More Bang for Your Bucks

 

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”!