Let me start by saying that I know you and others have given to this club & hobby in ways that others will never be able to appreciate
or understand. Time and energy are things we direct and some choose to dedicated their free time to chip collecting and being part of the Club.
Some of us have given everything they have to give. I appreciate all of the efforts that were made before I started collecting and the continued efforts to sustain the hobby I love.
I come from a background where I founded a 501c3 not for profit Art space and it has grown every year, for 18 years now. We raise and spend roughly 750K each year supporting our mission. Our budget is made up of 1/2 fundraising and 1/2 Grants.
I come from a place where Board Members are "invited" to a Board Position. The position has a dues that has grown to $1000 per year. Our BOD is there to support the mission and help (((FUNDRAISE))). We have many founding Board Members still active on our board 18 years later. We have grown the board to 31 Members. The organization has grown up together. We started with three volunteer founders, they realized they couldn't sustain the growth so they asked for help from a not for profit advisor. They showed us how to apply for the 501c3 and how to form a BOD and the BOD has advised us from there. We grew to hired a part time Director and grew that position to a full time position, then we added staff as they were needed.
As a founder it was hard to see someone get paid for what I did for free for years just like you. Do I regret our decision to hire a ED… what do you think?
Our Club's BOD is transient in nature, they are voted in and out. Their duties are those of a traditional BOD and also a Executive Director, and Staff. Their Board dues are paid through their hard work. Seems to me this can work for a small club. But not for a real Not for Profit representing a hobby
as big as ours. Maybe most members just prefer a small club till the end, I don't
I'll stop making suggestions if the BOD can agree to hire a good Non for Profit advisor/planner to work with us for a year and we listen to them. They will tell us everything we need to know to grow. The first thing I would guess is that they would say we need an ED. Because their would be a lot of daily work to do… way more than current volunteers have time for. Maybe not… lets do it and see.
About the MOGH...
The MOGH could be a real boost for the hobby but not under the current Club BOD structure... it will be tough. In my opinion… if it has any chance at long term organizational success it will need to be financially independent of the Club and have its own 501c3 in Nevada. It will need its own founding BOD and own membership program with levels of support. BOD stays… unless asked to leave by being voted off. It will need to start with an Executive Director with experience as such. Someone who has done the work before… who knows the grant system and how to grow a 501c3 organization.
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