April 5, 2008
Welcome to Spring, Navy Leaguers! We successfully hosted Sea-Air-Space last month and now are preparing for the Spring Meeting of the Board of Directors. You are welcome to join us in Arlington. We hope to see many of you there. If you have questions or comments about the information below, please contact the Member Service Center at service@navyleague.org or 800.356.5760. Thanks! Bill Waylett
Featured Sections:
I. Membership Assignment to Councils
II. Sea-Air-Space Report
III. Spring of Directors Meeting
IV. IRS Form 990N Now Available
V. Councils and Politics
VI. Public Relations
VII. Membership
VIII. Development
IX. Announcements
I. Membership Assignment to Councils
Revised Procedures for the Assignment of New Members to Councils
Addressing assignment and retention difficulties, National President Mike McGrath has issued new procedures for assigning new members to councils. Below is the MEMO Mike sent to Area and Region Presidents explaining key elements of the new methods and reasons it needed to be done. This has already created some confusion and consternation in the field, in part because we here at Headquarters did a poor job of communicating this EARLY to the members. We apologize, and are standing by to further clarify or address concerns. Your contact in the national office is the Senior Director of Membership, Salvador Chairez – (703) 312-1569 or schairez@navyleague.org.
MEMORANDUM
March 3, 2008
From: Mike McGrath
To: Region and Area Presidents
Re: Policy for assigning new members to Councils
I am sure you all understand and agree with me that membership retention is the number one priority for the Navy League of the United States at this time in our history, and therefore, our responsibility.
As we work through the challenging transition to a new membership database, we have also been reviewing and evaluating the way a new member is processed and assigned to a Council. I have found that our current procedures are imperfect. For example, currently we might assign a new member to a Council that is 3,000 miles from where they live based solely on the sponsor’s Council … or inadvertently “split” husband – wife members between TWO Councils (we have done this) whose zip codes overlap.
More importantly, the current procedures do not provide for input and control by either the member or the gaining Council. While most Councils might welcome new members even if “unexpected,” this may not always be the case. It is also wrong, and can be embarrassing, for national to assign a new member to a Council that charges additional local dues without the member’s knowledge of the additional dues. There is even a case or two where the local Council is familiar with the individual and past activities that may cause that Council to decline to accept this individual as a member of that Council. However, once the national staff has assigned a member to a Council, there is no clean way to undo that action.
Finally, if we are serious about improving retention, it is imperative that we make the new member feel like a welcomed addition to our team. Under current procedures, the national staff assigns a new member to a Council … makes that information available to the Council via the Online Community … and then hopes the Council will contact the new member and invite them to meetings and other activities. Sometimes this happens; sometimes it does not. We all know people are less likely to renew their membership if they don’t get involved with the work of the Council… this we cannot allow to happen.
So, in order to ensure that both the member and Council have a “vote” on which Council a member joins, and that new members are affirmatively contacted by potential gaining Councils, I have instructed the Membership Department to STOP placing members into Councils based on ZIP code or sponsor’s Council. We will instead use the ZIP codes to assign new members into the appropriate AREA as “at Large” members and make that information available to the Area and Region Presidents via the Online Community. It will then be the responsibility of the Area President, with consent of the Region President, to determine which Council in that Area should contact these new members to welcome them aboard, invite them to a Council meeting, etc. Once the new member has agreed to join that Council, both the gaining Council and the new member must notify the NLUS Membership department to make the assignment. The easiest way is an email note to service@navyleague.org, but a phone call or “snail mail” will also work.
Our intent is to facilitate fair and appropriate placement of new members into Councils, while also ensuring that these new members are being contacted, welcomed, and given that personal touch I believe is so important, and yet is so often lacking. Please understand, this new procedure will not override the recruiting council or the new member’s expressed desire to affiliate with a specific council. If that is clearly understood by all parties at the outset, national staff will naturally make the assignment that way. This simply helps to make certain that new members are being contacted and welcomed, and are informed of local council dues, activities, etc. Remember, Area and Region Presidents won’t place a new member into a council without the council and the member’s expressed consent.
I recognize that some Region and Area Presidents are already actively involved in assigning new members to Councils – this new procedure will ensure standardization throughout the organization. I also realize that this procedure will require some small additional effort to accomplish on your part, but membership and retention are too important for us not to make this effort. It would be great if we could make these assignments seamlessly from headquarters and accomplish all we want to do from there, but frankly, we just don’t see how it can be done without involving the local leadership and giving both the new member and the Council a “vote.” I appreciate your support in this important effort and would value your feedback as well. Please contact me, Steve, or Salvador Chairez if you have any questions about this change in procedure.
Very respectfully,
J. Michael McGrath
National President
II. Sea-Air-Space Report
For highlights of this year’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition, visit Seapower Expo Online coverage for stories, audio and video files.
