Executive Director's Report

                              April 2001

                       ===========================

 

May 13, 2001

By Ian MacEachern

(execdir@freenet.carleton.ca)

 

Contents:

1.  Status Report

2.  Administration & Funding

3.  Member Services and Future Initiatives

4.  System Administration

 

Appendices

A  Chart showing Registration Donations

B  Chart showing Renewal Donations

C  Chart showing Membership Activity

 

 

 

1. Status Report

================

 

a)  Five Key Indicators:

                                                                Mar.                        Apr.                        %                            Apr.            %

                                                                2001                        2001                        Inc/Dec                  2000        Inc/Dec

                                                                ~~~~                       ~~~~                       ~~~~~~  |               ~~~~       ~~~~~~

    1. Number of members:                    7393                        7259                        -1.8%      |               9739         -26.8%

    2. Donation Revenue:                      $19,186                   $14,316                   -25.4%    |               $18,978    -24.5%

    3. Percentage donating:                  92.7%                     59.8%                     -35.4 %   |               77.5%      -22.8%

    4. Average Donation:                      $27.89                     $25.59                     -8.2%      |               $25.23     1.4%

    5. Average Modem Failure:            N/A                        N/A                        N/A        |               N/A          N/A

 

 

b)  Top Priorities

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    (1) Renewal numbers

    (2) System reliability

        - Resolve modem problems (3com RAS 1500’s)

    (3) Projects

        - HRDC WebMail - Development phase (business plan)

        - HRDC - Thin Client - implementation phase

- IC Smart Capital – modify and sign partner agreement

  

c)  Top Priorities - Sysadmin

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

    (1) Migrate POP server to new SS20 (donated by Alcatel)

    (2) Work with 3com getting RAS 1500 problems solved

 

 

 

   

 

                          2. Administration & Funding

                          ===========================

 

a)  Donation Data - New Registrations

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The number of new members was slightly better than Budget in April

    with 120 new members joining. Revenue was well under Budget however, at

    $784 because the percentage of donors at 38 % and amount donated by each donor

    at $17.42 fell well short of the predicted figures.

 

    On a year-to-date basis, we’ve brought in 606 new members, exceeding the forecasted

    392 (+55%), donating a total of $7,204 just above the budgeted $7200. (See Appendix "A")

 

 

b)  Donation Data - Renewals

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The number of renewals in April by the numbers given was 521.  Due to a discrepancy

    in the way the numbers were calculated, the actual number is probably closer to 450, just

    below the predicted 473.  Of these, 75% donated but the revenue associated with

    renewals was well below our forecast at $13,533 (-35%).

 

Year-to-date renewals numbers have a similar discrepancy. The actual renewal figure is closer to the

budgeted 1779.  The total revenue is $63,019, 19% below the predicted $77,804. (See Appendix "B")

               

    Obviously, renewal dollars are frighteningly low and this situation will have to be addressed

    immediately.  As noted previously, it is one of my top priorities.           

 

c)  Membership Activity:

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Membership continued to decline this month: now standing at 7,259,

    dropping 1.8% in the month. The year-to-date decline is some 306

    members or about 4% since January 1, 2001. (See Appendix "C")

 

 

d)  Sponsorship, Homepage Data and Information Providers:

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    We added 2 IP web pages during the month.

 

 

e)  Modem Usage Data and Modem Availability

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    I do not have the data for these areas this month. I will address both of these issues in my next report.

    Modem reliability is another high priority area.

 

                   3.  Member Services and Future Initiatives

                   ==========================================

 

