This Page has been put together to answer your questions about the 2012 GPSEG Dues Increase. The most recent update to this page is November 21, 2012.
Why do we need a dues increase?
We need to increase our dues in order to facilitate our organizations growth to the next level of stability and permanence. We see the most important step in this transition as our ability to hire an Executive Director and begin to transition into a professional organization with paid operational administration and services. Administration and services are necessary due to the planned expansion of geography and subgroups, alliances and mentoring opportunities within large corporations, reduced fee subscriptions, recruitment database access, and other networking tools to facilitate our information gathering and networking services to each other.
How did the Board of Directors decide to increase the dues?
Several years ago we recognized the need for a dues increase in order to achieve our long term objectives. This was also borne out in our strategic planning with the Leadership team in 2010. Earlier this year, your Board spent months on strategic planning, engaged outside advisors, explored numerous financial models and “what if” scenarios, researched alternatives to a dues increase with other revenue generating possibilities, and a used comprehensive decision-making process to be sure that this dues increase was the best solution to support our growth.
How does GPSEG compare to other similar organizations?
GPSEG’s annual fee is lower than like-organizations in the Phila. area, as well as organizations with a national presence.
When will the dues increase take effect?
It will take effect on January 1, 2012. This means that individuals will be charged the new rates on their next renewal date after Jan. 1, 2012. Due to our volunteer efforts, the website has not yet been able to reflect these changes, but the increase will be enforced as intended and stated.
How will the increased revenue be used?
The increased revenue will be used to pay the salary and benefits of an Executive Director. The amount of the potential increased revenue has been calculated to take several factors into consideration:
- 20% possible fall out of members
- The costs of benefits, office space, travel and expenses
- 10% contingency padding to ensure we have enough to cover newly incurred expenses
- Annual reserve (best practices) of at least $100,000.
Is there a plan in the future to have different levels of dues for different categories of members?
This possibility has been considered. The Board has committed to exploring this idea further in the future with some new scenario thinking to help determine if this is worth pursuing. We did not have the capacity to tackle this possibility before we moved forward on the dues increase to enable us to hire the Executive Director in the near timeframe.
How does or will a sponsorship program enter into our need and/or use of revenue to support and Executive Director?
GPSEG is piloting a sponsorship program at this time. Based on our inability to accurately predict the revenue stream from a sponsorship program, the board did not believe it would be either prudent or responsible, for us as an organization to depend on any specific revenue stream from this program. Our commitment to hiring an Executive Director requires that we know for certain where we will get the revenue to support that person as contracted.
It is still unclear how much sponsorship money we will collect or what services we will provide in return for the sponsorship dollars.
Who else was involved in the decision to raise dues?
The Leadership Team has been involved for the last few years in strategic planning efforts. These efforts have consistently led to the need for hired administration and services for adequate support of recent growth patterns. Our unprecedented expansion has led to the notion of hiring an Executive Director for quite a while.
For more information, to ask a question, or add a comment…
Please call a Leadership team member or a Board member. Contact information is available on the GPSEG website.