[HoosierBrew]

Funny, as a long time AHA member it never occurred to me that the AHA owed me a detailed financial report to justify my membership.  As mentioned, if you take a long, thorough look at this site and honestly come away needing to be sold more on the merits, then you're blind, dumb, or not serious about membership. Go to work and ask your boss how long he would keep running his company at a loss or break even, all the while having more and more asked of him.   

I wasn't asking for a detailed report.  Just a general overview of what the AHA does period.  This is pretty standard for businesses, non-profits, and other associations.  I'll be honest a cursory look at the the website DOES NOT tell you these things.  Trust me my company website does give me a general overview of what my company and even specifically my product does. 

I liked Drew's post.  I just think it would be beneficial to add some stuff to the 'about the AHA page' and make that a bit more prominent on the site would be very beneficial.  If i'm looking to join an organiziation or donate money to a non-profit.  The about page is where I'm going to start.  I suppose the current about page has some of this information on it but I just feel it could be improved as it doesn't answer many of these general level questions people ask me about why they should join the AHA and how it actually helps the hobby.  I just feel if people question these things and I look at the website and I can't provide actual answers for them other than generally "well they help get legislation passed for homebrewing" - how? I will admit I read somewhere that they employeed people other than Gary but I had forgot and I don't see it really listed anywhere on the website.  I have to believe this eats up an large portion of the AHA financials.  Which employees is a good thing as you need full time paid people to make things happen.  To me that information is good to get out there.  "Hey we have multiple full-time employees that work hard to help with legislation, organize events across the country, and create content for the website and for the magazine"

Again, I'm not questioning what the AHA does and how it can spend all it's money.  I'm just saying when asked what the AHA does in general with the money it has I think the answer should be alittle more... Transparent and easy to come up with.  End rant. lol.

I really didn't mean to start a big debate.  I just couldn't find the answers to questions I was getting the past couple weeks.

I've got to agree with Dan on this one. A simple bullet list of the five or ten outstanding contributions that the AHA has made over the past year would really help defend against the empty rantings of the nay-sayers. Its all well and good to wrap ourselves in righteousness and declare that no one should have the gall to question such an obviously valuable organization, but we should also be able to easily demonstrate exactly why it's so valuable. "Go figure it out for yourself from the Financials" doesn't do that.

I guess we'll agree to disagree. I see clearly from a 'cursory' look at the site that AHA:

1. Puts on NHC every year  (no small expense, presumably)
2. Lobbies on behalf of the right to homebrew beer (certainly worth the price of admission)
3. Gives you a Zymurgy subscription (worth the price of admission)
4. Has an excellent site and home for this forum (the best forum on the net and easily worth the price of admission)
5. Has excellent member discounts, growing all the time (worth the price of admission)

I never said "How dare anyone question the AHA".  What I AM saying is that to compare this list to the $$ you paid to join seems pretty lopsided in our favor, to say the least.   

[dkfick]

AHA spent some money last year to fly Gary Glass to a meet the legislature event in Jackson, Mississippi.

I gotta admit there were about 15 home brewers standing on one side of the room. On the other were Gary Glass, our Raise Your Pints leadership, and the legislators.

They worked the room, we served beer, and shortly after we had a brand new home brew law.

I for one will never forget what the AHA did for me that night.

+1 to this.

Hell, + 1,000,000,000 to this. this is why the AHA exists and just because the last state in the US has passed some form of homebrew legalization doesn't mean that the work is done. you still have to apply for a permit in some states. In some states your not legally allowed to remove your homebrew from your home or share it with anyone outside your family.

well, until just this month there were some states where it wasn't technically legal to brew your own beer. now it is largely (not exclusively) because of the dues paid my the membership of the AHA.

I now live in one of those states (Kansas). As of right now, I cannot serve homebrew legally to my fiance even though he helps brew every batch of it because he is not technically "family" yet. The AHA is helping the Kansas clubs' initiative to change that. That alone is worth more than the $38/year rate.

But who cares where the money goes? They do a great job furthering the hobby, helping to change laws in very stubborn states (cough, MS, cough), produce a stellar magazine, have tons of information on the website, fund research projects, put on a huge conference every year and maintain the best homebrew forum on the interwebs. What more can you ask for?

