GFWC CLUB MANUAL MEMBERSHIP ADVANCEMENT GUIDE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

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1 ADVANCEMENT GUIDE A PROUD PAST. A PROMISING FUTURE. The General Federaton of Women s Clubs s proudly represented n thousands of communtes around the world by dedcated volunteers workng to better the lves of our neghbors, make towns safer and more beautful, and extend the hand of frendshp to ndvduals near and far. We are women of dverse talents, nterests, and backgrounds mothers and daughters, busness and communty leaders, students and teachers, professonals and retrees, homemakers and corporate executves unted by a dedcaton to communty mprovement through volunteer servce. GFWC s a network of support for the over 80,000 clubwomen volunteerng on local, state, and natonal levels. Workng together, we consttute a powerful, servce-orented organzaton that provdes personal enrchment, leadershp opportuntes, and many other benefts to ts members. GFWC provdes the resources and support to help you and your club better serve your communty. The General Federaton of Women s Clubs untes the best and brghtest of today s women nto a strong coalton that promotes communty mprovement through volunteer servce. The many benefts of belongng to GFWC nclude: STRENGTH IN UNITY. GFWC members gan a stronger voce n shapng publc ssues through the combned efforts of women servng at the club, dstrct, state, regon, and natonal levels. SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. GFWC offers members a network of women wth smlar nterests and concerns. Fun, fellowshp, and lastng frendshps are a bg part of the GFWC experence. LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Knowledge and experence ganed through GFWC volunteer tranng and communty servce can help open career doors, enhance a resume, obtan academc credt, or buld a new busness. A VARIED VOLUNTEER MENU. GFWC offers many natonal resources to help clubs plan and create communty servce projects n the dverse areas of Arts, Educaton, Conservaton, Home Lfe, Internatonal Outreach and Publc Issues. GFWC also supports specal programs that rase conscousness about domestc volence awareness and preventon and advocates for chldren. Vst for updates and more nformaton COMMITTEE Henretta Belcher-Stack, Charman (Mddle Atlantc Regon) 75 Soux Drve Mllsboro, DE hstack@aol.com Nancy Burdck (Western States Regon) nancy.burdck@comcast.net Della Gowan (Southeastern Regon) dcg1958@aol.com Dana Jones (Great Lakes Regon) danajones64@yahoo.com Karen Kaler (Msssspp Valley Regon) karenkaler0505@gmal.com Penny Peterson (South Central Regon) penny.peterson@cox.net Jeanne Waselesk (New England Regon) aucton46@comcast.net Vck Weber (Southern Regon) hmpvckweber@yahoo.com Catrna Sstrunk, Junorette Charman 6290 NE 184th Terrace Wllston, FL csstrunk5@gmal.com

2 HEALTH AND HAPPINESS. Studes show the personal satsfacton that comes from makng a postve dfference n ther communtes helps volunteers to lve longer, functon better, and have lower rates of depresson. MARKETING GFWC The more you TELL, the more you SELL, so tell the benefts of GFWC membershp whenever you can. Assure a prospectve member that her experence wll be rewardng, challengng, and stmulatng. Brng GFWC and club promotonal materals to all projects and events. Promote membershp by wearng GFWC emblematc apparel, pns, and buttons. DEVELOP AN ELEVATOR SPEECH An elevator speech s a bref personal statement about somethng that s meanngful to you, whch can be presented n about 30 seconds the length of the average elevator rde. Chance encounters at grocery stores, coffee shops, communty events, and socal gatherngs are often great opportuntes to share your enthusasm for GFWC wth a potental member. But you have to be prepared. Even f you have more tme, bolng down your passon for GFWC to just a sentence or two s a great way to thnk about the value of your membershp. SAMPLE ELEVATOR SPEECHES: I am a member of the General Federaton of Women s Clubs, one of the largest women s volunteer organzatons n the world. We are commtted to the betterment of our communtes through volunteersm and the empowerment of women. GFWC volunteers fnd joy n lvng and gvng. Here, let me gve you one of our cards. GFWC s the General Federaton of Women s Clubs, one of the oldest volunteer women s organzatons n the world dedcated to servce n our communtes, state, natonally, and nternatonally. Our motto s Unty n Dversty. We do what needs to be done n our communtes. Our natonal emphass s Domestc Volence Awareness and Preventon. Would you lke to learn more? Here s an nformatonal GFWC tr-fold and my card. May I have your card? I wll contact you wth nformaton on our next event. Thanks for askng about my GFWC pn. We are a servce organzaton of women who serve our communtes. I have a tr-fold about GFWC, the General Federaton of Women s Clubs, I d lke to share wth you. You can also go to for more nformaton. Have a great day! Ths s GFWC the General Federaton of Women s Clubs. We are one of the world s largest non-proft volunteer organzatons for women who work to mprove communtes. Would you be nterested n jonng us? [Then hand them the GFWC tr-fold wth contact nformaton.] PROMOTE THE VALUE OF GFWC Do you realze that your annual GFWC membershp dues are just $15 a year? Many people spend that much for coffee n a week! Your dues provde you wth: GFWC Club Manual contans resources and project deas for local GFWC clubs, ncludng: GFWC Advancement Gudes contan nformaton and resources for successful projects n the areas of Communcatons and Publc Relatons, Fundrasng and Development, Leadershp, Legslaton/Publc Polcy, Membershp, and the Women s Hstory and Resource Center. Communty Servce Programs offer tools for developng and executng acton plans to create amazng and effectve club projects n Arts, Conservaton, Educaton, Home Lfe, Internatonal Outreach, and Publc Issues; and our two specal focus areas GFWC Sgnature Program: Domestc Volence Awareness and Preventon and the Junors Specal Program: Advocates for Chldren. Awards, Contests, and Grants provde recognton and/or monetary gfts to GFWC members, clubs, and State Federatons. GFWC Communcaton Tools offer up-to-date nformaton to keep members and clubs nformed and connected: GFWC s webste ( s our cornerstone communcatons resource that provdes tmely nformaton for GFWC news and nformaton. GFWC Clubwoman Magazne, our b-monthly glossy magazne Get the latest GFWC nformaton delvered straght to your nbox wth News & Notes, GFWC s weekly e-newsletter. Read about the latest happenngs, specal offers, GFWC Marketplace sales, event teasers, GFWC clubs featured n the news, and much more! Lke GFWC on Facebook to jon n the conversaton fnd the latest updates, photos, events and more rght n your News Feed. Share your GFWC stores, connect wth fellow members, and partcpate for specal przes and offers. Go to GFWCMembers to get started. For up-to-themnute updates on Federaton actvtes, on Twtter ( You ll see mportant deas and opportuntes from GFWC Partners and learn what s gong on at Headquarters before anyone else. 2

