FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Membership Questions

Do I have to live or work in Indiana to be a member?

No. Indiana Opticians are our focus, however we welcome all opticians and anyone in the eyecare field to be a member. We have members from a few states currently.

Who is the student/apprentice membership for?

The student/apprentice membership is a great fit for:

any optician who has been on the job for less than one year
any optician who is in a current study program to be an optician
any optician who is in a work apprenticeship through their employer

Will you renew my membership automatically?

That is an option for the full membership. You just have to choose that to opt in.

I bought a ticket for an event but now I want to be a member.

Awesome. If you purchased a non-member ticket to an event and wish to be a member before the event takes place, contact us. We have options available for that.

Board Questions

Do you have board openings?

Yes. We are currently taking board applications. If you would like one just use our contact us page or email us and ask.

Do board members have to be INOA members?

Yes. Board members and committee members are required to be members of the INOA.

How much do you get paid to be a board member or committee member?

Nothing. The board members and committee members donate their time and talents to the INOA. We are not paid financial compensation through the INOA. Some of us do freelance our talents to other groups and our help can be requested for other things, projects or classes. Board members are allowed to charge a fee for any contract or freelance jobs they accept, but the INOA does not pay us.

How often does the board meet?

Board meetings are normally once a month.

Event Questions

Do you plan on doing any in person events?

At this time all of our events will be on Zoom in a webinar style. This makes our continuing education events more accessible to all of our opticians and out of state friends.

Will event tickets always be free for members?

Maybe. The INOA knows times are tough and we want to try and help our members as much as possible. When we can offer a free ticket for members we absolutely will. If it is not free it will still be at a deep discount compared to non-member tickets.

If I already have all the CE's I currently need for my certification can I still attend the event?

Absolutely! We would love to have you come to an event just for the knowledge and information. If you do not need the CE paperwork just let us know. This is a question on most of our event reservation forms for members to hold their spot. Just choose the option that lets you opt out of the paperwork.

Sponsorship Questions

What companies sponsor the INOA?

Sponsorships are one of the main ways nonprofits obtain much needed funding and run events. We work with many companies for events. If an event has a specific sponsor their logo can be found on the advertisements or on our event page.

Do sponsors just donate money?

Sponsors can donate money for an event or just in general to the INOA. However that is not the only way to donate. Sponsors can also donate speakers, classes, or door prizes.

How can I sponsor the INOA?

Thank you! That would be great and we would love the help. Check out our Support page to choose the best option for you. You can also use our Contact Us page if you would like to customize your support or for additional questions.

Support

Do I have to be in an eyecare field to be a sponsor?

Nope. We have a lot of eyecare related businesses or companies that support us. However we also work with artists, small businesses, and contractors frequently. If you have questions about your company working with us, just use our Contact Us page.

I was at an event, how do I get in touch with one of your sponsors?

We would love to help you and one of our sponsors connect. Use our Contact Us page or email us your information and which sponsor you would like to connect with. We will forward your information/questions to them.

Fundraising Questions

Do you only take online donations?

No, you can also donate by check and mail it to us. If you check out our Support page you will find printable versions of our donation forms with our mailing address to include with your check.

What is Zeffy?

Zeffy is a fundraising platform for nonprofits that we use for the INOA.

Why do you use Zeffy?

Zeffy is an awesome tool for nonprofits to use, not only to raise funds, but to keep in contact with our donors and members. They are very helpful and we love working with them. Zeffy is also completely free for us to use.

How much of my donation does the INOA actually receive?

Good question. Anything donated through Zeffy we get 100% of the amount you donate. If you donate to the INOA through any other option then it is possible others fees are taken before we get your contribution. Before donating to any organization make sure the option you are using is authorized to accept donations on the behalf of the organization you are giving funds to.

Why is this important?

Do you raise funds through any other online platforms?

We use Zeffy for most of our fundraising. However the following websites are authorized to accept donations on our behalf . * The website will either take a payment or refer you to our website to make a donation. These are websites for other companies and some may require you to log in or there could be fees for their services. For example Benevity is a platform for businesses to manage corporate giving and volunteering. You would only be able to see our profile if you have a corporate / business account on their website.

*FEES MAY APPLY

You are a nonprofit are you also a 501c3?

Yes we are a 501c3. This means that your donations are tax deductible.

Why did you choose 501c3?

We chose 501c3 for many reasons but a few standout more than others.

Donations to the INOA are tax deductible.
Focus is more on public service as a 501c3.
Room for growth. We can always go 501c6 in the future when and if the board find it beneficial.

What is the difference between 501c3 and 501c6?

There are many differences between the two. As a 501c3 we can focus more on educational services for opticians. We are exempt from federal and state taxes. We do not participate in political campaigns or lobbying of any kind. Right now our goal is to get education and knowledge in the hands of opticians in Indiana and beyond.

I want to donate but how can I verify your organization?

It is always a good idea to be cautious when donating to any organization. You can verify that the INOA is a registered nonprofit a number of ways.

You can use the IRS website. Our 990 information is listed.
You can use the ProPublica website, an independent, nonprofit newsroom.
You can use the GuideStar website. This is also known as Candid, a massive nonprofit organization database.
You can use the Charity Navigator website. This provides data and ratings to help donors.

Social Media and Website Questions

We are friends on social media, why don't you follow me?

As the INOA we do not follow individuals or many companies. It makes it easier for the moderator of our social media accounts. As we grow so does our media accounts which is great but harder to manage with a small social media crew.

I love your ads on social media, who does that?

Aww shucks <blushing> INOA ads and flyers are mostly done by one of our board members. She does do freelance contract work on the side and you can reach out to her through our Contact Us page.

How do I get my company featured on your website?

Our Friends and Partners section is full of donors who have purchased a year long sponsorship or have traded something for the spot. Door prizes, speakers, extreme expertise, etc. So if you would like to be featured check out our Support page or contact us for trade options.

Your website looks great. Who designed it?

We use a company called IONOS for our website and domain needs and have been very pleased with the options they have available. Lots of templates to choose from and easy to maneuver. As for the information and upkeep and all the fun things having a website entails, that would be a board member who donates their time and skills.