European Centre for Accessible Media
Finance
ECAM will be a self sustaining, low capital, high productivity, networked entity.
After an initial start-up period of two years, its core costs will be covered from subscription income and a rule forbidding core costs to be met from grant income (an unsustainable strategy) will be written into its constitution. Any special projects will be undertaken through grants or commercial transactions with the public and private sectors.
ECAM considered establishing a commercial arm to supply accessibility services at a market rate but the option was rejected in favour of providing incubator services. ECAM, therefore, wishes to be clear that it does not wish to interfere with market competitiveness by using Membership fees or grant income in any way which will provide competition to Members or potential Members.
Basic Financial and Budgetary Rules
- Like all ECAM documents except those dealing with personnel and competition issues, the ECAM budget will be a public document.
- The budget for ECAM will be set on a three-year rolling basis by its Board which will then apportion Membership subscriptions according to the turnover of Members.
- After an initial period of two years which will contain extraordinary start-up costs met by a grant, ECAM's equivalent core costs will be set at inflation minus 2%.
- The Board may increase core costs in line with greater responsibilities but no core cost budget for any year may be more than 25% higher than the previous year.
- Grant applications will include a standard overhead of 15% to meet administration costs and sub contracts to Member institutions may contain an administrative overhead up to a maximum of 15%.
- Grant income in any year may not be more than 33% above that of the previous year.
- There will be no part year subscriptions; Members will be liable for whole year subscription payments in the year they are admitted to Membership if they join before 1st July of any year or for whole year subscription payments for the succeeding year if they join on or after 1st July in any year. Unforecast subscription income will be allocated at the discretion of the Board.
- Members will normally be expected to meet their own travel and accommodation costs for attending ECAM Meetings and events but exceptions are at the discretion of the Board or an Officer acting with delegated powers on behalf of the Board.