Annual reports http://www.oxfamamerica.org daily 1 2009-06-02T20:35:33Z Annual Report 2011-2012 http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whoweare/financial-information/annual-reports/annual-report-2011-2012 As we look to the next decade, we must reflect on the challenges we see and ask: Are we fit for purpose for what lies ahead? But, perhaps most important, we see a way forward. We do not accept that injustice is inevitable. Although we are grappling with thorny issues as part of a confederation-wide planning process, this year we will put the finishing touches on our strategic plan for the coming decade. As we look to the future, we feel fortunate to do so with a sound financial base and remarkable donor loyalty. And we are grateful to have earned the confidence of generous institutional supporters. Increasingly, foundations are identifying Oxfam as a global leader. After an independent evaluation of major policy organizations, in May 2011 the Gates Foundation endorsed Oxfam's policy and advocacy skills by awarding us $13.5 million—one of the foundation's largest grants of this kind.

In the end, however, we rely primarily on the hundreds of thousands of Americans who support us through their gifts, emails, and presence at public events. Citizen action is what drives change. At Oxfam, our role is in large part one of public education: we help connect the dots, offering understanding about complex problems, and then offering real solutions that give citizens the power they need to advance a grievance to a positive change. We value the support of each and every person who joins us in this enterprise. You give us life and purpose.

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]]> No publisher Oxfam America finances 2012-12-12T15:07:50Z Annual Report Annual Report 2010 http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whoweare/financial-information/annual-reports/annual-report-2010 It was an exceptional year for Oxfam America. We provided an unprecedented $62 million in support to our program services. The generosity of our supporters made this possible; donations were up 63 percent. For the fourth consecutive year, our overall program support exceeded 79 percent of our total spending. Moreover, with increased contributions and careful management of expenses, we boosted our net assets by $8.3 million, assuring that we have the financial base to continue helping people to overcome poverty. A decade ago, Oxfam America stepped back and examined several key facts about development work. First, most one-off aid projects―those created to deliver goods or respond to a symptom of poverty—have little lasting effect on people’s lives. Second, a combination of economic growth and access to markets is the primary reason that the percentage of people living in poverty dropped by 22 percent between 1990 and 2005. Yet rapid economic growth can create problems too; invariably, some categories of people—like women and girls or indigenous people—consistently fall behind others.

These facts led Oxfam to deepen its institutional commitment to get at the root causes of poverty.

The expression “root causes” refers to an interwoven system of relationships. Poverty is about power, and power is about how people relate to each other. Thus, providing goods or services—like food or training—can be counterproductive unless we also help people raise their voices and claim the right to hold their leaders accountable.

This is how Oxfam works. When an emergency strikes, we address immediate and urgent needs. If we want to change people’s lives in a lasting way, our work must target long-standing social inequality.

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]]> No publisher khamilton 2011-06-02T16:23:50Z Annual Report Annual Report 2009 http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whoweare/financial-information/annual-reports/annual-report-2009 In 2009, Oxfam America addressed the still-uncertain fund-raising environment by making tough choices about how to invest our resources. Thus far, we have weathered the financial and economic downturn well and have been able to meet our commitments to the people Oxfam serves. Soon after 2009 ended, a powerful earthquake struck Haiti; Haitians immediately began piecing their lives back together, reminding us that all around the world—despite the economic downturn—people fighting to overcome poverty are not waiting idly for help; they want to be agents of their own change, creating solutions to their own problems.

Thanks to the support of our extremely committed donors, Oxfam’s unrestricted contributions in 2009 were higher than we had anticipated, producing a net increase in unrestricted assets. As we have continued to put to work the monies raised through the Campaign for Oxfam America and through other large restricted contributions made before 2009, we have seen our temporarily restricted net assets shrink. In all, Oxfam America fared comparatively well during a year of financial turmoil and uncertainty. We count ourselves fortunate.

