Welcome to Guilds of Requiem!
What is Guilds of Requiem?
We are officially a Non-profit Private Foundation under the IRS 501(c) guidelines.
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Our stated purpose is:
"We are a cooperative of business owners, skilled artisans, crafters, technicians, and scholars that have joined together with the purpose of creating a network that focuses on small business support; increasing knowledge and skills, with an emphasis on preserving old world traditions; and serving the members of our organization along with the communities we live in. We support each other, ourselves, and our communities by sharing knowledge, conducting collaborative research, public education opportunities that are low cost, and supporting small, locally-focused, and traditionally under-compensated businesses around the world."
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As a Non-Profit Private Foundation, IRS sub-class definition of a 509(a), we are governed by a Board of Directors and each guild (department) is maintained and operated by an appointed Guild Master.
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We are allowed to have income producing and "revenue" generating sales for the purpose of compensating members who perform specific tasks on a regular basis (set salary for employees), and for supporting internal and external projects that further our stated purpose.
So how are you really funded?
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Our primary source of funding is through "branded" merchandise created by Guilds of Requiem, Inc members for the express purpose of selling, which are incorporated into our operating matrix that assist in funding our operations
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Specific Guilded Projects have membership fees to ensure they are self-sufficient
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Grants for general or specific purposes
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Additionally, members and local businesses offer assistance in supporting different aspects of operations based on their passions and desired level of involvement.
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We are broken down into seven guilds, or departments, that members volunteer in and sponsors those activities.
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Businesses are free to assist in supporting just the guild that meets their needs and to support other guilds, or community projects, that are a part of their passions!
But don't the Board Members need to make a living too?
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Many of our Board Members currently hold full-time work with other businesses/organizations, they are crafters with their own small business that joined with them, or they have other means of income.
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Per State of Texas and IRS Guidelines, the Board Members are volunteers and can not be compensated for their time spent working in the capacity of their appointed position
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They are able to be compensated for their time, same as other members, in the Guilds of Requiem, Inc. network, day-to-day operations as Guild Masters, or other position that is not deemed a "conflict of interest" with their Board position.
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An example of the above statement:
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Our Secretary oversees the Resources Guild that has its own Guild Master and the Treasurer oversees the Merchants Guild.
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Those two Board members hold the opposite Guild Master position: the secretary actually performs the duties of the Merchants Guild Master and the Treasurer actually performs the duties of the Resources Guild Master.
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This was created to protect the integrity of accountability and create a checks and balances of our two most crucial day-to-day functions.
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Another example:
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Our President, is prohibited from holding a Guild Masters position as that could be viewed as a conflict of interest.
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However, they can be compensated for their time in being a Guilded Project Leader, their own small business brand that joined with them, the creation of branded merchandise for a portion of the sales from those items, and any other means that would not be directly overseen by the President of our organization.
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What about a Guild that doesn't have a Master (someone in charge of the department)?
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Our original thought was to have the President of the Organization act in the capacity of Interim Guild Master(s), as she is the most familiar with the overall concept, the road map, and the direction of where Guilds of Requiem, Inc. is heading.
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She is/was our master planner.
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We realized that this would put the president directly in charge of herself and create an accountability paradox with a large dose of conflict of interest where it could be viewed she was partaking in activities that she personally benefitted her as the President of our organization.
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The solution was to have other Board Members, or Executive Board Members (Guild Masters), fill the positions that do not present a conflict of interest with the potential Guild Master position and the President be available for consultation of direction.
If you have any other questions about Guilds of Requiem, Inc., how to join our growing International Network, or to find out more on the local network in Bandera County, Texas, please use the "Contact Us" feature and someone from the Resources Guild/Customer Relations (customerservice@guildsofrequiem.com) will contact you back within 3 business days.