Conventions and Rebates

Why an NFA Convention?
An NFA Convention can help make a new event successful and take an established event to new levels of enjoyment and participation. These Conventions are usually hosted by an NFA affiliated club/organization, and all are licensed by ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.

Host clubs are strongly encouraged to use NFA affiliated deejays, workshop instructors, vendors, etc., by giving them right of first refusal. Although the NFA is a national organization in scope, our conventions are considered regional for maximum effect. An NFA Convention in the Southeast region, for example, would not expect to receive much participation from NFA clubs in the Northwest region, but could expect to receive strong support from NFA clubs in the Southeast. As more clubs/organizations come into the NFA from around the country, more support within each of our regions can be expected. Reciprocity of support, participation and promotion is strongly encouraged.

What Does the NFA Contribute to a Convention?
The NFA has developed a master mailing list of individual club members all across the nation. It currently numbers about 14,000 and grows steadily. If a club/organization decides to host a convention, then we can provide mailing labels of individuals within the region that may be interested in participating. This forms a valuable start-up base for the host club/organization.

The NFA usually sponsors a hospitality room during the event at no cost to the host. This generally consists of free food (light snacks) and free pours (Bahama Mamas, Screwdrivers, Bloody Marys, etc.). The NFA requires the host club to provide a space in the ballroom to prominently display our NFA banner and a meeting room where an NFA business meeting can take place. Some clubs even put up attractive banners/logos of participating NFA clubs in the ballroom.

Since the NFA is a mixture of dance styles and music, even within the same regions, we require that host deejays play a good mixture of music styles and tempo to reflect this-not an over-emphasis of Bop, or Shag, or Swing music, for example, but a balanced mixture of all that appeals to all the participants. Host clubs should select event deejays accordingly.

Convention Promotion
As there are many events being held across the country on any given weekend, we strongly encourage our affiliated members to select major NFA events/conventions as their primary parties of choice, and we promote accordingly. Hosts of NFA events have ready access to thousands of dancers within regions by simply mailing the event flyers and information to affiliated club newsletter editors and NFA Directors, requesting their support. The hosts of all NFA events/conventions usually provide a "flyer table" where other clubs can place their own event flyers, also upon request. Successful events don't just happen. Hosts must concentrate and stress the most important factor in producing a successful event-that is, PROMOTE !!, PROMOTE !!, and PROMOTE !!

How the Rebate Works
The NFA's rebate system is our way of "sharing the profits" derived from our sponsorship of NFA Conventions and it only applies to these conventions. We have developed a fair and balanced approach to this distribution that is based on "you get out of it what you put into it!!"
As an example, the system works this way: the Florida Boppers, Inc., an NFA affiliated club decides to host an NFA Convention. A contract/agreement is signed so that both parties know the obligations and responsibilities of one another. At the convention, the River City Boppers, another NFA affiliated club, has 20 of its members participating with full-event passes. They have been identified and counted via their event registration form. Upon the conclusion of the event (or not more than thirty days after), the Florida Boppers, Inc. writes a check to the River City Boppers in the amount of $100. This is $5.00 for each of the twenty River City participants. The Florida Boppers, Inc. sends a matching check of $100 to the NFA. For the twenty event tickets sold at $35 each ($700 total proceeds), the River City Boppers receives $100, the NFA a matching $100, and the Florida Boppers, Inc. keeps the remaining balance of $500. This scenario is repeated for all participating NFA clubs. The more attendees from an affiliated club, the more profit that club receives. Additionally, the NFA receives $5.00 from the host club for each of its attending members who purchase a pass for the entire event. One-night sales do not participate in the rebate. We believe that this is a fair and equitable system and, again, it's based on the philosophy that you get out of it what you put into it.

Payment of Fees to ASCAP, BMI and SESAC
Most, if not all, of our conventions/events are covered by our licensing agreement with ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Within thirty days following the event, the host club is required to send a check to the NFA based on the event's total participants. Most events have 200-400 participants, so the total cost is usually about $120. The NFA then distributes the monies to all three organizations based on their fee schedule. We do not "mark up" the fees, and we handle all of the reporting and processing on behalf of the host club.

Future Conventions
The NFA has long-term plans to sponsor 3-4 major conventions annually throughout the country. Our affiliated clubs have earned serious profits upon deciding to host an NFA Convention. Conventions put host clubs in a win/win scenario. There are no risks or very little in the way of additional expenses, but there is a major opportunity to promote your club nationally and realize a substantial profit. We strongly encourage our affiliated clubs/organizations to consider hosting an NFA Convention.