TCA Division chapter subsidies???

To my knowledge (this from an officer of a small local chapter), the divisions and chapters don't receive much financial assistance from National outside of the occasional grant. Your dues mostly go into supporting National's infrastructure: the Museum, Library, websites, charities and various other bits of the administration. That's why some of the divisions and chapters have to charge their own dues on top of National's.

Now, National does provide us local chapters with some significant non-financial resources. It's kind of like being in a franchise where you have a mother organization that backs you and helps you get recognition. National provides lots of online and database resources, they assist us with managing our nonprofit status and they even do our taxes for us. Perhaps most significantly, they automatically send us notices whenever someone in our area joins which is a big help in recruiting.

Hmm, another O Gauge enthusiast named Ken? What an interesting coincidence.

Lets not forget liability insurance at all chapter and division meets/ shows.  With out this there would very high admission rates or no meets or shows at all.

Paul Edgar

Paul Edgar posted:

Lets not forget liability insurance at all chapter and division meets/ shows.  With out this there would very high admission rates or no meets or shows at all.

 

Paul Edgar

Insurance is a huge cost. In an NMRA newsletter there was a column where a groups president thanked the NMRA (don't recall if it was a division or not) for being a partner in their meet and the insurance carrier for the meet so they did not have to pay. At least he was honest...

And all meets should be run by door fee, no membership dues should be used towards meet costs. Those should strictly be covered by buyers and sellers.

Ken, (Ken two?:-) Is the National Level of any club is responsible for the local groups taxes with the IRS?