3 RETENTION To keep members a club must fnd out who ts members are, understand ther expectatons, and make every effort to serve them well. Members wll decde to stay wth ther clubs only f they feel ther tme and dues are beng used effectvely to mprove communtes, and f they feel a sense of ownershp, prde, and belongng. Members need to feel they play a role n club decsons and ther opnons count. ENGAGE YOUR MEMBERS A stable core of experenced members s the backbone of your club. New members can lean on and learn from members who have an nsttutonal memory and hstory of nvolvement. Workng together, experenced members and new members can functon lke one healthy body standng tall, movng forward, and makng strdes toward accomplshng your club s goals. Members who actvely partcpate n ther club are more lkely to want to contnue ther membershp. In order to engage your members, your club should ensure an atmosphere of fellowshp and frendshp, and provde vared opportuntes for them to exercse ther talents and abltes. Encouragng nvolvement not only captalzes on members creatvty and sklls, but also ncreases ther commtment and allegance. Members need to feel at home and have a contnung reason to belong. Consder subsdzng a trp to a conventon or conference by raffles or fundrasers that would produce the revenue to offset the cost. Engage a lason n the schools, preferably a teacher. The lason would coordnate and oversee the Junorette meetngs, actvtes, and projects, and deally also be a member of the sponsorng Woman s Club. Fnd ways to use the talents of ALL members and engage every member n club projects to avod conflct. Ask for and try to mplement member suggestons to help keep your club happy, strong, and growng. SUGGESTIONS FOR ENGAGING MEMBERS Each club and communty s unque. Adopt or adapt the suggestons below to help revtalze and engage your members. Encourage member nput through a suggeston box, formal ntervews and surveys, or by just strkng up an nformal conversaton at a club meetng. Establsh and mantan an effectve system of communcatng wth your members. Insttute a telephone tree or emal lst to remnd members of regular meetngs or alert them to specal events. SUBSCRIBE You can subscrbe to GFWC Clubwoman Magazne usng the subscrpton form onlne at org/news-publcatons/clubwoman-magazne/ or by contactng GFWC Headquarters at GFWC (4392). Sgn up for your complmentary subscrpton to News & Notes at PROMOTE THE VALUE OF GFWC GFWC Member Center, at Membershp, contans resources to help members and clubs reap the rewards of GFWC s dynamc network of communty volunteers, ncludng: Electronc newsletters from GFWC Commttee Charmen wth expert suggestons for gettng the most out of all aspects of club work. Successful club program, project, and fundrasng templates that can easly be used as models for adopton and adaptaton by GFWC clubs across the naton and around the world. Educatonal and nspratonal workshops, webnars, and dscusson forums to help enhance and enrch your club s communty development efforts. GFWC Women s Hstory Resource Center provdes GFWC members access to GFWC Headquarters and the GFWC archves through tours, exhbts, publcatons, and nteractve hstory tmelne on the GFWC webste at GFWC Affnty Programs offer a varety of member benefts and dscounts, ncludng travel and tour opportuntes, club lablty and D & O nsurance, a GFWC affnty credt card, and onlne shoppng through Amazon.com. For more detals and up-to-date benefts vst Add benefts and rewards to ths lst that are specfc to your club. Encourage members to share ther own stores about how membershp n the club and n GFWC has been valuable to them. Personal anecdotes are a great way to effectvely communcate the benefts of belongng to GFWC. Ed que vd mncum 3

