ACE FOLKLIFE Advances in Computer Conferences

ACE 2012 NEPAL NOV 5-7TH ACE - the Advances in Computer Entertainment Conference - has become the leading scientific forum for dissemination of cutting-edge research results in the area of entertainment computing. Interactive entertainment is one of the most vibrant areas of interest in modern society and is amongst the fastest growing industries in the world. ACE 2012 will bring together leading researchers and practitioners from academia and industry to present their innovative work and discuss all aspects and challenges of interactive entertainment technology, in an exciting emerging world environment of Nepal. ACE is by nature a multi-disciplinary conference, therefore attracting people across a wide spectrum of interests and disciplines including computer science, design, arts, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and marketing. The main goal of ACE is to stimulate discussion in the development of new and compelling entertainment computing and interactive art concepts and applications. All ACE participants are encouraged to present work they believe will shape the future of the industry, going beyond its established paradigms. This is the 9th ACE conference, and the first time that such an entertainment computing conference is being held in the emerging world. Our theme this year is "Entertainment for the Whole World". We wish to strike discussions and projects which will benefit the emerging world through digital entertainment. For example, youth in emerging markets can become creators as well as consumers of digital entertainment. They can distribute their work through apps and internet, and through media creativity benefit their country and economy. ACE- the Advances in Computer Entertainment Conference ACO TJ Morris ACIR ACE CONFERENCES INTERNATIONAL REGISTRY ASCENSION CENTER ORGANIZATION Executive Summary Overview CONTACT: Theresa J. Morris, Chief Executive Officer TYPE OF BUSINESS Holding company owning majority interest in subsidiary companies that will own property rights to products, and services including design, development, manufacturing, distribution, licensing, marketing, and promotion rights for sustainability of planet and species.  ACO will include educational and spiritual consumer products/services including but not limited to natural clothing, stationary items, jeans, shirts, leather and substitution products that are environment and considered green products including produce distribution. COMPANY SUMMARY ACO doing business with TJ Morris ACIR sole proprietor and Founding Agent for Ascension Center organization is a C Corporation of Kentucky in formulation with administrative offices in Maui, Hawaii. The company, through its subsidiary of ACE FOLKLIFE has developed a line of environmental and cruelty free products currently known in the market place of publishing books, ebooks, trade publications, manuals, and directories for open source directories for archiving with the Ace Folklife Historical Society in alliance with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. with the ACE Historical Archives of music and folklife and folklore stories and documents. ACE Folklife Club meets at an annual convention of  Anthropologists, Archivists, Authors, Co-creators, Crafters, Educators, Engineers, Folklorists, Life Coaches, Lightworkers,  Metaphysicians, Parapsychologists, Psychologists, Physicists, Scientists, Therapists,  Truth Seekers, as well as Auditors, Copywriters, Editors, Statisticians, Web Builders, and Social Networkers and Associations and Organizations in various interests groups. Entertainers, Photographers, Videographers of ACE CLUB are also one social group in association with the ACO. TJ Morris Dba ACIR is the Personal Consultant who has agreed to comply with federal rules and regulations as registered agent for all who are in the association as subscribers of the Ascension Center Organization with memberships to include being listed in the American News Magazine or the Anew News Journal. MANAGEMENT The company is headed by Theresa J. Morris, Chief Executive Officer, Ms. TJ Morris has had over 35 years’ experience as a successful business owner and sole proprietor, creator, entrepreneur, developer, and product marketing expert in international import and export with investigations and research fields. Janet Kira Lessin is a successful management consultant with services as an outside management advisor. Dr. Sasha Jack Lessin, Ph.D., is a doctor in anthropology from UCLA in California, and has masters in psychology, and has taught for University of Hawaii. Dr. Lessin is a qualified therapist, and author of books of anthropology and research.  The company is in search of people to fill the following positions via Outside Management Contract: Chief Operating Officer, Research and Development Manager; Vice President in various levels of marketing and manufacturing for each state in the United States of America.  