![](media/image1.png){width="1.8229166666666667in"
height="1.3034722222222221in"}Goddard Employees Welfare Association
(GEWA)

> Clubs Policy

GENERAL

**Recognition**

The GEWA encourages and supports the organization of group activities
and functions at the Goddard Space Flight Center's Greenbelt Facility,
dedicated to social, athletic, educational, cultural, and welfare
interests of its members. To this end, GEWA provides services and
facilities for the benefit of employees of GSFC-Greenbelt, contractors,
and their families and guests. It supports numerous clubs and
activities. GEWA clubs have the status of a private association and are
not an instrumentality of the Federal Government.

While employees are free to develop their own group activities
independent of GEWA, many clubs find their programs are enhanced by GEWA
sponsorship, as this enables them to receive Goddard equipment and
facilities, as well as financial and other assistance: help with
scheduling rooms and other practical matters from GEWA. GEWA also
provides a web server that clubs may use. When clubs establish
themselves with GEWA they enter into an agreement that they will respond
to annual requests for information, specifically club officers, so that
GEWA has a complete and up-to-date record of all clubs. After an
extended period of no communication from a club, GEWA will assume that
the club is no longer viable and will transfer the club to inactive
status, so that it can focus its resources elsewhere. If a club remains
inactive for several years, GEWA may vote to dissolve the club. The GEWA
Clubs Committee provides liaison between the GEWA Council and
GEWA-sponsored clubs, presents club requests for assistance to the GEWA
Council, ensures club information is up to date on the GEWA website, and
coordinates between clubs as necessary. The GEWA Council provides
liaisons between Clubs and Center Management.

# Club membership

Club membership is defined by the GEWA Bylaws, Article III, Section 3.
Note that the terms "GEWA Member" and "Club Member" are not
interchangeable. The term "GEWA Member" is used in several places in the
GEWA Constitution and Bylaws, and is also used in this material. A GEWA
Member is defined by the GEWA Constitution, Article III:

> "All NASA civil service employees stationed at GSFC will be considered
> members of GEWA and will be eligible to receive the benefits and
> privileges it extends."

In addition to the 6 categories of club members defined in the GEWA
Bylaws, Article III, Section 3, a category of club guest is defined by
the GEWA Bylaws, Article III, Section 4. Club guests have no vote in the
establishment of club policy or other club decisions.

**Formation of a new club**

The GEWA Council does not organize new clubs. GEWA recognizes clubs
after prospective GEWA members get together to form a group, develop a
constitution and other items of formation, and submit it to the GEWA
Council for consideration and action. This process is regulated by the
GEWA Bylaws, Article III, Section 2. Note that at least 10 NASA civil
servants stationed at Greenbelt are required to establish a GEWA club.
In addition to the items required by Article III, Section 2 of the GEWA
Bylaws, the list of 10 or more persons requesting formation of the new
club must be submitted to the GEWA Clubs Chairperson, who can ensure
that all persons are actually GEWA Members. The GEWA Clubs Chairperson
will submit the club Constitution and Bylaws to the Office of Chief
Counsel for review. After review and resolution of any issues identified
during the Chief Counsel review, the club Constitution and Bylaws shall
be submitted to the GEWA Council members for review and a vote on GEWA
recognition.

**Constitution and Bylaws**

Each club is required to have, in written form, the primary
characteristics of the club, a description of how the club functions,
and any rules the club considers so important they cannot be changed
without a formal vote. This may take the form of a constitution, or may
be divided into two documents: a constitution and Bylaws. Typically, a
constitution contains articles that will be changed very infrequently,
and will require a significant percentage (typically 2/3) of the
membership to change. Bylaws usually contain items such as operating
rules with a greater level of detail than a constitution, and can be
changed more easily. Although many clubs, and the GEWA Council, utilize
separate constitutions and Bylaws documents, a club may operate with a
single combined document. As a minimum, topics covered must include:

(1) Name of the club

(2) Purpose of the Club

(3) Membership requirements

(4) Officers and duties of officers

(5) Meetings

(6) Executive Board (if needed)

(7) Committees (if needed)

(8) Parliamentary Authority, and

\(9\) Procedure for amendment

**Guest Access**

In the past, memberships cards were used by the clubs to facilitate
access to the Center by persons who do not have a GSFC badge. However,
security regulations have now changed and membership cards by themselves
no longer guarantee access to the Center. Therefore, GEWA no longer
provides cards for the clubs. To gain access, guests must obtain a
temporary badge for the time required and this badge must be requested
by a GSFC employee and approved by security. Badging procedures change
with time and so club officers should frequently review current security
procedures. GEWA is investigating whether other badging options are
possible for the future, such as "club badges."