4 Create a club newsletter, ncludng a Club Presdent s message; dstrct, state, regon and/or GFWC news; your club s communty servce program actvtes and results; upcomng club events; club, state, and/or GFWC hstorcal nformaton; member hghlghts, such as brthdays, member profles, sunshne reports; local or natonal publc polcy ssues; and communty news and events. Encourage attendance at dstrct, state, regon, and natonal GFWC events where mportant program and Federaton nformaton s shared. Be sure to brng back and share wth fellow members what you learn. Keep club projects fresh, relevant, and nterestng to the entre membershp. Intate branstormng sessons to gve all members a voce n club actvtes and foster a sense of ownershp CONDUCT A GFWC FEDERATION REFRESHER Research shows a postve program of contnung educaton on the benefts of belongng to GFWC can help ncrease a club s overall retenton rate. Ths educaton process or Federaton Refresher s essental for nstllng a sense of prde and purpose n both new and seasoned members. GFWC contnually looks for new ways to mprove ts benefts and servces to members. All members should be knowledgeable about GFWC, whch has many programs desgned to keep members nformed and connected. TIPS FOR HELPING MEMBERS STAY CONNECTED TO GFWC Encourage all club members to subscrbe to GFWC Clubwoman Magazne, whch s maled to subscrbers sx tmes per year; and News & Notes, a free, weekly electronc newsletter that offers tps and program deas to enhance your club s communty mprovement efforts. Subscrbe to GFWC Clubwoman Magazne usng the subscrpton form n the Resources Secton or onlne at For your complmentary subscrpton to News & Notes, sgn-up at Share and dscuss the GFWC Club Manual, a leadershp gude provdng clubs wth essental management tools and communty servce project resources to enhance the effectveness of your club. Focus part of a meetng on the amazng resources avalable through the GFWC Women s Hstory and Resource Center, whch collects, preserves, nterprets, and promotes the hstorcal, socal, and poltcal contrbutons of GFWC and women volunteers. Vst the WHRC onlne catalog at WHRC, where you can access nformaton and mages related to GFWC s hstory, ncludng archval materal, photographs, publcatons, art, and artfacts. Read and dscuss the GFWC Resolutons and Bylaws, whch are found onlne at Resolutons and Bylaws that are up for revew and to be voted on at the GFWC Annual Conventon are prnted n the Call to Conventon. Encourage attendance at dstrct, state, regon, and natonal GFWC events so that members realze the mportance of ther nvolvement n a natonal organzaton. Develop programs that ncorporate fun GFWC, state, or club facts; and Federaton quzzes, puzzles or games based on board games or TV game shows. Invte a state or dstrct leader to speak at a club meetng, buldng the meetng s theme around her area of expertse. Celebrate GFWC Federaton Day on Aprl 24 by organzng and conductng a vsble communty servce project. Be sure to wear GFWC emblematc apparel! Send a request to your mayor or governor to proclam GFWC Federaton Day or your club s federaton date as GFWC (Your Club s Name) Day. Hghlght the mportant contrbutons and communty servce that GFWC makes on the natonal, state, and local levels. Invte a local news reporter to your club s major communty servce events. Be prepared to share nterestng stores and facts about your club s mpact to the communty. 4

5 WELCOMING AND MENTORING NEW MEMBERS APPOINT A CLUB CHAIRMAN Whle t s true that all members should be nvolved n the recrutment process, each club should have one person who s wllng to step up and take the lead on membershp efforts. Appontng a Membershp Charman s an mportant ndcaton of your club s dedcaton to recrutng new members and can make a world of dfference to the future of your club. The Membershp Charman should be: Organzed and effcent Motvated and enthusastc Knowledgeable and postve about the club and GFWC Comfortable speakng n publc Outgong and comfortable meetng new people Able and wllng to delegate responsblty START RETAINING MEMBERS EARLY The process of retanng club members can never start too early. The addton of new members sgnals the start of the most crtcal part of any membershp plan new member retenton. The frst year s the most crucal n a GFWC clubwoman s membershp. New members need to mmedately feel they can make a meanngful contrbuton to ther communty through a vbrant and actve club. By encouragng new members to become nvolved early on, you encourage loyalty and commtment to the club s servce program and GFWC s msson. Here are a few suggestons for ways to ncorporate new members nto the group: Hold a specal ntaton or nducton ceremony for new members and present them wth the GFWC member pn. Go to to purchase the GFWC Ceremones Gude and GFWC member pns. Encourage a class of new members to conduct ther own servce project wth an experenced member to provde gudance. Fnd out what sklls, talents, and abltes each new member has and s wllng to share (e.g. parlamentary procedure sklls, computer sklls, artstc talents, etc.). SUGGESTED GROUP ACTIVITY FOR ACQUAINTING MEMBERS WITH YOUR CLUB AND GFWC To retan members, everyone must be excted about the club. Parng experenced and new members to meet and share deas and expectatons s one way to accomplsh ths task. Lsted below are three sample questons, but these can be adapted to each club s needs. Ths exercse s a wonderful tool for all partcpants. The questons are thought-provokng, and the nformaton ganed can be utlzed n future goal-settng for the club. Have the attendees break nto groups made up of equal numbers of experenced and new members to dscuss the followng: Experenced Members 1. If you had last year to do over agan, how would you do t dfferently? 2. What advce would you offer to the new members? 3. What accomplshment(s) are you most proud of? New Members 1. What would you lke ths organzaton to mean to you one year from now? 2. Do you have deas for communty servce projects? 3. What talents or nterests do you have that you feel would beneft the club? Spend at least 15 mnutes n your group dscussng these questons. When tme s up, gather together as one group and report what was dscussed. It s usually more effectve to have the experenced members report frst, followed by new members. 5

6 MENTORING NEW MEMBERS Mentorng s an effectve way to promote new members nvolvement. Clubs may call these mentors Federaton Buddes or Bg Ssters. A mentor s responsbltes nclude explanng your club structure and actvtes, as well as llustratng how your club fts nto GFWC s overall structure. Develop a process for fndng enthusastc, commtted members who are nterested n servng as an ongong source of support for new members. Some basc qualfcatons for a club mentor nclude: A hgh level of knowledge about and nterest n the club and GFWC. A wllngness and ablty to devote the tme and energy necessary to help a new member fully partcpate n club actvtes. Havng some thngs n common wth the new member (hobbes, nterests, professon, etc.). Mentors can be assgned before or after nducton. Your club should determne at what pont mentorng should begn and how long t should contnue. Each mentorng relatonshp s dfferent and should be establshed by both partes nvolved. However, there are some basc tasks that are common to all parngs, and can nclude: Introducng the new member to every member and accompanyng the new member to club meetngs to make her feel at home. Stayng n touch and montorng the new member s comfort level and nvolvement n the club. Explanng the varous club commttees and Communty Servce Programs, and suggestng a commttee assgnment compatble wth her nterests. Ensurng the new member understands all club rules, ncludng but not lmted to membershp dues, attendance requrements, and commttee/project requrements. Informng the new member about club, dstrct, state, regon, and natonal meetngs and events held throughout the year and attendng them wth her, f possble. ENCOURAGE FLEXIBILITY IN YOUR CLUB There s one thng we know there s just too lttle of tme. One of the most common reasons why a member leaves a club s lack of tme. Respect your members tme and they are more lkely to make GFWC a permanent fxture n ther lves. Streamlne meetngs to ensure they are as convenent and productve as possble to meet the needs and dversty of your club members. Consder the tme commtments of members and schedule meetngs that accommodate as many members as possble. Emal or mal the mnutes and treasurer s report pror to the meetng, allowng tme for members to revew for correctons or addtons at home. Make an agenda and stck to t. Keep reports bref and pertnent. Two hours s about the rght tme frame for a meetng. Allow tme for dscusson, but set a tme lmt on debate. Provde tme ether before or after the scheduled meetng for socalzng and refreshments. Include programs that are nterestng, stmulatng, and short. Remember rules, regulatons, requrements, and tradtons are not set n stone. Parlamentary procedure outlnes a set of rules to assst a club n best practces, but those rules are not meant to stfle the fun and enthusasm n your club. Routnely revew your club bylaws and standng rules, and consder amendng those that are no longer relevant or representatve of the majorty of member concerns, stuatons, and nterests. Also revew the oblgatons requred from club members. Are members requred to attend a certan number of meetngs? Are they requred to volunteer a certan number of hours or partcpate n a certan number of programs or projects? Are those or any other requrements too strngent for today s busy women? 6

