Attendees: National Membership Chairman Bob Richter NJ; Maxwell Colon CA; PNC Warren S. Dolny NY; Elliot Donn CT; Hannah Deutch NY; Norman Hanenbaum CT; Joe Kraut SE; Michael Menschel NY; PNC Norman Rosenshein NJ
Staff: NED Herb Rosenbleeth; DOO Larry Richardson; Ruby DesChamps; Cheryl Waldman
Subject: Dues and Membership
- Recent changes in dues structure were approved in August 2009 to go into effect at start of 2011 membership year
- Highlights of new dues structure
1) Multiple year pricing for membership will be incorporated, giving a lower per year cost (like magazines and the Museum does) with the purpose of making it more attractive to have more than a one year membership. The changes approved at the last NEC meeting in August of 2009, are: Single year dues at the National level will stay at $35, two year dues will be $65 and three years dues are to be $90. The three year dues rate will be a saving of $15.
2) The single year "Member at Large" dues will be raised from $45 to $50. This was done to put those dues at the same level as most Post dues.
3) Life membership dues will be changed from a single payment of $200 to $500, with a payment option of 3 years as follows: An immediate payment of $200, a payment of $150 for year two and a payment of $150 for year three.
4) Patron dues will be the same as that for a member.
- Echelons will get same amount of money from dues as they had previously
- At this point a little more than 10% of members have taken multiple-year discount, but it is still too early to tell what future numbers will be
- Must emphasize to potential members that JWV dues are comparable to those of other VSOs
- Percentage loss per year has gone down to 5%
- To attract members, plan high-profile events
- Be persistent; someone who doesn't join now might join later
- Some posts have a fund to subsidize dues for first year for new members and to help those who can't afford to pay full rate
- Personalized letters sent in a timely member to those who have not paid their dues are a big boost to retention of members
- Sending personalized letters to those who haven't paid dues in 4-5 years can yield excellent results in getting lapsed members to rejoin
- Seek out in-service members
