Who’s waiver-worthy

Clubs worldwide support Kiwanis’ goal to achieve 1 million members by its 100th anniversary in 2015. In addition to local recruitment and retention efforts, Kiwanis clubs sent delegates to the 2006 International Convention this past year, where members approved an amendment that establishes a dues-waiver incentive for clubs that achieve a net 25 percent increase in membership.

The Kiwanis International Board recently approved an interpretation that describes how the waiver will be applied. Before a club is eligible to have dues monies refunded to them, the following rules must be present for each eligible club:

1. Starting date is September 30, 2006, and the first measurement date is September 30, 2007.

2. Ending membership count in one year is the beginning membership count in the following year.

3. All clubs worldwide are eligible.

4. Based upon active members in the club as of measurement dates (September 30) as determined by Kiwanis International and reported to the district offices.

5. Merged clubs are not eligible in the year of merger.

6. Only clubs on active status at the end of the measurement year are eligible.

7. Clubs on the following status at the end of the measurement year (September 30) are not eligible: charter suspended notice, charter suspended, pending revocation, charter revoked, and charter suspended by district.

8. All club dues and fees must be paid as of the end of the measurement year (September 30), including all new-member fees, to be eligible.

9. New clubs are eligible in the year organized using the club’s organizational date as the start date.

10. All clubs must pay their current year dues by the due date of their respective annual dues billing period (for US/Canada district clubs) or within 90 days of the date of being invoiced (for clubs in Regions III, IV, and V) to be eligible.

11. Refunds will be sent to eligible clubs within 120 days of the end-of-year measurement date. Kiwanis International will determine the method of refund.

As amended at the 2006 International Convention, Article XXII (Revenue), Section 4, of the Kiwanis International Bylaws, now reads:

“If a club achieves a net growth greater than or equal to 25 percent at the end of a given Kiwanis year, the club shall be relieved of any obligation to pay International dues for any club member over and above the club membership of the previous Kiwanis year. The financial obligations to said member’s local club and district, the subscription to KIWANIS magazine, and the premium payable to defray the cost of insurance prescribed in these bylaws shall remain payable.”