7 Your efforts are really makng a dfference. Great job; you made us all look good. You are an nspraton to us all. Your contrbuton to ths project helped to make t happen. RECOGNIZING AND REWARDING MEMBERS Members are more lkely to reman n a club that has a postve and fun atmosphere. Members do not jon to be recognzed, but t s always nce to have your efforts apprecated. Postve words mean a lot: RECOGNIZE YEARS OF Celebrate members GFWC servce wth a varety of GFWC membershp pns. GFWC Gold Pns are awarded to 50-year GFWC members. The member s club presdent requests the Gold Pn, whch s free of charge, by fllng out the request form that s avalable at If state and dstrct leaders would lke to recognze these long-term members at state or dstrct meetngs, they may request nformaton about recent Gold pn recpents n ther area from the GFWC Membershp Servces staff at GFWC@GFWC.org. GFWC Slver Pns, whch recognze 25-year members, may be purchased drectly through the GFWC Marketplace at membershp/marketplace. MAKE IT EASY TO RENEW When t comes to payng club dues, make t as easy as possble for your members. Make sure they know when member dues are owed, how much they are, and provde a breakdown of annual dues (.e., GFWC dues are $15 per person; add your state, dstrct (f applcable) and club dues). Consder usng a meetng tme to collect dues, bllng members for them, or makng remnder phone calls. Be aware that f a member s delnquent n dues remttance, she may have a fnancal reason. Club leaders should contact her dscreetly to determne f a payment plan may be worked out. Clubs should also consder a fund for such purposes. GFWC Fve-year, Ten-year, 15-year, 20-year, 30-year and 40-year Pns are avalable for purchase drectly through the GFWC Marketplace and Award Certfcates are suggested. CELEBRATE CLUB ANNIVERSARIES Each year provdes an opportunty to celebrate your club s annversary. Whether t s fve, 10, 15, or 20 years snce the annversary of your foundng or federaton, consder honorng one member every year wth a GFWC Clubwoman of the Year award for her dedcaton and servce to your club. Honor a new member wth a GFWC Rooke of the Year award for her wllngness to jump n and get nvolved. GFWC acknowledges and celebrates mlestone club annversares wth a certfcate, letter from the GFWC Internatonal Presdent, and recognton n GFWC Clubwoman Magazne. Accordng to GFWC s bylaws, mlestone annversares are 25, 50, 60, 70, and every fve years thereafter (75, 80, 85, etc.). Annversary dates are based on the date when a club joned the General Federaton of Women s Clubs, not the date when the club was founded. (For example, GFWC was founded n 1890, so we cannot recognze the annversary of a club that s 130 years old.) 7

8 To request recognton of your club s mlestone annversary, please contact GFWC@GFWC.org or mal your request to GFWC Membershp Servces, 1734 N Street NW, Washngton, D.C ATTN: Annversares. Please allow at least three weeks to receve and process your certfcate request. Your request must nclude: Complete offcal name of your club Annversary year beng celebrated (25, 50, 60, 70, and every fve years thereafter) Date (year and month, f possble) when your club became federated as part of GFWC Date of your club s annversary celebraton;.e., what date should appear on the congratulatory letter and certfcate? Name and address of current club presdent Name and address where certfcate and letter should be sent f dfferent from club presdent Club s requested deadlne for recevng the annversary certfcate FACILITATE TRANSFERS TO KEEP MEMBERS IN GFWC If one of your loyal members has to leave your communty and club, help her reman part of the GFWC famly. Often, when a member moves to a new town, state, or regon, she has dffculty fndng a GFWC club n her new locaton. Durng her busy transton, she may put t off untl she eventually loses nterest, s contacted by another volunteer group, or flls her lfe wth other actvtes. Whatever the reason, she s lost to GFWC. It s mperatve that we retan her as a member. Wth your help, we can facltate her transton nto another GFWC club near her new home. Your State Federaton Membershp Charman can help provde gudance on clubs n your state, or you can contact GFWC for advce at GFWC@GFWC.org or GFWC (4392). RECRUITING MEMBERS Communtes across the country and around the globe beneft from the work of GFWC club members every day. One of the most vtal goals we have s to ensure ths noble tradton contnues nto the future. Neghbors, frends, co-workers, and famly all deserve the chance to be a part of GFWC, because GFWC has, does, and wll contnue to change lves for the better. It s mportant we learn how to nvte and encourage women to become part of our clubs so that our communtes can contnue to mprove through the work of GFWC volunteers and programs. Recrutng, welcomng, and ncorporatng new members nto your club must nvolve everyone. Member recrutment s an ongong process that requres the focus and commtment of all members. The most mportant thng durng ths process s to be determned to succeed wth your recrutment efforts. Wthout dedcaton and follow-through, no recrutment program wll be as successful as t could be. IDENTIFY PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS Wherever you go, you are bound to meet someone wth whom you can talk and share nformaton about GFWC and your club. Drect them to your club s webste and GFWC s webste ( Prospectve members are everywhere: AT THE OFFICE: Invte a co-worker who has expressed nterest n a project you are workng on to accompany you to a club or commttee meetng. Keep her specal nterests n mnd at all tmes and pont out a program that may nterest her. AT SOCIAL GATHERINGS: Neghbors, frends, frends of frends, and even former members are all people to talk to about your club and the projects members are undertakng. Follow-up wth a phone call or emal. Forward the lead to your club s membershp charman. AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS: Meetngs of other organzatons provde opportuntes to dscuss your GFWC club and to share nformaton about your projects. When you are workng n collaboraton wth a person from another agency or group that s nvolved n a communty servce project, dscuss other projects n whch your club and GFWC are nvolved, and nvte that person to your next club or commttee meetng. AT LOCAL SCHOOLS: Teachers, admnstrators, and parents of students who have benefted from or partcpated n club-sponsored programs, projects, or scholarshps are lkely canddates. Ths s also a good place to recrut members for Junorette and collegate clubs. 8

