Guidelines: MC (APS) Sponsorship of APS Events
Context
While MC has oversight of the ongoing financial viability of the APS, MC should also take opportunities to ensure members financial contribution are used to support APS activities and events. Supported by a strong and vibrant volunteer cohort, the most significant cost to APS is the administrative costs to operate APS as an entity and support a wide range of APS activities and events.
However, MC should also take opportunities to return some member funds as a pseudo sponsorship of events, particularly those that encourage members to meet and participate in a shared activity (online or in-person).
Any MC approved allocation of funds to an APS Event should fall within the following guidelines.
Events
Only APS approved Events can receive an allocation of funds. Current events would include National Meet Ups, Photography walk-days and APSLive Events or APS Group events. Other similar events may be considered in the future.
Purpose
The primary purpose of any funding by MC is to enhance the member experience of the Event. While the MC contribution may effectively reduce the overall fee paid by APS members, the primary intent should not be to reduce a participation fee. While the contribution by MC would appear as a line item in the event budget ‘MC contribution’ (or similar), the MC approved amount should contribute towards a specific event activity or activities.
The following does not restrict other types of activities being designated as the use of approved funds; however, they are examples of appropriate use of these funds
- contribution towards a welcome or farewell event as part a Meet-up or similar event
- contribution towards the cost of models to enhance a photography experience during an event
- contribution towards the cost for a tour as part of a broader event
- contribution towards a gratuity for non-APS presenters or others who provide a commercial service to the event at no cost to APS[1]
Identifying the activity/ies allows for promotion of the APS funds for the event. For example: at a Meet-up Event it can be promoted that ‘Models are sponsored by APS’.
Sponsorship does not mean funding 100% of the cost. In this context it means we can provide more Model hours than would otherwise be funded from an affordable/reasonable participation fee for the event.
Amount
Depending on the event size and importance to APS, MC may approve:
- a funding amounts up to $1,500 for a specific event
- maximum funding would be for larger events such as a Meet-up
- an overall funding allocation across all events of no more than $5,000 per annum
Approval of a Funding Request
The Event coordinator should submit a funding request via email to APS President. MC will approve/not approve this funding request either at a 1/4ly meeting or as an out-of-session email exchange process if the event is prior to the next ¼ meeting.
Other sponsorship
Any final MC allocation of funds should occur after all other Sponsorship opportunities have been investigated and finalised. This encourages the Event organisers to seek out appropriate sponsorship for any event and ensure any MC allocated funds add-value to the Event
Exclusions
These guidelines do not include or replace the normal process of APS members making legitimate claims for ’petty-cash’ type reimbursements for expenses incurred in their support of an APS approved Event. However, these petty-cash type expenses should still appear in the Event budget.
[1] [1] Where are commercial fee is to be paid to a speaker or presenter etc the Event fee should, at minimum, cost recover this amount