Has the USMS ever consider starting a foundation? Many nonprofit organizations have one so that their members and other intersted parties can give large donations and the organization can use the foundation to help with extensive costs.
Generally, they are very easy to run once they have been started.
Or does the USMS have a donation mechanism connected to the membership? Has anyone ever discussed a true membership drive? I've never seem any type of membership pamphlett or brochure. If the new magazaine is going to be the property of USMS, this seems to me to be a great way to entice more people into membership and making donations. I live in a small town of about 33,000 in west central Illinois. There are two members to CMSA, however, there are other poeple who have swam in college and still swim. When I've mentioned USMS to them, they do not see a reason to become a member -two used to get Fitness Swimmer and didn't know about Swim Magazine.
I generally swim in postal races because trips to Chicago to swim for the day can be very expensive. The organization does offer many benfits to swimmers outside of simply being a link to compettition. Oddly, I don't even know towhom to address this question.
USMS has so many benefits that many people could use. The organization seems ot be very passive though.
Parents
Former Member
Emmett,
Your responses to my inquiry about membership drives and a foundation well very much appreciated. I live about 250-300 miles from Chicago, almost everyone I mention CMSA to at the pool where I swim, say to me - why. I try to explain the benefits of the magazine, postals, and the meets. I've tried to get a team started for about 5 years. I continue to swim alone. there are probbly 5 to 7 people who would join a team if they thought that thye could really benefit from it. Unfortunately, they don't see any benefit. Almost all of them swam in college, but now, think that USMS is only about compettition.
Do you know if the organization of USMS has ever tried to reach out to Y's or other fitness organizations. I have found that it is very difficult to reach out to a communiyt through a grassroots level, especially in small towns or rural areas. A collagoation would give local, small teams great support. Collaboration is now for about 5 yeas the buzz word for nonprofit management. Almost all of the master swimmers in Galesburg are linked through the Y. I find that when I do swim with these peole, they are very enthusiastic(sp) about their swimming and are actually lookingfor ways to improve or to work on their strokes.
I wondered about the foundation because I've never seen any information about it in readings. Many membership organizations that have a magazine, run the magazine through foundation becasue it is easier to protect the 501(c)3 status of the membership.
Anyway, thanks for your response,
Craig
Emmett,
Your responses to my inquiry about membership drives and a foundation well very much appreciated. I live about 250-300 miles from Chicago, almost everyone I mention CMSA to at the pool where I swim, say to me - why. I try to explain the benefits of the magazine, postals, and the meets. I've tried to get a team started for about 5 years. I continue to swim alone. there are probbly 5 to 7 people who would join a team if they thought that thye could really benefit from it. Unfortunately, they don't see any benefit. Almost all of them swam in college, but now, think that USMS is only about compettition.
Do you know if the organization of USMS has ever tried to reach out to Y's or other fitness organizations. I have found that it is very difficult to reach out to a communiyt through a grassroots level, especially in small towns or rural areas. A collagoation would give local, small teams great support. Collaboration is now for about 5 yeas the buzz word for nonprofit management. Almost all of the master swimmers in Galesburg are linked through the Y. I find that when I do swim with these peole, they are very enthusiastic(sp) about their swimming and are actually lookingfor ways to improve or to work on their strokes.
I wondered about the foundation because I've never seen any information about it in readings. Many membership organizations that have a magazine, run the magazine through foundation becasue it is easier to protect the 501(c)3 status of the membership.
Anyway, thanks for your response,
Craig