The Administrative support staff will include web builders, web hosts, app builders, convention set up managers, chairpersons of each state chapter, and franchisee wholesale marketing distributorships for retail online E-commerce shops. PRODUCTS/SERVICES ACO, holding corporation is through its subsidiary Ascension Center Organization which produces high quality products and services as marketing and promotional items to include a full line of retail casual clothing and outerwear of cotton and fleece products including jeans of various designs, colors, makes and models to fit all sizes from petite to size 3x including T-shirts with company logos and slogans for marketing the latest authors, books, websites, and causes. Books and Ebooks are packaged through the TJ Morris Publishing imprint of Timely Manor Books under Morris Publishing/Timely Manor Books logos. A portion of each sale goes to preserving the rain forest of North America and natural lands of Hawaii and other states in the United States and rescuing dolphins and whales and the natural environment such as coral reefs. FUNDS REQUIRED ACO CORP is seeking first stage $50,000, $75,000 second stage, and $125,000 third stage funding before asking for fourth stage of $250,000 for final stage for operating, research, and design capital has been reached for full line of products of services is reached to be restocked annually. USE OF FUNDS Start- up development and marketing, product production, operational expenses, working capital, research and development, capital equipment, facilities improvements, and finally administrative salaries after the first year of capital growth improvisations for the setting up of licensed franchisees model of adding safe havens and retreat centers for people who need to share in the combining of efforts in synergy while living in a cooperative environment within a community of practicing skills. People with disabilities including both men and women veterans will be included as first choice for consideration when homeless and jobless. People helping People who are about sustainability for planet and species will be first consideration for administrative jobs. Those who are already on disability and have work tickets can be qualified through federal and state programs. Dialysis patients who need transportation to and from treatment three times a week are also considered for serving as part-time employees and volunteers in the spiritual community who will learn new skills that will be practiced in the manufacturing in cottage industries of ACO. Logo recognition and branding services of the Ascension Center Organization for Sustainability Solutions and Health and Prosperity for ALL will be the supporting factor for all use of funds. Articles of Incorporation and By-laws are modeled after the Consumer Protection Organization with subscribers as members set at $36.00 annually or $12.00 quarterly to be included in our directories as supporters of the Arts – Visual and  Performing, and ACE FOLKLIFE Historical Society Archivists, Contributors, Researchers, and Web-Builders of Internet Online Websites for our ACO Group of organizations in an alliance to be subscribers to either our American News Magazine Directory of Members or Anew News Magazine Body-Mind-Spirit Subscribers and Contributors. Branding Recognition will be for all products produced by ACO and all clubs as subsidiaries and divisions. ACO Annual National Convention will grow to include the International Community. ABOUT THE PROGRAM Caregiver Support Program was developed to support Caregivers as our partners in ensuring the best care for our seniors and veterans. The program provides a wide range of services to caregivers and counselors as well as Life Coaches for all areas. The program provides additions monthly services and is urged to participate I our licensing and certificate programs of various levels of expertise for Life Coach Managers and Caregiver Support Coordinators for the Ascension Center Education and Healing Centers. ACO Consciousness Counselors interact with various other licensing programs in each state. Administrators, Research and Developers of various Communities of Practicing Skills as COPS will be asked to provide contact information in our Guides which are provided to various service agencies and organizations in alliance with our Ascension Center Health and Caregivers Organization. Our basic list of concerns is listed in our websites such as Ascension Center.org, and AnewNews.com We also offer administrative management and personal consultants, and organizers for our events which include our speakers list. TJ Morris and Janet Lessin serve as Individual Agents. Related articles Theresa J Thurmond Morris, Author, Social Entrepreneur in ACE Folklife Creations Talk Action with TJ Morris & ACE FOLKLIFE CONFERENCE - Ascension Center HAWAII 06/16 by TJMorrisETRadio | Blog Talk Radio TJ Morris ET, Founder Alien ET UFO Community on Earth Tj Morris Et Is... Alien ET UFO Community is TJ of Ascension aka Theresa J Thurmond Morris Theresa J Thurmond Morris, Author, Social Entrepreneur in ACE Folklife Creations Awakening the Alien ET UFO Community of Avatar Asension Masters in 2012 & Beyond Atlantis, Lemuria, and MU Alien ET UFO Community with TJ ET TJ of Ascension Center Bio Short 2012 Bio Theresa J Thurmond Morris, Author/Entrepreneur, ACO Corp, Ascension Center, Ace Folklife Together We Can Partnerships ACO Corp a C Corporation of Kentucky USA in Global Trade and Commerce 2012 Truthful Challenges in Obama World – A Woman’s Time to Vote June 1, 2012 My husband Thomas Ray Morris and I are veterans in America. Tom was Army and I was Navy. My husband was stabbed, shot, and has leg problems which was due to splintering of bone from jumping out of planes into Bagdad and Kuwait area without a parachute as special forces in his young age of 20-30 from 1980-1993. He now requires a wheel chair and the