RRGCC/AF Joint Member Information

[RRGCC]

Are you a member of the Access Fund? Are you a fan of the RRGCC?

Now you can become a Joint Member of both organizations!

If your are already an Access Fund Member but not a Joint Member, all you need is to send an email to membership@accessfund.org and ask to become a member of the RRGCC! By joining with the RRGCC, a portion of your annual membership will go directly to the RRGCC to support the land you love!

If you are not already a Joint Member, you can go to http://www.accessfund.org/rrgcc to join both fantastic organizations.

Please take a moment to join to support the organizations that are giving you permanent access to over 1,000 acres of climbing!

[GaryO]

I want to pick your brain(s) and start some discussion out of curiosity.

I've seen this joint membership option in the past, but have not pulled the trigger on it yet. Having moved from TN, I'm used to the Southeastern Climbing Coalition membership model with some tiered membership levels + additional fundraising/donations. Those "memberships" often come with some swag (hat, key chain, etc.) similar to AAC or AF (and joint memberships are often offered). Personally, I find the "membership" model very appealing. It gives some ownership to the contributors beyond a single moment of investment. It makes me feel like I'm a part of something bigger than just donations or volunteering. It's inclusive! Has that model been tried in the past with RRGCC?

On a different topic, the RRGCC has a lot of land and needs a lot of fundraising. It's BIG! Might there be a point where hiring a manager might be useful? Again, the SCC has done that and it seems to be successful.

http://www.seclimbers.org/index.php

[clif]

your post reminded me of why i decided to support (when i did) the rrgcc and not any of the other climber's groups. this is a long time ago, but, there was a very specific goal and limited support. now, ...the 'demographics' have changed. i think it is possible to see similar changes in other outdoor activities and appreciate Tackett's and others attempts to introduce more biking into the Red. i mention this because the voice of outdoor enthusiasts is not as localized as it once seemed to be....for instance, reading about the Access Fund's involvement in the 'land use' initiative for eastern Utah--and, of course, the support of some excellent commercial enterprises. i personally love Clif bars and recommend them highly.

[RRGCC]

GaryO,

Thanks for asking about the RRGCC/Access Fund Joint Membership. Our two organizations have been working together for almost two decades and the joint membership represents an acknowledgement of this relationship that allows climbers to support access at both a local and national level. The joint membership program also provides a way for Local Climbing Organizations and the Access Fund to present a united front in such areas as climber education, trail building/maintenance, and advocacy for access on public lands.

The RRGCC donation structure actually allows for monthly or annual donations at tiered levels. If swag is offered along with a donation the value of the item must be subtracted from the tax deductible amount. We feel that climbers would rather see all their donations applied towards purchasing land, expanding parking, building new trails, maintaining existing trails, and the like. Hiring someone to assist with our fundraising efforts was considered but did not seem worth the accompanying responsibilities and costs . Rather than hiring an assistant we have been using an intern to further develop and manage our fundraising efforts. Our intern put together an online store where swag such as hats and shirts can be obtained in addition to those items being available at events.

Again, thanks for asking about the joint membership and for providing input about membership/donations. We are always happy to receive any and all suggestions or input.

[GaryO]

Thanks for answering. Keep up the good work.