Staff/Folks Issues: Draft Operating and Financial Plans for FY 24-28 and FY 24 has been released Comments due 13 February ABRs - Generally open for submissions end of December Process - requests from RALOs Grants program I’ve had q quick look at the Budget documentation and started making notes for discussion. If it isn’t too onerous for people, I’d like a meeting this week - usual time. I realize this is really close to Christmas, but the comments for the budget are due 13 Feb. and if we don’t start the discussion soon, it will be mid-January before we meet - and then have not a lot of time to develop a draft, allow for comments and then vote. We should also start people thinking about ABRs. The process starts with the RALOs - but we should perhaps have a brief discussion and review principles since, in the end, it will come back to the FSBC (or the OFB WG) to review. And maybe also RALO chairs to attend? Finally, a quick discussion abut the grants program. There is only a tiny sum to be allocated in this coming year, but a review of the processes would be useful My quick comments on the actual budget - I’m sure Ricardo will talk about - yet again- growth in the personnel. If it is explained by the drop in professional services, I’m happy. Otherwise - why? I also note there isn’t much change in travel - but we are moving to 3 F2F meetings? Also there is budget allocation for 29 people (or so it looks) for each of the 3 meetings (not sure why that isn’t 25 - who are the extra 4? - not a complaint, by the way) An Marita particularly, once again, what we get is a global figure against initiatives with little guidance on how that money will achieve the outcomes - and therefore, no way to test how the money was spent and how/whether outcomes were achieved. I”ll keep reading but, unless I hear otherwise, please ASAP - a notice of an OFB WG meeting THIS WEEK - Thanks Holly