organizations using exhibit space at the General Assembly meetings have the ear and attention of the commissioners and other attendees and thus have a responsibility for the privilege of using the space to provide information about their organizations," the rational said. "The messages and information provided by the organizations in the General Assembly Exhibit Hall can reflect on the PCUSA. Therefore, it is important that anyone that is interested have easy access to the information provided by the exhibitors. The names of contributors to nonprofit organizations are confidential information and, therefore, this proposal does not contain such a requirement. "Under current exhibit hall guidelines, organizations are requested to provide most of the relevant information, including the IRS Form 990 if they file one. The description of recommended information requested is simpler and easier to peruse than the entire IRS Form 990 currently being submitted by exhibitors. It will also define the information required for exhibitors not required by the IRS to file the Form 990."

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