OFTP Funding of Regional Conferences
By Ellen Horak

The OFTP executive has made a decision not to hold the Annual Diversity in Education Conference in 2003. No one came forward to chair this year's conference and the results of the conference survey suggested to the executive that another direction might be in order.

In an effort to better serve our membership that stretches to every corner of Ontario, OFTP would like to encourage local support groups in different areas of the province to consider holding smaller local conferences or curriculum fairs. These smaller conferences would be run and organized by the local groups but with the full support and co-sponsorship of OFTP should the group wish it.

OFTP would be willing to provide "seed money" to get groups started and would enter into agreements with the various groups concerning the sharing of profits and losses. The local groups have the potential to raise some money for their groups and increase memberships. OFTP has the opportunity to increase our membership and better fulfill our obligation to homeschoolers in Ontario.
OFTP would support these conferences by providing help with organizing; providing presenters; providing OFTP representatives to set up and run information tables; and assist in any other way the group may request. These conferences could take many formats from a simple curriculum fair to a full day conference with speakers, workshops and vendors. A few groups might want to work together to host an event at a central location to cover a larger area of the province.

With this new approach we hope to reach many more homeschoolers throughout the province. The executive has developed a general policy (see policy on this page) and will be looking at each conference plan on an individual basis. For this to work, we need YOU, members like YOU, to make the choice to give something back to the homeschooling community and resolve to make a conference or curriculum fair happen in your area.

OFTP Policy for Co-sponsorship of Regional Conferences and Curriculum Fairs


1. OFTP will help fund regional/local conferences or curriculum fairs in our continued effort to support homeschoolers in Ontario.
2. These conferences will be organized and run by members of the support group, with support from OFTP should they request it.
3. OFTP and the group sponsoring the conference will share the profits, the amount or percentage to be determined a) according to the amount of seed money OFTP originally invested or b) according to a predetermined percentage between the OFTP executive and the local support group.
4. OFTP is willing to underwrite all or some of the potential losses depending on the financial circumstances of the support group.
5. OFTP asks that any support group submit a plan, detailing a tentative budget, a request for seed capital, a plan to share profits and loss, and a general plan for the conference or fair. The plan should be sent to OFTP as early as possible in the planning process.
6. OFTP offers support in any areas the groups may request i.e. promotion, expertise, volunteers, presenters.
7. OFTP requests that: a) the OFTP logo be used to indicate co-sponsorship; b) there be discounts for OFTP members; c) there be promotion of OFTP membership; d) there be a free display table for OFTP; and e) one OFTP member/conference committee member to liaison with the OFTP executive.