Unit Support Committee
The Unit Support Committee is chaired by MaryAnn Kincaid. The committee collects, maintains, and provides information that will assist local units in establishing MG associations, or improving existing units. Specifically, the committee:
- helps local MG Units with management problems
- helps new, local MG Units get organized, particularly with respect to choosing whether to incorporate, obtain tax-exempt status and other crucial aspects of forming,
- and provides a clearinghouse for information exchange.
Connecting Units to Solutions and Ideas
The committee receives requests for information, assistance or solutions and either directs the request to a source or may pose the question on VMGA’s home page of this website asking that others contribute. Unit Support Committee members are familiar with much of what goes on around the state and facilitates connections.
Advertising Local Unit/Association Events
The Unit Support Committee also provides assistance to units or local associations wishing to promote to VMGA membership an event they are sponsoring. A strict policy has been developed to ensure the privacy of our members, found in our Standing Rules.
The VMGA Report is also available for promoting local events. The newsletter is published electronically in the odd-numbered months. Submissions may be made directly to the editor at Newsletter@VMGA.net.
If the timing of newsletter distribution does not meet the unit’s or association’s needs, the Unit Support Committee will facilitate an electronic mailing for local units. Local units desiring an electronic mailing must provide the message they wish to distribute to the VMGA webmaster who will email the members in such a way to avoid distributing the mailing list. For more information please contact the Unit Support Chair.
Topical Resources
The committee has compiled information on several topics, and adds to this as unit needs arise. You may want to write the Unit Support Chair if you have a topic about which you need information, or if you require another format than the PDF offered here.
- Plant Sales. How does your unit handle them, and other fundraising efforts? VMGA asked units to tell us. Click Plant-Sales to see the results of that survey and discussion at a VMGA meeting.
- Tax Exempt Organization. While we are not able to provide specific legal information, VMGA and some local associations have experiences in obtaining tax exempt status as a 501(c)3 organization, staying exempt and reinstating exempt status. Click here to see tips on completing the new IRS shortened application form.
- Sales Tax. Susie McCrea developed Sales Tax Guidance and it has recently been updated to include important changes that will benefit your organization. Because every situation is different, and we are not tax lawyers, you should use this as a starting point, and make your own decision about whether your unit's project will require sales tax.
Current Discussions
The Unit Support Committee has had a request for local association and unit Best Management Practices (BMPs). The questions posed to the committee are frequently asked. It is a goal of the committee to develop these FAQs into BMPs so that new unit, associations or leadership will benefit from the experience of others.
The questions are below. Write to the Unit Support Chair with your unit’s story and approach to these questions.
- How do we strike the right balance between gardening (what members love) and educating the community (what MGs must do)?
- How do we clearly state our mission and vision? What do we use as our “brand” that will be attractive to potential new members and clearly communicate who we are to the communities we serve?
- How do we set priorities when the opportunities outstrip the volunteer availability?
- What approaches or methods works for recruiting in primarily rural counties?
- What should be our vision for training (computer based, time of day, time of the year, etc.)?
- How do we work with our Advisory Agent to continue to have a productive and positive relationship, and a partnership vs. boss/subordinate relationship?
- What works in communicating with the membership?
- Do’s and don’ts of fund raising?
- Activating new members and keeping current members engaged?
- How do we capture and maintain our project plans and processes from one group of leaders to the next?