Veterans Administration has been wonderful about assisting us. People complain so much about the VA that I would like to shed some light. Sometimes, there is such a thing as serendipity and synchronicity in life and everything just falls into place. I don't know how much longer Tom and I will be on earth and it is sometimes seen that when one beloved spouse dies the twin flame follows. We are best friends and it was our love for our country, flag, and the oath we took to fight for our country against both foreign and domestic enemies that allowed us to meet in person and fall in love. The VA in less than a week, got TOM a wheelchair, a mobile lift carrier for the wheel chair on our old truck, and has had a couple come out who is a contractor for the VA to build a metal ramp on the front of our double wide trailer. We live a humble existence since we have been prior military and truck drivers afterwards and are now on a fixed budget. I thought it would be best to share that the VA in USA did a wonderful job of service and paid the contractor Custom Cycle & Mobility Supply in Evansville, Indiana the same day with the VA Credit Card. While Tom and I were over the road truck drivers we pulled mainly 53' dry box with a semi for contractors for the U.S. Government and we pulled for the US Treasury and others such as Microsoft Corporation. We have seen all types of corporations all over the USA. We know how the large corporations work inside and out and we were both in intelligence and security. We are proud to make this report that we are now beginning the ACO Corp in Kentucky USA to assist in an outreach program with ACE Folkife to follow the model that ConsumerReports.org has shared with us. We just wanted to share our story and we have become authors sharing our own life stories on our blogs and blogtalkradio.com/TJMorrisetradio daily and will share the Veterans Show on Thursday to support positive changes in America. Official photographic portrait of US President Barack Obama (born 4 August 1961; assumed office 20 January 2009) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) With his family by his side, Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States by Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, Jr. in Washington, D.C., Jan. 20, 2009. More than 5,000 men and women in uniform are providing military ceremonial support to the presidential inauguration, a tradition dating back to George Washington’s 1789 inauguration. VIRIN: 090120-F-3961R-919 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) OBAMA WORLD – WAR WITHIN MIND & SOUL By: Theresa J Thurmond Morris TJ MORRIS tm ACIR sm ACO Corp USA President Barack Obama is a world leader. The most important world leader of our time in 2012. We are to become more than we are and it is time for women to become more involved in life decisions and opportunities around the world There is an inner and outer work and world. Our inner world includes our minds and our souls. Our outer world is the reflection of all that we experience. Our own conscious awareness is about expansion and growth which requires change in all that we are at present. We are about the future. TJ Morris claims the right to create a pact and journal to share with other interested parties in creating a new consciousness and concept as our world within a world as that of OBAMA WORLD in the United States of America. Every being on earth is completed with a left and right brain with separate hemispheres. As we gain knowledge of life while living to learn and learning to live, it is my desire to assist others with words and understanding in life. There is also a war within with the lower physical body and the higher spiritual body. As we learn to live, we take on the mediation moderator of our soul self to challenge our definition of who we are as individuals and as part of our cultural society in the study of anthropology and ontology. I desire to claim OBAMA WORLD as the world in which we can all be creators and supporters of the new world in Cyber Space. The virtual reality world that we are call life on the Internet as a free tool of self-discovery. The United States of America claims home and creator of the Internet and World Wide Web and the best world leader the country of the Unites States of America now referred to as USA. President Barack Obama can be related to Spock on Star Trek according to some reports he has compared himself to Spock and he watched Star Trek from the age of ten years old. Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. It is our destiny to become the future world as a new world. This journalist writer will be experiencing the new world on planet Gaia and Earth as one who is into extraterrestrial living and extra-terrestrial vehicles or ETVs. Therefore, I claim as Founder the right to write about OBAMA WORLD in my blogs and websites as my own creation electing President Barack Obama as the leader of my new world which I claim to discover as OBAMA WORLD. Because I am a colorful character that has many interests on this planet, I desire to endorse and be an advocate for change and let the chips fall where they may. It is my decision to be the first creator of the story of the OBAMA WORLD with the subheading called the WAR WITHIN. This story will be how I manage to live and exist on planet earth with my SPOCK friend leading the way. We are all the authors of our own life stories. We each have a role to play in