The Organization
and its Supporters
Friends of AGC
Board of Directors
Boosters
Austin Girls' Choir is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. The corporation provides a service to girls of the Austin community: music performance education through choral singing, instruction in vocal/aural and music-reading skills, small-group activities.
As they receive this education, girls also develop an appreciation for a broad range of musical genres, are exposed to foreign cultures and languages, learn social skills, develop personal strengths and abilities, and are encouraged to view themselves as leaders within and representatives of their community.
Adults age 18 and over may become Friends of Austin Girls' Choir. These supporters pay annual dues ($30), which help fund chorister scholarships. The Friends meet annually in early September, at the start of the fiscal year, to elect a Board of Directors (from the membership) to a one-year term. Some Friends volunteer their time in support roles such as fundraising, speaking to civic groups about AGC, or serving lunch to choristers at camp. Others may choose to support the Choir only through dues and occasional attendance of concerts. Friends receive a quarterly newsletter, seasonal concert mailings and invitations to special receptions. Parents are welcome to become Friends; please contact the director for information.
Members of the Board of Directors are selected to fill several needs. They must be able to objectively advise and oversee the business actions of the Choir, and they must actively assist in fundraising, development of connections and opportunities for the Choir, and promotion of and recruitment for the organization. Each is expected to give 6-8 hours per month for a year and to attend 90 percent of board meetings. There must be a minimum of three members on the Board of Directors; members may be added by majority vote of the sitting board after the start of the fiscal year. The Board of Directors may also appoint an Advisory Board, which meets infrequently to discuss and advise on issues submitted by the Board of Directors, Artistic Director or Executive Director. Advisory Board members are also Friends of Austin Girls' Choir.
Most board members bring special gifts of their own based on their professional backgrounds. Financiers and grantwriters oversee the business aspect of the corpora-tion and serve on financial planning committees. Lawyers provide legal advice. Businesspeople arrange for special prices for the organization on such things as equipment purchase, insurance, advertising, office supplies, etc. Some may donate office staff assistance. Artists may design brochures, letterhead, ads. Media people arrange for good PSA visibility, extra coverage and mentions on newscasts, and opportunities to be involved in station community service activities. Musicians can help open performance opportunities, perform at fundraisers, and tout the choir to audiences.
Traditionally boards fundraise via gifts and grants for the operational expenses, service groups within the organization raise money for specific expenses (such as travel, uniforms, social activities, scholarships), and income from organization activities is applied to equipment and expenses related to those and future activities.
The parents of the choristers are automatically members of the Boosters, a group that functions to assist the director with communications and as a support system for the activities of the Junior Choir and Senior Ensemble. It includes four committees: Telephone, Uniform, Fundraising and Transportation. Parents are asked to attend general meetings led by the director at the close of Fall and Spring term auditions, so that they may give input regarding upcoming activities. Monthly get-togethers are also held to plan and prepare for fundraisers, network and socialize. Reports regarding Boosters projects will be made by a representative parent at the request of the Board of Directors.
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