 
]]> No publisher mborum 2011-06-29T14:19:21Z Annual Report Annual Report 2008 http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whoweare/financial-information/annual-reports/annual-report-2008 In an economic climate in which businesses are "going back to basics" and retrenching, Oxfam America finds itself in a unique position. We're optimistic. Those of us in the relief and development business know that good times are often followed by bad, rainy seasons by drought, peace by war. It's fair to say that we adapt readily in crises. These are difficult times, but we have a vision of what's possible. During the past several years, we've been scaling up. We continue to invest in individual projects—drilling wells, planting mangroves—but increasingly we weigh the value of our efforts in terms of how they contribute to long-term systemic changes.

On the following pages, we offer you the opportunity to look at a handful of our individual projects and the people behind them, because talking in the abstract about scale can't capture what makes us optimistic in these troubled times. And that is? Potential—the potential of millions of poor men and women to overcome poverty and our own potential to foster sweeping change over the long haul.

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]]> No publisher mborum 2009-06-15T18:30:38Z Annual Report Annual Report 2007 http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whoweare/financial-information/annual-reports/annual-report-2007 Oxfam America's financial results for the year continued to build upon the successes of prior years and have positioned us well for future growth of our program activities and fulfillment of our mission. In 2007, unrestricted contributions grew 15 percent to $36.5 million from $31.7 million in 2006. Total net assets grew by $9.9 million in 2007. Total expenses grew in 2007 by $5.6 million. For the year, program-related expenses represented 80 percent of our total expenses. Oxfam America's financial results for 2007 continued to build upon the successes of prior years and have positioned us well for future growth of our program activities and fulfillment of our mission. In 2007, unrestricted contributions grew 15 percent to $36.5 million from $31.7 million in 2006. Notable restricted contributions in 2007 include $7.4 million related to our work in the US Gulf Coast and $14.7 million for the Campaign for Oxfam America. Through the end of fiscal year 2007, we have recorded over $31.2 million in contributions directly attributable to the Campaign for Oxfam America.

Total net assets grew by $9.9 million in 2007 primarily as a result of $8.0 million of Campaign for Oxfam America contributions received for expenditure in future years, $5.3 million of Gulf Coast relief and rehabilitation program contributions, and increases in unrestricted net assets of $4.3 million. These increases were offset by a net expenditure in 2007 of $7.6 million in humanitarian funds raised in prior years.

Total expenses in 2007 grew by $5.6 million, or 11 percent, when compared with 2006. Program services-related expenses grew $5.0 million, of which $4.6 million was related to regional development programs and $1.4 million was related to increases in our policy and advocacy programs. The program-related increases were offset by a $1 million decrease in humanitarian related expenses, reflecting the net effect of the winding down of our South Asia tsunami relief program. For the year, program-related expenses represented 80 percent of our total expenses.

In 2007, support services grew 6 percent as we continued to make a number of strategic investments in key areas. Over the last two years, we have invested over $2 million in a number of technologies, including connectivity between regional and US-based offices to improve both the effectiveness and efficiency of our work as well as to help reduce our carbon footprint. In 2007, we also made strategic investments in our human resource function and implemented a new constituent relationship management system that will improve outreach to our supporters and donors.

Our strategy of investing first in programs and second in critical support services while ensuring financial stability, continues to receive the endorsement of independent rating agencies. More important, our continued growth in contributions and in the number of supporters represents our most important endorsement—that of our donors.

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]]> No publisher michael 2009-06-15T18:31:06Z Annual Report Annual Report 2006 http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whoweare/financial-information/annual-reports/annual-report-2006 Oxfam America's 2006 financial results reflect the growing confidence of donors and partners in our approach to development, humanitarian work, advocacy, and public education. Excluding the influx of tsunami-related contributions of $30 million in 2005, total revenues for Oxfam America and the Oxfam America Advocacy Fund increased 37 percent this past year—from $49 million in 2005 to $67 million in 2006. Oxfam America's 2006 financial results reflect the growing confidence of donors and partners in our approach to development, humanitarian work, advocacy, and public education. Excluding the influx of tsunami-related contributions of $30 million in 2005, total revenues for Oxfam America and the Oxfam America Advocacy Fund increased 37 percent this past year—from $49 million in 2005 to $67 million in 2006. Many of those donors who gave to Oxfam America for the first time in 2005 as a result of December 2004’s devastating tsunami have continued to support our programs in 2006. Whether you are a new donor, a returning tsunami donor, or a long-term supporter, we at Oxfam deeply appreciate your confidence and support.

