Orienting Income-Generating Activities towards Preaching

The GBC recommends that all ISKCON Leaders endeavor to gradually orient the income-generating activities of the temple devotees in the asramas primarily towards preaching-related sources. The pace of such a shift is to be determined by the local leadership. ISKCON Leaders and traveling preachers should respect and cooperate with the policies being instituted in the various zones. This guideline is not in any way intended to contradict or create an exception to any ISKCON Law restricting the commercial activities of legal entities which are ISKCON Affiliates. ISKCON Leaders and/or members encouraging the conduct of or engaging in activities prohibited for ISKCON affiliates under such laws should take care to see that such activities are conducted by other entities.(93)

(Amendment 2002)

10.4  Affliates of ISKCON

10.4 ISKCON-affiliated Organizations

 

[Please note that the ISKCON Law Book has a slightly different name for this Section, and that the numbering given here is not consistent with the numbering therein. Either the remaining subsections of Section 10.4 will need to be renumbered to accommodate this revision, or (preferred) the balance of the section should be revised as well. However, only the existing 10.4.1 is being specifically repealed at this point.]

 

10.4.1           Prologue

 

The GBC Body shall recognize certain associations of devotees located anywhere in the world, which may be registered or unregistered, incorporated or unincorporated, as being affiliated with ISKCON, provided they meet the requirements spelled out in this law section. Such affiliated organizations may be known as "Centers" (or "Independent Centers" if they are also financially autonomous). Types of Centers are "Temples," "Rural Communities," "Preaching Centers," "Institutes," "Congregational Preaching Directorates" and "Special Projects," as defined below.

 

10.4.2                General Requirements of Affiliation

 

For an association of devotees to be considered in any way affiliated with ISKCON and to receive the benefits of such affiliation, it must meet the following requirements:

 

1. It must be organized on not-for-profit basis.

2. It must be managed by ISKCON devotees in good standing.

3. It must be conducting its affairs according to the policies, guidelines and standards as set down by the GBC Body.

4. It must be recognized as affiliated with ISKCON as per Subsection 10.4.4 below.

 

10.4.3                Types of Affiliated Organizations

 

10.4.3.1 Temples

 

"Temples" are Centers characterized by having one primary location which is either stable or semi-stable, and at which daily functions of community or public worship are performed, plus financial autonomy (not being financially controlled by any other affiliate), plus at least one of the following four additional characteristics:

 

1. There are Deities installed as the presiding Deities of that location for which the worship is being conducted by ISKCON;

2. There is real property at the primary location which is either owned by the association directly, or owned by another not-for-profit entity controlled by ISKCON devotees in good standing, or in any other way the ownership of the property fits the definition of an ISKCON Property as described under ISKCON Law;

3. There is a separate legal registration for the local association; or,

4. There is a congregation of at least 75 members who regularly attend the center's functions.

 

10.4.3.2 Rural Communities

 

"Rural Communities" are Centers that fit the same characterization as do Temples, but in addition they are situated in a rural area.

 

10.4.3.3 Institutes

 

"Institutes" are characterized by having at least one primary location, which is either owned by the association directly, or owned by another not-for-profit entity controlled by ISKCON devotees in good standing, plus financial autonomy (not being financially controlled by any other affiliate), plus by having activities centered around education, research and/or publication. There may or may not be regular activities of public worship.

 

10.4.3.4                           Congregational Preaching Directorates

 

(Amendment 2004)

10.4.3.4 Congregational Preaching Directorates

 

"Congregational Preaching Directorates" are characterized by having at least one primary location that is either stable or semi-stable, by having financial autonomy (not being financially controlled by any other affiliate), and by having activities centered on development of congregational preaching over a significantly large area. There may or may not be regular activities of public worship.

 

10.4.3.5 Special Projects

 

"Special Projects" are characterized by having functions and activities as needed for special circumstances to fulfill the overall purposes of ISKCON, plus financial autonomy (not being financially controlled by any other affiliate). They may or may not have primary locations or activities of public worship, but they must meet the General Requirements of Affiliation as described in Section 10.4.2 above.

 

10.4.3.6                          Preaching Centers

 

"Preaching Centers" are characterized by having at least one primary location which may not be permanent but at which regular functions of community or public worship are performed. A Preaching Center may be financially controlled by another ISKCON center; or it may not have a sufficiently permanent location or sufficiently mature management structure to be recognized as a full Temple; or it may have neither installed Deities, nor owned property, nor a separate legal registration, nor a sufficiently large congregation, as described to be qualified as a Temple under Section 10.4.3.1 above.

 

10.4.3.7 Subsidiaries and Branches of Affiliated Organizations

 

Any of the above-defined affiliated centers which are financially autonomous may have subsidiaries or branches in additional locations, provided they are authorized to have them by the local Zonal Secretaries or Divisional Council. These subsidiaries or branches may be known as "Extension Centers," "Nama Hatta Centers," etc.

 

A Preaching Center may also be a subsidiary or branch of a large independent Temple, or it may be semi-autonomous and report directly to a Zonal Secretary or Divisional Council.

 

Subsidiaries and branches of affiliated centers shall be considered as constituent parts of those centers for all purposes of ISKCON Law except where specifically noted.

 

ISKCON Centers may encourage and endorse the preaching activities of independent ventures, such as privately owned devotee restaurants and independent householders who regularly preach from their homes, and the Centers may advertise such preaching activities as ISKCON activities to the extent that such advertising does not compromise its non-profit status. While such independent activities are not to be considered as subsidiary or branch activities of the Center for the purpose of this Law, the Center is responsible for any use of ISKCON's good name in such activities. Care must be taken not to place the name of ISKCON at risk. The Center must be prepared to withdraw its endorsement of these activities whenever the need arises.

 

10.4.4 Recognition of Affiliates, Preaching Centers

 

The Zonal Secretaries are normally the competent ISKCON authorities to certify to the GBC Body that an organization functioning in a particular zone is to be recognized or de-recognized as an official ISKCON Center, and to determine the corresponding type of affiliation as per Subsection 10.4.3 above. However, this function may have been delegated to a constituted local Divisional Council. Whichever the case in a particular zone, the competent authority is obliged to report annually to the GBC Secretariat prior to the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the GBC as to the existence and status of all ISKCON Centers functioning in the zone. They are also obliged to report promptly during the year if any new Center has been opened in the zone or if there has been any change in the official status of any center.

 

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