a) Projects

   ~~~~~~~~

    (i)   Extended Access II – City of Ottawa:

          Progress will be contingent on moving ahead with Smart Capital

          Project.  Meeting scheduled with IT staff at City. 

 

    (ii)  Industry Canada - SmartCapital:

          Signing the contribution agreement with OCRI is the next step.  Some modifications required.

 

    (iv)  HRDC (Office of Learning Technology): Thin Client

          Reviewing the business plan with HRDC and partners.

 

     (v)  HRDC (Office of Learning Technology): WebMail

          The development stage of the project calls for NCF to submit a

          business plan together with a proposal for full funding.  We have

          been granted an extension to complete this on or before July 15, 2001.

 

 

b)  New Access Servers

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    We’ve gone a different route with 3com.  We’re now working with the department that handles warranty

    service.  We expect an on-site visit shortly.

 

 

c)  High Tech Directory

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Met with Richard Webb once, then he was unavailable for a time.  Trying to set up another meeting to discuss

    the business plan.

 

 

                            4. System Administration

                            ========================

 

a)  3com RAS 100 problems

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Andre is now working with people in the department that handles warranty issues.  He is confident of

    an on-site visit shortly. 

 

b)  Migrate POP

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    Migration should be complete Tuesday May 15.

 

c) I am working with Andre on a new list of priorities.  These priorities will be addressed in my next

    report.  

 

 

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

                                   Appendix A

                             Registration Donations

                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

                No.                                          No.          No. Of    %                                                            Avg.       Avg.

                New        Budget                   Month    Memb     Memb          $         Budget                   Regist     Donat'n

                Memb.    (No.)       Var          Debit      Donate   Donate   Amount     $          Var          Donat'n  All New

                ~~~~~    ~~~~~    ~~~         ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~  ~~~             ~~~~~~  ~~~~~

1999

Oct.         201          400          -50%                       103          51%        2,047       4,000       -49%       $38.83     $19.09

Nov.       260          400          -35%                       100          39%        2,305       4,000       -42%       $40.00     $15.38

Dec.        114          400          -72%                       65            57%        1,794       4,000       -55%       $61.54     $35.09

                ~~~~~    ~~~~~    ~~~         ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~  ~~~             ~~~~~~  ~~~~~

Total       2,521       4,200       -40%                       1,198       48%        28,153     42,000     -33%       $23.50     $11.17

Avg        210          350          -40%                       100          48%        2,346       3,500       -33%       $23.50     $11.17

 

2000                                                                                                                                                                       

Jan.         162          98            65%                        73            45%        1,743       2,500       -30%       $23.88     $10.76

Feb.        191          98            95%                        64            34%        2,021       2,500       -19%       $31.58     $10.58

Mar.        153          98            56%                        92            60%        2,871       2,500       15%        $31.21     $18.76

Apr.        115          98            17%                        66            57%        1,620       2,500       -35%       $24.55     $14.09

May.       112          98            14%                        59            53%        1,707       2,500       -32%       $28.93     $15.24

Jun.         122          98            24%                        51            42%        1,368       2,500       -45%       $26.82     $11.21

Jul.          114          98            16%                        59            52%        1,508       2,500       -40%       $25.56     $13.23

Aug.       137          98            40%                        55            40%        1,691       2,500       -32%       $30.75     $12.34

Sep.        128          98            31%                        60            47%        1,751       2,500       -30%       $29.18     $13.68

Oct.         115          98            17%                        66            57%        1,773       2,500       -29%       $26.86     $15.42

Nov.       107          98            9%                          61            57%        1,667       2,500       -33%       $27.33     $15.58

Dec.        111          98            13%                        69            62%        1,842       2,500       -26%       $26.70     $16.59

Total       1567        1176        33%                        775          49%        21,562     30,000     -28%       $27.82     $13.76

Avg        131          98            33%                        65            49%        1,797       2,500       -28%       $27.82     $13.76

YTD        621          392          58%                        295          48%        8,255       10,000     -17%       $27.98     $13.29

                                                                                                                                                                               

2001                                                                                                                                                                       

Jan          186          98            90%                        83            45%        2,252       1,800       25%        $27.13     $12.11

Feb         141          98            44%                        88            62%        1,996       1,800       11%        $22.68     $14.16

Mar         159          98            62%                        82            52%        2,172       1,800       21%        $26.49     $13.66

Apr         120          98            22%        19            45            38%        784          1,800       -56%       $17.42     $6.53

May                        98                                                                                            1,800       -               -               -

Jun                          98                                                                                            1,800       -               -               -

Jul                           98                                                                                            1,800       -               -               -

Aug                        98                                                                                            1,800       -               -               -

Sept                        98                                                                                            1,800       -               -               -

Oct                          98                                                                                            1,800       -               -               -

Nov                        98                                                                                            1,800       -               -               -

Dec                         98                                                                                            1,800       -               -               -

YTD        606          392          55%                        298          49%        7,204       7,200       0%          $24.17     $11.89

Avg        152          98            55%                        75            49%        1,801       1,800       0%          $24.17     $11.89

Proj         1818        1176        55%                        894          49%        21,612     21,600     0%          $24.17     $11.89

                                                                                                                                                                               

                                   Appendix B

                             Renewal Donations

                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                               

                                                                No.          No.          %                                                            Avg        Renwl

                No.          Budget                   Month    Renwl     Renwl     $              Budget                   Renwl     Donate

                Renwl     (No.)       Var          Debit      Donate   Donate   Amount ($)           Var          Donatn   All Ren

                ~~~~~    ~~~~~~  ~~~         ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~  ~~~~      ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

1999

Oct.         320          309          4%                          207          64.70%   4,843       6,300       -23%       $23.40     $15.13

