Several new programs budgeted for next fiscal year.
At this year’s annual meeting, AAN members unanimously approved a Fiscal Year 2001 budget that includes several new programs made possible by the success of the AAN Classified Advertising Network (AAN CAN).
In addition, President Patty Calhoun announced during the meeting that at the end of the current fiscal year, the association will pay direct rebates to AAN members participating in the AAN CAN program. AAN staff has projected that the AAN CAN surplus feeding the rebate pool will exceed $100,000. AAN’s fiscal year ends Sept. 30.
At a little over $1 million, the FY 2001 AAN budget is more than 30% higher than the budget that was approved last year in Memphis, even though the number of AAN Advantage ads (aka “donated ads”) was reduced from eight half-pages to six. The increased funding, and the programs associated with it, are the direct result of the success of the AAN CAN program.
Here are some of the highlights of the FY 2001 budget:
Two free legal hotlines for AAN members, one for business problems and the other for libel issues. Both services are expected to be available when the FY 2001 begins on Oct. 1.
A classified advertising conference designed for publishers and classified managers will be held in Fall 2000 or Spring 2001. Although the details still need to be worked out, AAN expects to be able to offer one free registration to the conference to all papers that participate in AAN CAN.
The Marketing Committee received additional funding to exhibit at a conference of human resource professionals, for the purpose of promoting AAN papers as an attractive vehicle for recruitment advertising.
$10,000 was earmarked for diversity, with the editorial committee charged with the responsibility of determining how to money will be used.
On Sept. 1, AAN staff will be moving into a new office in the D.C area with approximately 800 additional square feet of space.
AAN will begin paying a modest per diem to cover the travel expenses of members attending board and committee meetings.
Over $80,000 has been budgeted for development of the AAN website.
