The Walter H. McClenon Fund, Inc.

Special Report

Oxfam America

226 Causeway Street

Boston, MA 02114-2206

Oxfam America provides an interesting chance for the Trustees to review the principles by which we evaluate possible beneficiaries of our awards Our By-Laws use a common structure with numbers (Roman and Arabic) and letter (Upper and lower case). Chapter (Section?) III deals with “Grant and Contribution Policy” and we are to consider III-D “Eligible Activities” and III-F “Ineligible.” By-Law III-f 5 says that we are not to give money to an organization which supports relief of individual suffering (except as provided by III-D 5 and III-d 6. These exceptions allow us to support:

D 5 Relief of persons suffering from a special handicap;

D-6 Economic self-sufficiency of a disadvantaged group.

Oxfam’s mission statement: “Forty percent of the people on our planet (more than 2.5 billion) now live in poverty, struggling to survive on less than $2 per day. Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization working to change that. Together with individuals and local groups in more than 120 countries Oxfam saves lives, helps people overcome poverty and fights for social justice.” In another statement they say “We are addressing social injustice through our advocacy, public education, and emergency assistance programs.”

Ratings: Charity Navigator gives them four stars as an overall rating. (Three elements with 4 stars, two with three stars.) Guidestar rates them as A- . We (WHMcC Fund) have over the years supported this organization with gifts from both endowments, having given $500 in each of the years 2007 and 2008.

Analysis: How should we distinguish between individual suffering and group suffering? Are we forbidden (By-Law III F 5) from giving to Oxfam America? We haven’t thought so, but perhaps we should think again. Does their “emergency assistance” make them ineligible? In this context it is interesting to note that they have recently opened the “Oxfam Advocacy Fund” which has two goals: (1) Encourage he Obama administration to use its influence to seek resolution to the devastating humanitarian disaster…in the Congo; and (2)Spur action on climate change and the needs…facing poor communities. “Advocacy” is supportable by our General Endowment, but not by the Special Endowment. [By-law III G 1 No contribution “to any organization which engages in lobbying or attempts to influence legislation.”] Let’s not give directly to the new Advocacy Fund! To be on the safe side, I suggest that we categorize Oxfam America as “not eligible” from the Special Endowment. Their work for disadvantaged groups seems, to me, to justify their categorization as Eligible and Currently Nominated for the General Endowment.

Paul McClenon, 10 April 2009