For some perspective, a lot of people pay $28 a year for BYO. They produce a magazine that recycles basically the same information every 3-5 years. At least Zymurgy is new content every issue. Nobody's up in arms over where that money goes. Why worry about the AHA?

I agree that they do these things... I'm just saying I would like (and I think some people demand) to see the things they do actually stated vs having to sift through 100 pages on the site to draw inference as to what they do.

[theDarkSide]

Gary Glass' house...just sayin' 



 

Gary is roommates with Tony Stark?!

No...Tony is Gary's roommate!

[HoosierBrew]

....and Amanda's BYO comparison is excellent.

[dkfick]

Funny, as a long time AHA member it never occurred to me that the AHA owed me a detailed financial report to justify my membership.  As mentioned, if you take a long, thorough look at this site and honestly come away needing to be sold more on the merits, then you're blind, dumb, or not serious about membership. Go to work and ask your boss how long he would keep running his company at a loss or break even, all the while having more and more asked of him.   

I wasn't asking for a detailed report.  Just a general overview of what the AHA does period.  This is pretty standard for businesses, non-profits, and other associations.  I'll be honest a cursory look at the the website DOES NOT tell you these things.  Trust me my company website does give me a general overview of what my company and even specifically my product does. 

I liked Drew's post.  I just think it would be beneficial to add some stuff to the 'about the AHA page' and make that a bit more prominent on the site would be very beneficial.  If i'm looking to join an organiziation or donate money to a non-profit.  The about page is where I'm going to start.  I suppose the current about page has some of this information on it but I just feel it could be improved as it doesn't answer many of these general level questions people ask me about why they should join the AHA and how it actually helps the hobby.  I just feel if people question these things and I look at the website and I can't provide actual answers for them other than generally "well they help get legislation passed for homebrewing" - how? I will admit I read somewhere that they employeed people other than Gary but I had forgot and I don't see it really listed anywhere on the website.  I have to believe this eats up an large portion of the AHA financials.  Which employees is a good thing as you need full time paid people to make things happen.  To me that information is good to get out there.  "Hey we have multiple full-time employees that work hard to help with legislation, organize events across the country, and create content for the website and for the magazine"

Again, I'm not questioning what the AHA does and how it can spend all it's money.  I'm just saying when asked what the AHA does in general with the money it has I think the answer should be alittle more... Transparent and easy to come up with.  End rant. lol.

I really didn't mean to start a big debate.  I just couldn't find the answers to questions I was getting the past couple weeks.

I've got to agree with Dan on this one. A simple bullet list of the five or ten outstanding contributions that the AHA has made over the past year would really help defend against the empty rantings of the nay-sayers. Its all well and good to wrap ourselves in righteousness and declare that no one should have the gall to question such an obviously valuable organization, but we should also be able to easily demonstrate exactly why it's so valuable. "Go figure it out for yourself from the Financials" doesn't do that.

I guess we'll agree to disagree. I see clearly from a 'cursory' look at the site that AHA:

1. Puts on NHC every year  (no small expense, presumably)
2. Lobbies on behalf of the right to homebrew beer (certainly worth the price of admission)
3. Gives you a Zymurgy subscription (worth the price of admission)
4. Has an excellent site and home for this forum (the best forum on the net and easily worth the price of admission)
5. Has excellent member discounts, growing all the time (worth the price of admission)

I never said "How dare anyone question the AHA".  What I AM saying is that to compare this list to the $$ you paid to join seems pretty lopsided in our favor, to say the least.   

I would argue that the NHC actually makes money (See Drew's post).  I agree with all the rest... I would just argue that it is apparently clear to many people that the AHA does all this.  I get a lot of:
Why should I give them all this money.  What are they going to do with it.  All they do is put out a magazine. 

if you state the things listed in this thread I believe that answers many of the questions people have... but I don't feel like those questions are answered very well for someone visits the AHA site and and thinking about joining.  Obviously some people are just going to be pissy about things no matter what.  But a lack of information always is going to increase that number.

PS I'm glad Gary has Iron Man as a roomate... But I think his sleep might suffer because of it.  Has anyone thought of the consequences this might have on his ability to speak on behalf of the AHA at these legislative hearings?

