LifeRing 2024 Annual Report
Presented at the 2024 LifeRing Annual Congress | June 9, 2024
OVERVIEW
The 2023-2024 LifeRing Administrative Year has been an amazing journey of growth and accomplishments. For the past year, we have seen a significant increase in membership as well as program-wide engagement with active participants. As a result, we are proud to announce that this year marks our highest ever membership numbers with over 2,500 individuals participating weekly across the United States and in our international communities.
In addition to increased membership numbers, we have also seen great success with many of our programs including convenor mentoring and online support groups which provide members with additional resources for their recovery process. Unique, hands-on workshops to explore online meeting management resources, and new promotional resources for new and ongoing in-person meetings offer additional support to our convenor community.
Operationally, LifeRing is growing up. We are successfully implementing our first Strategic Plan which serves as a roadmap to attain our developmental objectives. Since its implementation, the Strat Plan has played a pivotal role in streamlining operational processes, enhancing resource allocation, and fostering a more cohesive and focused approach to achieving our vision to be global leaders in positive recovery support.
The seemingly tireless efforts of our Speakers Bureau are increasing public and professional awareness of LifeRing and the efficacy of our program. Healthcare providers and treatment specialists across the country are referring their clients to LifeRing and to specific focus meetings for patient-to-patient recovery support.
Outreach efforts have hit new heights in San Francisco with national press mention of the LifeRing City Hall in-person meeting and our collaboration with the San Francisco Public Library Read to Recovery program. the collective In a joint effort to support multiple pathways to recovery and provide those seeking recovery support, the San Francisco Public Library has started the Read to Recovery Program. People can now go to the Main Branch and take to keep a wide variety of recovery-based books including LifeRing co-founder Marty Nicholas’ Recovery by Choice workbook and Empowering Your Sober Self. National interest in this free take-and-keep recovery book distribution program lead to mention of LifeRing Secular Recovery in the Associated Press and picked up globally by countless news outlets.
We also identified a new California Regional Representative to take over the California In-person meeting development. The growth of the Northern California territory this administrative year should serve as inspiration for this new Regional Representative to develop further relationships with IOPs and healthcare providers throughout the state.
Finally, this past year saw us launch several initiatives aimed at increasing awareness about addiction recovery options targeting IOPs, residential treatment centers, and healthcare professionals. To capture a broader audience, we have upgraded our social media channels and messaging.
2023-2024 STRATEGIC PLAN
In January 2023, the Board of Directors introduced LifeRing’s first Strategic Plan. This operational roadmap is designed to help LifeRing Secular Recovery reach new heights of success in 2023-2024. This operational roadmap is designed to guide LifeRing Secular Recovery to new heights of success in 2024-2024.
The Strategic Plan outlines our vision for the future, as well as the steps we need to take to get there. This includes goals to optimize operational practices, enhance our service to the recovery community, and expand our reach.
The implementation of the Strat Plan has proven instrumental in focusing our limited resources to meet ambitious but attainable objectives. It serves to align our organizational goals with the needs of our community positioning LifeRing Secular Recovery as a dynamic and responsive force within recovery support.
LifeRing team and meeting collaborators rely on the Strategic Plan to guide operational optimization. We are committed to the positive growth of the LifeRing vision and the community we serve.
Through strategic initiatives, LifeRing has improved efficiency, heightened organizational agility, and strengthened capacity for innovation and growth.
—— INCREASE ENGAGEMENT ——
LifeRing depends on committed individuals actively engaged in the LifeRing community.
- Bi-Monthly convenors collaboration meetings
- Greater stakeholder involvement at BOD meetings
- Reestablishment of the Finance Committee
- Increase in new LifeRing teams collaborators
—— INCREASE AWARENESS ——
Ensure LifeRing is easily accessible to people searching for recovery and recognized by those who support them
- In-person meetings uptick driving local awareness
- Online focus meetings capturing attention of healthcare providers and treatment specialists
- Introduction of LifeRing through speaking engagements and onsite presentations
- Amazing podcasts on major recovery channels
—— OPTIMIZE OPERATIONS ——
Improve operational processes while remaining flexible to respond quickly to unique and impactful circumstances.
