Open Forum

You shouldn't even list the membership amounts in your bylaws-- that's not the kind of detail that belongs there.  Best way to handle it is to make reference to membership categories and dues to be set from time to time by the Board of Directors.  That way, you can change dues as necessary without having to amend your bylaws every time.

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Link Ludington
Director of Historic Preservation
Indiana State Museum
Indianapolis IN
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I suggest you get your hands on a really good set of Bylaws and use it as your template.  Ask a your state museum association for assistance or simply ask a museum or nonprofit organization you admire for a copy of their Bylaws.

Here is some fairly standard language regarding membership/dues, etc.:

Section 1. Members: Membership in the ________________ shall be open to all persons who wish to support and participate in the activities of the organization.

Section 2. Dues: Individuals, families, organizations, and businesses paying annual dues in amounts determined by the Board of Trustees shall become annual members of the _______________. Annual members may exercise voting privileges at the organization's annual meeting or special meetings called for purposes requiring a vote of the membership. Voting privileges are defined as eligibility to vote for Officers, Trustees, and such other matters provided by statute that are not specifically relegated to the Board by the Constitution or Bylaws.

Section 3. Members in Arrears: Any member in arrears of membership dues may be dropped from the membership of the organization. Membership is in arrears on the first day of the third month following the expiration of the membership.

Section 4. Honorary Members: At the discretion of the Board of Trustees, persons who have rendered distinguished and valuable services to the organization may be made honorary members. Honorary members will not be required to pay dues, but may vote.

Section 5. Other Categories: The Board in its discretion may create additional categories of membership.

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Anne Ackerson
Independent Consultant and Former Director, Museum Association of New York
Troy, NY

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I would go so far as to say you shouldn't list membership in the by-laws at all, much less the levels and price points, unless membership at your organization confers rights on members (for instance, you have voting members who have the power to approve an annual budget or a strategic plan or some such). By-laws are for setting forth your governance: top-level issues such as what powers the board has, how trustees are elected or removed, which committees exist, indemnification procedures, and the like. Operations questions such as membership are best dealt with as plain old policies, even if you choose to have the board review and approve them.

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Derick Dreher
Director
Rosenbach Museum & Library
Philadelphia PA
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Two things from my perspective:

1.  We have "Friends" who support the museum financially, but are NOT members--because members would then have to be the ones that elect the board, etc.  It would be a cumbersome process.  Our board constitutes our members.

2.  Another local organization here had many members, and when it came time to make some much-needed changes to the bylaws, they could not make it happen--because they could never get a quorum of the many members.

You might want to be sure "members" are a smaller, manageable group size.
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Marsha Rankin
Executive Director
Museum of South Texas History
Edinburg TX
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