CBI makes changes to junior program membership price

For many decades CBI has charged a $1 membership fee per child to participate in the summer junior program. Commencing in 2011, CBI is changing course.  We will now charge a sliding scale based on household income.  Critical to discussing this change is understanding what continues to be a priority for CBI and has not changed - junior membership will still be $1 per child for families with annual household income of less than $75,000.  At the bottom of this blog is a link to the 2011 Junior Program Application form..

A couple of questions I have been asked are:  Why now?  What prompted this change? And is it connected to the dock replacement? So I want to offer some discussion to these questions.

In 2010 CBI's Board of Directors adopted a 5 year strategic plan.  It articulates our commitment to "Sailing for All" and provides for the needs of our programming today and for future generations.  From this foundation, we took an in-depth look at our junior program pricing and came to the decision that $1 per child for all children was not a sustainable model for CBI in today’s world and in the future. 

In the past two years, CBI's junior program grew to close to 2300 participants. Along with this numerical growth, in 2011 we're expanding our programming into the spring, the fall, the winter, and on weekends.  Furthermore, we are improving the quality of programming by offerings diverse interactive lessons on topics such as the environment.  The total junior program cost in 2011 will be approximately $300,000.

Additionally, the need to replace much of our fleet in the near future is an immediate and growing concern.  I believe this price change has come at the right time for the right reason.  It supports sailing for all, both today and in the future, while keeping our commitment to minimizing economic barriers to the sport of sailing.

The last question - Is this price change connected to the new dock?  The answer is no. It is related, however, because CBI has accepted  responsibility to deliver ambitious programming which lives up to the investment made by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the DCR, and other supporters of The Esplanade and "Sailing for All", something that we take seriously with humility.

I believe that the meaning of the new Community Boating Dock will be found in how well we meet our mission  of "Sailing for All" in the 21^st century.  In addition to increasing the quantity and quality of the Junior Program, CBI plans to double the size of our accessible sailing program in 2011 - something which wasn't possible before with the smaller dock - and to host more regattas such as the Massachusetts Special Olympics Championship.  So while there is no direct linkage between the new dock and the change in junior program pricing, both changes will make CBI a stronger organization, and a more effective and impactful organization.

Charlie   

Link to CBI's Junior Program application:  http://www.community-boating.org/images/stories/JP_app_2011_web.pdf