- Improve organizational policies and practices to better reflect values and procedural consistency
- Consistent LifeRing stakeholders onboarding process
- Cross-silo collaboration between representatives from all LifeRing support resources
- Nimble response to outside inquiries and internal concerns
—— FUND OUR MISSION ——
Diversify our sources of revenue while continuing to provide transparent and responsible fiscal stewardship.
- Hire Director of Development to focus on grants, private funding, and donor relations
- Update website to attract new members and grantors
- Employ technical resources to further capture interest of donors and foundations
- Foster financial stewardship to meet ongoing budgetary obligations
LIFERING MEETINGS
The broadening interest in LifeRing in-person meetings and expanding participation in LifeRing online meetings clearly illustrate the importance of onboarding new convenors. Defining the roles of convenors, co-convenors, and hosts has helped us focus our recruiting efforts. Various strategies to grow our convenor community are meeting with success and we anticipate seeing more meetings opening in the new administrative year.
The efficacy of different meeting venues is being explored in the Peer Alternatives for Addiction 2 (PAL2) Study being conducted by the Alcohol Research Group (ARG) as a supplemental study to the original PAL2. LifeRing is included in both studies and we look forward to the results in the Fall.
We cannot stress enough the importance and the resilience of LifeRing in-person meetings. LifeRing has seen a great uptick in the opening and reopening of in-person meetings across the US.
LOCAL MEETINGS
We cannot stress enough the importance and the resilience of LifeRing in-person meetings. They are like the tardigrades of the recovery universe!
LifeRing is enjoying a resurgence this year in local meetings based in the San Francisco Bay Area with 9 new meetings opening in Northern California since June 2023 This is primarily due to the reopening of Kaiser Permanente. By invitation, LifeRing now hosts five in-person meetings in partnership with Kaiser Addiction Medical Recovery Services (AMRS)
Our reach in the Northeast is growing and we are reopening the Great Northwest. This year alone, LifeRing added 16 new meetings increasing our total number of weekly local meetings by 25%!
—— LIFERING LOCAL MEETINGS ——
Local LifeRing meetings help folk find each other. It’s not unusual for participants to join all LifeRing meetings in a specific city and seek out others when traveling.
- Local meetings make up over 40% of LifeRing meetings worldwide.
- 64 active local meetings in the US
- Over 40 active international meetings
- We’re serving up LifeRing from Massachusetts to Maui!
Local meetings have generated approximately $1,800 during the LifeRing fiscal year.
To support our vision to advance our in-person meeting presence, the US In-Person Regional Representatives created a grant program for new and ongoing meetings approved by the BOD in February 2023. These grants of up to $250 per new and existing in person meeting are allocated for initial funding of a start-up and promotional grants. While no grants have been awarded to date, the In-Person Meetings Regional Representatives anticipate allocation as convenor interest is identified.
ONLINE MEETINGS
Online meeting monthly attendance has grown approximately 32.6% year over year and we now support 2,500 unique online users every week. We now offer over 90 weekly online meetings including check-in meetings, topic meetings, workbook meetings, and focus meetings: LGBTQIA+, Family & Friends, Veterans, Seniors, Co-Occurring Disorders, and Medical.
Online meeting attendance: June 2022 through April 2024 | Color cohorts indicate individual start month. Blue cohorts represent people who joined prior to July 2021.
Many meetings average over 50 LifeRing community members and there has been a new movement to better serve our growing online members by extending meetings to allow more time for shares and for crosstalk. It’s not unusual for a LifeRing meeting to run two-hours long.
