The 2020-2022 Finance Committee will be sharing a blog series
entitled “More Bang for Your Bucks”. Through these posts we hope to
inform you of the “value” of being a DKG member. It may “interest” you
to learn about the opportunities DKG provides you not only in a
“monetary” way, but a common “cents” way to “cash” in and keep informed
of what is “available” for you. We hope you get a “bang” out of our
posts.
More Bang for Your Bucks
A logical place to start
is to help you understand the power of your membership dues. Each
member pays her dues to her chapter treasurer according to her
membership category…active, reserve, or collegiate. The $40 USD paid by
active members along with the $20 USD paid by reserve and collegiate
members is mailed or wired to DKG International Headquarters in Austin,
Texas from our 17 member countries.
At this point, the collective
power of member dues starts to make a difference. When member dues are
combined to support the work of the Society, those dollars provide a
return of investment to members, personally and professionally, and
reach beyond the member to her community and around the world.
Upon
arrival at DKG Headquarters, member dues are processed by the staff of
the Membership Services Team and prepared for deposit to a bank by the
staff of the Accounting Team. While some dues will remain in the
Available Fund as part of the required reserve—the rest is put to work!!
Here is where “More Bang for Your Bucks” begins.
Bang #1 A Building
Essential
to the work of any organization is the space in which it conducts its
business. DKG is no different. Members, through a portion of their
dues, support the maintenance and operation of the DKG Headquarters
Building. The building was built in 1956 and is approximately 12,500
sq. ft. For the work of the Society to be carried out at headquarters,
building expenses must be paid such as utilities, telephone, taxes,
security, landscaping, and cleaning---everything that any member who owns a home might expect to pay to provide a secure and safe place to live.
Bang #2 Staff
Equally
essential to an association is the staff that is employed to work on
behalf of its members and to assist in executing its mission. Members,
through another portion of their dues, pay salaries and benefits for 17
full time staff members who work in the Headquarters Building. These
staff members are organized into four teams: Executive Services,
Accounting, Technology, and Membership Services. They maintain
membership data, process member dues, answer member questions, manage
the website, disburse payments for Society programs and expenses, ensure
regulatory compliance for non-profit status, coordinate conferences and
conventions, process contributions to society funds, produce and
distribute society publications, ship society materials and so much
more!
Bang #3 Volunteers
Member dues support one more
group of individuals that are essential to DKG fulfilling its purposes
and goals. They are the members who volunteer, or are elected, to serve
on DKG International Boards and Committees. Member dues provide
reimbursement of expenses, as specified in the governing documents, for
these boards and committees. They plan and provide training to our
state organization leaders including state organization presidents,
treasurers, membership chairs and EEC chairs. They manage the Society’s
funds, prepare the budget for approval, propose nominees for
International offices, seek non-dues revenue, plan workshop and takeaway
sessions at conferences and conventions, plan the DKG Ignite: Leaders
Empowering Leaders Program, award scholarships, issue fellowship grants,
and the list continues.
Adding it all up, a single member’s
dues, in combination with all dues paid, supports a building, staff, and
volunteers while maintaining a cash reserve and investments. Now that’s
really “More Bang for Your Bucks”!