9 WHILE TRAVELING: Wear your GFWC pn and emblematc apparel and start a conversaton wth the person sttng next to you. She may not be from your town, or even your state, but you can tell her about GFWC, share a GFWC tr-fold brochure, and offer to help her locate a club where she lves. In addton to personal contacts, there are many other ways to ncrease your recrutng effectveness. You can market club membershp all over town. Unleash your magnaton. Through a club webste, advertsements n local newspapers, news artcles, brochures, and flyers, you can get GFWC nformaton to schools, college alumn assocatons and student clubs, your local PTA, professonal assocatons, lbrares, chambers of commerce, communty buldngs, beauty salons, grocery stores, shoppng malls, health clubs, doctors offces, places of worshp, wves clubs at local mltary bases the lst s endless. REFERRALS FROM HEADQUARTERS The GFWC webste ( s often vsted by women nterested n jonng a volunteer communty servce organzaton. Usually contact s made by emal and s receved by the GFWC Membershp Servces Department. Contact nformaton for potental new members s sent from GFWC to the respectve State Membershp Charman. These potental members have already taken the frst step n learnng more about GFWC by contactng us. They are already nterested n gettng nformaton about clubs near ther homes. They want to become nvolved. The hard part s already done! Ths s what happens next: 1. Upon recevng nformaton regardng an nterested member at GFWC Headquarters, an emal s mmedately sent to her, and her orgnal emal s forwarded to her respectve State Membershp Charman and State Presdent. 2. The State Membershp Charman (or Junor Membershp Charman, f approprate) contacts the local club presdent and provdes her wth the prospectve member s contact nformaton. 3. When your State Membershp Charman, State Presdent, or Dstrct Offcer contacts you wth the name and contact nformaton of a potental member, don t let ths promsng lead slp away. A quck phone call or emal s all t takes to acknowledge her nterest and nvte her to jon your club. PUBLICIZE YOUR CLUB An effectve publc relatons program can enhance your efforts to ncrease membershp. All clubs are encouraged to have a publc relatons coordnator who works closely wth the membershp commttee. Whle most people thnk of publc relatons as garnerng attenton from the meda, t s actually much more than that. Publc relatons s the ongong process by whch a favorable mage s created and projected to many audences members, potental members, and the general publc, as well as the meda. Make use of all your local meda outlets newspapers, rado statons, TV, and cable statons. Consder usng socal meda to nvte prospectve members to jon fellow clubwomen across the country on GFWC s Facebook page at How a club s perceved n the communty s vtal to ts ablty to gan new members, rase funds, and provde servces. The more people know about what your club s dong and how successfully t s dong t, the more lkely t s that they wll want to become nvolved. Your State Publc Relatons Charman and the Drector of Communcatons and Publc Relatons at GFWC Headquarters also can provde assstance. PLAN AND EXECUTE A RECRUITMENT EVENT After dentfyng a lst of prospectve members, one of the most effectve ways to transton them nto your club s to host a recrutment event. Look to your town and to the GFWC Communty Servce Programs for deas. Ask a new restaurant n your area to sponsor your club n exchange for the busness you ll generate through recommendatons and return vsts, or have a party centered around a GFWC Communty Servce Program. For example, October s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Consder partnerng wth a local hosptal to make comfort pllows for breast cancer survvors. 9

10 In honor of Natonal Lbrary Week n Aprl, thnk about sponsorng a Dscovery Room, contanng learnng tools such as puzzles, books, blocks, etc., for preschool aged chldren to explore and dscover new knowledge. Don t forget to nclude club nformaton and fun actvtes for ther mothers. Research shows clubs most successful at attractng new members are clubs that plan relevant, stmulatng, and meanngful programs whch contrbute to the postve growth of the ndvdual and the communty. GFWC offers many nterestng and new deas through ts sx Communty Servce Programs: Arts, Conservaton, Educaton, Home Lfe, Internatonal Outreach, and Publc Issues, as well as n specal program areas: GFWC Sgnature Program: Domestc Volence Awareness and Preventon and Junors Specal Program: Advocates for Chldren. PARTICIPATE IN GFWC S IT S THE REAL DEAL RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN Recrutment s a year-round process, and the campagns and reportng of new members reflect ths fact. A club that recruts three new members durng each season wll end the year wth 12 new members! Clubs may plan creatve membershp recrutment campagns and events around the many natonal awareness ssues that are algned wth GFWC Communty Servce Programs, specal programs, and commemoraton days and months. The possbltes are as dverse as our organzaton. Always nclude Federaton facts, food, and fun. Clubs achevng and reportng three new members as a result of ther recrutng efforts wll be recognzed n GFWC Clubwoman Magazne. Send the name of the recruter and the names and contact nformaton of the actve, dues-payng new members to your State Membershp Charman. Only your State Membershp Charman s able to order the pns and crcles from GFWC Headquarters. Questons about GFWC Star Recrutment Pns and Crcles should be drected to your State Membershp Charman. SET GOALS FOR GROWTH If your club starts a new year wth a decrease n members, maybe a goal s If we lose one, then gan two. Retenton s crtcal to buldng GFWC. Set a goal to thank and ask our commtted members to help ncrease our GFWC ssters. Everyone should have a goal. Indvdual members should set a goal to nvte at least one prospectve member to a meetng. Every month, ask one long-term member to share the advantages of a GFWC membershp at the meetng. Clubs Presdents should reach out to other clubs to see what they are dong to gather members. Dstrcts and Countes should share success stores wth each other. State Presdents should talk wth each other on ther objectves and goals. GFWC S IT S THE REAL DEAL RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN Jon GFWC clubs natonwde n our popular membershp recrutment campagn. June, July, and August GO FISH FOR MEMBERS Report due September 1 September, October, and November BRIDGE THE GAP Report due December 1 December, January, and February GAME OF HEARTS Report due March 1 March, Aprl, and May 52 PICK UP - A TOOL Report due June