These numbers clearly illustrate the importance of onboarding new convenors. We have streamlined our new convenor onboarding practices and defined the roles of convenors, co-convenors, and hosts to focus our recruiting efforts. Various strategies to grow our online meeting convenor community are meeting with success and we anticipate seeing more meetings scheduled in upcoming months.
While our "How Was Your Week" check-in meetings remain the core of LifeRing meetings, we excited t offer 20 specialized focus meetings designed for individuals with shared experience. These focus groups promote unique and supportive communities, playing a vital role in promoting long-term recovery.
—— LIFERING ONLINE MEETNGS ——
LifeRing Online is on fire! New meetings are opening and the increase in meeting participants and retention continues to grow!
- 90 online meetings
- Serving over 2,500LifeRing members every week
- 22 Focus meetings support people in recovery with commonalities
- LifeRing has a 60% retention rate for online meeting members joining prior to July 2021
eGROUPS and FORUM
LiferRing eGroups and LifeRing Forum members are here to stay and our ePal email box is always full of inquiries from interested parties. We’ve seen a steady number of subscribers and active participants throughout the administrative year. LifeRing Literature was added and members have been deeply discussing their way through the LifeRing Books and other recovery-based literature.
Our largest growth in email-based recovery resources clearly sits with our LifeRing ePals. So far this year, LifeRing ePals have provided 1-to-1 email recovery support for over 100 inquirers. This platform offers a unique opportunity for LifeRing to show each individual the importance of finding a positive recovery community.
—— LIFERING eGROUPS ——
LifeRing eSupport has seen a substantial uptick in eGroups subscriptions and ePals involvement.
- 9 community-based eGroups
- 1,872 opt-in subscribers
- Over 2,300 messages shared monthly
- 59 ePals respond to over 200 inquiries annually
—— LIFERING FORUM ——
The LifeRing Forum is one of our longest running and engaging eResources
9 community-based eGroups
- Over 95,900 posts since launching in 1999
- 5,833 members
- 20-50 guest visitors every day
- 2-5 members return daily
TEAMS
LifeRing Collaborative Teams drive the BOD-identified objectives outlined in the Strategic Plan. Seven very active teams work with LifeRing officers and directors to ensure resources are available to advance all LifeRing objectives that support our vision as global leaders in positive recovery support. It is the insight, creativity, and collaborative efforts of these teams that lay the foundation of our current success. In brief we have seen outstanding contributions from our committee volunteers. Team Status Reports are provided to the board during the BOD monthly meeting.
FINANCE
The Finance Team is back! Treasurer Joe Franklin resuscitated this defunct committee earlier this year, Since its return, this hard working team has created team budgets, improved upon funding requests and management practices, as well as performed internal audits. Detailed reporting is now included on the monthly board agenda and provides insight into our fiscal situation and stewardship.
FUNDRAISING, MARKETING, AND COMMUNICATIONS (FMC)
Personal donations continue to climb and we saw a 64.8% increase in sustaining donors who contribute over 75% of monies received through our online donation platform. A workgroup is leading the charge to support donor retention initiatives and we are on pace to exceed last year’s personal donations by +5% YE 2023. Communications has been the driving force behind this continual rise in personal donations as well as attracting the interested of healthcare professionals and treatment specialists.
New collateral supports both local online and online meeting convenors and is being included in funding case statements. One of our pressing goals is to develop easily obtainable meeting metrics to serve as the foundation for monthly retention and efficacy reporting in 2025.
MEETINGS & CONVENORS COLLABORATION (MCC)
This lively team is made up of representatives from all LifeRing recovery resources: In-person and Online meetings, eGroups and our Delphi Forum. Collaboration focuses on coordinating efforts to ensure our convenors and moderators have the support and guidance they deserve – and to ensure every LifeRing member receives the positive recovery to empower their personal recovery program.