Much of the growth in revenues and net assets in 2006 was the result of multiyear contributions in support of our programs. In addition, the sale of our Boston headquarters resulted in a one-time increase of $4.5 million to net unrestricted assets. We relocated from our former building to new leased office space late in 2006.

During 2006, we continued our investment across all of our program areas. Program spending, excluding our continuing humanitarian relief and rehabilitation efforts related to the 2004 tsunami, grew 20 percent, from $28.8 million in 2005 to $34.5 million in 2006. This increase included new investments in our regional development work and programs for disaster preparedness and prevention, humanitarian response and rehabilitation on the US Gulf Coast and in Africa, greater investment in program monitoring and evaluation, and engagement of corporations in development issues. In addition, we continued to expand our development work globally through programs focused on microfinance, sustainable development and livelihoods, trade equity, gender and indigenous rights, natural resource management, and stemming gender-based violence. By expanding our investment in public education, policy, and advocacy by 28 percent—from $8.6 million in 2005 to nearly $11 million in 2006—we strengthened our role as a leading voice advocating for people living in poverty.

Oxfam works hard to keep the confidence of our donors and partners, acting as good stewards of the generosity of our contributors. In addition to the restricted funds we retained to fund multiyear programs, we recorded an increase to unrestricted net assets from operations of $3.1 million. These assets will be used for future investments required to meet our program goals and to ensure that adequate reserves are available to meet unexpected program service needs.

]]> No publisher michael 2009-06-09T19:22:57Z Annual Report Annual Report 2005 http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whoweare/financial-information/annual-reports/annual-report-2005 Oxfam America revenues for 2005 set a record at just over $79 million. This represents tremendous growth both in revenues--a $39 million increase over revenues from 2004--and in numbers of people like you who make up the Oxfam family. Oxfam America revenues for 2005 set a record at just over $79 million. This represents tremendous growth both in revenues—a $39 million increase over revenues from 2004—and in numbers of people like you who make up the Oxfam family.

Much of our growth in 2005 was a result of the tsunami, which garnered more than 100,000 first-time donors and more than $30 million in tsunami-related donations. Oxfam America pooled two-thirds of these funds with resources from other Oxfam affiliates into an Oxfam International Tsunami Fund to support our coordinated rehabilitation effort. We expect to spend the remainder of the funds on our rebuilding work over the next three years.

Beyond the tsunami, this was a record year for growth in other categories as well. Regional programs grew from $13 million to nearly $17 million. This allowed for new and expanded programming, including our robust new microfinance efforts, an increased presence in the Horn of Africa, and the launch of an HIV/AIDS program in southern Africa. Public education and policy and advocacy grew by a combined total of $3.5 million.

]]> No publisher mborum 2009-06-01T23:23:13Z Annual Report Annual Report 2004 http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whoweare/financial-information/annual-reports/annual-report-2004 Oxfam America revenues for 2004 totaled just over $30 million. We thank the more than 170,000 donors who remain steadfastly committed to our mission, and we welcome the tens of thousands of new donors who contributed funds exceeding $30 million in response to the tsunami. Oxfam America revenues for 2004 totaled just over $30 million. We thank the more than 170,000 donors who remain steadfastly committed to our mission, and we welcome the tens of thousands of new donors who contributed funds exceeding $30 million in response to the tsunami.

In 2004, in addition to investing directly in our programs, we made strategic administrative investments to enhance our effectiveness, including improved financial management and staff development systems. We also established the Oxfam America Advocacy Fund to conduct advocacy activities that Oxfam America cannot pursue because of IRS limitations.

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