11 Try settng a goal of ncreasng your membershp by 10% to 25% each quarter. For example, f your club has 10 members, a 10% ncrease would equal one new member, and a 25% ncrease would equal two to three new members. WELCOME POTENTIAL MEMBERS TO YOUR CLUB The day a new member jons your GFWC club s the begnnng of a long and mutually rewardng relatonshp. Consder conductng a new member orentaton and/or holdng an nducton ceremony to create an envronment that wll ensure that your new members are well-nformed and feel welcome: Before meetngs, offer rdes so they do not have to worry about fndng the locaton or enterng alone. Desgnate a current member or team to greet attendees at the door. Consder desgnng a seatng arrangement to encourage current members to break out of clques and st next to new ones so they mmedately feel ncluded. Conduct an ce breaker exercse at the begnnng of any meetng attended by potental or new members that ntroduces them to the club n a fun and memorable way. Hold a meanngful nducton ceremony durng a regular membershp meetng or at a separate event to nstll a sense of prde n belongng to GFWC. Present the new members wth a GFWC Member Pn. Contact GFWC Membershp Servces at GFWC@GFWC.org to request a specal letter from the GFWC Internatonal Presdent. Sample Inducton Ceremones can be found n the GFWC Ceremones Gude. Electronc copes are avalable va request to GFWC, and hard copes are avalable for purchase through the GFWC Marketplace at membershp/marketplace. CELEBRATE YOUR CLUB MEMBERS RECRUITMENT SUCCESSES Star Recrutment Pns and Crcles are GFWC s recrutment ncentve for clubwomen. The frst fve awards, recognzng members who have recruted fve to 29 new members, are small, star-shaped pns wth a butterfly clasp and a chan that attaches to the stem of the GFWC Member Pn. Members who have recruted 30 to more than 50 new members wll be awarded the approprate color crcles to wear behnd ther star pns. These awards are cumulatve and cross admnstratons. There are 10 levels. SUCCESSFUL RECRUITMENT EVENT TIPS Begn plannng well n advance at least three months before the event. Dedcate a club meetng to branstormng, and ask members to brng lsts of potental nvtees. Consder holdng award ceremones n conjuncton wth the event. Ths shows prospectve members that the club apprecates and rewards partcpaton and effort. Keep the event short, nformatve, and nterestng. Do not nundate prospectve members wth too much nformaton. Choose a date and tme that appeal to your target audence. Accommodate women who work durng the day or have chldcare concerns. Avod relgous holdays. Choose a venue that can be accessed va a varety of transportaton optons. Avod publc areas where the meetng mght be dsrupted. Use the club membershp charman as the contact for the meetng so all questons and RSVPs can be referred to one person. Send nvtatons at least a month before the meetng. Make sure your nvtatons nclude the When, Where, What, and Call to Acton/RSVP. If all of the nformaton s there, the attendee does not have to research addtonal nformaton she just has to RSVP and show up! Let nvtees know they can brng a frend. New prospects mght feel more comfortable attendng an event f they can brng a guest. Before the event, emal members a lst of attendees so they are aware of who wll be present. Download promotonal or member beneft nformaton, GFWC materals, and other nformaton from and order GFWC brochures and tr-folds from membershp/marketplace. Provde name tags for everyone, ndcatng whether an attendee s a current member or a guest. Have a greeter at the door to welcome each guest. Have all guests sgn n. Begn and end on tme. Ask each attendee to ntroduce herself and share nformaton about her lfe. Ask each attendee to fll out a Membershp Profle and Interest Sheet developed by the club. If your club bylaws permt, ask prospectve members to jon! Have a club membershp form avalable at the meetng. If your club bylaws are restrctve to easy membershp, consder revewng and makng amendments to create an open envronment for all who want to jon your club. Follow up wth each attendee after the meetng wth a phone call, e-mal, or handwrtten note thankng her for attendng and nvtng her to the next meetng/event. 11

