At our Feb 19 board meeting, our board of directors discussed raising membership dues. With the many expenses rising, and our last due increase over a decade in the past, it is necessary to raise dues to ensure we can continue to support and expand programming for falconers all over NYS.
In particular, the following item costs are paid for in part by your membership fees:
- NYSFA liability insurance (~$7 per person annually goes to this)
- Credit Card and Bank Processing fees (~ $2 annually per member)
- Mews News publication costs (~ $15 per issue to layout, print, and mail annually)
- Portions of the Nov field meet (~$20 annually per person)
- Meet guest speaker expenses (~$1.50 annually per person)
- Summer picnics & classes (~$2 annually per person)
- Educational programs (~$2.50 annually per member)
Our board reviewed our budget, and determined that we have been relying very heavily on the generosity of a few folks at the field meet raffle to fund our regular programing. While this generosity, particularly during COVID, is absolutely appreciated by all of us, raising membership fees to catch us up to inflation is the correct way to ensure the long-term health of the club and it's programs. Without the raffle, we would average a roughly $20 shortfall per member annually to keep up with our costs.
Therefore, the board directors voted unanimously to approve this increase to $50 annually, from $30.
It will go into effect at your next renewal - so if you paid your dues already, you're good through the current expiration. For many of you, that means this will not impact you until November or December of 2023.
Please review the annual budget in our Board Documents section, as well as the treasury report and a copy of the board meeting minutes. Any questions may be addressed to the officers of the board at info@nysfa.org.