As a 501c(3) our 990PF and 1023 forms are available to anyone upon request.
ARTICLE 1 – Name of Organization
Section 1: The name of the club shall be the DC Homebrewers Club, hereinafter referred to as The Club.
ARTICLE II – Purpose and Mission Statement
Section 1: The mission of The Club is to explore and promote the homebrewing hobby to the Club members, and other interested parties ; to promote awareness and appreciation of the quality and variety of home brewed beers through education, research, and the collection and dissemination of information; and to provide a framework and forum for members to share information and experiences, to educate themselves and others, and to share their homebrewed samples with other members.
Section 2: The Club shall function exclusively as a non-profit entity for the pleasure and recreation of its members within the definition of a non-profit organization as prescribed by both the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation law, Title 26 of the US Code and other applicable tax laws.
Section 3: The Club shall formally affiliate with the American Homebrewers Association by becoming a member of the association.
ARTICLE III – Membership
Section 1: Membership in The Club is open to individuals who are homebrewers, or are interested in learning the art and science of homebrewing, regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or religious affiliation and who are eligible under Section 2.
Section 2: To be eligible for membership, an individual must be of legal drinking age for the consumption of alcoholic beverages in accordance with District of Columbia law.
Section 3: Any member who has not been expelled, or is not currently suspended, shall be considered a member in good standing.
Section 4: All members shall be enrolled in the then-current membership maintenance system (the “Roster”), currently an email list serve.
Section 5: Liability
Section 5.1: Members shall not be liable for debts or obligations made by The Club.
Section 5.2: No member shall receive compensation for services rendered to The Club, but may be reimbursed for reasonable, necessary, and customary expenses incurred on behalf of The Club.
Section 5.3: Each member’s participation in The Club is strictly voluntary. Each member must realize that participation may involve consumption of alcoholic beverages, which may affect perception, thought process, and reaction time. Each member is expected to know his or her personal limits with regard to consuming alcohol and stay below those limits.
Section 5.4: All members agree by virtue of their membership to absolve The Club of any responsibility for actions taken by themselves or other members during events sponsored by or promoted by The Club.
Section 6: Suspension, Removal and, Reinstatement of Members
Section 6.1: Each member is expected to behave responsibly and legally at The Club events. In the event a member does not behave responsibly and legally, one of the Officers or Chairs shall take immediate and appropriate corrective measures. This may include the suspension of the member from The Club as deemed appropriate by a majority vote by the Cabinet, with a quorum present consisiting of at least 3 members..
Section 6.2: A member may be expelled from The Club only when the member’s continued presence would be detrimental to the club as a whole. Grounds for possible expulsion include, but are not limited to: sexual harassment, physical or verbal abuse, insistence on driving to or from The Club activities when visibly intoxicated, misuse of The Club funds or property or, physical destruction of a host’s facilities, or activities deemed illegal in the jurisdiction in which they take place. Those who do not or cannot maintain personal responsibility may have their membership terminated by a majority vote of the Cabinet with a quorum present.
Section 6.3: A suspended or expelled member may petition the Cabinet for reinstatement. Such reinstatement may only take place upon unanimous agreement by the Cabinet, with a quorum present.
Section 6.4: A member’s expulsion from The Club shall result in removal from the Roster.
Section 7: Terms
Section 7.1: Members may join the club by requesting that they be added to the Membership Roster, currently by submitting their email address to a “listserv”, although the mechanism by which the Roster is maintained is not specified by these ByLaws.
Section 7.2: Membership in The Club is considered open-ended and perpetual, and members do not need to reapply for membership on any scheduled basis.
Section 7.3: Payment of a contribution is not a condition of membership. The Cabinet may agree on fundraising procedures as well as any special benefits conferred upon members who contribute financially as part of the fundraising effort.
Section 7.4: Any member may leave The Club at any time by requesting removal via the Roster.
ARTICLE IV – Club Officers
Section 1: The Club shall be governed by a Board of Directors (referred to in these Bylaws collectively as “the Board” or individually as “Officer(s)”) consisting of a President, Vice President, and Treasurer.
Section 1.A. President: The president is the chief executive officer of The Club. He or she shall preside at all meetings of The Club. In addition to the duties specified in these Bylaws, the president shall perform such other duties as usually devolve upon a chief executive officer.
Section 1.B. Vice President: The vice president shall perform the duties of the president in his or her absence. In the event a vacancy occurs in the office of the president, the vice president shall succeed to the office of president for the unexpired term thereof.
Section 1.C. Treasurer: The treasurer shall collect all monies due The Club, provide receipts therefor if requested; shall record the amount of each payment, with the name and address of the person receiving the payment; shall disperse funds entrusted to his or her safekeeping in accordance with the instructions of the Board; and shall account therefore at each regular meeting or as otherwise required. The treasurer shall perform such other duties as are required by these Bylaws, as pertain to the office and as are required by the president or by the board.
Section 2: The Board shall establish operating procedures, shall schedule meetings, may determine processes for fundraising, and shall make all decisions regarding The Club operations and policy, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws. Decisions regarding operations procedures, scheduling meetings, fundraising and other decision regarding Club operations and policy shall be made by a simple majority vote of those Board members present at a meeting. A quorum of Board members, which shall be no less than three, must be present to vote.
Section 3: The President is an elected office. Elections will be scheduled on an approximate two (2) year basis, or as needed due to early termination or resignation. Any club member may be nominated to run for President by themselves or any other member in good standing. All Club members in good standing will be given the opportunity to vote for the President from the pool of members who were nominated and agree to run.