the game of life. Our minds and our souls are being waged in war of both that which was and that which will be. We are becoming more of love in life that fears of the unknown once created havoc and chaos. We can now overcome the past and learn from our ancestors mistakes. I will become an advocate of this gendered male and female of mixed races to form a more perfect unified field of origin in my own personal existence while here on earth. This will dissipate and expand outwardly when I leave this level of existence that we now call life on earth as one being of the ascension sentient intelligent beings species that travels in space on a planet called earth. We travel at eighteen miles per hour and we are here to learn that which our souls desire to enhance and carry on in our energy as our own essence. We are all in the process of changing and becoming more than we are at present. This is our fate and our destiny. We are to live a serendipity synergetic existence with others of our species. We are the humanoid sentient intelligent beings in space. It is my will and desire to proclaim that I will be endorsing President Barack Obama as the new Spock Leader whose name will become a hosting historical marker in time for beings such as me that some call Alien Hybrids. Some of us are ET contactee experiencers. We share that we have memories and experiences of past lives on earth and in space. We are here to assist those who are to awaken their own memories of who they are outside of this present existence. My race and gender also being one of gender and mixed color in the DNA realms share what we call humanity for the good of the species. We are first humanoid sentient intelligent beings of our entire species as a tribe. We are brought here to become more with our own experiences to create our future memories. While it is my duty to remain alive and share responsibility with those who are like me as a bi-peddle, I shall invoke and require my friends, colleagues and associates to remain truthful to their higher selves while become better beings and spiritual intellectuals. I will champion our higher cause to take up the battle or war within. We shall learn about many people, places, and things in this game of life on earth. We shall create our place with our essence energy that we choose to keep inside our body-mind-spirit vessels we call an ascension sentient intelligent beings. Those who choose to join me on this new spiritual quest will receive guidance without tools that we shall forge in an alliance on earth. We each have a way to create our own Cyberspace Network Expansions. This project we can frame as a model calling it the X-pansion. The expansion of knowledge, in information and communication in cyberspace will be our donation of our time and us as advocates in training as information net workers and communicators for the good of all. We will become those who recognize the path as the road to recovery in economic hard times while visiting earth as an individual unit. Those who take up the pledge for the “War Within” will complete the process of the X-pansion. The Ascension Center is the logo and icon that was given me, Theresa Janette Thurmond Morris from the Galaxy Alliance to share as a symbol of good will and good faith between those on planet earth and those above in the universal alliance. The Galaxy Alliance in space has a military logo and icon that was given to my companion, soul mate, spouse, and partner in this lifetime. This is the military that will defend this planet when needed. We share these logos which belong to those above. The logos are the first sign to the Obama World that there is a need for Spock Obama. We will share our time creating works and words that will enhance the goodwill toward all beings on earth and off world. This game will become a reality in software created by the TJ MORRIS tm Friends of the OBAMA WORLD ALLIANCE. We will be counting on the future which will include the CYBER SPACE SECURITY FORCE. WE acknowledge the need for President Barack Obama’s leadership. WE share in the need for Cyberspace Security beginning in the Unites States of America and expanding in our world of X-pansion that we shall oversee and carry forth among our social network and supporters. WE share in the knowledge that we can comprehend and perceive as government, civilians, in e-commerce on the Internet and World Wide Web. WE calmly claim that it is the OBAMA WORLD as the WAR WITHIN that will lead us on the path to economic recovery as a bi-partisan group of beings. I promise to devote my time in sharing in the creation of OBAMA WORLD with other interested parties while here on earth to banish the world outside of Cyber Space Obama World of ignorance and discrimination. I promise to share information that is truthful and challenges claims to truth if I feel that it is falsehoods. I will champion this cause as a way to claim the right to morals, integrity, justice, and truth through my power and calling as the Keeper of the Flame. HOW TO APPLY As a member of CI, national consumer organisations are able to influence directly key international decision-making bodies, boost their national profile, develop contacts and build their knowledge on issues of global relevance. Individual consumer organisations cannot hope to serve consumers and improve their welfare alone in a globalised world dominated by international corporations, self-regulation and weak enforcement. Who