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Mission and Programs

Mission

Forty percent of the people on our planet?more than 2.5 billion?now live in poverty, struggling to survive on less than $2 a day. Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization working to change that. Together with individuals and local groups in more than 120 countries, Oxfam saves lives, helps people overcome poverty, and fights for social justice. To join our efforts or learn more, go to www.oxfamamerica.org.

Programs

Regional Programs: Oxfam works with local organizations, providing funds and empowering poor people to play a central role in the development of their families, communities, and regions.

Policy & Advocacy: Oxfam combines research, advocacy, and campaigning to engage world public opinion and influence decision makers on behalf of people living in poverty.

Public Education: Oxfam fosters a broad understanding of the root causes of poverty and injustice and promotes the role each individual can play in a global movement for social change.

Humanitarian Relief & Rehabilitation: Oxfam provides immediate assistance to save lives in the event of a disaster. Once urgent danger passes, Oxfam continues to help people restore their livelihoods and prepare for future crises.

Program / Activities (NTEE Code)

International Agricultural Development
International Economic Development
International Relief

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year Ending 10/31/2007

1. Oxfam America continued to fight poverty and social injustice through seven regional offices in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the US. Highlights include working with partners to teach more efficient rice-growing techniques in Cambodia; developing new irrigation systems in drought-stricken areas of Ethiopia; and expanding our innovative community finance program, Saving for Change.
2. As part of the Oxfam International confederation, Oxfam America responded to humanitarian crises through our network of partners and affiliate organizations in over 120 countries. Among other emergencies, we worked in conflict-ridden Darfur and eastern Chad, assisted those affected by floods in Indonesia, and provided emergency relief in Peru following the August 2007 earthquake. We continued to work to ensure a fair US Gulf Coast recovery that meets the needs of low-income and vulnerable communities.
3. Oxfam America reached a victory on fair trade by bringing Starbucks Coffee to the negotiating table with Ethiopia to recognize Ethiopia?s right to the names of its fine coffees, representing a landmark in changing the relationship between multinational corporations and developing countries.

1. Oxfam America will continue to advocate for just government policies and corporate practices in the oil, gas, and mining industries, and support the right of communities to participate meaningfully in decisions about the use of natural resources.
2. Oxfam America will campaign for equitable solutions to the climate change crisis. While least responsible for causing climate change, poor people in developing countries bear the brunt of its impacts. We are asking that the US cut greenhouse gas emissions and provide financial assistance so that the world?s most vulnerable communities can adapt to a changing climate.
3. 4. Oxfam will continue to assist more than one million people affected by humanitarian crises, providing both emergency aid and long-term assistance to rebuild their communities. In 2008 we will focus on improving systems for disaster response and emergency preparedness in developing countries in order to help poor people cope better with conflicts and natural disasters.

Raymond C. Offenheiser is the president of Oxfam America, a non-profit international development and relief agency and the U.S. affiliate of Oxfam International. Oxfam works to end global poverty through saving lives, strengthening communities, and campaigning for change. Since Mr. Offenheiser joined Boston-based Oxfam America in 1995, the organization has grown more than fourfold in size and has positioned itself as an expert on international development and global trade.

Mr. Offenheiser, who has worked his entire career in the non-profit sector, is a recognized leader on issues such as poverty alleviation, human rights, foreign assistance, and international development. Before joining Oxfam America, he served for five years as the Ford Foundation Representative in Bangladesh and, prior to that, in the Andean and Southern Cone regions of South America. He has also directed programs for the Inter-American Foundation in both Brazil and Columbia and worked for Save the Children Federation in Mexico.

He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Global Interdependence Initiative at the Aspen Institute, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Inter-American Dialogue. Mr. Offenheiser has served as an advisor for the Harvard University?s Asia Center, the Hesburgh Center for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame, the School for International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Mr. Offenheiser is a frequent commentator in the media on such issues as foreign aid, international debt, human rights, and global trade policies. He has appeared in programs on CNN, NPR, and the BBC, and has been a quoted source in the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Baltimore Sun and other major American newspapers.

Mr. Offenheiser holds a Masters Degree in Development Sociology from Cornell University and earned his Bachelors Degree from the University of Notre Dame. He speaks fluent Spanish and Portuguese.

Financial Data
From the organization's FORM 990

Revenue and Expenses: Fiscal Year Ending October 31, 2008

Revenue			Expenses
Contributions $70,440,436 Government Grants $0 Program Services $0 Investments $2,654,832 Special Events $0 Sales $0 Other $263,802			Program Services $51,644,247 Administration $3,970,675 Other $9,358,935 Total Expenditures $64,973,857
Total Revenue	$73,359,070		NET GAIN/LOSS	$8,385,213

Balance Sheet: Fiscal Year Ending October 31, 2008

Notes
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot long survive, but the types of assets and liabilities also must be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.

Assets	Nov 1, 2007	Oct 31, 2008	Change
Cash & Equivalent	$2,532,843	$1,531,007	$(1,001,836)
Accounts Receivable	$42,856	$101,847	$58,991
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$13,316,696	$19,517,765	$6,201,069
Receivables/Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$0	$0	$0
Investments/Securities	$71,044,550	$72,863,166	$1,818,616
Investments/Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets	$3,106,338	$2,980,482	$(125,856)
Other	$2,117,627	$2,489,398	$371,771
Total Assets	$92,160,910	$99,483,665	$7,322,755
Liabilities	Nov 1, 2007	Oct 31, 2008	Change
Accounts Payable	$3,546,982	$3,594,411	$47,429
Grants Payable	$3,705,893	$3,181,098	$(524,795)
Deferred Revenue	$48,261	$415,131	$366,870
Loans and Notes	$0	$0	$0
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$3,782,233	$4,139,452	$357,219
Total Liabilities	$11,083,369	$11,330,092	$246,723
FUND BALANCE	$81,077,541	$88,153,573	$7,076,032

Comments from the organization
In fiscal year 2005, approximately 87.5 percent of funds went directly to Oxfam's programs. This is well above the 60% recommended by leading charitable watchdog organizations including the American Institute of Philanthropy. The balance supported fundraising, member recruitment, and administration.

For emergencies, Oxfam is committed to spending at least 90 percent of emergency donations to support those affected.

To maintain our independence, Oxfam does not accept US government funds. We do not accept funds from any source that might interfere with our ability to speak out on policies that affect global poverty.

In 2005, in addition to investing directly in our programs, we made strategic administrative investments in reserves to enhance our effectiveness and ability to respond to emergencies.

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