Guidelines for Funding

Guidelines for GYR Investment Spending

Per my promise to provide guidelines for the use of our investment earnings, the following is provided:

Maintain our principal

First and foremost, we must never spend more in any year than what we have earned in that year so as not to erode the principal. And we need to include in that an allowance for inflation (currently at 2.4%). General good practice would dictate that we would only spend 25 to (at most) 50% of earning for any year so that our principal would continue to grow.

That being said, we haven’t spent much for some time and now have approximately $200K in earnings that have not been used.

IRS Rules

We are a 501(c)10 fraternal organization operating under a Lodge system that requires a Parent organization and Subordinate organizations. It cannot provide benefits to the members such as the payment of life, sickness, accident or other benefits. It must devote its net earnings exclusively to 1. Religious, 2. Charitable, 3. Scientific, 4. Literary, 5. Educational, and 6. Fraternal purposes.

To address each:

1. Religious – we are not a church or religious organization so that is not of concern.

2. Charitable – we are a charitable organization, but our charity must come from contributions from our members or from events organized as fundraisers by our members.

3. Scientific – we do not have any scientific endeavors of which I am aware.

4. Literary – books or documents for a common library (or for maintaining a library – paper or digital) would be an acceptable expenditure according to the IRS.

5. Educational – educational material would be an acceptable expenditure according to the IRS. (This could cover a number of things to include everything needed for the education of our members. Again, paper or digital.

6. Fraternal purposes – This would include most of the items on our Strategic Planning list. And indeed, is the main purpose behind our Investments.

Indeed, the last item (Fraternal purposes) is what our leaders need to look at and develop a plan(s) for implementation. That is the reason for the webpages on our website giving instructions on how to proceed with our Strategic Plan and how to further and improve our fraternity.

Our Website (www.yorkritenv.com)

How many of you have looked at and reviewed our Strategic Plan webpages and the documentation attached?

Some of the Problems (of the problems listed) have already been accomplished and are now annotated in green. Please concentrate on the latest List of Problems on the website when you start your term - as there are many and you do not have to invent any new ones. The relevant webpages to review are:

https://www.yorkritenv.com/Strategic-Plan This page addresses the process for accomplishing our Strategic Plan. It is a straightforward simple explanation of how it is supposed to be done.

https://www.yorkritenv.com/Strategic-Plan/building-it This page addresses the building blocks needed to address our Strategic Planning problems.

It gives you information on how we got to this point. It gives you the List of Problems that need to be solved. It also gives you the worksheet for you to use as a preliminary template for your problem solving. There are even some completed examples of work that has already been done.

After reviewing this information, form your team, and work up your plan to present. (Most probably at the Tonopah retreat but it could be during Sessions if time allows.) Please make sure you adhere to our Mission and Vision statement (listed below - which you all should be aware of and be working toward).

Our Values and Beliefs:

·       We believe the lessons and values taught in the York Rite Degrees and Orders are important enough to share with others

o   That we should educate others

o   In continued spiritual growth

·       We believe in providing a structure and framework for York Rite in Nevada

·       We believe each local body is a unique member within the greater Nevada York Rite

·       We believe in supporting and leading the local bodies

·       We believe in the conformity of York Rite ritual in Nevada

Our Mission:

Our Mission is to promote & advance Nevada York Rite education and enlightenment through the Standardization of York Rite ritual work. Also, to support our local York Rite bodies through effective leadership and guidance. To promote York Rite fellowship across the State and beyond while supporting nationally recognized Grand York Rite charitable endeavors.

Our Vision:

To secure the viability of Nevada Grand York Rite into the future through:

·       Growth, retention, and active participation of its membership

·       Educate and train our members to be future leaders

·       Promote broader communications throughout York Rite

·       Create a broader public and masonic awareness of York Rite

·       Encourage all Masons to discover the origins of Masonry through York Rite

·       Develop a York Rite ritual and education repository that is available to all York Rite bodies

·       Provide York Rite opportunities within the reach of every masonic community

·       Ensure the long-term financial stability of York Rite

·       Support and promote our charities

Further to your planning, there are certain things that our investments are NOT to be used for:

1. Alcoholic beverages of any kind. (Strictly prohibited by IRS.)

2. Throwing parties or other social gatherings. (Especially if alcohol is present.)

3. Funding recruitment efforts (at social gatherings).

4. Paying for over-expenditure at Grand Sessions (please plan accordingly as they will not be funded).

5. Travel to events for an individual’s advantage i.e. SWRC or Triennials.

6. Simply giving money away to charity. (See Charity comment under IRS.)

Each investment expenditure needs to be tied to a line item in the Strategic Plan (List of Problems) and explain how it would solve that problem. Call out the details of your plan and the details on the expenditure of funds with accountability and reporting on where those funds have been spent. Use the Problem Methodology Worksheet as a template for your group’s work on your selected problem for the List of Problems. Once your plan has been formulated and reviewed by the body, a request for funding may be submitted to the Investment Committee with the details of your plan and method of accountability attached.

To date, we have spent $45,000 of our investments for negligible returns. Most of our expenditures to date was to attempt to address York Rite recruiting (to no avail). It would be nice to have some tangible progress (and accountability) to show for our expenditures in the future. That is why I am urging you to start your review of our Problems List on the website early and plan accordingly. Don’t wait for someone else to do it. Don't start your efforts halfway through your year. Go to the webpages and start now.

I hope this will help you in directing your efforts on behalf of the fraternity to further our fraternal goals. If you have something in particular that you would care to ask about, please drop the Investment Committee an email. We are at your service to help direct and guide your efforts. We want fund our fraternal efforts in solving our many and varied problems.

Again, please review the Strategic Plan List of Problems and the webpages devoted to Strategic Planning first. Then, develop your plan and what it will accomplish prior to presenting it. Requests for funding without a plan, means of accountability and an accomplish-able goal will not be funded.

Thank you. I hope this helps you plan your efforts.