Stewarding our Association’s Resources
2020 marks 25 years of ICF advancing coaching worldwide. As Secretary/Treasurer for the 2020 ICF Professional Coaches Global Board, I cannot overemphasize the importance of this milestone. We are here today because of our Association’s thoughtful, sustainable approach to financial planning through the years. By stewarding our resources well, we’ve built a strong foundation for today and for the future.
As we prepare for our new financial year (ICF’s fiscal year runs April 1–March 31), we take stock of what went well and what opportunities the future represents for the ICF Family. Financial health is the heartbeat of the organization and as a board we are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring adequate as well as prudent management of our financial resources.
Our priority as the ICF Professional Coaches Global Board is to create more value for our members and manage the bottom line while we do it. I have the pleasure to share with you the Board’s philosophy and approach to stewarding our Association’s financial resources, along with some behind-the-scenes work of the ICF Professional Coaches Global Board’s finance committee. The finance committee meets every month to review financial status of the association, review any financial requests from chapters and make recommendations for board approval.
As we boldly lead the future of coaching through an expanded ICF, we have been asked whether this will require additional financial resources to support the development of the new family organizations. Because we have stewarded our resources wisely and engaged in diligent financial planning through the years, ICF’s financial health is in very good shape. This is precisely why we are able to take big steps to lead the future of coaching, and this investment in ICF’s future will not require additional resources nor deplete our reserves. We will remain within the approved range of 50%+ of annual operating budget. We have also identified several revenue-generation opportunities within the new organizational offerings. These will help pay off our investment.
The other day I met a colleague who asked me, “Are ICF’s Board members paid?” She was surprised when I said no. Serving on the Global Board is purely a voluntary role. However, ICF pays our travel costs and reimburses any expenses we incur while on official duty.
It is worth noting that ICF Chapter Leaders are volunteers, as well. My Global Board colleagues and I appreciate our volunteers around the world and are grateful for their commitment, passion for the profession and willingness to give their time and skills to ICF.
Financial Resources for Chapters
We have a variety of financial resources available for chapter development including but not limited to High-impact Project Grants, Trade Show Grants and Chapter Development funding.
ICF Chapter Leaders can learn more about these resources by contacting the ICF Regional Team.
We also consider special funding requests on case-by-case basis. These are just some of the ways or examples of the kind of financial support provided for chapters.
Renewing Your ICF Membership
As an ICF Member, you are personally investing in the future of our Association and the profession. Your annual dues come back to you in the form of member benefits. Some of these are tangible: Personally, ICF Membership has played a vital role in my professional growth. ICF Membership has given me access to virtual and in-person learning opportunities, including:
- ICF Converge
- ICF Advance
- ICF’s Business Development Series
- Communities of Practice
As an ICF Member, I’ve also benefited from access to research and leadership opportunities locally and globally.
ICF Membership also carries intangible benefits, including the credibility that comes with aligning with the ICF Code of Ethics and identifying yourself as part of the organization for coaching.
Thank you for renewing your membership and being a part of the global community. If you haven’t done so, you still have time. Please renew your ICF Membership today by clicking here.
Emily Kamunde-Osoro, ACC
Emily Kamunde-Osoro, ACC, is a leadership coach, HR professional, public speaker, and founder and director of Rise & Learn Limited, a human resources consulting firm. Her work spans a number of countries in Africa and the Middle East, having served as an HR leader in the manufacturing, financial services and aviation industries. She is experienced in HR strategy development, leadership, change management, career and organizational development. Emily has served on several boards which include a Pan African career development firm and the Institute of Human Resource Management in Kenya. In 2014, she was named “Manager of the Year” at the Kenya Institute of Management’s Company of the Year Awards (Kirit Dave Award). Emily is the Past President of ICF Kenya, and she currently serves as a Director on the ICF Global Board.
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