Event Fees - Commonly Asked Questions
When are event fees charged?
We charge event fees for activities that are hosted by the Denver Photo Betties in lieu of doing a yearly membership fee. That way you only have to pay event fees for events and activities you decide to participate in. The exclusions to this are Snappy Hour and Snappy Minutes which are always free.
How much are event fees?
We try to keep event fees very, very doable. Some events, such as workshops, cost a bit more.
Where do the event fees go?
Event fees are used for the actual production of the event, such as any rentals, snacks, or materials associated with the event, so that none of our members are paying for these things out of pocket. We are also trying to build a fund that we could eventually use to bring in some great speakers, have a fun holiday party, and cushion the cost of our more 'big production' workshops to keep future event fees low.
Basically, although we want to be as inclusive as possible and never want the event fee to hinder any member from participation, it takes money to run any organization, especially one as active and fun as the Denver Photo Betties!
Who gets to decide event fees?
The Betty Board, made up of fellow Betties, plans and executes all events hosted by the Denver Photo Betties, and part of that is setting the budget for each event. Then event fees are figured out based on that budget. Events and activities that have little or no budget associated are assigned our standard event fee of $10.
Are event fees refundable if I decide not to go?
Event fees are NOT refundable. This is because for some of our events, we depend on a certain amount of participation in order to meet the event budget. This means if we refunded your event fee, that amount would need to come out of the organizer's pocket. Since it would be way too confusing to make some event fees refundable but not others, we've made the policy not to refund event fees unless an event is canceled by the Photo Betties. We do allow members to sell their seats to others, however, especially for full workshops and events.
What will happen if I don't pay my event fee and show up anyway?
Honestly, nothing. We work on an honor system and expect everyone to follow through and do her part to grow our organization. But we will notice, and if it starts to become a pattern (we have a 3-strike policy), you will be asked not to participate in our events for 6 months. It becomes unfair to those who did contribute for their participation. You will still be welcome in the Facebook group, however.
If the issue is truly lack of funds to be able to afford our standard event fee, please speak with us! You can trust us to be discreet and respectful.
Will I get kicked out if I question event fees?
NO! We know everyone wants to know where her hard earned money is going. Feel free to contact the member of the Betty Board who is organizing the event or contact Katie at info@DenverPhotoBetties.com with any questions or concerns.