After 8 years, the waiting is over and the Foundation is approved.
Eight years of effort by the Presidium came to fruition in October, when the UK’s Charity Commission rubber-stamped the long-running application to create a charitable foundation to support global agricultural journalism and take 67 years of IFAJ’s achievements to the next level.
After two separate 27-page submissions, made over more than two years, cascades of requests for clarification, and seemingly endless re-interpretations of the finer points of what constitutes ‘public benefit’, ‘promotion of agriculture’, and the benefits of education’ as the Charity Commission scrutinised every aspect of our plans, the watchdog finally signed off the application on October 10, and the new Global Foundation for Agricultural Journalism (GFAJ) was officially ‘born’ on October 17.
“It’s great news on so many different fronts,” says IFAJ Treasurer Adrian Bell who, with Vice President Steve Werblow, has been the Presidium’s lead on the Foundation.
Building on Success
“The Global Federation for Agricultural Journalism is nothing less than IFAJ 2.0 – a bigger, better, brighter version of what we’ve all been used to, that all of us together have played a part in building.
“GFAJ will allow us to build on those successes more effectively than ever before: creating new dialogues with new partners, opening the door to new sources of funding from sponsors and donors, and above all focusing more intently on providing professional improvement that enhances the impact of agricultural journalists and communicators throughout the world.”
Registering IFAJ, Ltd.
Successful registration of GFAJ is the first in a two-step process, signed off by the Delegate Assembly in 2018, to create a legal entity for IFAJ that would be recognised by financial institutions and new partners. “With GFAJ now approved, we will proceed with the registration of IFAJ as a UK-registered non-profit organisation,” explains Adrian.
“IFAJ Ltd, as it will be known, will continue to be the full member-facing body it is today, contracting the Global Office to administer our activities and affairs, handling membership funds, and represented by the Presidium, answerable to the Executive Committee and Delegate Assembly.”
The United Kingdom’s Charity Commission is regarded as one of the best regulators anywhere in the world, one of the primary reasons the application was pursued in the UK.
“That reputation for excellence – leaving no stone unturned in a submission – certainly increased the scrutiny and the time taken to consider the application,” says Adrian, “but another crucial factor in choosing the UK for registration was the rules regarding the Foundation’s trustees: unlike other countries, trustees for UK charities don’t have to be UK residents.”
Next Step: Trustee Elections
GFAJ’s board will consist of 11 trustees. The elected IFAJ Treasurer will hold one seat, to ensure the alignment of financial oversight between the two organisations, while the remaining 10 seats will be elected.
Of these, seven will be filled by IFAJ members. The remaining three will be drawn from outside IFAJ. “The intention is that by drawing in outside voices, such as non-agricultural journalists, politicians, specialists in education and agricultural development, or fundraising experts, GFAJ will have a diverse and authoritative board that can drive the charity with passion, integrity and purpose,” says Adrian.
IFAJ Ltd is expected to receive approval in 2024 Q1, while the first elections to the Global Foundation for Agricultural Journalism will take place at the 2024 Congress in Switzerland. If you or someone in your guild is interested in serving as a trustee of the Global Foundation for Agricultural Journalism, contact Adrian Bell.
The Global Foundation for Agricultural Journalism will support professional development that helps agricultural journalists serve their audiences.