NGS Magazine - April-June 2010 Issue

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The April-June 2010 issue of the NGS Magazine (Volume 36, Number 2), published by the National Genealogical Society (NGS), came recently, and I enjoyed reading it cover-to-cover.

The Table of Contents for this issue includes:

FEATURES

* page 8 - NGS Statement of Financial Position
* page 11 - 2009 NGS donations
* page 12 - 2009 NGS volunteers
* page 14 - Thomas Adams, winner of the 2009 NGS Rubincam Youth Award, by Lynda Suffridge
* page 16 - Making voter registration records count, by Sharon B. Hodges
* page 18 - A guide to voter registration records, by Richard Camaur, JD, CG
* page 22 - Occupation: it's not just a job, it's a finding aid, by J.H. Fonkert, CG
* page 27 - Researching your Japanese-American ancestors, by Pamela Loos-Noji, PhD
* page 31 - Living historian, family historian, by Mike Gillett
* page 34 - Notes from a librarian's corner, by Kim V. Garvey, MLIS
* page 36 - How to narrow your search criteria, by Elizabeth Doherty Herzfeld
* page 52 - Case study: Where in the world was John Nelson Kin g? by Harold E. Hinds, Jr., PhD

COLUMNS

* page 42 - National Archives: Irish immigrants on the Vermont, June-July 1812, by Claire Prechtel-Kluskens
* page 48 - Beginning genealogy: Discovering land records, by Gary M. and Diana Crisman Smith
* page 56 - Software review: Review of Family Tree Maker 2010, by Barbara Schenck
* page 59 - Technology: How trends in technology will affect genealogy, by Jordan Jones
* page 62 - Writing family history: When stuck, try reading history, by Harold E. Hinds, PhD.

The NGS Statement of Financial Position (for year ended 30 September 2009) was interesting to me. For instance, some observations:

* FY 2009 had $1,055,481 in total revenue and support. Of that, $377,184 was from Conferences and meetings, and $496,001 was from Membership dues.

* FY 2009 had $1,090,861 in Expenses, of which $320,514 was from Conferences and meetings, $228,945 was for NGS Quarterly and NGS Magazine publication, and $310,747 was Management and general expenses. [Note, there is an error of $80 in the number in the Total Expense line for 2009.]

* The NGS lost $35,348 in FY 2009 (about 3% of Net Assets).

* The Net Assets at the end of FY 2009 are $1,165,889.

* Membership revenue in FY 2009 was down from $543,841 to $496,001. This likely means an approximate drop in membership by about 9%. No membership number was quoted. $496,001 is the equivalent of 8,266 members at $60 annual dues.

* Conferences and meetings had higher revenue than expenses for FY 2009 ($56,670)

* Educational services had lower revenue than expenses for FY 2009 ($39,970)

The NGS looks to me to be financially healthy and stable, with Net assets somewhat higher than one year's worth of revenue and expenses. I'm happy to see that, and it's a credit to the Board of directors and Administrative Staff of NGS.