[BrewingRover]

Why not produce the AHA equivalent of the the BA Stewardship Report?
http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/about-us/stewardship-report

The section on the AHA there is pretty much what is being discussed here. The org chart there makes the AHA/BA relationship a bit clearer as well.

[dkfick]

Why not produce the AHA equivalent of the the BA Stewardship Report?
http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/about-us/stewardship-report

The section on the AHA there is pretty much what is being discussed here. The org chart there makes the AHA/BA relationship a bit clearer as well.

I like it.

[Jimmy K]

if you state the things listed in this thread I believe that answers many of the questions people have... but I don't feel like those questions are answered very well for someone visits the AHA site and and thinking about joining.  Obviously some people are just going to be pissy about things no matter what.  But a lack of information always is going to increase that number.

All of those items can be found by clicking 'Join' and reading the 'About the AHA' and 'Membership Benefits' tabs.
Regarding NHC costs, I've helped organize work meetings for several hundred people. Meetings cost a lot of money. Way more than anyone imagines (obviously). NHC costs less than any other meeting I've attended and there are many things the others don't have to provide (keg logistics, security, etc). I'm sure AHA is in a tough spot too, since they wouldn't want to give away too many details of what they're paying to run the meeting. It would compromise their position to negotiate in future years.

[AmandaK]

I agree that they do these things... I'm just saying I would like (and I think some people demand) to see the things they do actually stated vs having to sift through 100 pages on the site to draw inference as to what they do.

So... you basically want to see the Membership Benefits page? Or am I reading that wrong?

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/membership/membership-benefits/

[udubdawg]

I agree that they do these things... I'm just saying I would like (and I think some people demand) to see the things they do actually stated vs having to sift through 100 pages on the site to draw inference as to what they do.

So... you basically want to see the Membership Benefits page? Or am I reading that wrong?

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/membership/membership-benefits/

I think he just wants to see a little more, be it details or promotion of the activities.
...And not for his benefit, but for the benefit of those who don't seem to realize what the AHA does. 
I certainly don't see the harm and can see the possible benefit of the AHA tooting their own horn a bit more.  I'm just skeptical about whether there's much the AHA can do to change the mind of some of these people.

[dkfick]

To a degree.  But that's more focused on how the AHA benefits the individual vs what the AHA actually does overall.

[Jimmy K]

I agree that they do these things... I'm just saying I would like (and I think some people demand) to see the things they do actually stated vs having to sift through 100 pages on the site to draw inference as to what they do.

So... you basically want to see the Membership Benefits page? Or am I reading that wrong?

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/membership/membership-benefits/

Add 'About the AHA' and it's a complete package. Though advocating for homebrewing rights just gets one bullet point.

[dkfick]

I agree that they do these things... I'm just saying I would like (and I think some people demand) to see the things they do actually stated vs having to sift through 100 pages on the site to draw inference as to what they do.

So... you basically want to see the Membership Benefits page? Or am I reading that wrong?

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/membership/membership-benefits/

I think he just wants to see a little more, be it details or promotion of the activities.
...And not for his benefit, but for the benefit of those who don't seem to realize what the AHA does. 
I certainly don't see the harm and can see the possible benefit of the AHA tooting their own horn a bit more.  I'm just skeptical about whether there's much the AHA can do to change the mind of some of these people.

I agree that it probably won't change the minds of these people... Many of them are seemingly irrationally angry about changes the AHA has gone through.  But I think it could benefit potential new members who hear all the negative things but maybe not as much positive things about the AHA... Just food for thought it all.  I really just figured it already existed and I could just brush up on it... But then I couldn't find much info.

[dkfick]

I agree there is info here:
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/membership/membership-benefits/
and here:
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/membership/american-homebrewers-association/
and even a little here:
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/membership/homebrewing-stats/

But it's just not very concise.  A bit too board of paint strokes I would say.  Kind of like saying all a homebrewer has to do to make excellent beer is "mash, boil, and ferment"... I suppose it's true but does it really tell me anything?

[AmandaK]

I'm just skeptical about whether there's much the AHA can do to change the mind of some of these people.

Same here.