III. May Board of Directors Meeting
In accordance with action taken by the Board of Directors in November 2007, National President Mike McGrath has announced that a second meeting of the Board of Directors’ has been scheduled this year for May 22-24 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. Given the strong sentiment expressed by the Directors to return to two meetings annually, the President is counting on your attendance at this meeting. Additionally, all Directors are reminded that they must not miss two consecutive meetings to be eligible for reelection. Make plans now to attend this meeting. Online registration is now available on the Navy League website. Additionally, details on the meeting, as well as the necessary registration and hotel reservation forms, were published in the March and April issues of Seapower magazine.
IV. IRS Form 990N Now Available
The IRS has announced the e-Postcard Form 990N is now available. The following information is required to file your e-Postcard for your council (Due date is May 15, 2008):
Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Tax year ending date
Legal name and mailing address
Other names the council is known by (DBAs)
Name and address of principal officer
Website address for the council (if available)
The following steps must be followed:
1. Go to the IRS Exempt Organization Index page at http://www.irs.gov/charities/index.html.
2. Select the “Annual Electronic Filing Requirement for Small Exempt Organizations – Form 990-N (e-Postcard)” link.
3. In the “How to File” BOX, select/click the “here” link.
4. The filing system is being managed by Urban Institute, a third party; one the next page select “Leave IRS Site” to go to the landing page for the e-Postcard site.
5. Register a Login ID and create a password (Step 1 on this page) as either an Exempt Organization (NLUS council) or a Preparer at http://epostcard.form990.org; the ID will be sent to the registered email address.
6. Login to the “Step 2: Create your Form 990-N (e-Postcard)” using your Login ID and password.
7. Complete the two-page e-Postcard form; help screens are available for each line entry.
8. When the form is complete, select/click the “Submit Filing to IRS” button at the bottom left side of the page.
9. You’re done!
V. Councils and Politics
The Internal Revenue Service has classified the Navy League as tax-exempt under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Navy League are thus tax-deductible. Councils holding a 501(c)(3) determination letter are also tax-exempt and can accept tax-deductible donations, but this designation comes with limits on political activity. First, non-profits must be non-partisan and may not endorse candidates for election, any election. IRS rules state that non-profits “do not participate in, or intervene in [including the publishing or distribution of statements], any political campaign activity...” The IRS may reprimand the non-profit, assess fines, or revoke the organizations non-profit status. Since 2008 is an election year, we want to advise you of this requirement.
Prohibited activities. Criticizing political incumbents, providing contributions from council funds to any candidate, endorsing candidates, advocating for candidates, or forming a political action committee.
Permissible activities. Voter registration drives, sponsoring debates or “meet the candidate” nights, and issuing candidate questionnaires.
Many councils invite their incumbent representatives to speak to their councils during an election year. If this is not a campaign stop, and your council does not perform a prohibited activity, this visit should be OK. You may, however, receive a request for “equal time” from the opponent, so good judgment is needed when considering whether to issue the invitation.
Navy League members do not lose their rights as citizens to support, advocate or endorse candidates; they just have to exercise these rights outside the Navy League.
VI. Public Relations
Mackie Awards
Thanks to the many councils who submitted applications for the 2007 Mackie Awards (for both newsletter and website excellence). This year we accepted applications by email, which has increased participation. Winners will be announced in late June.
VII. Membership
You spoke – we listened...
We heard from many sponsoring members that it seemed unfair that they did not receive credit for recruiting long-time lapsed members back into the Navy League. We agree, because once a member passes three years in a lapsed status, we basically stop trying to recruit them back. So, it is now policy that a recruiter will get credit for bringing back a member that has lapsed more than 3 years.
Dues Increase
Please remember that NLUS dues will be increasing on July 1st. It is very important that councils plan to update their materials and websites accordingly.
Tip! As a retention tool, encourage members to renew or upgrade to multi-year or Life Memberships now – regardless of renewal date – BEFORE the rate increase!
VIII. Development
Please check your mail in the coming days for a letter from Joe Donnell, National Vice President for Development. His message emphasizes that now, more than ever, we must invest in building up a stronger maritime force and how the Navy League is committed to educating our fellow citizens and policy makers on this critical issue. Respectfully, we need your continued financial support to allow us to continue to advocate maintaining a superior Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine. Thank you for considering making a tax-deductible donation of any amount with which you are comfortable to the Navy League. Your generosity is so very much appreciated!
IX. Announcements
1. Community Education Theme for April
National Volunteer Week is usually celebrated in April of each year. Does your community know about volunteer opportunities with your Navy League councilo? Community Education includes any public activity or event that promotes the mission and goals of the Navy League within the community. Booth displays are available for council use by contacting TJ Morgan in Membership Services, 1-800-356-5760, X1573. Supply is limited and usage is “first come, first served.”
Member Services
service@navyleague.org