Frequently Asked Questions

New Affiliation Fee Formula for the World YWCA

  1. Why do we need a new affiliation fee formula?

The affiliation fee formula has remained the same for the last 20 years and no longer reflects the organizational realities of Member Associations. Many of the factors on which the current affiliation fee formula is based are no longer valid. At World Council 2011 in Zurich, the World Council decided to review and change the affiliation fee formula. As part of the sustainability plan, we agreed at World Council 2015 to develop a new affiliation fee formula that is more realistic, transparent and equitable than the current formula.

  1. Why do member associations pay affiliation fees? What do they get for these fees?

The annual affiliation fee provides important sources of revenue for cross movement work and income to fund the implementation of the YWCA’s Strategic Framework (2016 to 2019), approved at World Council 2015, and ultimately to realize our 2035 Goalof engaging 100 million young women and girls.

Affiliated MAs have opportunities to join global and regional advocacy campaignsat international events, access advocacy and skills-based training, use our World YWCA brand and, apply for Power to Change Fund grants, long term internships, technical support or capacity-building training.The annual affiliation fee budget is also critically important in providing core funding for the World YWCA[1], and is part of the conditions of affiliation[2] .

  1. What are the new affiliation fee formulas you are proposing?

The World YWCA Board has put forward two affiliation fee formulas for a delegate vote in June 2017. The formula that receives the most votes will be adopted. Both proposed formulas are more transparent and equitable for MAs than the old formula.

Formula 1 / Formula 2
2% of total annual income / A tiered system in which all member associations pay 1% of total annual income
Minimum fee: 750 CHF / Member associations that earn over 500,000 CHF in total annual income pay an additional 750 CHF per year.
Maximum fee: 230,000 CHF / Member associations with annual revenues of 10 million CHF or more pay a maximum of 230,000 CHF per year

4. How are the proposed new formulas different than the current formula?

The current affiliation fee calculationuses a formula based on the following three components:

  • The association’s number of individual members (based on the World YWCA definition);
  • The association’s annual unrestricted income; and
  • Gross National Income (GNI) for the country.

With this formula, verifying unrestricted income and membership numbers is challenging and is not calculated in the same way across member associations. In addition when any one of these elements for one member association changes significantly, the share of the affiliation fee formula for everyone else can go up or down significantly as well.

  1. How will the affiliation fees be calculated?

The new affiliation fee will be calculated annually, based on the latest financial statements that member associations provide. For 2017 affiliation fees, the fees will be calculated based on the 2015 financial statements. It iseach member association’s responsibility to provide updated financial statements when requested so we can ensure your affiliation fees are calculated accurately. If you have not already sent in your latest financial report, please do so as soon as possible to .

  1. When will the new affiliation fee take effect?

The new affiliation fee will be effective from January 1, 2017. Invoices for 2017 will be sent after the conclusion of the vote. Fees will be based on the 2015 financial results.

  1. How much does my member association need to pay under the new proposed formulas?

You will find an estimate of the amount that each member association will pay on the World YWCA website member’s forum at in the document called “comparison of proposed new affiliation fee formulas and current formula.” Note that we have calculated these fees based on the 2015 financial results (or an earlier year for MAs who have not provided their 2015 financial results).

  1. What happens if my association can’t pay its affiliation fees? What is the process for requesting an exemption or a reduction in fees?

The World YWCA has developed an affiliation fee policy to be approved by the World Board at their annual meeting in July. (Please see the draft affiliation fee policy on the member’s forum of the World YWCA website at The policy will include the process for exemptions.

As affiliation fees will be calculated annually, and will be based on a new more realistic formula, we would expect very few exemption requests. We will consider exemptions in exceptional circumstances, such as unexpected financial challenges. In addition, we expect member associations to have exhausted all available options for paying their affiliation fees before requesting an exemption.

Any member association that wishes to request an exemption/fee reduction must send their request in writing to the World YWCA after the World Office has issued your affiliation fee invoice. This will give the World YWCA some predictability around its budgeting. Requests should be sent to .

  1. Who developed the new formulas?

The Sustainability & Affiliation Fees Task Force provided input into Formula 1, as mandated by World Council. After extensive consultations with the movement, some adjustments were made to both formulas, and the Board also approved Formula 2. The World YWCA Board has approved both options to go for a vote.

Affiliation Fee Dialogue and Vote

  1. When and how will we discuss and vote on this issue?

After extensive consultation with several experts including the Global Governance and Constitution Committee of the World Board as well as our Swiss legal advisors[3], we will move forward with our mandate from World Council 2015 via an Affiliation fee formula Dialogue and Vote. This process is designed to be as inclusive, cost effective and efficient as possible.

This will involve online discussions, webinars and dialogue, followed by online voting and/or voting by mail or fax(for those delegates who do not have online access), and validation by the World Board, with further validation at World Council 2019. The dialogue will take place in May, and the voting in June. (Please see the Procedures and Ways of Work Document at for more details on this process.)

  1. Why aren’t we holding an Extraordinary World Council (EWC)?

We will not hold an Extraordinary World Council (EWC) as originally envisioned because ourConstitution currently only recognizes “in person” EWC meetings. An in-person meeting is beyond the financial means of the World YWCA and most of our member associations at this time, and it would be difficult to be inclusive and reach quorum. The online (and paper ballot) affiliation fee dialogue and vote allows us to fulfil our World Council 2015 mandate to bring this issue to conclusion, in an inclusive and cost effective manner.

  1. Who will vote on the affiliation fees?

This will be a delegate vote. Each member association will have the opportunity to nominate either 6 delegates (for full member associations) or 3 delegates (for associate member associations). The World YWCA has asked each member association to submit its list of delegates by 28 April. For more information, please see the Member’s Forum section of the World YWCA website at to access the document on Member Associations Affiliation Status and number of voting delegates voting.

  1. What if voting delegates are not able to vote online?

Each delegate will have a choice of voting either online (preferred method) or by mail or fax (if she cannot vote online). The voting preference must be confirmed when each member association submits its list of voting delegates.

  1. How can we discuss the different proposals and give our feedback?

The World YWCA has established an online discussion forum on the member’s forum section of the World YWCA website at Here you will find all background information as well as a place to ask questions, make comments and interact with your colleagues from other YWCAs globally. The World Office will also schedule regional webinars. In addition, if Member Associations would like calls to discuss their specific situation, the World Office will arrange these calls upon request.

  1. How and when we will arrive at the final affiliation fee formula?

The final formula will be decided based on a majority of votes cast. Voting will be concluded by the end of June 2017 and validated by the World YWCA Board in July. We expect to announce the result in early August.

  1. Who can I contact if I have questions?

Please visit our website at to review all the background documents in more detail. You can also ask questions on the member’s forum area of the website or via email to .

1

[1] Art. 76 a – World YWCA Constitution

[2] Art 10 f – World YWCA Constitution

[3]Art.80 World YWCA Constitution: “The World YWCA is an incorporate body and possesses a civil personality in accordance with the laws of Switzerland”