Changes for LGBT RPCVs

As we reported in our November 2007 newsletter, we have gone to an email only version in 2008. Over the years our printed newsletter costs have averaged more than $2000 per year. Printing and mailing costs continue to climb. This expense was eating up two-thirds or more of our yearly budget. And then there are all those trees! Our printed version had limitations – 8 pages (4 back to back) and a limit of 5200 words or so. Now we have much more flexibility (there close to 7000 words in this issue) and can include photos, like we have with Craig Cooper’s article about his return to Liberia.

We are also in the process of mechanizing our Mentor Program. Our original model was getting creaky, and we had little feed-back on how it was (or not) working. After a couple of experiments we think we have a much better model. It will place the responsibility of someone wanting information to get her or his questions out there using both our web site and listserv. We’ll tell you more about this and how it is working in our Spring/Summer newsletter in May.

The third big change is the Steering Committee’s (our board) decision to forgo collecting dues from those members who are not members of the NPCA (National Peace Corps Association). We will remain a supportive affiliate member of the NPCA. Our reasons are many. Our paid membership has slowly but surely declined over the years. Our end of year number is less than 150. Because our operating expenses will decline to somewhere around $500 a year, we have decided that there are easier ways to raise income rather than the tedious procedures of soliciting and collecting yearly dues, and keeping our membership records current. Instead we will do a yearly or perhaps twice yearly solicitation for funds for operations and funding of projects. Plans are to do this the first time this summer or early fall.

By decoupling membership from dues paying, we will be able to increase our membership by not dropping non-paying members and encouraging new members to join us without financial obligations. Several other NPCA affiliates do something similar. You don’t have to pay yearly dues to be a member. Members of the current NPCA board have also explored this possibility for that organization. We will remain an active affiliate of the NPCA and will encourage those members of ours, who can afford it, to continue their $50 yearly membership. We will continue to receive $15 of that.

Admittedly this all new ground, and we are not completely certain how it will all work out. It is very clear though, that we need to simplify and streamline our organizational processes. By mechanizing operations around our website and communicating more and more through electronic media, we can reduce the time demands and often tedious efforts of our volunteer steering committee.

Contact Mike Learned at lgbrpcv-news@lgbrpcv.org with any questions you have about our organizational changes.