1. Call to Order
Chair, CHAIR, called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm Eastern
2. Roll:
Present: Afton Benson, Kaylin Myers, Niels Duinker, Jess, Noel Yee, Jonathan, Sofia, Martin, Benjamin
Absent: Luther, Aslynne
Recorder: Afton Benson
3. Approval of Agenda
Motion: Jonathan
Second by: Sofia
Discussion:
Vote: Passes Unanimously
4. Approval of Minutes:
Motion: Jonathan
Second: Sofia
Discussion:
Vote: Passes Unanimously
5. Reports
Please keep verbal reports to 5 min or less except for festival discussion.
2025 Festival Report (Jess)
Discussion:
Jess’ Docs
- Volunteers Many folks are on board, waiting to confirm a few roles, pink is locked in, orange folks aren’t coming back atm. Cassaundra Smyth is doing the design and shirt design/theme. IN is full of covered bridges and the aesthetic would be cool. Going to get sketches back this week.
- Timeline personal timeline, for the days where stuff is etc. CC’d Mike on the tourism group as they’ve been ghosting Jess. Jonathan is up for organizing a disc golf outing
**Ross Berenson Joined 6:15 PM
Benjamin – Contacted Jon Udry about winning Festival Package. He accepts but is waiting for more details for hotel/travel sign up! (Jake Question…If he does NOT accept…do we re-draw a name? Do we save his package for a future date he CAN attend?)
**Jess departed 6:18 PM
Financial Report (Afton Benson)
Discussion:
Future Festival Site Report (Mike and Jake)
Discussion: (Keeping this brief-written by Jake—neither of us will be at the meeting)
We are continuing talks with South Bend, regarding the possible 2028 festival. We are getting updated quotes/details from the Century Center & Morris Theater about labor rates and other clarifying questions. We will provide updates at the next Business meeting.
I reached out to the University of MN as a prospective location for the 2029 Festival. This is in the very early stages. Afton initially contacted them, and I am taking over. I Will update at the next meeting.
eJuggle Report (Scott Seltzer)
Discussion: No Report; Benjamin and Ross are emailing with Scott currently.
Membership (Marilyn Sullivan)
Membership Data
Discussion: **Luther Bangert Joined 6:22 PM**
Benjamin: What is an ideal membership number? What’s a goal number for 2025?
Martin: Used to have around 3k members
Afton: I’d say 1400
Jonathan: Is there a number where this would be beneficial are there project number that would help us?
Benjamin: Arbitrary is a good place to start in art.
Afton: Talks about membership dollars going to support programs better. Something about room blocks and saying our number of members and how many might be coming.
Jonathan: We don’t do tangible items.
Niels: 5% of Insta following we have 86k they’re interested in the IJA can we convert 1 out of 20
Afton: Some targeted marketing would be good.
Benjamin: think about this for the next vision meeting to discuss it.
Marketing Report (Matan Presberg)
Discussion:
Afton: Working on getting Lisa in the loop, talking to Kenzy
Benjamin: Wrote down some org level ideas for marketing, cohesive content with tags and calls to action. And how can we start connecting with people in a physical and tangible way. Another nonprofit just put out a physical annual report, which would be cool to do.
Martin: YouTube password w/authenticator? Afton: Done.
IRC Report (Erin Stephens)
Discussion:
Benjamin: no report, but there was a live stream on instagram, we need to know in the future so we can plan better.
YJA Report (Benjamin Domask-Ruh)
Discussion:
YJA Contacted by Jess about 2025 Planting the Juggling seed. Also mentioned Club YJA. Looking forward to continuing youth engagement this year! 🙂
Voting tonight on Juggling book as another project.
Connecting with more people about youth programming (Open Source Badge Book program.)
Want to look into a ‘How to start a juggling club’ resource for Middle Schools, High Schools, and Colleges.
- Connect with revived Affiliates program eventually for more community juggling club resources
OpsO Report (Ross Berenson)
Discussion:
2024 Festival Survey Results: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DEF9wzMdfjPrOOtGTizgcpWHcsKe3lszLD8lE70EHsg/edit?usp=sharing
Overall, fairly positive.
6. Motions for Consideration
- Motion to disallow budget rollovers that are not tied to restricted funds.
Author: Afton Benson
Motion: Sofia
Second: Jonathan
Discussion: All program budgets are not allowed to ‘Bank’ budgets from year to year. It resets to budgeted funds from the yearly budget. Exception is IRCs which are SPECIFICALLY earmarked funds. Programs can always bring proposals for projects outside of their budgets.
Vote: Passes Unanimously
- Motion to implement a 60 day limit to submit expenses for reimbursement.
Author: Afton Benson
Motion: Sofia
Second: Luther
Discussion: If you do not, the matter will come to the board for approval
Vote: Passes Unanimously
- Motion to approve the 2023 IJA 990.
Author: Afton Benson
Motion: Jonathan
Second:Noel
Discussion:
Vote: Passes Unanimously
- Motion to increase Dennis Morrison’s (IJA Bookkeeper) contract monthly pay from $792 to $850.
Author: Afton Benson
Motion: Jonathan
Second: Sofia
Discussion:
Afton – Dennis has been at the same rate since coming on in 2012 and is a valued person for the organization, this is still an incredible rate for someone of his background.
Vote: Passes Unanimously
- Motion to Approve 1 (one) Festival Package and 1 (one) Vendor Package for the 2025 Annual Festival for David Cain for storing the IJA Archives
Author: Benjamin Domask-Ruh
Motion: Noel
Second: Sofia
Discussion:
Benjamin – As Discussed during last meeting, we will approve one year’s package/comp in exchange for storage and request a plan of action for digitizing/archiving the rest of the archives. Upon receiving plan and progress, we will revisit the compensation each year.
- Additional updates from the past Archives Team in Las Vegas received via Email.
- Compiled IJA Archives references in one document and folder in google drive
Vote: Passes Unanimously
- Motion to approve YJA book project and budget – Juggling Education for the 21st Century
Author: Benjamin Domask-Ruh
Motion: Niels
Second: Jonathan
Discussion:
Benjamin – Discussed during previous meeting to general approval
Vote:
In Favor: All others in meeting approved
Opposed:
Abstained: Benjamin Domask-Ruh
7. Varia:
Afton – Firetoys has a website and reached out to Eric Shibuya about the raffle about how the IJA wasn’t set up with them to give a member discount! Anytime a member uses our code… the IJA gets 5% of that sale! Who do I email about that and the member discount program?
Ross – Me! And Ian Michael.
Martin – I have also been doing a lot of that.
Afton – Great! I’ll put a blurb about that in the newsletter.
Martin – We don’t have any others paying the IJA.
Afton – Nope. But we have others giving a great discount.
Martin – Should we mention the IJA % on the pages?
Afton – Yes!
Afton – EdCon wrapped up and everyone was stoked about the IJA sponsoring!
Afton also put IJA logo stickers and an 2025 festival invite in the bags. Lots of people at the juggle jam.
Ross – I think we should put out a call for festival directors in 2026 and 2027. We plan out the future with sites, why not directors? This could help secure visas for potential performers (some take more than a year to process!)
- 80th is 2027!
8. Confirm Next Meeting
Next meetings will take place on…
for the next vision meeting November 4, 2024 at 6:00pm ET
for the next business meeting November 18, 2024 at 6:00pm ET
9. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 7:09 pm Eastern.