International MQG Guild Membership Information The Big Picture Q: What is the mission statement of the Modern Quilt Guild? A: Our mission is to support and encourage the growth and development of modern quilting through art, education, and community. Organizational Structure Q: How many people work for the guild? A: In September of 2012 the MQG gained its first employees with Alissa Haight Carlton as the Executive Director and Heather Grant as the Director of Marketing and Programming. Our current staff consists of Karen Cooper as our Executive Director, Elizabeth Dackson as our Director of Events, Amanda Hines Bernay as our Director of Partnerships, Jennifer Fisher as our Membership Manager, Darci Read as our Digital Experience Manager, Kelsey Bellmore as our Events Assistant, Jessica Plunkett as our Programs Specialist, and Isabelle Selak as our Partnerships Assistant. Q: Will the annual financials be made available? What about minutes from board meetings? A: Yes. This is a requirement of being a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and an annual report is available to anyone who requests it. Benefits of Joining Q: Can we use The Modern Quilt Guild name? A: The Modern Quilt Guild ® (“Mark”) is a registered trademark of The Modern Quilt Guild (“MQG”). MQG grants local guilds nonexclusive, nontransferable licenses to use the Mark during their membership terms. The license terminates automatically when the local guild membership term ends. Q: What are the additional benefits of joining the MQG? A: Guild and Individual Members will receive the following benefits: Access to our online community Access to our quilt patterns Access to our block studies Access to our webinars Ability to enter MQG quilt shows Discounted rates on MQG conferences and events Priority registration for MQG conferences and events Opportunities to participate in inter-guild swaps and challenges Involvement in MQG fabric challenges Digital membership cards Membership pins And More! Member Information Q: How will the MQG use and protect the personal information of members? A: The MQG will never share or sell members’ information with another organization or company. For some events, we will offer the option to share the email addresses of event registrants only. This will be clearly marked as an option to approve or decline your participation. You must opt-in for this; we will not share your email address without your permission. All MQG communication is in compliance with US and international email regulations and protecting members’ personal information is a top priority. Individual Memberships Q: Do individual members have access to the website, and the other MQG benefits that members of guilds have access to? A: Yes. Individual members have all the same benefits as members of local guilds. We also have an Individual Member Coalition which is a virtual community just for individual members. It offers two different virtual monthly meetings each month to accommodate different schedules and time zones – and has its own Social Circle on the website. Q: How much are dues? A: Individuals not affiliated with a local guild can join as individual members of the MQG for $40 for a one-year or $75 for a two-year membership. Q: I would like to join the MQG as an individual. How do I do that? A: You can join as an individual member via the MQG website. From the home page, click Join as an Individual Member. Guild Memberships Q: What are the basic requirements for an established local group to join the MQG? A: A local guild will need to develop a sustained presence and membership. A guild outside of the United States may adopt any structure that it wishes, provided it complies with any local legal requirements. It may, for example, adopt a set of bylaws and elect officers and it may register as a non-profit entity, but these are not requirements. Q: Our guild is just starting out and we only have 7 members. How much will we pay in dues and will we be able to access the MQG website to manage our guild? A: A guild with fewer than 10 members is classified as a Starter Guild. A Starter Guild has one year to meet the minimum number of members (10). During the start-up period, the Starter Guild will have access to the MQG website and associated tools. They will also be able to call themselves an MQG. Q: How much are dues? A: Local MQGs pay a flat annual fee based on the number of members in their group as of December of the current year or the date of application. Visit our Dues page for the most current rates. Dues are prorated each month so these costs drop in April and each month thereafter as all guild dues renew in the January 1 to March 31 renewal period. Q: Why are non-US guild dues discounted? A: The Board considers the initial launch of MQG activities to be heavily centered in the United States and therefore determined it appropriate to discount dues for worldwide guilds. 501(c)3 status also does not apply to non-U.S. guilds. Q: How do we pay? A: You pay the membership fee with a credit card or debit card. Q: When do we pay? A: You will pay upon registering your guild as an MQG through the website. Q: What if my guild signs up with 23 members for 2022 and adds 5 members before the end of the year? How will our dues increase? A: Your dues will increase during the next enrollment period in January of the following year. You can add and remove members over the course of the year without any changes in cost. Q: How were the dues amounts determined? Why are they so reasonable? Why are they so expensive? (We’ve gotten both of these questions!) A: Dues represent about 20% of the projected income of the MQG in a given year. The remaining expenses are currently funded from revenue generated by activities like QuiltCon. The goal was to make dues both reasonable and affordable while still providing the needed funding for the operational budget of the organization. We’d like to think that the MQG’s mission alone is reason enough to support the organization but we’re realists too. To encourage guilds to join, the board has spent considerable effort in devising a value-packed list of member and guild benefits that far exceed the cost of dues paid. The combination of an awesome mission and a compelling line-up of member activities, and opportunities for connecting within the MQG community, will make the organization strong and ready to spread the word about modern quilting worldwide. Q: Our guild would like bylaws. Where can we go to get help in creating these? A: A sample of MQG bylaws is available to you by emailing info@themodernquiltguild.com or on our website in the Leaders section. We recommend beginning with the template and modifying it as needed. Q: Can an established guild join the MQG and still have local dues? A: Absolutely. Local guilds retain complete ownership of setting local member dues. Q: If a member switches guilds mid-year (such as moving) or signs on as an individual and later wants to join a guild, will you offer refunds? A: If a member switches guilds mid-year, they will need to pay the dues of the guild they are joining, according to the procedures of the specific local guilds. If an Individual Member wants to join a guild, the MQG will refund the cost of Individual Membership within one month of payment. After that, no refunds are available and the member will need to pay the dues of the guild they are joining, according to that guild’s procedures. Online Membership Database The online membership database system will allow guild leaders the ability to track membership and communicate with your guild through a social circle. Q: Will we need to maintain our own websites? A: Not necessarily. The MQG website will provide your guild with a public web page where you can provide a contact email address, basic info on meetings, or links to external websites (blogs, Facebook, Instagram, etc). Q: Will it have e-newsletter capabilities? A: This is not available on the current system. Checklist for your Modern Quilt Guild to become an official MQG Your guild’s name. Please keep in mind that guilds must follow our standard naming convention [Region] MQG (e.g., Austin MQG, LA MQG, Central Iowa MQG, etc.) This is so that new members can find you. Your guild’s email address. The names of your elected officers and their positions. Your membership roster with the first name, last name, and email address of each of your members. Once you have registered them, they will get an email to complete their enrollment in the worldwide guild. Checklist for a new Starter MQG guild: Your guild’s name. When deciding on a name, please keep in mind that our standard naming convention is [Region] MQG (e.g., Austin MQG, LA MQG, Central Iowa MQG, etc.) This is so that new members can find you. An email address specifically for your guild. It is best to have a guild email separate from anyone’s personal email address so that it can be accessed by multiple officers, and stays with the guild when officers change over time. (For example austinmqg@gmail.com, modquiltsaustin@gmail.com, etc.) Your membership roster with the first name, last name, and email address of each of your members. Once you have registered them, they will get an email to complete their enrollment in the worldwide guild. Starter Guilds will have 1 year to: Elect Officers and Positions Pay dues Items needed during the registration process: Guild name Guild email address Guild mailing address Names and email addresses of all of your members Payment of dues by credit or debit card (this will happen during registration) Optional and may add later: Guild website Guild social media (Instagram, Facebook, etc) Guild meeting location and/or times Guild mission or welcome statement Are you ready to register your guild? register your international guild
