NAR Financial Situation

[Winston]

Expenses are up, and revenue is up less.

Anyone ever made a NAR membership by year graph? With droughts causing fire restrictions and COVID-19, what kind of drop in launch activity is there? I can see the economic effects of the pandemic also causing a loss of membership.

 

[jqavins]

On the subject of a merger: I'm not pushing the idea and I get that there are good reasons for the two to be separate. Yet each time it comes up I think of a successful merger of organizations in a relationship that had some similarities to that between the NAR and TRA, and maybe it's food for thought. This is a very coarse overview.

In 1884, with telegraphy established, and the telephone and electric lighting just getting going, the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) was founded. With the rise of AC, these applications grew and more applications followed, notably electric machinery. Generation and distribution were big deals of course.

The development of electronics (radios and other applications of tubes) left some of those interested in such things feeling left out of the AIEE, which remained focused on power and machinery. They formed their own organization, the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE). There was a period of some acrimony, presumably not too intense. AIEE members outnumbered IRE members.

The AIEE and IRE both grew, and by the 1940s the IRE was growing faster and surpassed the AIEE in size in 1957.

On 1/1/1963 they merged and became the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) with which many of are familiar (and of which no smell number of us here are members).

As I said, it's just food for thought from a somewhat similar situation.

 

[shockie]

In addition to Marie's modest compensation, the $72k also includes all the postage paid to ship NAR membership cards, membership renewal forms, L2 certification tests, phone lines, printer paper, office supplies, and many other items I can't remember at the moment. It was a bargain back then, and I don't believe that has changed.

John

I have a Humana Medicare Advantage heath care plan. They mail me a plastic Humana ID card....but they also give me the option to go online to their website and download a copy of it and print it...... Some of this stuff could simply be emailed to people and not snail mailed..... and printed on their home printers....

 

[Ez2cDave]

I'd be fine if they dropped the print magazine and kept the dues the same. I do enjoy flipping through it, but I'd also be fine flipping through a PDF. Heck, make the PDF magazine free so it can be shared with potential members. I'm sure no one is joining just for the magazine.

Yes, a "downloadable" PDF magazine would be fine . . . Not the current "Flip-Book" format that can't be downloaded and saved !

Dave F.

 

[dhbarr]

Great news! Benevity shows the IRS problem preventing corporate donations as resolved, so if you have access to a matching program at work consider giving NAR some company money. ( FAR, TRA, and my local club also get a piece ).

Also, my kids still love reading Sport Rocketry, especially when they're personally recognized in the WSMC coverage:

 

[jqavins]

I don't have access to a company match, but that's great news.

 

[prfesser]

I have a Humana Medicare Advantage heath care plan. They mail me a plastic Humana ID card....but they also give me the option to go online to their website and download a copy of it and print it...... Some of this stuff could simply be emailed to people and not snail mailed..... and printed on their home printers....

Personal preference: I like the tough credit-card style membership card that both NAR and TRA provide. Failing that, the laminated heavyweight card like I just got from United Healthcare is my second choice.

 

[jqavins]

Seconded.

When I receive non-laminated paper cards of any weight, I laminate them using clear packing tape. Of course, a real laminator would be better, but not readily available.

 

[JimByrne]

You can also donate through Amazon Smile. Just shop on smile.amazon.com instead of the normal homepage and select the NAR as the beneficiary. A small portion of every purchase you make will go to the NAR. It's not as much as a normal donation, but it doesn't cost you anything, and it adds up over time.

Amazon smile has been cancelled

 

[Neutronium95]

Amazon smile has been cancelled

That post was 3 years ago.

 

[curtisheisey]

At one of the NARCON presentations they talked in detail about finances, and those points are summarized in many posts above. In regard to the magazine, options were to reduce page count, or make the hard copy as a paid additional option.

 

[cwbullet]

At one of the NARCON presentations they talked in detail about finances, and those points are summarized in many posts above. In regard to the magazine, options were to reduce page count, or make the hard copy as a paid additional option.

Sounds like a fair solution.

 

[Peartree]

At one of the NARCON presentations they talked in detail about finances, and those points are summarized in many posts above. In regard to the magazine, options were to reduce page count, or make the hard copy as a paid additional option.

Since they increased the page count (IIRC) when finances were good and membership was growing, it would make sense to do the reverse if the reverse is true.

 

[PATHFINDER]

Donated.