Section 4: Other Officers and all committee Chairs are appointed and subsequently removed by the President as needed. There is no term limit for other Officers or Committee chairs. Any other Officer so appointed by the President shall be an Officer of the Board until removed. Any Chair so appointed by the President shall be a member of the Cabinet until removed.
Section 5: The Officers and Chairs shall comprise the Cabinet (the “Cabinet”).
Section 6: Any member of the Board may be removed by a majority vote of a quorum of the other Officers and Chairs.
ARTICLE V – Committees
Section 1: Standing committees of The Club shall be the Competition Committee, Events Committee, and Education Committee.
Section 2: The Board may establish special committees as deemed necessary. Each committee shall be chaired by a member in good standing appointed by The Board (a “Chair”). Each Chair shall be a member of the Cabinet.
The Board may also create special project groups containing members of various committees or other club members as deemed necessary. These special project groups do not require a chair, and will have a finite lifetime based on the requirements of the project to be determined by the Board. They will not be part of the Cabinet.
Section 3: Committee membership and meetings will be at the discretion of the appropriate Chair and with concurrence of the Board.
ARTICLE VI – Meetings
Section 1: The Club will conduct monthly meetings for the purpose of discussing Club business with its members, as well as to provide a social venue for its members to share homebrew and information for the purpose of enhancing their knowledge of the homebrewing hobby in furtherance of The Club’s mission. The meeting date, time, and location will be determined by the Board and announced via the Roster at least one week prior to the event.
Section 2: The Club may schedule special events or meetings as voted on and approved by the Board. Announcements will be made to all current members via the Roster. There may be additional requirements or fees for attending special events or meetings to cover the costs or requirements of the special meeting, at the sole discretion of the Board.
Section 3: The Board shall meet and take up any business necessary for the operation of the Club, if any, at each monthly meeting. Any Officer of the Club may call a special meeting at some other time in the event there is business relating to the operation of the Club outside the monthly meeting times. A quorum of the Board (three Board members) must be present to vote on any business that comes up at a special meeting of the Board. All such meetings shall be announced to the membership at least 7 days in advance of such meeting unless exigent circumstances prevent compliance with this requirement.
ARTICLE VII – Finance
Section 1: The Club’s fiscal year shall be January 1 – December 31
Section 2: The Club is organized as a not-for-profit organization currently supported by fund raising activities and voluntary contributions related to homebrewing and club activities. No part of the net proceeds of The Club shall under any circumstance inure to the benefit any single member or individual.
Section 3: The Treasurer is authorized to pay all bills when due without the explicit consent of the Cabinet. All disbursements shall require proper receipts for reasonable expenses incurred on The Club’s behalf. Expenditures in the amount above $50.00 will require approval in the form of a majority vote of the Cabinet in accordance with Article IV, Section 2 above. Club funds shall be used only for Club events, purchases and membership benefits as approved by the Cabinet. .
Section 4: The Treasurer shall be prepared to report the financial status of The Club when required by the Board.
Section 5: Should The Club be dissolved or cease to exist, the financial assets of The Club after payment of any outstanding debts and all obligations, shall be distributed to a non-profit entity of the Board’s choosing.
ARTICLE VIII – Amendment Procedure
Section 1: Any member in good standing may submit an amendment proposal to the Cabinet, at any time, to change the Bylaws. The amendment proposal will be included on the agenda of the next general membership meeting. At that time, the membership shall have the opportunity to discuss and possibly amend the proposal before submitting to the Cabinet. The Cabinet is authorized to approve, deny, or send the amendment back to the general membership for further discussion.
Section 2: At the next meeting of the Cabinet, if a quorum is present, upon an affirmative vote by secret ballot from the majority of the Cabinet, the amendment or changes shall become effective immediately.
Section 3: A copy of new or amended bylaws shall be posted to The Club website within thirty (30) days of their approval and an e-mail message shall be sent to all members notifying them of the update.
ARTICLE IX – Conflicts of Interest
Section 1: No member of the Board, or of any Committee, shall participate in any vote on any subject in which he or she has a specific personal, professional, financial, or other conflict of interest. He or she may, however, participate in discussions regarding the same.
ARTICLE X – Indemnification
Section 1: The Club may indemnify current or former members of the Board or Officers, or any other person, to the maximum extent pursuant to law.
ARTICLE XI – Limitation on Actions Against the Board, Officers and Members
Section 1: No legal action may be brought against the Board, Officers or members of The Club for failure to enforce any provisions of the governing documents or rules or regulations under any circumstances.
ARTICLE XII – Severability
Section 1: If any provision of these bylaws is deemed illegal or without effect, the remaining provisions shall not be affected.
ARTICLE XIII – Non-Waiver
Section 1: Failure of The Club to enforce any provision of the Bylaws or any provision of any governing document of The Club, or any other rules or regulations that may hereafter be adopted against any member, shall not operate to waive the right of The Club to enforce the same rule against the same or any other member.
ARTICLE XIV –Commitment to Non-Discrimination
Section 1: The Club, its Board, and its Officers, jointly and severally, shall not discriminate, in any form or manner, on the basis of race, color, age, gender, national origin, disability or sexual orientation.
ARTICLE XV – Suspension of Bylaws
Section 1: These Bylaws may be suspended upon unanimous vote of the Cabinet.