Summary of exciting changes this year!!
2024-2025
Change is the new constant, and we are excited to bring in a whole list of 10 exciting changes this year:
1.Durga Puja Individual Event Donations –reduced by 8% from last year and rounded appropriately- since the Durga pujo has been taken back to the temple.
2.Prepaid Donations for the entire year –reduced by 5% from last year and rounded appropriately- again since pujo has been taken back to the temple.
3.Prepaid Combos - We have listened to many of your requests and for the first time introducing some – prepaid discounted packages of two or more events – discounted by 15% to 20% (explained later)
4.Renaming - We are renaming “Prepaid Membership” to “Prepaid – All Events” to avoid confusion with our newly introduced Prepaid Combos
5.Repositioning Annual Membership – In our analysis, the Annual Membership has over the years become a confusing mix of too many things and moved away from its initial intended purpose – to provide some fundamental basic rights to non-prepaid members. Any prepaid member/family will be considered a Member of the Association and will have the right to vote as per the bylaws. We are repositioning “Annual Membership” to “Membership Donation” at a highly reduced rate of just $15 and restoring it to its initial purpose of the following rights for non-prepaid members - Voting privileges at General Body Meetings and elections
6.New Free Event Baisakhi Mela - We are bringing back a New Event – Baishakhi Mela to celebrate and ring in the Bengali new year – free entry and free open performance for all. More details to follow soon- please keep an eye out on the ANNOUNCEMENTS tab under EVENTS.
7.Standardization – Free Entry to all at Performance-Based events: We are standardizing our two cultural performance-based events and making Anandasandhya and Natok uniform – (total 3 free events for the year) but subject to uniform Event Performance donations (if applicable) as below.
8.BAP Event Performance:
- Free for any member of a family that gets Prepaid – All Events or any prepaid Combo
- Non prepaid members at non-free events - prepay the event donation.
- Non-prepaid members at free events (Anandasandhya and Natok) - a one-time Performance Donation valid for the entire year:
- Single participant $50
- Two participants from family $75
- More than two – family participation: $100
10.Early Bird Discount – for all Prepaid – Combos and Individual Events excluding “Prepaid – All” (as it is already heavily discounted) if purchased at Baisakhi Mela or by End of April 2024
Donation Categories and Rates
2024-2025
Here is a list of our 2024-25 Individual Events and Prepaid – All Events Donation Rates:
(***Prepaid - All Events donation option has been stopped from Aug 26, 2024 ***)
 • Free entry for Prepaid – All Events to Baisakhi Mela, Anandasandhya, Natok:
• “Membership Donation” - $15 for Voting privileges for non-prepaid members for the entire year
• Definitions of Membership types as per BAP bylaws:
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Here are our new Prepaid Combos:
1. Prepaid – 3 Event Combo (Picnic + Holiday Party + Saraswati Puja)
2. Prepaid – 2 Event Combo 1 (Picnic + Holiday Party)
3. Prepaid – 2 Event Combo 2 (Durga Puja 1 Day + Saraswati Puja)
• Customized Pre-paid Combos - If you believe there is a different Combo that you would work for you better, please approach us and we will try to customize based on your needs and still provide the 15% discount for prepayment of the donation.
• Remember to avail of our Early Bird Discount – 5% extra discount for all Prepaid – Combos and Individual Events excluding “Prepaid – All” (as it is already heavily discounted) if purchased at Baisakhi Mela or by End of April 2024
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We are always there to help for any clarifications:
if you are unsure of which category you fall under- please refer to this:
1. SINGLE- individual with a day job
2. MARRIED COUPLE- Married couples with day jobs. will include if have children under 3.
3.FAMILY- The member, the spouse, dependent children and legally dependent parents (residing with the member in the same address or a managed care facility)
4. STUDENT- student full time/ post doctoral fellow
5. MARRIED STUDENT COUPLE- where both are either .student full time/ post doctoral fellow or one is either .student full time/ post doctoral fellow and the other is a homemaker. this also includes dependent children and legally dependent parents (residing with the member in the same address or a managed care facility).
If you are unsure of the amount of donation for the category feel free to reach out for any questions/clarifications to our treasurer Kaushik Mitra via Email: [email protected], or Phone/text: 412-708-5481
HOW TO DONATE:
- Option 1 – Donate in Person at one of our Events:
- Celebrate our first free event “Baisakhi Mela” and/or any of our events in person and donate at the desk and pay by any of the following 3 options.
- Option 2 – Donate via “Zelle”
- Donate to email id: [email protected]
- Please mention your Name and email-id in the ‘What is this for’ section.
- We encourage you to please send an email notification to [email protected] providing the following 3 details:
- Your full name and Zelle ID details you donated from
- Type of membership donation from above
- Note – Zelle is free with no charges.
- Option 3 – Donate by Check
- Make check payable to “Bengali Association of Pittsburgh”
Kaushik Mitra
617 Fieldstone Drive
Moon Township, PA 15108
- Please include a small note with following 2 details:
- Your full name
- Type of membership donation from above
- Option 4 – Donate via PayPal using your PayPal/Credit Card
- Please note – All PayPal payments will add a 3% surcharge to cover transaction costs.
- Please note there are no fees associated with Zelle payments.
For any issues with payment, please contact the Treasurer. - Donate to email id: [email protected]
- Please mention your Name and Email in the ‘What is this for’ section.
- We encourage you to please send an email notification to [email protected] providing the following 3 details:
- Your full name and details you donated from
- Type of membership donation from above
All donation to BAP is tax deductable as we are a non profit. The proof of donation is sufficient in most cases. Please contact us if you need additional receipt or a W9.
A 501(c)(3) non profit