12 GFWC MEMBERS WHO RECRUIT: Fve to nne new members receve a whte star 10 to 14 new members receve a red star 15 to 19 new members receve a blue star 20 to 24 new members receve a slver star 25 to 29 new members receve a gold star 30 to 34 new members receve a whte crcle to be worn behnd the star pn 35 to 39 new members receve a red crcle to be worn behnd the star pn 40 to 44 new members receve a blue crcle to be worn behnd the star pn 45 to 49 new members receve a slver crcle to be worn behnd the star pn 50+ new members receve a gold crcle to be worn behnd the star pn Send the name of the recruter and the names and contact nformaton of the actve, dues-payng new members to your State Membershp Charman. Only your State Membershp Charman s able to order the pns from GFWC. Questons about GFWC Star Recrutment Pns should be drected to your State Membershp Charman. ACTIVITIES FOR ACQUAINTING MEMBERS WITH GFWC 1. Par an experenced member wth a potental or new member makng sure they do not know each other. 2. Dstrbute paper and wrtng mplements to each partcpant. 3. Ask each partcpant to wrte ten personally descrptve words or phrases. Include nformaton on famly, nterests, hobbes, employment, etc. Allow fve mnutes. 4. Drect one of each par to tell her partner about herself, n a conversatonal style usng the lst as an ad. Allow fve mnutes. Ths group exercse s a unque way to get people talkng and ntroduced to the club. COMMIT TO FORMING NEW GFWC CLUBS A successful campagn to form a new GFWC club starts wth a frm, focused commtment by club, dstrct/regon, and/or state leadershp. GFWC members and offcers at all levels need to promote the formaton of new clubs at every opportunty. Commtment means that all GFWC members are ready to do what needs to be done to help get new clubs up and runnng. Commtment does not end when a new club s chartered. Months, often years, of nurturng and mentorng wll ensure that the new club becomes an establshed club wth members who understand and apprecate the benefts of GFWC membershp. Teamwork s the key to success. Buldng a new GFWC club can be a long process, but t s defntely a rewardng one. Appont a New Club Formaton Team at the club, dstrct, state, and/ or regon level, ensurng that the members of the team represent varous geographc areas. Members of the team should be: Enthusastc, motvated, knowledgeable, and postve about GFWC Wllng to travel throughout the communty, dstrct, state, and/or regon Comfortable speakng n publc Ready to delegate and wllng to accept delegated responsbltes Ensure that team members know statespecfc membershp nformaton. Check your state yearbooks or webstes to obtan: State membershp applcaton forms or applcable state membershp elgblty requrements for clubs How the charterng process s accomplshed Fnancal detals relevant to new clubs (.e., amount of state dues, the amount of GFWC dues-currently $15 per person, per year and when and how dues are collected) 12

13 ESTABLISHING NEW GFWC CLUBS GFWC clubs and ndvdual members are encouraged to make the commtment to buld a new GFWC club or federate an exstng, non-gfwc club. A club may choose to sponsor a club n the same membershp category, but t sn t requred. A General club can sponsor the formaton of a collegate club out of a local unversty, or a Junor club could sponsor a Junorette club made up of some of ts members daughters and ther frends. All clubs nterested n formng new clubs should contact ther State Membershp Charman and/or the Membershp Servces Department at GFWC Headquarters for assstance. GFWC CATEGORIES Before embarkng on formng or federatng new GFWC clubs, t s mportant to understand the types of GFWC membershp categores specfed n the GFWC Bylaws, as well as those defned by membershp practces. The followng are actve membershp types recognzed by GFWC: ACTIVE WOMAN S CLUBS General clubs are clubs that are not otherwse desgnated as Junorette, Junor, Internatonal, or Natonal clubs. Ths group consttutes the largest porton of actve membershp. JUNIOR WOMAN S CLUBS Junor clubs hold actve membershp status and partcpate n the regular programs of GFWC. Junor clubs vary n age range, and not all states have Junor clubs or membershp categores. Some State Federatons place an age cap on Junor membershp. Other State Federatons support Junor membershp at any age. On the natonal level, GFWC Junor clubs are represented by the GFWC Drector of Junor Clubs, a natonally elected offcer who serves as a member of the GFWC Executve Commttee and who presdes over all Junor functons at GFWC meetngs. JUNIORETTE CLUBS Junorette clubs are composed of young women n junor or senor hgh school wth an age range from 12 to 18 years. Junorettes may have votng prvleges at the GFWC Internatonal Conventon, are elgble for awards, and have reportng responsbltes, just lke all actve membershp clubs. Junorette clubs are sponsored by a General club, Junor club, dstrcts or State Federatons. It s recommended that a Junorette club not be organzed unless there s a regular GFWC advsor assgned to t. For further gudelnes on organzng a GFWC Junorette club, refer to the Junorette Handbook avalable at NATIONAL CLUBS Natonal clubs are clubs that have a natonwde membershp composed of State Presdents or State Drectors of Junor Clubs from one admnstraton. In addton, the GFWC Booster Club falls wthn ths membershp category. Boosters are composed of frends, relatves, and spouses of ndvdual members. Natonal clubs pay per capta dues drectly to GFWC. INTERNATIONAL CLUBS Internatonal clubs are clubs whose membershp s based outsde the Unted States. Such clubs pay per capta dues drectly to GFWC. ASSOCIATE NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Natonal organzatons are organzatons wth natonal scope whose work s germane to GFWC programs. INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATES Internatonal Afflates are clubs, federatons, and assocatons whose work s germane to GFWC programs and are based outsde the Unted States. Afflates pay flat-rate dues. If someone n your club has an nternatonal connecton, consder sponsorng the creaton of a GFWC Internatonal Afflate. Contact the GFWC Internatonal Lason Commttee for assstance n developng Internatonal Afflates. The commttee s responsble for mantanng communcaton between Internatonal Afflates and GFWC through both tradtonal correspondence and electronc communcatons. Goals of the Internatonal Lason Commttee 13

