How to Run a Quilting Society
Quilting was a part of the social fabric of America from colonial times, it was enjoyed by those who could afford hired help, through the Industrial Revolution, when fabric became readily available. Its resurgence as an art form in the 1970s continues today. Quilting thrives among artisans, historians and those who love needlework and getting together to sew. Running a quilting society, however, is similar to conducting a business and requires organization. If your cozy quilting group has grown, and you want to formally run a quilting society, you need to take a few steps to get started.
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Instructions
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List the goals of your society with your fellow members, then summarize these goals into two or three concise sentences. This will create your mission statement. Start your list by asking basic questions. For example, will your group's main function be instructional, or will you focus on the history and promotion of quilt making?
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Write a set of bylaws with your fellow members to expand your mission statement and provide specific details on the governing rules, policies and procedures of your society. This document can be as extensive as you wish. Generally, bylaws include the name of your society, process for creation of a governing board, meeting schedules, procedures for electing officers, information on officers' terms and duties, membership requirements and benefits and fund-raising activities.
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Elect your society's officers: a president, vice president, recording secretary and treasurer are standard posts. You may have a formal vote according to your bylaws or, if your group agrees, you may solicit volunteers to start.
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Visit community organizations, such as schools, libraries, church halls and local fabric and crafts stores for meeting spaces. With a large group, you will want to meet somewhere other than a member's home.
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Sign up your society with a national, recognized quilting association. This step helps to validate your society among quilters and offers you a resource for networking with other groups around the country.
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Build a website and add its address to online networking resources, such as meetup.com and national associations to promote your activities and garner new members. Feature the website address on printed materials, brochures and leaflets you may create. Your board can appoint a committee to handle your site and its promotions.
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Talk about officially applying for nonprofit status with your society's board. If agreed and voted upon, file an application for a nonprofit 501(c)(3) with the IRS. Some advantages to doing this are that the society will be tax-exempt, eligible for grants and limited regarding liability.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't lose your original passion. You can easily get bogged down in the "business" of running a society. Try to remember your quilting society was originally started because you love this craft form. Take the organizing process one step at a time, depending on your group's development.
Note that registering your guild often requires a fee. As always, discuss with your board whether the cost is justified at this point in your development.
Filing for nonprofit status will also cost you a significant fee in addition to state incorporation fees. As a nonprofit, you must be prepared to file with the IRS and the state to maintain tax-exempt status so detailed bookkeeping is vital.
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