Dances of Universal Peace International was founded in 1982 to make the living legacy of the Dances of Universal Peace and Walking Concentrations available to the world. It is a public-benefit non-profit organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, funded largely from Leaders Guild fees, and administered by an Executive Director and other part-time staff.

Our Mission is threefold: 1) To support the work of the Guidance Council; 2) To provide resources and support for members of the Leaders Guild; and 3) To link the worldwide community of participants in the Dances.

Our core operations revolve around the following foundational elements:

• Maintaining and continuing to enhance a highly functional website containing key resources to support Dance leaders and mentors who are Leaders Guild members as well as providing general information about the Dances of Universal Peace and links to all regional Dance-related websites and resources world wide.

• Administering the Leaders Guild and extending services to the community of mentors and leaders in support of the Dance Leader’s journey.

• Linking and informing Leaders Guild members through quarterly e-newsletter communications, and sponsoring an e-group as a forum for discussion about matters related to Dance leading.

• Maintaining communication with the leadership of Dance Regions through telephone conferences, email, and regular e-newsletters.

• Providing administrative and financial resources to support work of the Guidance Council in carrying out its responsibilities for

• guiding leaders and mentors by encouraging their spiritual expansion and personal development

• supporting learning opportunities

• determining requirements for level acknowledgement, and

• upholding standards of conduct and human relationship that are in keeping with the mission of the Dances of Universal Peace.

 

Key accomplishments in 2011 included:

• Translation of key communications and resources for Leaders Guild members into Spanish, German, Russian and Portuguese

• Creation of a Dance Leader Training calendar page where events worldwide may be posted

• Addition of over 100 write-ups (most with audio clips) to the Dance Resource Library

• Completion of a major fund raising campaign through which nearly $30,000 in donations were received in support of continued operations in 2012 and beyond by the Friends of Dances of Universal Peace International

• Creating a Community Coordinator role (replacing the former MTG Secretariat) to build relationships with and among the Leaders Guild members and mentors, researching and improving the information in our data base, facilitating communication, and in general providing member services

• Initiating a special project to track down all Dance leaders with whom we have lost communication and re-enroll them as fee-paying members of the Leaders Guild (to be concluded in 2012)

 

Goals and Activities for 2012

 

Supporting the work of the Guidance Council

1. Engaging the Mentors Guild in ongoing communication about ways and means of cultivating excellence and spiritual depth in leading the Dances of Universal Peace and Walking Concentrations.
a) By March 1, create a Mentors Forum page where mentors can share ideas and concerns about working with mentees
b) By April 1, encourage forum participating by seeding questions and topics in newsletters and on the MTG yahoo group.

2. Encourage and inspire Leaders Guild members to embody and lead from their spiritual depth.

a) Continue to build the on-line library/resource center of published Dances and Walks in various media, as well as articles, esoteric papers, and other materials. Add Creation Dances booklet dances by June 20. Evaluate and add materials as appropriate from past published DUP booklets.
b) Continue to make available for sale ongoing the recordings on CDs that remain in inventory.

Providing resources and support for members of the Leaders Guild

3. Build cohesion and awareness of common purpose among Leaders Guild members worldwide.

a) Create quarterly newsletters for Leaders Guild members in English, Spanish, German, and Russian languages.
b) Encourage the use of the In-The-Garden Yahoo group as a Leaders Guild forum for discussions in English.
e) Continue to maintain DUP International’s Facebook page and explore the potential of social networking sites in supporting the Leaders Guild.

4. Encourage all active leaders of the Dances of Universal Peace to be members of the Leaders Guild.

a) Continue to advocate with SRI initiates to join their DUP Region or pay Leaders Guild fees directly to DUP International.
b) Create a plan and needed policies to implement a June 30, 2012 due date for all mentored Leaders to be paid up members of the Leaders Guild, including:

1) Work through the Community Coordinator and Seattle office to contact all lapsed members via telephone, email or regular mail as needed and appropriate to gather input and inform all of the need for fee payment;

2) Promulgate information about the new due date to all leaders through newsletters;

3) Develop print information to be mailed to those Leaders we cannot contact any other way.

4) Create an fee remission form on the IN website

5) Work toward on-line display of leader guild fees status in the My Info area of the IN site

d) Compile and report Leaders Guild membership summary information at year beginning and year end.
e) Establish and implement policy on restricting access to enhanced content of website (log-in) to contributing Leaders Guild members.

Linking the worldwide community of participants in the Dances of Universal Peace

5. Maintain and continue to develop a nexus, referral website that provides general information about the Dances of Universal Peace and Walking Concentrations and links to all regional websites and other resources world wide.

a) Work with German, Russian and Spanish speaking networks to translate key leader resource materials into those languages in a systematic and timely manner.
c) Add a major Spanish language component to the website, including a searchable resource library.

d) Create a German language section of the website, post the Leader and Mentor Guidelines in German, and explore the feasibility/need for further portions of the IN site to be translated into German.

6. Facilitate close communication and cooperation with the leadership of the DUP Regions.

a) Create a region leaders forum on the IN site and seed participation in this resource by emails to region leaders

b) In the region forum explore the feasibility of creating an on-line “We Circle Around” page, with links to photos and articles on the region/network web sites, and/or other projects that would enhance regions’ viability and service to their members.

Administering and developing the organization

7. Develop a plan for organizing the work of the Board of Directors and engaging the leadership of Board members and other Leaders Guild volunteers.

a) Determine the need for additional Board members and the particular skills and abilities required.
b) Expand the network of advisors.
c) Identify and involve volunteers in specific projects.
d) Work with the Executive Director in continuing to develop and refine protocols to ensure effective operation and coordination of efforts.

8. Develop a comprehensive funding strategy.

a) Identify any deficiencies in the collection of Leaders Guild fees and develop strategies for addressing them.
b) Implement a program of contributing support to underwrite the LG fees of leaders with financial hardship.
c) Develop a medium-term financial plan for DUP International that identifies funding needs, both ongoing and project-related.
d) Research and develop a strategy for solicit financial support in the form of donations or grants for specific project initiatives.

9. Continue to improve the quality of information systems and work toward improved website functionality.

a) Evaluate information management and functionality needs and determine whether an overhaul of the data base is warranted and feasible.
b) Develop protocols and personnel job descriptions for capturing and tracking data accurately and following up where needed.
d) Implement protocols on Leaders Guild data base management so that new leaders’ fees are paid before given website log in access.

 

Dances of Universal Peace International 2012 Sources and Uses of Funds

 

Sources of Funds Leaders Guild Fees Grants Donations Sales (net) Royalty Income Total Current Revenue Proceeds from Campaign for 2012     Total Sources of Funds Uses of Funds Accounting Salaries & Wages Website Construction Project Budgets Office Expenses Royalty Expense Contingency     Total Uses of Funds	$26,000 5,000 3,000 665      20 35,020 *20,000 $54,685   $845 38,998 2,600 5,266 6,375 101 500 $54,685
*Note: We are reserving $10,000 of the $30,000 raised in our Campaign for 2012 for future periods.