I have a task for the NEOC Board concerning club policy on which I seek the input from the broader O community, or at least that component which reads my log.
At the August 2011 Board meeting, I was charged with proposing a specific plan for the club to make donations to the US Teams (specifically WOC and JWOC) for 2012 to be discussed at the January meeting. I haven't given the proposal much thought, since I have been preoccupied with the fall schedule. NEOC is among the larger clubs, with over 250 members. As we are a 501(c)(3), much of our financial information
must be made available for public disclosure and copying. You're welcome to request any of those documents from our treasurer, Jim Paschetto. NEOC's annual revenue is approximately $15k - $20k, and the net profit is usually about a third of annual revenue. Due to lack of spending over the past decade, the club has accumulated more funds than it really needs.
The board is working to address this - chiefly by spending more on mapping (Andy McIlvaine and I are tackling this), equipment, and educational programs. Nevertheless, the club is not hurting for resources, especially given that our main expenditures are maps, equipment, and OUSA dues.
According to my figures (a bit buried in loads of paperwork) and memory, NEOC has given $2575 in stipends. Club and JWOC/WOC team members Carl Underwood, Meg Parson, and Samantha Saeger received grants, as did CSU members Alex Jospe and Ross Smith. In 2010, I made a motion to donate $500 to each JWOC and WOC teams to take advantage of the QOC matching campaign; this didn't pass unanimously (as was required), and $100 per team was given. In 2011, partly reflecting our increasingly comfortable financial situation, $250 per team was donated with unanimous support.
While I think that NEOC in the past has been more concerned with looking after it's own interests - a reasonable proposition, especially given all the "fiduciary obligation" language in 501(c)(3) law, the board members have grown much more receptive to the idea of NEOC contributing to the O-community and supporting the US teams in that regard. As VP Events, I have discretion to schedule team fundraiser meets - events at which the profits will be donated to the US Teams, though it's generally recognized that US team members need to organize such events. The US Senior team has already made plans for such an event in the spring, and I am contacting the juniors in our neighborhood to arrange a corresponding junior event.
I support the US Team because I think that elite orienteering is the pinnacle of the sport. Recreational and enthusiast orienteering is the lifeblood of any national organization; we participate in this sport because it is fun and has benefits. Elite orienteering is the apex of what is possible, and I want to support those athletes and the elite community with the resources available to the club, including map access, training camps, publicity, and money. At the same time, NEOC exists to educate and cultivate the sport in New England. Whatever donation policy NEOC establishes must be sustainable and consistent with the stated objective of the club.
New England has the advantage of much higher density of orienteers than many other regions of the country. There are several individuals who have earned US team apparel and wear their regalia at local events. Their presence alone has a tangible effect; what club member hasn't seen Ross or Sam blast by in the woods? I plan to advance the interface between club and team by promoting training camps, US team events, and generally encouraging sharing of information between the two groups. I assert that the club benefits from the successes and advancement of US team members, and the team benefits from the support and encouragement of the club.
What is the appropriate mechanism and quantity of donation from NEOC to the US Team? Should the club make a regular, constant donation, or should it incentivize certain reciprocated behavior (like training camps, local meets, general appearances to psych everyone up about orienteering)? Conditioning a donation to the US team on a presentation by team members to the club, e.g., is helpful to everyone - apart from the money, the interaction with recreational orienteers and added publicity is of great benefit to current members and to recruiting new elites.
All thoughts welcome.