Best reason to renew JJA memberships if your annual dues are nearly due: The JJA board of directors has approved a dues raise for both full-voting journalist members and individual associate members, as of May 1.
The first increase in dues levied since 2000, journalist-members dues will rise from $75 to $90 per annum, and associate individual (non-voting) memberships from $90 to $100. Student (non-voting) memberships will still be available for $25. Dues for the JJA’s two levels of supporting (institutional/corporate) memberships, respectively bundling two and four group members, remain at $300 and $500.
With the JJA’s current total membership at approximately 300, the organization’s annual income from dues is expected to increase by approximately $4500. JJA revenues currently pay for organizational overhead including event production, web services, office equipment and supplies, graphics design, small part-time stipends for three more-than-fulltime staffers. Our costs keep going up, but dues revenue doesn’t keep up.
The JJA is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Its operating budget is covered by members dues, with additional funding for special projects from sponsorships such as that for the JJA’s Talking Jazz webinar series from the Anita E. Berry Education Fund of The Jazz Cruise and Century Media Partners, and contributions underwriting the Jazz Awards and JazzApril initiatives.
Members’ benefits for their annual dues include professional promotion and networking including individual consultations on career challenges, mentoring and tutorials as requested, access to members’ only discussions on Facebook, postings in monthly members’ updates, receipt of a monthly newsletter, inclusion in all JJA members events and discounts for JJA-produced ticketed events, ability to post Best of the Year lists and (for journalist-members) to nominate and vote in the annual JJA Jazz Awards. Members’ responsibilities, besides dues payment, includes interest and active involvement in JJA initiatives.
