46 North Astronomy Club Charter

1. Name and program status

46 North Astronomy Club is a program of 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc., a Wisconsin nonprofit organization. The Club is not a separate legal entity.

The Club may have its own activities, membership structure, dues, program budget, meetings, volunteers, and Club leadership; however, all Club operations remain subject to the authority, policies, financial controls, insurance requirements, safety standards, and oversight of the 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. Board of Directors.

2. Purpose

The purpose of the Club is to make astronomy approachable, local, and welcoming across the Northwoods. The Club supports public observing, beginner-friendly skywatching, dark-sky education, school and youth outreach, community programs, volunteer engagement, and other astronomy activities approved through the 46 North Astronomy Center structure.

3. Relationship to the Center

The Club may make recommendations, organize approved activities, support member engagement, and help advance public astronomy programming. The Club may not enter contracts, open bank accounts, incur debt, make legal commitments, represent itself as independent from the Center, or bind 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. without authorization from the 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. Board of Directors or its designated officers.

4. Club leadership

The Club may have volunteer leadership roles such as Club Operations Lead, observing coordinators, outreach volunteers, education support volunteers, and event helpers. These roles exist to help organize Club activities and support the mission of 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc.

The Club Operations Lead, or similar title approved by 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc., serves as the primary Club liaison to the 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. Board of Directors. In that role, the Club Operations Lead may provide reports, recommendations, updates, and Club-related input to the Center Board.

Unless separately elected or appointed as a voting director of 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. in accordance with the Center’s bylaws and applicable law, the Club Operations Lead serves in an advisory and liaison capacity and does not vote as a member of the 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. Board of Directors.

Because the Club Operations Lead may provide governance-level recommendations to the Center Board and may help coordinate financial, safety, volunteer, and public-facing Club matters, the role must be held by an adult who is at least 18 years of age.

5. Youth participation in leadership

Youth members may serve in student leadership, youth ambassador, observing assistant, outreach helper, or advisory roles approved by 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc.

Youth leadership roles are intended to encourage student voice, science communication, responsibility, and peer engagement. These roles do not carry legal, financial, contractual, or governance authority and do not authorize a minor to bind, represent, or make formal commitments on behalf of 46 North Astronomy Club or 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc.

6. Club budget and dues

46 North Astronomy Club may maintain a program-level budget approved by 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. Member dues, donations, sponsorships, event fees, and other funds received for Club activities are funds of 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. and must be received, recorded, deposited, spent, and reported through the Center’s approved financial procedures.

The Club may recommend use of funds for member activities, public observing programs, educational materials, equipment, outreach, and other approved Club purposes. Final authority over budgets, expenditures, financial controls, fundraising, restricted gifts, and reporting remains with the 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. Board of Directors or its designated officers.

7. Ownership of name, materials, and equipment

The Club does not separately own the 46 North Astronomy Club name, 46 North branding, logos, websites, domain names, social media accounts, forms, mailing lists, documents, educational materials, public communications, program records, or other intellectual property connected to the 46 North Astronomy Center structure.

Equipment, supplies, technology, observing gear, educational materials, signage, displays, and other assets purchased, donated to, granted to, or otherwise acquired by 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. for Club use remain the property of 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc., unless the 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. Board of Directors approves another arrangement in writing.

Club leaders, members, and volunteers may use approved 46 North resources only for authorized Club activities and in accordance with Center policies, safety expectations, financial controls, and branding guidelines.

8. Safety, youth protection, and conduct

Club leaders, members, volunteers, and participants are expected to follow 46 North safety procedures, youth protection expectations, communication standards, financial controls, event approval procedures, branding guidelines, and community conduct expectations.

9. Amendments and board authority

The 46 North Astronomy Center, Inc. Board of Directors may create, modify, suspend, or end Club roles, activities, membership categories, budgets, or guidelines when needed to protect the organization, comply with law or policy, maintain safety, or support the broader mission of the Center.