Weak finances may be the NRA's undoing, this researcher says

[UpInArms]

The National Rifle Association’s political spending fell during the 2018 midterm elections. There’s talk of ending small perks like free coffee at its offices and even employee layoffs.

These and other trends indicate that at a time when the NRA’s clout may seem stronger than ever, its financial power may be faltering.

As a researcher who studies and tracks the finances of nonprofits, I have followed the NRA’s financial disclosures for years. Here’s what I’ve observed lately.

The NRA had negative $31.8 million on hand at the end of 2017, according to the form all nonprofits must file with the IRS. The group, which spent an average of $278.3 million a year, had a negative balance at the end of six of the previous 10 years.

In the 2017 financial statements, I’m seeing signs that the problem could be more serious.

....grafts and charts at https://www.marketwatch.com/story/weak-finances-may-be-the-nras-undoing-says-this-researcher-2018-12-15

[mickswalkabout41]

1. Well. Nra should stand for not really american

When a majority of their funds comes from Russian spies it makes the good ole boys a little freaked out. After they tried to hide it, things got much worse. I’m a gun owner, and a vet, ex cop too. I’ve never wanted to even be a member nor a donor to such an organization.

[safeinOhio]

2. Going to spend big money on lawyers in near future.

Serious money will be needed.

[NCjack]

8. I will be donating to groups that sue NRA. That will help reduce their reserves. nt

[enough]

3. So where did they get the 419 million dollars they spent on the 2016 election? NT

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nra-2016-spending_us_5a0dd3e6e4b0b17e5e14e636

[UpInArms]

12. Interesting information at that link

Not all of the NRA’s big-ticket outlays last year involved political spending. The group’s expenses for “member service and acquisition” increased by one-third from 2015 figures, from $66 million to $88 million.

At the same time, revenue from members’ dues remained stable, shrinking slightly from $165 million to $163 million. General contributions shot up sharply, however, rising from $96.6 million in 2015 to $127.8 million in 2016 — around one-third of the NRA’s $378 million in annual revenue. The NRA’s nonprofit status exempts it from limits on individual and corporate donations, and it is not required to list who contributed or how much.

[RAB910]

4. I guess their Russian money dried up

[Blue_true]

6. My thoughts also. nt

[uponit7771]

5. Sooooo, they had 30 million and busted it on what?

[Historic NY]

7. If they spend against the proposed gun violence issues .

it could drain them dry....

[Takket]

9. have a feeling that the upcomnig reveal of them being pro-russia traitors

in concert with the drumpf cabal isn't going to help their bottom line either

[Generic Other]

10. As David Hogg tweeted at them:

"Thoughts and prayers!"

[MineralMan]

11. One of the problems the NRA has is its Lifetime Memberships.

People paid their dues all at once, and now don't have to support the NRA to get whatever benefits they think they're getting from it. It was a concept that raised a lot of money, but once the Lifetime Membership was paid for, people didn't need to send any more money. today, a Lifetime Membership costs $1500, but the NRA often offers discounts for it, and many have bought their Lifetime Memberships for as little as $300.

Now, the NRA's membership has probably reached its saturation point, and new memberships aren't coming in. So, they have to beg for donations, and their members aren't among the wealthy class and aren't donating. They think, "Hey! I paid for my Lifetime Membership. Why should I pay any more than that?"

The NRA has screwed itself with it's own fundraising scheme.

[keithbvadu2]

13. NRA solicitations bugging members

comment from a blog (I think I got it at DU)

I had a coworker who was a big time gun owner who kept a gun in every room in the house just in case someone broke in (lots of problems with that idea, may be worth a blog article someday, but that’s what he did). He even went so far as to start buying more guns for each room after a school shooting, like home invasion and mass shooting are correlated somehow. He had let his NRA membership lapse and refused to renew it because he got tired of nonstop requests for donations. To him all the membership did was give the NRA to badger him for more money with phone calls, and direct mailings. If the
organization is as strapped for cash as it appears, those solicitations may have gone way over the top and people are simply tired of being badgered for money and are choosing to let their membership to lapse.

[NickB79]

14. Crying wolf all those years finally caught up to them

There's only so long you can keep telling people the big bad liberals are coming for your guns before it gets old.