Nov.       268          314          -15%                       292          109%      7,886       6,400       23%        $27.01     $29.43

Dec.        405          387          5%                          339          83.70%   11,200     7,900       42%        $33.04     $27.65

                ~~~~~    ~~~~~~  ~~~         ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~  ~~~~      ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

YTD        6,587       8,892       -26%                       5,554       84%        149,521 181,400     -18%       $26.92     $22.70

AVG       549          741          -26%                       463          84%        12,460     15,117     -18%       $26.92     $22.70

 

2000                                                                                                                                                                       

Jan.         741          580          28%                        441          60%        13,453     14,800     -9%         $30.51     $18.16

Feb.        899          549          64%                        520          58%        19,069     14,000     36%        $36.67     $21.21

Mar.        738          647          14%                        667          90%        22,097     16,500     34%        $33.13     $29.94

Apr.        598          588          2%                          430          72%        17,358     15,000     16%        $40.37     $29.03

May.       501          412          22%                        344          69%        11,745     10,500     12%        $34.14     $23.44

Jun.         374          208          80%                        334          89%        11,335     5,300       114%      $33.94     $30.31

Jul.          277          157          76%                        251          91%        8,912       4,000       123%      $35.51     $32.17

Aug.       214          129          66%                        215          100%      5,948       3,300       80%        $27.67     $27.79

Sep.        223          78            186%                      244          109%      4,633       2,000       132%      $18.99     $20.78

Oct.         182          106          72%                        178          98%        5,031       2,700       86%        $28.26     $27.64

Nov.       298          208          43%                        296          99%        7,467       5,300       41%        $25.23     $25.06

Dec.        339          482          -30%                       291          86%        10,579     12,300     -14%       $36.35     $31.21

Total       5384        4144        30%                        4211        78%        137,627   105,700   30%        $32.68     $25.56

Avg        449          345          30%                        351          78%        11,469     8,808       30%        $32.68     $25.56

YTD        2976        2364        26%                        2058        69%        71,977     60,300     19%        $34.97     $24.19

 

2001                                                                                                                                                                       

Jan.         674          395          71%                        460          68%        18,874     17,266     9%          $41.03     $28.00

Feb.        451          468          -4%                         364          81%        13,597     20,465     -34%       $37.35     $30.15

Mar.        405          443          -9%                         441          109%      17,015     19,399     -12%       $38.58     $42.01

Apr.        521          473          10%        83            338          65%        13,533     20,674     -35%       $40.04     $25.98

May.                       426          -                                                                               18,620     -               -               -

Jun.                         295          -                                                                               12,911     -               -               -

Jul.                          155          -                                                                               6,779       -               -               -

Aug.                       113          -                                                                               4,924       -               -               -

Sep.                        122          -                                                                               5,323       -               -               -

Oct.                         133          -                                                                               5,813       -               -               -

Nov.                       117          -                                                                               5,119       -               -               -

Dec.                        210          -                                                                               11,001     -               -               -

YTD        2051        1779        15%                        1603        78%        63,019     77,804     -19%       $39.31     $30.73

Avg        513          445          15%                        401          78%        15,755     19,451     -19%       $39.31     $30.73

Proj         3862        3350        15%                        3019        78%        120,114   148,294   -19%       $39.79     $31.10

 

 

                                                                                                                                                               

                                   Appendix C

                             Membership Activity

                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

               

 

                Current   %                                                            Forecast                 Forecast                

                Actual    inc                                           Number Number  Number  Number  Number  Number

                #              or                                            of new    of New   of            of            Memb     Memb

                Memb     dec          Lines      Ratio       Memb     Memb     Renewl   Renewl   Unarch.  Archived

                ~~~~~~  ~~~         ~~~~       ~~~~       ~~~~~~  ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~

1999                                                                                                                                                       

Oct.         10,669     -4.00%    213          50            201          400          320          309          8              652

Nov.       10,600     -0.60%    213          50            260          400          268          314          268          597

Dec.        10,325     -2.60%    213          48            114          400          405          387          22            411

 

2000                                                                                                                                                       

Jan.         10,005     -3.10%    213          47            162          98            741          580          13            323

Feb.        9,992       -0.13%    213          47            191          98            899          549          1              217

Mar.        9,924       -0.68%    213          47            153          98            738          647          24            195

Apr.        9,739       -1.86%    213          46            115          98            598          588          19            329

May.       9,345       -4.05%                                    112          98            501          412          10            506

Jun.         9,079       -2.85%                                    122          98            374          208          12            454

Jul.          8,678       -4.42%                                    114          98            277          157          20            515

Aug.       8,344       -3.85%                                    137          98            214          129          26            506

Sep.        8,091       -3.03%                                    128          98            223          78            28            415

Oct.         7,972       -1.47%                                    115          98            182          106          8              252

Nov.       7,755       -2.72%                                    107          98            298          208          17            325

Dec.        7,590       -2.13%                                    111          98            339          482          3              303

 

2001                                                                                                                                                       

Jan          7,565       -0.33%                                    186          98            674          395          0              211

Feb         7,495       -0.93%                                    141          98            451          468          14            223

Mar         7,393       -1.36%                                    159          98            405          443          5              82

Apr         7,259       -1.81%                                    120          98            521          473          3              255

--

 

             ***   Ian MacEachern, Executive Director   ***

         National Capital Freenet / Libertel de la Capitale nationale

          tel. (613) 520-2600 ext. 8024  -or-  fax (613) 520-3524