What does it take to maintain the site?
MastersRankings.com, Inc. is a business, a non-profit, US 501(c)(3) public charity, that has all the facets of same. Maintaining the site includes, but is not limited to,
- Programming and refining programs (website and processing performances);
- Performances to be gathered, converted and inserted;
- Emails to be processed;
- MastersRankings.com, Inc. business requirements (taxes, forms, accounting, board meetings, accounts payable, etc.);
- Publicizing;
- Identify and contact potential sponsors (sustainable funding);
- Identify and apply for grants (sustainable funding);
How big is MastersRankings' staff?
MastersRankings has 0 paid staff, 1 person dedicating a significant amount of time weekly (doing the vast majority of the above), a small group of people whose help is invaluable providing results, compiling national rankings, proofreading, etc. The most notable are Terry - USA; Don - AUS, Emmanuel and John - Europe. MastersRankings is very grateful to those who help make this site what it is through your hard work, support and encouragement.
How do performances get inserted?
The people mentioned above are responsible for 97% of the performances listed. These people get results from websites, convert to a format MastersRankings' programs can use then run and monitor the programs to insert the performances. Athlete submissions are very helpful as they are frequently the way we know where to get the results and are the only way some results will get inserted (where meet results are not posted or do not have athlete ages to confirm it is a masters athlete). Additionally, meet results are sent to us much more frequently from meet organizers. Often an athlete will submit their mark and not realize that it has already been inserted.
How will the site get funded?
The long term plan is to fund a small staff (and pay the current staff) plus pay the expenses to operate the site and company through sponsorships, grants with hopefully some help from national & worldwide governing bodies.
Why change to memberships and why $25?
The site would cease to exist going down the path it was going. Things do not get done when there is so much to do and few doing them. Securing funding through sponsors and grants has suffered and not gotten done. Athlete contributions only started in February of 2014. Total athlete contributions between then and June 2nd (before memberships) are less than the amount invested by MastersRankings' unpaid staff member over the same period (athlete contributions have declined through the years too). It cannot continue this way. $25 was picked based on the short term funding needs and the estimate how many people would contribute. Exactly 500 people have contributed since memberships started this month - below expectations.
What can athletes do to help MastersRankings?
Do something - taking action on MastersRankings' behalf is hugely helpful. MastersRankings' staff is stretched pretty thin and going in many directions so anything you can and are willing to do that helps is grately appreciated.
- Contribute toward a membership - these are what are paying MastersRankings' bills for now. Membership contributions are US tax deductible.
- Contact someone about sponsoring MastersRankings. Do you work or know someone in a company that could champion sponsoring MastersRankings? Your passion toward what you do is compelling and could be extremely effective to secure a sponsor for MastersRankings. Information for Companies Considering Sponsoring
- Find grants (and apply for them). Of course, unlike above, you and I will need to work together on some of this but there is a lot you can do for MastersRankings.
There are so many other things that can be done. Reach out if you want to help - you can call, email, Facebook message...!
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