**FINANCIAL**

**GEWA support of club finances**

GEWA does provide financial support to clubs when it is requested during
the annual budget call, but that support is restricted to certain types
of items and is of limited scope, depending on GEWA finances and the
nature and dollar magnitude of requests received from all clubs.
Generally, GEWA attempts to provide financial assistance, that will
maximize benefits to the GSFC/Greenbelt population as a whole. Provision
of financial support to clubs is solely at the discretion of the GEWA
Council. Information provided here is an indication of what is normally
done, but each case is considered on its individual merits.

The GEWA Chairperson shall send a request to all the clubs requesting
their proposed budget on or near June 15^th^ of each year. [The response
will be due by July 15.]{.underline} The following information shall be
requested of the clubs:

1.  List of Club officers

2.  Club Facilities Operations Manager (only if the club has a dedicated
    facility such a building, trailer, etc.)

3.  Property Administrator (only if the club uses capital equipment that
    was purchased with GEWA grant/loan funds)

4.  List of 10 members who are civil servants or members of the GSFC
    retirees club (list of 10 can include officers)

5.  Inventory of assets (for those assets purchased with GEWA grant/loan
    funds)

6.  Outline prior year's expenditures; provide copies of prior year
    receipts for GEWA grant/loan expenditures by mail to Clubs
    Chairperson, if not done soon after time of purchase. Proposed
    budget request with justification - club response to this item is
    optional.

7.  Indicate if the club desires to meet with the GEWA Council to
    present their budget - club response to this item is optional.

8.  Computer Security Officer: Web page support

The Club Chairperson shall:

-   Review all budget requests

-   Contact clubs for any missing information

-   Compile budget and present for approval to the Council at the August
    budget meeting

-   Provide the GEWA Council treasurer with preliminary budget requests
    prior to the August meeting

-   Notify the GEWA Council concerning any club that is unresponsive to
    the above information request. The GEWA Council will determine if
    inactive status or a revocation of GEWA recognition is warranted.

Once the budget is approved, the GEWA Clubs Chairperson shall provide at
least one notification to all clubs concerning their budget requests.
Funds will be available for distribution to the clubs around the
September 30^th^ time frame.

**Operating expenses**

GEWA does not pay for month-to-month operational costs of a club.

**Grants and Loans**

GEWA provides financial assistance to clubs as grants (needing no
payback to GEWA) or interest-free loans (requiring payback to GEWA).
Often, a particular item may be partially covered by a grant and the
rest of the cost covered by a loan, depending on specifics and cost of
the item. There are no fixed rules about dollar magnitude or
proportional division between grants and loans; GEWA tends to be more
flexible with loans (which must be repaid by the club) than with grants
(which require no repayment by the club). Grants or loans not claimed in
the fiscal year for which they are approved expire at the end of that
year, and a new request must be submitted for the expense in question.

Items, which may be approved, include:

-   Upgrading of facilities

-   Purchase of new equipment

-   Facility maintenance or replacement of GEWA property

-   Expendable equipment for initial inventory to establish a new club

-   Unscheduled events, not known at the time of the budget call\*

-   Outreach-related items/activities

\*For emergency only. This is not be used simply because a club did not
submit their grant/loan request on time. Special approvals to provide
clubs with emergency funding between budget cycles are rare and clubs
are expected to be proactive in anticipating their financial needs.

