Subject: RE: Update
From: "Randy Russell" <[email-masked]>
To: "Rick Leach" <[email-masked]>, "Allison Sapp " <[email-masked]>, "Amanda Chowning" <[email-masked]>, "Barbara Belmont" <[email-masked]>, "Bonnie Raquet" <[email-masked]>, "Carl W. Stern" <[email-masked]>, "Dan Glickman" <[email-masked]>, "Danley Laurenceau" <[email-masked]>, "Darlene Shively" <[email-masked]>, "David Novak" <[email-masked]>, "Donna Hughes" <[email-masked]>, "Dr. Marsha Dubrow" <[email-masked]>, "Hunter Biden" <[email-masked]>, "Jo Ann Emerson" <[email-masked]>, "Jonathan B
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 21:54:55 +0000

Rick, thanks for the excellent report. With the WFP set to receive $2 bil from the USG as compared to last year's $1.5 bill-that is a significant accomplishment.  Congratulations to the whole team who help educate and advocate and raise significant private sector funds for the WFP. Randy

From: Rick Leach [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2014 4:31 PM
To: Allison Sapp ; Amanda Chowning; Barbara Belmont; Bonnie Raquet; Carl W. Stern; Dan Glickman; Danley Laurenceau; Darlene Shively; David Novak; Donna Hughes; Dr. Marsha Dubrow; Hunter Biden; Jo Ann Emerson; Jonathan Blum; Katie Dodge; Larry Darrow; Laura Huber; Marshall Matz; Matthew J. Harrington; Nicole Hertenstein; Pat Walton Butcher ([email-masked]); Randy Russell; Rick Leach; Samuel "Sandy" Berger; Shannon Hiskey
Subject: Update

Dear Members of the Board,
Good afternoon, following are a few updates:

Omnibus Appropriations includes Increases in Funding for the Fight Against Global Hunger
While there may be many areas of partisan disagreement, the effort to fight global hunger unites both parties.  As highlighted in the chart below, Congress passed FY15 appropriations legislation this weekend that includes funding levels above the amounts requested by the Administration, with increases over FY14 levels in a few accounts.  In addition, a Supplemental Appropriation was included to help alleviate the Ebola outbreak.

ACCOUNT                                                                                                                 ($ in 1,000)

FY '13 Enacted

FY '14 Enacted

FY '15 President's Request

FY '15 CR/Omnibus

Ag Appropriations

Food for Peace

$1,361,000

$1,466,000

$1,400,000

$1,466,000

McGovern Dole

$174,744

$185,126

$185,126

$191,626

Local and Regional Purchase

n/a

n/a

$0

$0

SFOPS Appropriations

International Disaster Assistance (IDA)

$1,555,000

$1,801,000

$1,300,000

$1,895,000

IDA Ebola Supplemental

n/a

n/a

$1,436,273

$1,436,273

Feed the Future

$950,864

$1,100,000

$1,000,600

$1,000,600

Nutrition

$95,127

$115,000

$101,000

$115,000

The Food for Peace (commodity-based) and International Disaster Assistance (cash-based) accounts are the main conduits of USG resources for WFP's emergency response efforts.  The small increase in the McGovern-Dole school feeding program funding is attributable to Bob Dole's engagement of House leadership.  We were not able to secure funding for the new Local and Regional Purchase Program (established in the Farm Bill) but are confident that we can establish a base of support for this new Program in the year ahead.  USG contributions to WFP will likely reach $2 billion by years end, almost $500 million more than was provided in 2013.   WFP will also receive funds from the Supplemental for its West Africa Ebola response effort (WFP is working to ensure that the health crisis does not become a food security crisis.  In addition to providing food assistance, WFP is assisting the humanitarian community with logistics support - from building Ebola Treatment Centers to transporting equipment, supplies and personnel).

Significant Increase in Engagement/Donations from the General Public

Individual giving has increased significantly in the first two weeks of December, in excess of projected contribution levels.  We are assessing the relative impact of a range of actions, including the airing of the 60 Minutes segment on WFP, placements of ads/video (from Times Square to Google), a partnership with Amazon targeting select audiences, links to articles placed by WFP USA (including USA Today and the New Yorker), response to our Thanksgiving appeal and other targeted efforts.  In past years, 25% of our annual revenue was provided by individual donors.  This year, we expect increases in overall revenue and the percentage provided by individuals.

*         Fundraising: In the first 10 days of December we raised $1.35 million from individuals, with an average of $25,000 per day online (much higher than our average online donations).

*         Website: In comparison to a similar timeframe in early November, the number of sessions on our website have gone up 394%, while average session duration is up 58% and bounce rate is down 36%; all of this means that more people are coming to our site, and they're spending more time on it. Furthermore, our online conversion rate has gone up 799%. Conversion rate is the percentage of visits to our website that have resulted in a donation.

*         Social Media: Our interactions on Facebook and Twitter have gone up 197%, which means we're engaging with more users. Our impressions have gone up 311%, which means we're reaching more users, even those who are not already following us.

Effort to Increase "cargo preference" Defeated

WFP USA and it partners successfully defeated an effort in Congress to increase the percentage of food assistance required to be transported on US flag ships.  This effort would have increased transportation costs by approximately $75 million, thereby decreasing the number of people assisted by USG food assistance by an estimated 2 million.  The provisions to increase cargo preference were included in legislation initially passed by the House.  Thanks to the bi-partisan efforts of Senators Corker (R-TN) and Coons (D-DE), the problematic provisions were removed before the final vote.

The apolitical/bipartisan commitment to fight global hunger has the deep support of the American People.  It is a clear statement about our shared values and principles that transcends politics and party.

FYI, attached is a special supplement in USA Today (with a piece by WFP USA and an article on Christina Aguilera) and following is the link to the 60 Minutes segment:  60 Minutes segment on WFP's Syria operation<http://www.cbsnews.com/news/war-and-hunger-world-food-programme-and-syrian-refugees-in-jordan/>.

Thank you very much for your continued commitment - your support is greatly appreciated.

All the Best,

Rick

Richard Leach
President & CEO

World Food Program USA
1725 Eye Street NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20006
T 202.627.3737
F 202.530.1698
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>