Purpose of IOGKFNZ Travel Committee
Oversee the dispensation of funds from the IOGKFNZ travel fund by making decisions on who receives financial support.
Decisions will be based on the value to the IOGKFNZ as an organisation and also on the number of IOGKFNZ members that will directly benefit due to the travel. The objectives of the travel are to
- maintain a flow of knowledge of Okinawan Goju Ryu to IOGKFNZ members
- ensure representation of IOGKFNZ at international IOGKF events
- improve and maintain skill levels of IOGKFNZ instructors and other IOGKFNZ members.
Membership
The IOGKFNZ Travel Committee will consist of two registered IOGKFNZ members, supported by the treasurer. Both members, other than the treasurer, will be nominated by the Kambukai.
One member will be from the North Island and one member from South Island. (Treasurer can be from either Island) The Kambukai will have one deciding vote, should the two nominated members not be able to be reach a decision on an application.
Two members must hold a Sandan or above in the IOGKFNZ (Note: A IOGKFNZ Nidan can be nominated if insufficient Sandan’s available)
Replacement
Members can leave the committee by choice or be dismissed from the committee by majority vote of the Kambukai.
Committee members should be replaced ASAP by nomination.
Accountability
Committee to provide notes from meetings to Kambukai and area reps. Committee provides a report to the AGM on how the travel fund was spent. I.e.: Who received funding, how much, for what event and how the IOGKFNZ benefited from supporting the individual.
Operational guidelines for the IOGKFNZ Travel Committee
Eligibility to apply
Any current financial member of the IOGKFNZ is eligible to apply for and receive travel grants under the IOGKFNZ travel scheme. Applicants should have support for their application and endorsement from their dojo instructor and clearly state how the travel will benefit the IOGKFNZ.
Events that can be supported
IOGKF or IOGKFNZ events that have a leading IOGKF instructor present (Sensei Nakamura, Ernie, Henrik, Paula etc).
Costs eligible to be covered by travel grants
Transport costs to the event, i.e. air travel, busses, trains, taxis, car rental.
Accommodation (reasonable accommodation cost, expectations are that the applicant has shown substantial effort to find reasonable lodging)
Applications submission dates
Annually, a call for applications, covering travel to events between 1 Jan and 31 Dec should be emailed to the widest possible email list each year by November 30th (including the application form).
Application deadlines: Deadlines for receiving applications should be 1st February and 1st August.
Notification deadlines: Deadlines for committee decisions to be notified should be approximately 1st March and 1st September, respectively.
Decisions will be reached based on the:
- added value to IOGKFNZ
- applicants current contribution to their dojo and the IOGKFNZ
- benefits other IOGKFNZ members and the organisation would gain
- alignment to IOGKFNZ strategic plan
- number of members that would benefit from the recipient’s use of travel monies
The committee will assess all applications received by the application deadline on their own merit and by comparing applications with others.
In the first instance the merit of each application will be assessed on its own, and a decision should be made whether the application shall be considered for funding or whether it is not sufficient to contest for funding.
Secondly, each application will be assessed in relation to the other applications and a ranking should be established based on: the aims and objectives of the fund, and the contribution of the applicant to the IOGKFNZ.
The available funds for that year will be allocated to the applicants in accordance with the ranking of the applications, the highest ranking application receiving priority funding. Partial funding of applications is possible and will be considered based on availability of funds.
Note 1: The committee is not obliged to allocate the available funding if no suitable applications are received
Note 2: Decisions should be unanimous (2 votes), if no unanimous decision can be reached the Kambukai will cast a final vote.
Control of funds
Allocation of funds will be the responsibility of the committee, but the bank account will be administered by the IOGKFNZ treasurer. The treasurer is the only one of the committee that can transfer funds to successful applicants.
Notification of applicants
Each applicant will be notified about the success or not of their application. In case the available funding is less that the grant sought by the applicant, the committee has to ask the applicant if she/he will take up the grant and commit to the travel covering the shortfall her/himself.
The timeline allows applicants at least six weeks to get their application in, and would ensure that four weeks later they have a decision. It would also allow the committee to deal with the workload in an appropriate timeframe of four weeks.