One ladder people belong to, at four levels, with everything included at each level. Real event sponsorship stays separate, for the gatherings where it fits. The membership year runs July through June.
Membership is intentional language. It says people belong to a community, not that they bought something.
Over the last three years, sponsorship and membership blurred together. It stopped being clear who was a member, who was a sponsor, and what each one included. We fix that with a single legible ladder to belong, and keep true event sponsorship for the gatherings where it belongs.
Sponsorship and membership tangled together. Unclear inclusions. Tax and optics confusion.
Four clear levels, everything included, flexible funding, and sponsorship reserved for the Weekender, Summits, and select gatherings.
An ongoing, year-over-year commitment. Everything is included at each level. Fund it personally as a donation, or through a business as a qualified sponsorship.
Given with no expectation of return, and separate from membership.
Support of a specific event: the Weekender, Summits, or an Evening of Generosity. Relational, and tied to that gathering.
A business can pay membership as a qualified sponsorship, which means acknowledgment only: name, logo, and gratitude. Advertising is different, with calls to action, pricing, product claims, and endorsements, and it happens only with true event sponsors.
Four levels. Everything at a level is included, and each level carries everything below it.
The included flagship ticket and the membership discounts apply for the year only when a member is current and paid in full by September 1. September 1 is the early-bird deadline. Members paying in installments can pre-pay their balance to qualify. After September 1, the included ticket and discounts are not guaranteed for that year.
Sponsorship is not membership. It supports a specific gathering, above and beyond belonging.
At the main event we recognize supporters in gratitude, through slides and signage, at the Builder, Steward, and Patron levels. Regular Members belong without being singled out.
Sponsorship continues over and above membership. It does not include tickets, since those are already a membership benefit. It is recognition, with a possible speaker introduction.
| Gathering | Tier | Range | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Weekender | Sponsor | $5K floor | Recognition for the couples gathering, possible speaker intro, no tickets |
| Evening of Generosity | Lead | $10K–$15K | Speaker intro, prominent acknowledgment, 4–6 attendees, relational access |
| Evening of Generosity | Supporting | $5K–$7.5K | Acknowledgment, 2–4 attendees |
| Industry Summit | Lead | $15K–$25K | Panel or speaker intro, prominent acknowledgment, 4–6 attendees, potential breakout |
| Industry Summit | Supporting | $7.5K–$12.5K | Acknowledgment, 2–4 attendees |
| Small gatherings & dinners | Host | $3K–$7.5K | Intimate access, light acknowledgment, relationship building |
We're not selling impressions, eyeballs, or marketing reach. We're selling access to a trusted room, proximity to the right people, and association with a high-integrity community.
A three-leg model: membership is the base, the endowment is the anchor, and sponsorship fills the shrinking delta.
Next stage: membership $500K, endowment $150K, sponsorship $100K. Stretch: membership $700K, endowment $250K, sponsorship $50K. Current is about $750K, still largely partner-supported, with membership building and no endowment draw yet.
Membership assumes about 240 members, growing as levels rise. The endowment assumes a $3–5M campaign at roughly a 5% draw over a five-year window.
LX has leaned on outside partner support. The endowment replaces that with our own structure, keeps access affordable, and preserves the legacy. Membership is the ongoing base, sponsorship flexes, and the endowment makes it durable. These are two different asks, not one competing with the other.
An annual commitment that funds this year's gatherings. Everyone renews year over year.
A one-time, five-year campaign gift that becomes permanent, given over and above membership.
Guidance for supporters: renew or step up membership each year. Then, from capacity, give to the endowment as over-and-above while the window is open. See the endowment harvest plan for where that push stands.
One July–June year for every member, on card-on-file payment.
Card-on-file with installments, a September 1 discount-and-ticket deadline, and RSVP release about 45 days before the event.