Foundation Membership FAQ
WHAT IS FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP?
Q. What do my membership dues pay for?
A. As a Foundation Member, you are part of a worldwide movement, a family of practitioners and friends, dedicated to the preservation of the Mahayana tradition and its values. Foundation Membership is a sustaining force for FPMT Education, which provides a variety of study programs, trainings, publications and practice materials, as well as the translation and publication of traditional texts and commentaries.
Foundation Membership also supports service to more than 150 FPMT-affiliated centers, projects, and services which tie us all together into a global community working to actualize the values of the Mahayana Tradition.
Additionally, your dues support the membership benefits of your chosen membership level. For all yearly members, this means that you are entitled to a one-year subscription to the quarterly Mandala Magazine, a one-year subscription to the quarterly Mandala eZine, and a discount in the Foundation Store. Recurring members automatically renew their membership until they decide to cancel (members can cancel at anytime).
Q. Why do the membership levels have names like Golden Fish & Precious Umbrella?
A. The membership levels are named for the eight auspicious signs, icons in Buddhism that symbolize the eight-fold path of Buddhist practice. We recommend visiting fpmt-osel.org/ gallery/signs.htm to learn about the meaning of the individual signs.
MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION AND BILLING
Q. How do I sign up to be a Foundation Member?
A. Thank you for your interest! The easiest way to sign up is to visit us online at www.fpmt.org/friends
You are also welcome to email us or give us a call at membership@fpmt.org, 503.808.1588 x126. Membership forms can be mailed to: FPMT International Office, 1632 SE 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97214, USA.
Q. Can I purchase a membership for someone else?
A. Absolutely! Please visit www.fpmt.org/friends and enter the appropriate information in our "Gift Membership" field.
Q. Does my membership reoccur every year or will I be contacted about renewing?
A. Memberships can be set up in a variety of ways to suit your preference. We recommend recurring memberships which are paid on a monthly or quarterly basis; these can be automatically deducted from a checking account or paid by a credit card number we have on file. This is an easy and effective way to support us with little effort on your end.
We also offer annual memberships which can be paid by check, credit card, or money transfer. We will contact you at the end of your member year with renewal information. If you are a recurring member, your membership will automatically renew until you cancel (and you can cancel at anytime).
Q. Do I have to wait to be contacted or can I renew at any time?
A. You are welcome to renew at any time. If you'd like to do so now, please visit www.fpmt.org/friends or contact us at membership@fpmt.org, 503.808.1588 x126.
Q. Will my contact or email information be shared with other organizations?
A. No, your contact information is kept private within the FPMT organization. We do not share or rent information.
MEMBERSHIP CREDIT CARD QUESTIONS
Q. I live outside of the United States and I’m having difficulty completing my donation. My card works on other systems but not yours. What’s wrong?
Our payment processor (Network for Good powered by Groundspring) works with all international banks, however, they have very strict fraud processing rules and use a combination of zip code and address (city, state, country) to verify your credit card account information. For some countries that do not use postal codes or use a different type of postal code system (such as Canada and Australia) donors occasionally have difficulty in completing a transaction.
Q: I am trying to make a recurring membership donation, but I can’t – the confirmation email says that I already have a recurring donation to FPMT. Help!
A. Thank you for your generosity! Use a different email address to make your membership donation. Currently there can only be one recurring membership donation at a time – your recurring donation is indicated by your email address.
FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP VS CENTER MEMBERSHIP
Q. I have a membership to my local FPMT center. Does that mean I also have a Foundation Membership?
A. Foundation Membership is separate from your center membership. Foundation Membership supports FPMT's global outreach in the areas of education, center service and support, and charitable projects, as well as the specific benefits of the Foundation Membership program. Your local center membership directly sustains that center.
Some centers offer Foundation Membership as part of their center member benefits package. If you are not sure if this is included in your center membership, please check with your center. If it is not, we invite you to become a Foundation Member today!
MEMBER BENEFITS
Q. I just signed up. Will I receive a membership card?
A. At this time, Foundation Membership does not come with a membership card.
Q. I am interested in membership, but I don't need/want some of the benefits listed under the membership level I've chosen. Can I choose to not receive certain benefits?
A. You are welcome to contact us about any membership benefits you don't wish to receive. Please contact our Membership Coordinator, Sandra Peterson, by email or phone at membership@fpmt.org, 503.808.1588 x126.
Q. What if I already have a Mandala Magazine subscription?
A. If you have been receiving (or formerly received) Mandala as an individual subscriber and wish to continue to receive it, you can now only do so via the Foundation Membership Program. This will allow you to stay connected to Mandala and will bring you additional exciting benefits, such as the quarterly Mandala eZine and online educational opportunities.
One exception to this is that some readers receive Mandala Magazine as a benefit of belonging to an FPMT center. If you receive Mandala because of your center membership, and are not also enrolled in the Foundation Membership Program, we invite you to explore joining in order to receive the other benefits of membership, and in order to support the global work of the Foundation.
Q. I enrolled as a member but haven’t received my Mandala, how come?
A. Mandala is dependent upon a printing schedule and you may have enrolled just after the current issue was mailed. For example, if you enrolled in October, the Oct/Nov/Dec 2008 would have already been sent out and your first issue would begin with the Jan/Feb/March 2009 issue. Please contact membership@fpmt.org if you have questions about receiving the current or any past issues.
Another possibility is that you changed your address and didn’t notify us. In that case, your magazine was returned. Please be sure to let us know if your address changes.
It’s always best to check first with your postal carrier/service to see if they can offer any information about the delivery of your Mandala. In some parts of the world, mail service can encounter significant delays which are unfortunately out of our control.
Q. I see that my membership offers me a discount in FPMT's Foundation Store. Where is my discount code?
A. The discount code can be found in the thank you letter that was emailed to you. If you no longer have the letter, please contact membership@fpmt.org and we will be happy to give it to you again.
Q. Can I use my store discount on all products in the store? How will I receive the discount on my purchases?
A. Yes, your discount applies to all items. When you check-out from the Store with your selected purchases, there will be a field where you can enter your discount code. The discount will then automatically apply to your total purchase.
Q. If I already get a discount through my center, can I use the membership store discount on top of that?
A. No. Foundation Membership is designed for individuals only. If you are a center or affiliate organization, you may use your center discount code instead. The discount codes cannot be combined.