Definition of Corporate Member

[Bas]

The only advantage I can see charging for a corporate membership is that it weeds out people that aren't serious about it. If it's free, you'll get a bunch of "sure, why not" people. It can be as little as $10. Enough it's not an automatic thing, but not so much people can't in good faith consider this a replacement for a donation. You can combine this with being an active user as well.

The $10 does NOT support the site or NC WW in general. It is purely to handle the administrative costs for memberships (postage, phone, yummy snacks at board meetings etc.). That's how I'd advertise it.

 

[ScottM]

The only advantage I can see charging for a corporate membership is that it weeds out people that aren't serious about it. If it's free, you'll get a bunch of "sure, why not" people.

This may be a issue even if we charge a membership fee. I think being a member should require more then a token fee and should be something one would apply for vs being automatically obtained by x number of posts and $10.

Something to consider but do members of the board also have to be members of NCWW INC. I hope the answer is no. There may come a time when we would want someone with knowledge of running a non-profit to be a board member and they don't know the differnce between a pine and a oak.

All stated as MHO.

 

[sapwood]

So I still feel very strongly that there should be no public acknowledgement of donations, no special privlages, there is no reason to change what is currently working. So I am back to my question, should we charge for a corporate memebrship? Why? What advantages are there? how much?

I put being an "active user" as most important criteria for membership status and that should be determined by staff.

I suspect, if we establish dues at $45, the large donors will mostly just pay their udes and stop giving. The small donors will stop giving all together. The end result will probably be less total income..

My gut instinct says folks that pay dues won't stop "other" giving such as donation requests. Of course, if the data you gather says differently I'm wrong :wconfused:

However, I would charge $10-$45 for corporate membership . . .
Lower end of range encourages more members and high end yields less members.

Roger

 

[SteveColes]

The only advantage I can see charging for a corporate membership is that it weeds out people that aren't serious about it. If it's free, you'll get a bunch of "sure, why not" people. It can be as little as $10. Enough it's not an automatic thing, but not so much people can't in good faith consider this a replacement for a donation. You can combine this with being an active user as well.

The $10 does NOT support the site or NC WW in general. It is purely to handle the administrative costs for memberships (postage, phone, yummy snacks at board meetings etc.). That's how I'd advertise it.

That's not a bad way to think about it.
But, if a person meets whatever site participation rules, we come up with, and the rules are strong enough, then don't we have by definition, a person interested in the site.

OK, I'm about out of arguments, so have I or others changed anyone's mind. Please ring in one way or another your latest stance.

 

[sapwood]

That's not a bad way to think about it.
But, if a person meets whatever site participation rules, we come up with, and the rules are strong enough, then don't we have by definition, a person interested in the site.

OK, I'm about out of arguments, so have I or others changed anyone's mind. Please ring in one way or another your latest stance.

Been out of town a couple of days . . . missed you all :yes4lo:

I posited "active user" as my primary criteria for membership. Paying dues is secondary question and not requisite as far as I'm concerned.

Does that mean we agree :gar-Bi
Hope I haven't been argumentative :crossedlips:

Roger