This year we focused on providing convenor with directions and resources for supporting members in crisis, as well as empowering our convenors with guidelines to ensure meetings remain a safe space free of disruptions through our Empower Your Cyber Self hands-on workshop. The success of this team is showcased in continued meeting, eGroup, and forum participation growth and retention.
OUTREACH
LifeRing is working to support multiple paths to recovery. This year, we joined with the new San Francisco Public Library Read to Recovery program. Anyone can now go to the Main Branch and take to keep a wide variety of recovery-based books including Recovery by Choice workbook and Empowering Your Sober Self. National interest in this free take-and-keep recovery book distribution program included mention of LifeRing Secular Recovery in the AP Press. Additionally, the LifeRing San Francisco City Hall meeting appeared in a NYT article about politicians “coming out” about their recovery.
But our real showpony is the Speakers Bureau who put on another phenomenal show by our Speakers Bureau this year! We made a great splash at the CCAR | MPRC in Des Moines, IA in August 2023 where BOD member and award-winning memoirist Mary Beth O’Connor was a Keynote Speaker and presented a LifeRing 101 breakout session during this well-attended conference for healthcare providers and treatment specialists.
WEB & TECH
The Website Team is hard at work undertaking a comprehensive redesign of our website to enhance user experience and accessibility for people seeking support in their recovery journey. This initiative aims to create a more intuitive interface, making it easier for users to navigate resources, find meetings, and connect with a community of like-minded individuals. The redesign will also incorporate modern design elements and mobile responsiveness to ensure that the site is inviting and functional across all devices. Through this effort, LifeRing hopes to foster a welcoming online environment that empowers individuals in their pursuit of a sober life. We hope to see the Tech Team resurrected in the coming year with initiatives to better support the unique opportunities made available through mobile devices.
GOVERNANCE
The LifeRing Board will see a high churn this administrative year with three BOD members terming-out and the early retirement of another. Incumbent board members will be joined by a new candidate in this year’s election.
LifeRing is proud to announce that we have received the prestigious Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency for the third consecutive year. This esteemed recognition is awarded by GuideStar and signifies a commitment to transparency and accountability in nonprofit operations. Notably, fewer than 1% of nonprofits in the United States have achieved this level of distinction. The Platinum Seal represents the highest standard of recognition from Candid, an organization dedicated to providing valuable insights into the social sector. This achievement underscores LifeRing's dedication to maintaining open communication and fostering trust with our stakeholders and the communities we serve.
Policies
During the administrative year, the board focused on updating existing policies and practices while creating new ones to better suit the current LifeRing culture. An uptick in formal complaints from community members has inspired a formal review process to ensure equal treatment of each concern brought forward.
In addition to creating LifeRing’s first Strategic Plan, the board has also been busy creating and revising LifeRing Policy Statements. During this Board Year, four standing policies were updated:
- Terms of Use (TOU) (11/23/2023)
- Conflict Resolution (11/23/2023)
- Sobriety Policy Statement (10/8/2023)
- BOD Commitment Letter (06/09/2024)
Involvement
The BOD elected to support the Minnesota Recovery Options Act (HF3486).
If passed, this act will provide individuals in the judiciary system with the option to participate in treatment and recovery support programs that do not have a religious affiliation. It aims to ensure that substance use disorder treatment programs are accessible to all individuals, irrespective of their beliefs, and that alcohol and drug counselors are equipped with the knowledge of secular treatment approaches to better serve those in need.
LifeRing 2023-2024 BOD members are also extremely active in the LifeRing Community:
- All members lead or are active volunteers on a LifeRing collaboration team
- 5 members are online convenors
- 4 members are on the Speakers Bureau
- 3 members are in-person convenors
- 2 members are active in LifeRing eGroups
- 1 member manages our social media platforms
This administrative year we approved funding to hire a contractor to serve as our Director of Development (DD) to our team of collaborators. This is a new position and the DD will be tasked with implementing and managing a diversified revenue generation strategy including the identification of emerging nonprofit fundraising practices, strategizing new fundraising approaches, and prioritizing projects that raise sensitivity around inclusion and diversity.
