REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Minnesota:
The responsibility of the finance committee is the stewardship of the funds entrusted to the Grand Lodge by its members. Pursuant to section G2.02(6) of the Minnesota Code, the finance committee is charged with overseeing the financial transactions of the Grand Lodge.
Per Capita Increase
The ensuing year’s budget (beginning March 1, 2024) will be the first with the increased per capita, approved at last year’s Annual Communication. The increased per capita has helped push the draft budget into a small projected surplus for Fiscal Year 2025.
Minnesota Masonic Charities (MMC)
Over the past two years, MMC has increased its financial sponsorship of several key Grand Lodge programs and events that provide value to both organizations. This increased sponsorship offered the Grand Lodge flexibility to expand programs like the JW and AD/DR Conferences, and re-allocate some recurring program expenses to the hiring of the Director of Membership.
During the year 2023-2024 we carefully observed the expenditures of our Grand Lodge, then sought economies in those expenditures and implemented them. As expected, certain costs have increased while others have decreased, producing savings. In summary, we have met the past year’s budget guidelines. Total Revenue has declined, largely because of the decrease in membership.
Recommendations
The Finance Committee makes the following recommendations:
1. That the Grand Treasurer be authorized to disburse Grand Lodge Funds for all normal and necessary expenses for the months of March and April of 2025, or until such time as the Grand Lodge holds its next Annual Communication.
2. That the brethren, at the 2024 Annual Communication, approve the expenditures for those items that exceed the budget in this past year. [A detailed list of expenditures compared to budget amounts can be found in the financial statements included in the pre-prints.]
3. That the Grand Lodge support the proposed General Fund and Benevolent fund budgets for the next year.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert S. Davis, Senior Grand Warden
Chairman, Finance Committee
