Citizens For Balanced Use

TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE ISSUES THAT CONFRONT OUR ABILITY TO ACCESS AND ACTIVELY MANAGE OUR PUBLIC LANDS.

CITIZENS FOR BALANCED USE IS A NON-PROFIT 501(C)3 ORGANIZATION REGISTERED WITH THE IRS UNDER EDUCATION. CBU EMPLOYS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO CONDUCT EVERYDAY OPERATIONS INCLUDING BANK ACCOUNTING, ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, PREPARATION OF EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTS, MEMBER AND SUPPORTER COMMUNICATION AND NOTICES OF MEETINGS, EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE CONTACT INFORMATION, PROVIDE INFORMATION UPON REQUEST REGARDING ISSUES OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS MAY ENCOUNTER, AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE CBU BOARD.CBU DOES NOT COMPENSATE ANY OF OUR MEMBERS, SUPPORTERS OR THE CBU BOARD. CBU DOES CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN ASSISTING THEM WITH ISSUES THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO THE MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS OF CBU. EVERY ODD NUMBERED YEAR CBU HIRES A LOBBYIST FOR THE 90-DAY MONTANA LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN ORDER TO TRACK ISSUES IMPORTANT TO OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS. CBU PROVIDES OUR LOBBYIST WITH EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL ON THESE ISSUES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO LEGISLATORS AND DECISION MAKERS. THIS EXPENSE IS REPORTED TO THE COMMISSIONER OF POLITICAL PRACTICE AS REQUIRED AND OUR LOBBY EXPENSE DOES NOT EXCEED THE 20% LIMIT SET BY THE IRS.CBU IS REGISTERED WITH THE MONTANA SECRETARY OF STATE IN GOOD STANDING SINCE 2004 AS A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION WITH ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS FILED WITH THE STATE OF MONTANA. CBU HAS MONTHLY MEETINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH RECORDED MINUTES. CBU HOSTS AN ANNUAL FUNDRAISER BANQUET IN MAY OF EACH YEAR WITH RAFFLES, SILENT AND LIVE AUCTION, GAMES AND DINNER. IN 2021 CBU DID NOT HOLD THE ANNUAL FUNDRAISER BANQUET DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS. INSTEAD IT HELD THREE RAFFLES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. CBU HAS A SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATE REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF MONTANA. THIS PLATE IS VERY POPULAR AND HELPS CBU RAISE FUNDS TO FURTHER OUR MISSION OF PROMOTING MULTIPLE USE RECREATION, SUPPORTING ACTIVE FOREST MANAGEMENT, AND ENCOURAGING RESPONSIBLE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ON OUR FEDERALLY MANAGED PUBLIC LANDS.CBU HAS HELPED MANY INDIVIDUALS FORM SIMILAR GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN MONTANA AND OTHER WESTERN STATES. OUR WEBSITE INCLUDES A "GUIDELINES TO ACTION" WHICH HELP PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO ENGAGE IN ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGISLATIVE PROCESSES. WE ALSO PROVIDE A LIST OF ISSUES IMPORTANT TO OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE. THIS SITE CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.BALANCEDUSE.ORG.EVERY YEAR CBU FILES OUR TAXES WITH THE IRS AND PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF WHAT THE ORGANIZATION WAS INVOLVED IN DURING THE YEAR. THIS INFORMATION IS PUBLIC. ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO CBU ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE UNDER THE 501(C)3 IRS RULES. CBU IS A GRASS ROOTS MEMBER-BASED ORGANIZATION. WE DO NOT COLLECT ANY DUES FROM OUR MEMBERS. OUR BUSINESS MODEL IS UNIQUE IN WE ONLY ASK OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS TO CONTRIBUTE TO CBU BY ENGAGING IN THEIR GOVERNMENT. THIS MODEL HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AS CBU HAS GROWN IN MEMBERSHIP CONSISTENTLY OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS TO BECOME THE LARGEST PRO-MULTIPLE USE OF OUR FEDERALLY MANAGED PUBLIC LANDS IN MONTANA. CBU ALSO PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL TO INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN OTHER WESTERN STATES.