Urantia Foundation Annual Report 2011

   

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Dear friends of Urantia Foundation,

Last summer my wife and I frequented a waterfall on a Canadian river. We were mesmerized by the schools of salmon swimming upstream toward their spawning grounds. The scene struck me as a metaphor for the human journey toward Paradise. These fish were part of a vast migration of millions of salmon swimming from the nearby ocean inlet toward the head waters of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The noble fish, exerting their energy toward their ultimate destination, found safety in numbers. When fish became isolated in an eddy, they often fell prey to eagles. But together, the salmon found security and strength as they moved upstream.

If we could observe the seven superuniverses from the Isle of Paradise, we would see trillions of inhabited planets and witness the first great human migration in the history of the cosmos. Here we are, trillions and trillions of human ascenders, migrating inward and upward to our ultimate destiny, the Eternal Isle of Paradise and the Universal Father. Together, by helping one another in our life’s journey, we will travel safely through the heavens.

As believers, spiritual pioneers, and members of organizations dedicated to the fifth epochal revelation, we need to help one another to flourish. “As moves the part, so moves the whole. As the progress of the whole, so the progress of the part.” By acting on our own, we increase the chance of failure. United and cooperatively serving together in the spirit of love, we live in the protective body of the Supreme Being.

2011 was a good year at Urantia Foundation. Thanks to all of you, much was accomplished. Your prayers, service, financial support, and goodwill moved this vitally important spiritual project forward. Now, deep into 2012, we stand evermore committed to the positive values of cooperation within the entire family of Urantia Book readers. United, in partnership with God, we can make great things happen for the Urantia Revelation.

Be of good cheer,
Mo Siegel,
President, Urantia Foundation

2010 Annual Report

Book Business

In 2011, Urantia Foundation distributed 17,000 copies of The Urantia Book―about the same number distributed in 2010. However, with Urantia Book downloads added, distribution is up by 13%. This is an accomplishment when you consider the decline of the North American bookstore industry. Digital books, internet downloads, Amazon.com, and the shrinking number of bookstores have significantly altered how, in general, books reach readers. These changes affect the dynamics of printing and selling books. Urantia Foundation has embraced the new challenges of book distribution in these changing times.

Urantia Foundation printed 23,000 books in 2011. They were:

• 6,200 copies of the 1993 Spanish translation.
• 3,800 copies of the Portuguese translation.
• 2,000 copies of the Polish translation (second printing).
• 9,000 copies of the English edition with a minor redesign of the dust jacket.
• 2,000 copies of the new LeatherSoft™ English edition.

A new distributor was hired in Argentina.

A new distribution system was established in Australia. Many thanks go to Kathleen and Trevor Swadling for their decades of service running the Australian branch office and distributing The Urantia Book.

Most European book distributors had steady sales.

E-book versions were published for the French, Portuguese and Spanish translations. The remaining translations will be published in 2012.

Progress was made on the Chinese, Farsi and Japanese translations.

The translator’s website was used for the revision work of the French, Portuguese and Spanish translations.

Urantia Book Distribution 2006—2011.

Education and Outreach

The board of directors of the Urantia Book Internet School (UBIS) met in Chicago to discuss their short and long-term plans for UBIS. The website was translated into Spanish, and a course was offered for the September trimester. Olga López facilitated the course, and thirteen students participated from eight Spanish-speaking countries.

Urantia Foundation supported the design and production of the Urantia Book Study Group Portal which is now named the Urantia Book Study Group Directory at urantiastudygroup.org. The Foundation encouraged study group hosts to list their group by offering discounts on the new LeatherSoft™ English edition during the holiday season.

Countries that have registered in the Urantia Book Study Group Directory.

Website and Social Media

Total visits to www.urantia.org in 2011 increased by 44% over 2010. Most visitors spent their time reading Paper 1, Adam and Eve, the Lucifer Rebellion, and the first paper in Part IV. The most frequent visitors came from the United States, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and Germany. The top five languages of the website that were visited were English, Portuguese, Spanish, French and Russian.

Total downloads of The Urantia Book were up 24% over 2010. The top five were Portuguese, Spanish, English, Russian, and French.

