NBM 7 Substitute Motion VR Board to WSBC reference literature

NBM 7 Substitute Motion   VR Board to WSBC reference literature

PROPOSED OA NEW BUSINESS MOTIONS

Move to create a Special Committee on the distribution of digital literature intended to replace the current Board of Trustees (BOT) ad hoc committee on literature.  

This Special Committee shall be empowered by the Conference to develop a fully integrated, OA-branded membership e-reader platform. The platform will include literature sales, OA content delivery, opportunities for digital group literature tables, links for Seventh Tradition contributions, and access to general OA resources.

The committee shall be formed following the 2026 Conference and will report to the next Conference. The platform is to be launched by the end of 2027.

To carry out this work, the Special Committee is authorized to implement such changes as are necessary to fulfil the intent of this motion.

The committee shall consist of two trustees (selected by the Board of Trustees), two region chairs (selected by the Region Chairs Committee), and three additional voting members.

The committee may, by a two-thirds majority vote of its voting members, add other individuals to serve in an advisory capacity. Such advisory members shall have a voice but no vote.

The committee shall submit a budget line-item request for inclusion in the 2026 OA budget.  

SUBMITTED BY:

Virtual Region Board

For the motion maker’s contact details, please email secretary@oavirtualregion.org

INTENT:

To create a committee that will implement an eReader platform.

IMPLEMENTATION:  

The committee will review technologies previously presented to the Board by the Virtual Region Trustee and evaluate any new viable options. It will determine the content plan, design the site map, assess functionality needs, and develop a rollout plan for the platform.

The committee will prepare a request for proposal (RFP) outlining development and maintenance costs, incorporating input into the content plan as needed.

Following the review and selection of bids, the committee will collaborate with the Board of Trustees to finalize contract terms. In accordance with OA Bylaws, Subpart A, Article IX — Miscellaneous Provisions, Section 3 – Execution of Checks, Notes, Contracts, (a) the Executive Committee shall authorize the appropriate person(s) to enter into the contract on behalf of Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Thereafter, the committee will oversee the rollout of the platform.

COST

Cost: a one time $15,000 to $20,000 plus $6,000 to $15,000 annually with the intent of costs to be recovered by a return on the investment from literature sales.

HOW DOES THIS MOTION SUPPORT OA’S PRIMARY PURPOSE?

It enables the Fellowship to reach members and newcomers directly where OA literature is accessed and purchased. By developing an OA-operated digital platform, the Fellowship can share recovery resources, encourage use of OA literature, and promote the Tool of Writing in a unified, recovery-centered environment.

This platform will strengthen connections, provide timely access to OA-approved materials, and support members in all stages of recovery — including newcomers and those returning from relapse — helping to carry the message of recovery more effectively to the compulsive eater who still suffers.

RATIONALE:

A large and ever growing percentage of OA meetings are now virtual. Every region includes virtual meetings, and three regions currently have virtual intergroups. However, the technologies used to distribute OA literature outside of oa.org are outdated and do not facilitate meaningful membership outreach or growth.

This motion responds to the need for OA to reach its virtual membership through a recovery-driven digital literature platform. The shared recovery experience once found at in-person literature tables or in one-on-one member exchanges is lost on commercial platforms such as Amazon and Apple, and even, in part, on oa.org. By developing an OA-operated platform, the Fellowship can carry the message more effectively to newcomers, returnees, and members in relapse, while also strengthening unity and accessibility.

The current Board of Trustees Ad Hoc Committee on e-commerce has produced limited and inequitable results, with limited recommendations that do not fully address the needs of OA’s global and virtual membership. A Special Committee empowered by the Conference can provide broader representation, ensure access across regions, and ensure a more forward-thinking, recovery-driven approach.

An OA-operated digital literature platform will:

  1. Allow the World Service Organization (WSO) to integrate additional content from oa.org for membership participation and review (such as free recovery materials, podcasts, workshops, Lifeline articles, and event links).
  2. Increase revenue for OA by reducing dependence on third-party sellers, avoiding standard marketplace fees (e.g., the 30% charged by Amazon).
  3. Provide groups and service bodies with opportunities to create digital literature tables for their meetings.
  4. Give OA control over its membership data. Commercial platforms use algorithms to market diet products and other materials to our members; instead, OA can offer recovery resources grounded in experience, strength, and hope.

This motion strengthens OA’s ability to carry the message by meeting members where they are—online—providing direct access to literature, workshops, and recovery materials; supporting newcomer retention; and fostering connections across the Fellowship. OA will manage its own digital presence and membership data, while generating additional resources to sustain the Fellowship’s growth and recovery.