During the last few months, the AMA’s 501 (c) 3, educational, not for profit, IRS status has been discussed in this forum. Most of those discussion have revolved around Model Aviation Magazine.

There are a number of ways in which the AMA can, and does qualify for this status. No single activity grants the status. One activity is the publication of a magazine with educational content (Model Aviation magazine). One is conducting educational classes, which is done at modeling shows, through the program to partner with school teachers, etc. Another is the granting of scholarships. Additional items that could be done are having an accredited museum, which the AMA does not (expensive!). Another is conducting classes “on campus” in Muncie. There are others as well.

The AMA, up until the July EC meeting, set aside 16 cents per member per year for scholarships. At the July meeting, Dave Mathewson put an item on the agenda to increase that to 30 cents, which was carried unanimously. This strikes me as being insufficient. It raises under $50,000. What ways could we, as an organization, increase this? Or should we?

What more can we do, as an organization, to live up to the educational IRS status we have? Should we just let the IRS revoke the status? As an organization, the AMA does not effectively, or efficiently solicit donations, which is probably the major advantage of the 501 (c) 3.

Glug,Glug, Glug, it's going over my head again and it ain't even a tsunami. The last sentence reads to me that because AMA is not effective or efficient in the area of soliciting donations, their ineptness is the major advantage of their tax-exempt status.

It's probably true that ineptness in the market place can be greatly assisted when one does not have to pay tax on those funds which he/she does obtain. In AMA's case the tax-exempt offers many more advantages than just their lack of abilities to properly function.

I don't think "we" will either "let" or prevent or in any way be considered when the IRS does revoke the 501 (c) (3) status. AMA is a fat cat just waiting for the IRS to flex its muscle. So few, so wildly scattered as the membership, and so few voters, AMA is an easy mark. OTOH, AMA is so unimportant in the scheme of things, maybe just the reverse and pay no attention to the microbe.

One thing that could effectively be accomplished if the EC had any strength, spelled b a l l s. That is to demand that the staff of Model Aviation return a minimum of 20% net profit from the magazine and that amount would be donated to those winners of the Scholarship Awards.

Another "Ain't gonna' happen!" [&o]

I got a note pointing out that the motion was made by Russ Miller, not by Dave Mathewson, as I previously stated. It was also pointed out that there are donations from outside sources to the scholarship fund.

The sender, however, did not disagree with the thought that it is not enough.