can apply? Any organisation that is working in support of consumer rights and that meets other criteria for each membership category such as independence from commercial and political interests, can apply for membership. Note the application deadlines below. It must forward its membership enquiry to the Member Services team in London at consint@consint.org, the focal point for managing member registration. It is then required to send back a Membership application form fully completed along with suporting documentation which includes: a copy of the organisation's constitution or statutes proof of legal registration accounts or balance sheet, and other relevant supporting documents, such as publications and reports. Membership rounds and deadlines for 2012 Deadlines Affiliate members and Government affiliate members There are three membership rounds in 2012 and the deadlines are: 6 April 2012 3 August 2012 7 December 2012 The CI Secretariat, which includes CI's Director General, member services staff and regional managers, will then meet to consider and approve applications from all regions of the world. This is often done in consultation with existing CI members. Full members ApplHere is a list of username(s) associated with active subscriptions for the email address TJMorrisPublishing@gmail.com: Username Product TJMORRISPUBLISHING ConsumerReports.org Here is a list of username(s) that were used previously and are no longer active for the email address TJMorrisPublishing@gmail.com. These Usernames may be reused for subscribing to our online products. Username Product Usernames displayed are for subscriptions to our ONLINE products only. ConsumerReports.org ConsumerReports.org Cars Best Deals Plus Consumer Reports Car Price Services If you need additional assistance please contact customer service at the number below. 1-800-333-0663 for ConsumerReports.org (M-F 8:00AM-11:00PM EST or Sat. 9:30AM-6:00PM EST) 1-800-695-4051 for Consumer Reports magazine (M-F 8:00AM-11:00PM EST or Sat. 9:30AM-6:00PM EST) 1-800-880-4874 for Car Price Reports & Cars Best Deals Plus (24 hours a day / 7 days a week.)applications for Full membership are decided by CI's Council. HOW TO APPLY As a member of CI, national consumer organisations are able to influence directly key international decision-making bodies, boost their national profile, develop contacts and build their knowledge on issues of global relevance. Individual consumer organisations cannot hope to serve consumers and improve their welfare alone in a globalised world dominated by international corporations, self-regulation and weak enforcement. Who can apply? Any organisation that is working in support of consumer rights and that meets other criteria for each membership category such as independence from commercial and political interests, can apply for membership. Note the application deadlines below. It must forward its membership enquiry to the Member Services team in London at consint@consint.org, the focal point for managing member registration. It is then required to send back a Membership application form fully completed along with suporting documentation which includes: a copy of the organisation's constitution or statutes proof of legal registration accounts or balance sheet, and other relevant supporting documents, such as publications and reports. Membership rounds and deadlines for 2012 Deadlines Affiliate members and Government affiliate members There are three membership rounds in 2012 and the deadlines are: 6 April 2012 3 August 2012 7 December 2012 The CI Secretariat, which includes CI's Director General, member services staff and regional managers, will then meet to consider and approve applications from all regions of the world. This is often done in consultation with existing CI members. Full members Applications for Full membership are decided by CI's Council. 7 WAYS WE WORK FOR OUR MEMBERS Consumers International (CI) exists because of its membership. Since CI's creation in 1950, the goal of this international fraternity of consumer rights groups has been to serve and support the needs of its member organisations. The method and means by which this is done may have changed significantly over the years, but the value we place on enhancing the effectiveness of members' campaigns, broadening their influence and supporting their development remains central. A huge variety of organisations make up Consumers International. Our largest member has 500 staff and an annual turnover of USD160 million. Some of our smallest members are made up of no more than one or two volunteers, using a living room as a campaigns office. We have over 220 members representing more than 110 countries across the world, with two-thirds of our membership active in the developing world. For us to truly represent all these interests; and to fairly claim to be 'the global voice for consumers', we must find ways of providing value to all of these organisations. Here are some of the various ways in which we do this. Helping members achieve their campaign goals Providing members with access to and expertise on the international scene Our network gives members the opportunity to learn from others Helping to develop strong consumer advocates Helping you find longer-term support We provide support staff at every level Making sure members are heard 1. Helping members achieve their campaign goals Providing international support for national consumer rights