The Honor System and Self-Support*
Because every meeting differs in scale and resources, we do not set a fixed fee. Instead, we rely on the honor system and ask participating groups to contribute an amount that reflects the financial services they utilize through Homegroup.Online.
Contributing fairly toward these operational expenses maintains ethical business standards, protects a shared utility from exploitation, and preserves the long-term future of this service.
Direct Expense vs. General Donation
It is helpful to understand Homegroup.Online as an operational expense rather than a general donation. When a group sends a contribution to a local or national service office, those funds act as general donations to support the broader fellowship*—they do not directly cover the expenses your group incurs. For example, contributing to a service office does not entitle your group to free books and literature.
In contrast, Homegroup.Online provides a distinct, professional service to your specific group. Much like rent, coffee, or supplies, it is part of the regular expenses before the remaining funds are distributed to local or national entities.
What Our Specialized Infrastructure Provides
To put the value of this service into perspective, consider what a traditional non-12-step professional service would charge. Homegroup.Online delivers significant tangible and intangible benefits:
- Fund Management: Collection and management of cash and electronic baskets, generation of treasurer reports, and processing outbound checks on your group’s behalf.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ongoing monitoring of changing tax laws and banking regulations, as well as managing nonprofit corporate compliance and IRS filings.
- Anonymity Protection: Safeguarding your treasurer’s personal bank account, home address, and Social Security number by omitting them from financial transactions with outside vendors and landlords.
Our Path to Full Self-Support
Homegroup.Online is currently working toward becoming fully self-supporting. In the meantime, dedicated volunteers provide these support services to you and your members. To help offset our operating shortfall, a nominal fee of 0.9%—which is less than one penny per dollar—is applied to contributions. Once we achieve full self-support, this baseline fee will be discontinued.
Voluntary Support Beyond the Group Expense
To uphold spiritual principles and maintain regulatory compliance, we do not serve the general public, which limits our funding. Beyond compensating for services received, we invite groups to include Homegroup.Online in their regular percentage disbursements. While we are not a specific fellowship service entity, we are your service entity*. Including Homegroup.Online in those distributions ensures our doors remain open to the next treasurer facing the exact same challenges your group once did.
* Click here for our non-affiliation and common terms disclaimer.