We also identified a new California Regional Representative to take over the California In-person meeting development. The growth of the Northern California territory this administrative year should serve as inspiration for tout across the for this new Regional Representative to develop further
Public participation during monthly board meetings has increased dramatically during the 2023-2024 year. We hope you’ll join us this year!
LifeRing 2023-2024 Financial Report
Presented at the 2024 LifeRing Annual Congress | June 9, 2024
OVERVIEW
LifeRing’s financial health from June 2023 to May 2024 is overall very good. We ended the last 12 months with a surplus of $63,180 and a cash balance of $144,415. LifeRing has successfully increased this revenue stream year over year.
During this administrative year, LifeRing received private funding in the amount of $20,000 for the second consecutive year from the Comeau Family Foundation. We believe that we will receive additional funding in the same amount in the coming months from this family trust. Our total for unrestricted funding for the year is $23,898.16.
In August 2023, we hired a contractor to serve as our Director of Development tasked with generating revenue through grants and private funding, as well as focusing on the interests of donors and their relationship with LifeRing.
Donations and the LifeRing Press make up 65% of our revenue sources. Book printing/shipping and Payroll makes up 65% of our expenses.
In the last 12 months, the Recovery by Choice workbook was our best selling book with 634 units sold. Empowering your Sober Self was our second best selling book. Martin Nicolaus is paid a royalty for all books with the exception of Humanly Possible. Book sales are up more than 89% year over year.
Deficit (no longer) Spending
Excluding grants and one time donations, we had a surplus of $13,200.79. This puts LifeRing on a sustainable path to continue its operations. In addition, we will be staffing a dedicated person to write and obtain grants which should continue to add a large income stream to fund various projects at LifeRing.
Cash Reserves and Special Projects
While LifeRing’s cash reserves are excellent and put the organization on a sustainable path, grants have been given to us with the expectation that we spend the money to expand or improve our operations. A plan to spend that money has been put in place, however, we have not been able to make significant progress against that plan. When we get grants/gifts like the ones that we’ve just received, it creates an expectation that we spend the money on useful endeavors. Keeping the money in a low interest savings account for extended periods of time will make organizations less likely to give us money in the future. The new 2024-2025 Board of Directors should make it a priority to re-evaluate the plan and determine how they can execute on each of the projects.
TEAM LIFERING | Thank You!
So many people contribute to making LifeRing a remarkable recovery community.
Alex, Andrew, Angela, Anna, Ashley, Audrey, Becky, Bill, Bobbi, Brett, Brian B, Brian P, Brian S, Bruce, Buster, Byron, Cameron, Chet, Chris H, Chris O, Chutney, Cindy K, Coby, Craig O, Dan, Dave, David H, David R, Dawn, Denise, Doug, Edgard, Edward, Ewa, Gary, George, Greg F, Greg H, Ivona, Jackie, James F, James H, James K, Jamie, Janna, Jason G, Jason K, Jef, Jefe, Jenni, Jennifer, Joe, Joel, John G, John L, John M, John O, Jordan, Jose, Josh, Joshua McA, Jud, Karl, Kat, Kathleen, Kathy, Katlin, Kevin, Lars, Laura, Lawrence, Lorraine, LSRsafe, Margit, Mark Fr, Mark L, Marty, Mary Lee, Melly, Michael A, Michael C, Michael McC, Michael McD, Mike, Patrick K, Patrick R, Penny, Rachel, Rafal, Randy, Rhonda, Ric, Rick, Rick S, Robert, Robert M, Sepehr, Shane, Shannon, Shari, Sheika, Shelia, Socratic Gadfly, Steve G, Steve S, Steve W, Steven, Stiks, Sylvia, The Liver Spot, Thomas, Tom, Tonya, Tup, Twyla, and Winsor.
