---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 1
number: 1
published: 1897-11
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, \"The Improvement Fund,\" *Improvement Era* 1, no. 1 (November 1897): 63–64."
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera11unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera11unse
  scan: "Original source link: https://archiveviewer.org/viewer/internet-archive/improvementera11unse"
start_page: 63
end_page: 64
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1897-11)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera11unse
  publication_year: 1897
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1897, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# The Improvement Fund

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The Improvement Fund.—By reference to the minutes of the last annual conference, held in July, it will be seen that by a resolution unani <!-- page:64 -->mously adopted the conference renewed its acceptance and endorsement of
the "Fifty Cent Fund," hereafter to be called the "Improvement Fund;"
that is, the donation of fifty cents per annum by each member for the purpose of meeting the necessary expenses of Mutual Improvement work. That
ten per cent of the amount collected be deducted by the local associations
for expenses, and fifteen per cent be deducted by the stake superintendencies for their expenses; and that the third week in November of each year
be set apart and known as "collection week" for the fund, and that after the
collections are in and the deductions made as aforesaid, the balance be forwarded to the treasurer of the general organization, Wm. S. Burton, not
later than the first day of January succeeding collection week.
The attention of presidents and treasurers of associations is called to
this action of the general conference that they may be reminded that its decision is binding upon all the associations, and that all officers may seek
diligently to carry it into effect. It is expected that all officers of associations will in this, as in every other good work, set the example by being the
first to pay the amount decided upon, fifty cents per year, and then call
upon all the members to do the same. Collection week begins on the fourteenth of November and ends on the twentieth, and a strong effort should
be made to collect this fund at the appointed time, and then let the subject
be dismissed for a year. It should not be allowed to drag through the meetings of the entire season's work. Let the presidents of associations be in
earnest in looking after this fund and they will be successful in collecting it.
The fifty cents per annum required of members of the associations is
not to be regarded as an initiation fee, but a free-will offering to the cause
of Mutual Improvement. We desire to see the doors of the associations
remain as they are, open to all young men who desire to enter; but the work
has now arrived at that point in its progress where it requires this means to
carry out its purposes, and our brethren interested in its growth and success
should be 'willing, and we believe they are willing, to give their material
support to the cause. Presidents, see to it that every member of your associations, during collection week, has the opportunity to give his fifty cents
to this Improvement Fund. Appeal to the business and manly sense of our
young brethren who make up the membership of our associations, and we
feel sure they will respond cheerfully to this necessary call made upon them.