Items, which are typically disapproved, include:

-   Uniforms or uniform parts except when a team is an official
    representative of GEWA

-   Refreshments for parties, conferences, meetings, etc. at which the
    entire workforce is not invited

-   Costs associated with the normal operation of the club

-   Recreation Center Fees

-   Security Guard Fees

If a club receives a loan from GEWA, it must sign an IOU for the loan,
with terms of repayment stated in the IOU. Loans may be requested for a
period of up to 3 years. The Clubs Chairperson will remind the
respective clubs, approximately 1 month in advance, when the next loan
payment is due.

A club in arrears for its loan will be considered delinquent 1 month
after the payment due date and will be considered in default 6 months
after the payment due date.

Clubs that default on a loan will not be allowed to request another
grant or loan for a period of 3 years. GEWA will police abuses, as well
as protect the assets even if GEWA must report the infraction to the
GSFC Office of Inspector General for appropriate action.

**Fundraising**

Fundraising by a GEWA club is, depending on circumstances, neither
encouraged nor prohibited by GSFC and GEWA policy. A club wanting to
have an event on-site for the purpose of raising money for any club
must:

1.  Obtain GEWA approval of its plan; and

2\. Get Center Management, including GSFC Chief Council, approval, and
Coordinate with Security, Facilities and Health & Safety before the
event is staged. Fundraising for charitable purposes is regulated at
GSFC through the Combined Federal Campaign. Although a club may perform
acts of charity using other club resources, it may not solicit monetary
support in any way from the GSFC population. Clubs may conduct
activities for which they charge a fee to cover anticipated expenses
(tournament, dance, dinner, etc.).

**Taxes**

Clubs must obtain their own Federal and State tax numbers if desired,
and may not use the GEWA tax numbers.

# 

# Insurance

Legal Counsel has advised that clubs should purchase their own liability
insurance as appropriate. Clubs desiring it must obtain insurance
separately from GEWA.

# Property

Clubs that use capital equipment charged to GEWA shall have an active
Property Administrator who shall be responsible for property
accountability and for maintaining required documentation as specified
by the GEWA Property Administrator. The Property Administrator of a club
may be either a civil servant or contractor employee with a valid
Goddard badge. Clubs can acquire Government excess property, but cannot
use the Federal Stock System for parts and supplies. Club equipment
purchased with GEWA funds shall revert to GEWA if a club defaults on a
loan.

# 

# Residual assets of a disestablished club

A club may vote to disestablish itself, or a club may be disestablished
by the GEWA Council if a club fails to respond to repeated official
correspondence. Any GEWA property in possession of the club must be
returned to the GEWA Property Administrator, and any money in the club
treasury must be returned to the GEWA Treasurer.

# FACILITIES

# Capital items

Any permanent items such as sheds, ice machines, etc. must have prior
approval of construction or installation plans by the GEWA Clubs and
Facilities Chairs, as well as the Facilities Management Division (Code
220). This requirement applies to either items funded entirely by the
club or items funded partially or wholly by GEWA grants or loans.

# Ownership

Some clubs use Government property or occupy property facilities on the
GSFC campus. Such property belongs to the Government. Although it rarely
happens, such property can be recalled at any time. Under the GSFC
Facilities Restoration Plan, space may become available which can be
assigned to clubs. Clubs using such facilities are responsible for
utilities and maintenance of the facility.

# Club use of the Recreation Center

Clubs requesting use of the Recreation Center may submit the request to
the GEWA Chairperson for signature rather than a GEWA Directorate
representative. Details of procedures for requesting use of the Rec.
Center and regulations that may apply to its use may be obtained from
the GEWA Store.

# Buildings, trailers or sheds

Trailers should not be used solely for club meetings, since on-center
conference rooms are available for this purpose. Club trailers should be
justified by unique, special requirements such as special operations,
storage of equipment, etc.

# Facility Maintenance

Funding requests for maintenance of facilities should be handled as part
of the annual budget process where maintenance can be anticipated.
Funding for unanticipated maintenance or emergency repairs will be
provided from the general maintenance budget for clubs, at the
discretion of the Chairperson.

## Security

Clubs can arrange to hire the security workforce and pay them directly.
Clubs should contact the Security Project Manager directly, currently
Chuck Lombard, at 301-286-4133. This office will provide information on
obtaining their services and making appropriate arrangements for
security at a Club event.