RE: Starting a QDM organization
There are a couple of regional branch directors with the QDMA. One is Harley Sampson out of WI. There are only a couple in the country, and they help with branch setup, branch organization, speakers, promotional material, workshops, etc.. Many times private organizations convert to a state branch of QDMA due to the amount of info and professional support the QDMA has to offer. Your members are going to want to have the scientific support and facts the QDMA has to offer, and you can only get them from one source-the QDMA.
I have actually thought of doing the same thing you are doing-forming a private group and encourage the members to join the QDMA. Basically it would be a QDMA branch, but called something else to be more attractive to the stubborn locals. We'd have a local focus, but with QDM facts, figures, and research to accurately guide the focus. Then we'd eventually call ourselves an official QDMA branch.
Good Luck!
Jeff...U.P. of Michigan