advocacy is the bedrock of CI. The founding member organisations saw CI as a global association for sharing research and expertise on product testing, and, over several decades, CI has convened and facilitated global campaign networks on pesticides, health issues, baby milk formula and many others. Today, we do this is in a number of ways: from providing accreditation to international governing bodies like the UN, WHO, ISO and G20, and expert advice on how these frameworks function, to coordinating consumer group delegations to major international summits. We also facilitate requests from global governing bodies for consumer group engagement in their processes. In recent years, we have brought together national consumer groups to successfully lobby the WHO for better junk food marketing guidelines for national legislators. We have helped provide consumer group access and influence on a range of ISO working groups, putting our members at the very heart of the standards-setting agenda. And in July 2011, through CI's long-standing access to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, CI members helped secure new global GMO guidelines, meaning all consumer groups have a greater chance of lobbying successfully for GM labelling at the national level. There is no clearer indication of CI's campaigning value than our successful lobbying of the G20 to recognise the need to address financial consumer protection. Financial services is a headline issue for nearly all our members, and all those involved in this campaign can and should claim a slice of the success so far. But CI's role in coordinating the advocacy efforts of G20 economies member organisations and beyond was central to securing G20 action. Over a very short period of time, CI has positioned itself as the 'go to' international NGO on financial consumer protection. The G20, the OECD and national governments recognise the collective expertise of the global consumer movement, and the substantial constituency we represent. Such a position gives us authority and legitimacy in the eyes of our campaign targets, and, we hope, incredible value in the eyes of a campaigning membership. 2. Providing members with access to and expertise on the international scene As the only global consumer organisation, we are the entry point for consumer groups wishing to lobby international governing bodies. This provides members with accreditation to over 30 international bodies and their relevant sub-committees. This is a unique value to our membership and something that cannot be accessed at a national or regional level. We work hard to maintain these openings within the global governance community, and position ourselves as experts on these processes should our members require access. 3. Our network gives members the opportunity to learn from others Whether it is virtual or in person, networking is at the heart of any good member organisation. CI provides unprecedented opportunities for our members to exchange ideas with each other, and hear from other stakeholders too. The flagship networking event for CI is, of course, the World Congress - the 2011 event attracting over 500 delegates from 80 counties. CI Congresses take years of planning and consistently provide members with world-class speakers and cutting-edge debate. But we also arrange regular regional meetings, campaign dialogues and policy consultations designed to get members fully involved in tackling common concerns. We also facilitate the TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue, helping consumer groups in the EU and North America construct shared policy goals. The CI website is a window on the global consumer rights movement, and we are working to highlight the breadth and depth of our membership. Not only is there an advanced search facility offering a range of ways for users to find details of member organisations; but we regularly feature global member activity on our homepage, and member expert commentary via our blogs. Our communications team work hard to seek out interesting member stories, but we need members' help to showcase the best of their work. Please, take up the opportunity to tell a global audience about your organisation: email your news to consint@consint.org. And remember, we're multilingual. We have dedicated online services in English and Spanish, with selected content in French, and further materials in Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and more. Our online services don't end there. We seek to provide optimum value and support by utilising the best of new and social media tools. These include Blogspot, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, together with newsletters and email updates. 