14 nclude stronger relatons wth all nternatonal members, ncreased vsblty n GFWC publcatons and on the webste, and encouraged attendance at GFWC Conventons. CONSIDER ESTABLISHING SPECIAL INTEREST CLUBS COLLEGIATE CLUBS Colleges and unverstes are an excellent source for GFWC members. Campuses often face the same challenges as other tradtonal communtes. A collegate club could meet the unque needs of the campus, as well as provde a servce opportunty that accommodates the lfestyles of students. Junorettes who have graduated to college settngs could help form these clubs and mantan ther GFWC afflaton. Identfy an energetc leader to serve as organzer. A member of the school s faculty who s a current or former GFWC club member s an deal choce. It s mportant to provde a constant fgure such as a faculty advsor due to the transent nature of students. Invte potental members from all segments of the campus communty fulland part-tme students, resdents and commuters, and all years. Make sure to receve proper authorzaton from the school s admnstraton f the club must be afflated wth or recognzed by the school. Collegate clubs are consdered actve membershp clubs wth approprate votng prvleges. CYBER CLUBS Ths new type of club s desgned for women who want to make new frends whle makng a dfference n ther communtes through volunteer servce, but cannot, for whatever reason, attend regular club meetngs n person. Most nteracton s conducted through emal, Facebook, Twtter, and other socal meda technology. Tradtonal clubs may even have cyber members who attend meetngs va Podcast, Webnar, or Skype. Cyber clubs are actve membershp clubs wth approprate votng prvleges. SINGLE ISSUE CLUBS GFWC offers dverse Communty Servce Programs, but a club s not requred to partcpate n all of them. It s acceptable, and may be benefcal, for a club to address a sngle ssue. Sngle ssue clubs are actve membershp clubs wth approprate votng prvleges. WORKPLACE CLUBS In lookng for sources of new clubs, consder the workplace. Women workng together n government, unversty, or corporate offces already have some thngs n common. Workplace clubs mght hold breakfast, lunch, or dnner meetngs, whch are approprate to the workplace schedule. Workplace clubs functon the same way as other clubs, choosng communty projects, buldng frendshps, and dscussng topcs of nterest. They are actve membershp clubs wth approprate votng prvleges. IDENTIFY A CORE GROUP OF MEMBERS FOR A NEW CLUB Take a good look at your dstrct and state. Get a map and locate every communty where a GFWC club does not exst and mark t on the map wth colored thumbtacks or a marker. To help provde you wth a clearer pcture of where to focus your efforts and how to evaluate target communtes, consder the followng: Identfy communtes n close proxmty (wthn 25 mles) to one that already has an exstng GFWC club, makng t easer to mentor a new club. Is there a new suburb n a communty populated by new arrvals? Is there a club that may have been a GFWC club years ago? Provdng a great presentaton on the benefts of GFWC membershp could encourage that club to refederate and reconnect to ts GFWC hstory. There are thousands of unverstes, colleges, and junor colleges n the Unted States. Whch postsecondary educatonal nsttutons are located n our communty that mght consder sponsorng a collegate club? What local junor and senor hghs schools do not have a Junorette club? 14

15 Are there md-szed to large-szed busnesses to buld a GFWC workplace club? Is there an actve adult senor lvng retrement communty wthout a GFWC club? PLAN YOUR NEW CLUB S FIRST MEETING Determne where the ntal club meetng wll be held. Look for a well-known, neutral locaton, such as an hstorc home, museum, communty center, or lbrary. Look for a ste that wll approprately accommodate the number of people expected to attend. A room that s too small wll feel cramped, whle a room that s too bg wll make even a great turnout look paltry. Avod relgous or poltcal locatons for the ntal meetng. The frst meetng s a very mportant event. Brng along a varety of GFWC membershp and promotonal materals, such as brochures, state membershp applcatons and program nformaton, model bylaws and parlamentary brefs, and the GFWC Club Manual. Attendees may feel out of ther comfort zone, so t s mportant to welcome each of them as they arrve and present them wth name tags. Decde ahead of tme who wll char the frst meetng: a team member, state offcer, sponsorng or mentorng club member, or an enthusastc prospectve member. Dependng on the level of nterest and ablty, one of the core group could be encouraged to char the meetng. If ths s the case, the new club formaton team should provde gudance. Have an agenda prepared to ensure all busness s covered, and dstrbute a copy to each attendee. Appont or elect a temporary secretary to take the mnutes. Frst mpressons are crtcal. The frst meetng wth prospectve new club members should be organzed, nformatonal, and nclude an ce breaker. Keep t smple. Provde some hghlghts of GFWC hstory usng resources from the Women s Hstory and Resource Center, share nformaton about the many benefts of belongng to GFWC, and revew the sx GFWC Communty Servce Programs and two Specal Programs from the GFWC Club Manual. Keep the presentatons short and provde plenty of tme for questons and answers. Provde enough nformaton about GFWC to demonstrate the benefts of belongng, but be careful not to overwhelm attendees. Durng the nformatonal meetng, dentfy people who seem partcularly excted about the new club and whose energy and enthusasm appear to be contagous. Look for those who are especally well connected n the communty. These ndvduals wll be crtcal n makng the new club part of the communty and attractng addtonal members. At the end of the meetng, ask whether the attendees are nterested n formng a new club. For those who are nterested, decde when would be a convenent day, tme, and locaton to attend an organzatonal meetng. Ths wll encourage the prospectve new members to assume control of the club. Have nformatonal packets prepared to send home wth prospectve members so they can read more about GFWC at ther lesure. Follow up wth prospectve members by phone, emal, and/or a personal note after the nformatonal meetng to renforce the connecton and mantan enthusasm. Be sure to menton the day, tme, and locaton of the next meetng and nvte the attendees to provde names, addresses, telephone numbers, and/or emal addresses of frends and famly members who mght be nterested. THE SECOND MEETING The New Club Formaton Team and sponsorng or mentorng club members should attend the second new club meetng at the prevously determned day, tme, and locaton. Important busness and votes wll be conducted at ths meetng ncludng: Choose a name. It s requred that all new clubs nclude GFWC n ther name, such as GFWC [town name] Woman s Club. Determne the club s purpose and msson. Establsh the amount of dues to be collected. Dues are calculated based on the total amount of dues for GFWC, your respectve State Federaton, dstrct (f applcable), and what the club decdes t wll need to functon effectvely. 15