The Spanish translation of William Sadler Jr.’s books, A Study of the Master Universe ( Estudio del Universo Maestro ) and the Appendices to A Study of the Master Universe ( Apéndices de Estudio del Universo Maestro ), were added.

Urantia Foundation’s Facebook page had 2,900 “likes” at the end of 2011. This exceeded the goal by more than 30%. Facebook ads and sponsored stories helped increase the “likes.”

The Twitter feed has also been gaining popularity. Follow us at Urantia533.

Various Urantia Book translations that are being downloaded from the website.

The Building at 533 W Diversey Parkway

Urantia Foundation’s renovation project continues. Most of the renovations for the second floor were completed in 2011. The renovations for the first floor began in late 2011 and will be completed this year.

The capital campaign to renovate the remainder of the building is underway. Approximately $215,000 has been raised toward the required $450,000. To complete the first floor project, an additional $50,000 is needed before the end of 2012.

The Staff and Trustees invite you to take advantage of this community treasure and use the facilities for Urantia Book related meetings. If you desire to do so, the Foundation’s staff is at your service. Contact us at urantia@urantia.org or call 773-525-3319.

Fundraising

In 2011, 834 donors contributed $797,644. Of that, $617,455 was unrestricted. Funds were used to print 23,000 books, to store and ship them to distribution channels around the world, to operate and improve www.urantia.org, to maintain the UBIS website, and to pay for translations and revisions of translations.

Generous donors, thank you! Your contributions make possible our mission to seed The Urantia Book and its teachings throughout the world.

Many people ask what they can do to help serve the Urantia Revelation. A most valuable way is to join the Dollar-a-Day Club. If 2,250 people joined, this club would collect all the funds needed for Urantia Foundation to operate. Support of the Foundation would be totally democratized. The Foundation can automatically charge your credit card or debit your bank account for only $30 a month. Please consider joining today!

Financials

Statement of Financial Position as of 12/31/2011

Assets: $3,461,753

Current Liabilities: $58,956

Statement of Activities for the period 1/1/2011 to 12/31/2011

Change in net assets: $69,137 (gain)

Budget versus Actual for 2011

Budgeted: net change of $0

Actual: a net gain of $69,137

Budgeted expenses for 2011: $786,050

Budgeted expenses for 2012: $783,000

Budgeted net income does not include profits or losses from long-term investments.

Organizational Activities

In January 2011, Urantia Book readers gathered with the trustees in Dallas, Texas.

In May 2011, Jay Peregrine visited the Foundation’s branch office in Finland.

In June 2011, Mo and Jennifer Siegel visited readers of The Urantia Book in Sweden, Russia, Estonia and Finland.

In July 2011, the trustees and staff hosted two evening tours at 533 W Diversey Parkway in Chicago during the Leadership Symposium. Trustees also participated in a discussion panel about organizational leadership during the Fellowship’s conference in Salt Lake City.

2012 Outlook

The goals for 2012 are:

• Increase book sales and downloads by seven percent.
• Print 12,000 copies of the Spanish translation.
• Continue the progress of the Chinese, Japanese, and Farsi translations.
• Continue the revisions of the French, Portuguese and Spanish translations.
• Complete the audio version of the Portuguese translation.
• Offer workshops and seminars that foster in-depth study of The Urantia Book.

Conclusion

Urantia Foundation's accomplishments in 2011 resulted from the team efforts of the staff, the Expanded Board, the translators, the website team, the dedicated volunteers, and you, our donors. The trustees, associate trustees, and staff are deeply grateful to all who serve the Urantia Book project and support Urantia Foundation.

Trustees:
Gard Jameson
Richard Keeler
Marilynn Kulieke
Georges Michelson-Dupont
Henk Mylanus
Mo Siegel
Judy Van Cleave.

Associate Trustees:
Share Beasley
Marta Elders
Victor Garcia-Bory
Merritt Horn
Olga López Molina
Line St-Pierre
Ralph Zehr

Executive Director:
Jay Peregrine

Staff:
Connie Gutierrez
Joanne Strobel
Tamara Strumfeld
Mike Wood