4. Helping to develop strong consumer advocates Being a CI member organisation means having access to world-class consumer rights expertise, both from within CI and through the member network. We are able to draw on over 50 years of experience and over 220 organisations to help members develop consumer protection law and consumer rights advocacy. Not only do we try to facilitate this exchange of knowledge through our communication services and networking opportunities, but also in structured ways via internships and capacity building projects. We are currently working with members to develop landmark consumer protection in a number of countries, including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, the Caribbean, El Salvador, Peru, and across Southern and Eastern Africa. Through the Rhoda Karpatkin internship scheme, we have been able to give young consumer advocates placements at the CI office in London, offering them a unique insight into the consumer movement. This scheme, funded by the Consumers Union of the US, has recently brought advocates to London from member organisations in Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, Cameroon, Fiji, Kenya, Lebanon, South Africa and Tanzania. CI also administers a number of grants to help build strong consumer organisations worldwide. Members can apply for grants such as the Anne Fransen Fund which provides members in developing countries with funds to enable them carry out capacity building and campaigning projects. The Green Action Fund enables CI members in developing countries to carry out awareness-raising campaigns about sustainable consumption, with an emphasis on environmental issues. And on the global policy level, we are constantly monitoring opportunities to improve frameworks and legislation, making sure agreements such as the UN Guidelines on Consumer Protection serve our members' interests. 'Our Members> Member Support' section of the CI website offers dozens of guides and support documents specifically tailored by CI for the needs of our membership. Here are just a few examples of what you can find there: Writing a constitution How to ensure that an organisation operates well and under clear rules in order to maintain public trust and proper accountability. Improving communication skills Writing tips and guidelines to improve communication skills within your organisation. How to evaluate your capacity A questionnaire to help consumer organisations assess their level of development. Getting Funding What model should you choose to generate funds? 5. Helping you find longer-term support CI has a small, but highly dedicated fundraising team. Working across the international donor landscape, they have an expert knowledge of how and where to access appropriate government, foundation and institutional funding bodies. It is an incredibly competitive market for securing donor funds at present, but CI's unique position as an international NGO, as well as a UK charity, gives us a level of donor access that national organisations could not secure on their own. During the current strategic period (2007-2011), CI has secured £2.76 million in donor project funds. Of this, 56% was transferred directly to member organisations as part of CI projects, and a further 15% was spent on CI workshops and activities directly related to those member activities. In other words, 71% of all the money CI raised outside of member fees has gone directly into the work of our membership. The remaining 29% covers the costs of CI campaigns, projects, communications and support staff, who are crucial to the successful delivery of these funded programmes. We are now looking at forging longer-term partnerships with bodies interested in the development of social movements with the aim of helping to develop sustainable consumer advocacy bodies in parts of the world where they are not yet fully operational. 6. We provide support staff at every level As an organisation, we are structured to provide members with support at every level. Our projects team offers assistance to all members involved in CI's funded activities. From understanding compliance procedures, to coordinating joint reports the projects staff are here to ensure donor expectations are met and that member organisations get the most out of the experience. Our campaigns and communications teams are focused on making our shared advocacy goals a success. Not only do they represent and lobby for our headline campaigns at the international level, they provide CI members with research data, campaign activity materials, press briefings, publications and promotional media. One need only look to the growing success of World Consumer Rights Day to see the popularity of this outreach work - member involvement in CI-coordinated activities grew by over a third between 2008 and 2011. And of course, CI's member services staff are the frontline support personnel across our four offices. They are here to help all of our members with enquiries about being a CI member, gaining governing body accreditation, using our services and engaging with the international movement. 7. Making sure members are heard Our members' priorities must be reflected in our own. To make sure this is always the case we conduct regular surveys of member CEOs and expert opinion on everything from campaign topics to social media strategies. Our methods range from qualitative consultations, right through to face to face conversations. Our regional offices for Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean are in regular consultation with our members in those regions, giving them access to like-minded organisations, and ensuring our global objectives are reflective of their needs. Our Global Office in London, together with our TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue, provides similar access and input for Europe and North America. We are a democratic organisation. Every Full member has the opportunity to stand for election to the CI council and executive board, who in turn set the overall objectives for the organisation. Such accountability, and the responsibilities which follow, are at the heart of our ways of working.