REGIONAL BRANCHES OF THE NATIONAL BAHA'I FUND

The Universal House of Justice in the 1997 document entitled "Regional Baha'i Councils" identifies as one of the responsibilities of the Regional Councils the administering of the budget for their specific region. The House of Justice states that "a Regional Council can be authorised by the National Spiritual Assembly to act as its agent in operating a regional branch of the national Baha'i fund." (1) While the National Spiritual Assembly previously funded the work of the Councils completely, it feels it is now timely for the funding of these senior institutions of the Cause in the United Kingdom to come from the friends directly. Therefore, regional branches of the National Baha'i Fund have been established for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Indeed, the House of Justice envisages that eventually "the entire expenditure for the region would be provided by the believers in the region." (2)

The National Spiritual Assembly recognises the establishment of these regional branches of the National Fund as another welcome sign of the growing maturity of these important Baha'i bodies.

What will the regional branches do?

The main tasks of the Baha'i Councils are "to devise and execute expansion and consolidation plans in close collaboration with the Local Spiritual Assemblies and the believers within its area of jurisdiction." (3) The regional branch of the National Fund provides the necessary material means by which this all-important work can be carried out. Each contribution to a regional branch is therefore a vital and concrete way of participating in the plans and projects of the Council.

Each Baha'i Council formulates an annual budget for its respective region and submits this to the National Spiritual Assembly for its approval. Although the needs and challenges clearly differ from region to region, the following categories of expenditure are common to all Regional Councils:

· Teaching: the Councils support several short-term and ongoing teaching plans, and set aside money for financial assistance where necessary.

· Conferences and other meetings: these include regional and sub-regional gatherings as well as other special conferences.

· Youth: the Councils support the activities of the Regional Baha'i Youth Committees and Youth Task Forces; youth initiatives including dance workshops and teaching activities; and youth gatherings and conferences.

· Communications: each Council issues a regular newsletter/magazine which is an important means of communicating its vision and plans with friends under its jurisdiction, as well as a way of sharing with them news of exciting developments in the regions they serve.

· Administration: there are inevitably costs associated with the day-to-day functioning of the Councils including such matters as secretarial expenses and general administrative costs.

· Arts: the use of the arts in the proclamation, teaching and consolidation work plays an essential role in fostering the advancement of the process of entry by troops.

· Supporting the community: the Councils welcome requests for funding from Local Spiritual Assemblies, Groups and individuals. Individuals should, however, first approach their respective Assembly or Group. If the Assembly or Group supports the individual initiative but is unable to meet the costs, the individual believer is encouraged to approach the relevant Council for funding. The Councils consider each application on its own merits and in light of the wider needs of the community. It is strongly recommended that plans are properly budgeted for, and devised, where appropriate, in consultation with the Learned Arm.

How can I make a contribution to the regional branch of the National Fund?

Contributions should be made payable to the "National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the UK", with a note stating that either the entire contribution or a part thereof is to be allocated to a particular regional branch (eg the Welsh regional branch of the National Fund). In this way, contributions from individual believers, Groups and Local Spiritual Assemblies will be directed immediately to the relevant Council to use as it sees fit.

How much are the friends being asked to contribute?

The act of contributing to the various Funds of the Faith is the unique privilege and spiritual responsibility of each individual. The individual believer is free to contribute to any of the Funds as he or she sees fit, and it is up to him or her to determine the amount to be contributed to each of the four principal Baha'i Funds, namely the Local, National, Continental and International Funds. Each of these Funds has different requirements and these need to be borne in mind when considering the size of one's donation. Prioritising amounts to the Funds of the Faith is a personal decision for each believer and one which Groups and Assemblies have also been encouraged to reflect on and consult about.

The friends will be kept informed from time to time of the budgetary needs of each Regional Baha'i Council. It should be remembered that a contribution to a regional branch of the National Fund is still a donation to the National Fund, but that the support of the regional branches should not be seen as a substitute for the direct offering of contributions by the believers to the National Fund.

"Every Baha'i, no matter how poor, must realise what a grave responsibility he has to shoulder in this connection, and should have confidence that his progress as a believer in the World Order of Baha'u'llah will largely depend upon the measure in which he proves, in deeds, his readiness to support materially the Divine institutions of his Faith." (4)

"Contributing to the Fund is a service that every believer can render, be he poor or wealthy; for this is a spiritual responsibility in which the amount given is not important. It is the degree of the sacrifice of the giver, the love with which he makes his gift, and the unity of all the friends in this service which bring spiritual confirmations." (5)

It is the ardent hope of the National Spiritual Assembly that the habit of regular, generous and sacrificial contributions to the Baha'i Funds will become a distinctive aspect of the Baha'i lives of us all, and that the friends throughout these islands will lovingly support the work of the Regional Baha'i Councils through their contributions to the regional branches of the National Baha'i Fund.

(1) The Universal House of Justice, "Regional Baha'i Councils", May 1997, p. 12.

(2) Ibid.

(3) Ibid, p. 10.

(4) From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of India, 17 July 1937.

(5) From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the East and West, 18 December 1963.