Status: Pre-formation. The structure of revenue and expense categories is what this document presents; all dollar amounts have been removed pending adoption by the founding board's audit/finance committee. Public reference fees (IRS user fees, state filing fees, insurance market ranges) are retained where they are facts from external sources.
Assumptions
Fiscal year aligned to calendar year (January 1 – December 31, 2027 for purposes of this draft)
Incorporation in Maine or Minnesota; state-fee row presented for both for comparability
Federal recognition pursued via Form 1024 filed in Q1
One paid administrator (part-time), no other employees in Year 1; remainder of work performed by volunteers and contractors
100% remote operations; one in-person founding convening in Q4
Conservative member ramp; sponsorship treated under §513(i) as qualified sponsorship payments
The Plan column is the working budget for board approval. Low and High columns are scenario stress tests so the Treasurer can show the board the breakeven member and sponsor counts.
Form 1024 user fee, formation legal, and insurance binders all hit before significant dues revenue arrives. Founding member commitments and at least one founding sponsor should be secured before filing Articles, to avoid a Q1 cash hole.
The convening is the single largest discretionary expense and a meaningful potential margin. Negotiate venue terms with cancellation rights and target ≥ 70% of registration revenue committed before the contract signs.
Stripe processing is treated as a cost line, not a haircut on dues revenue, for transparency.
Goal by end of Year 1: a board-restricted operating reserve equal to 3 months of plan-case operating expenses (amount TBD once budget is adopted). Reserve is funded from net surplus, not from sponsorship-restricted dollars.