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Membership development


 Best Practices database

Clubs and districts share their successful membership ideas in the Membership Development Best Practices Exchange. Comments and ideas may be used in abbreviated form in other RI publications, including the Membership Minute.

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Results 1-9 of 9.
Club NamePaddington
CountryUnited KingdomDistrict1130
RegionEurope: Western
Membership Element(s)communication, recruitment, public relations, diversity, communication, recruitment, public relations, diversity
Issuesailing and ageing membership, estimated that club would cease in 10 years if it did not recruit members. Club decided to set aside �1000 to go towards recruitment, to pay for joint meetings with local organizations and to subsidize the under 35 years of age new member by 50%
StrategiesClub accepted the strategy to gain new members, by actively asking people to join. Held joint meetings, discounted the membership fees for under 35's. Advertised for members in press releases. Made the Club less formal, more friendly and more fun. Abandoned dress code. We moved the meetings to the evening. We have a different evening every 5 week month. We give the opportunity for members to address the Club for 2minutes on a subject of their choice.
ResultsWe have grown from 16 members to 22 members. All are under 40 years of age, one is in her fifties. Our new President will 35 years of age. It is a vibrant Club with new enthusiasm and energy. Last year, the Club won the Millennium Cup for the most improved club in the District.
ContactMac PurcellEmailpurcell@gmail.com
PhoneFax
Websitehttp://paddingtonrotary.org.uk
Club NameRC ORC
CountryUSADistrict7000
RegionUSA:Central:Central Southern
Membership Element(s)continuing member education, diversity, continuing member education, diversity
IssuesTest for message
Strategiestest for retunr message - JKP
ResultsTest 2
ContactJill PohrenEmailjill.pohren@rotary.org
PhoneFax
Website
Club NameLoughborough
CountryEnglandDistrict1070
RegionGreat Britain and Ireland
Membership Element(s)diversity, recruitment, diversity, recruitment
Issues
StrategiesThe RC of Loughborough had a problem of falling membership. They set up a project team, ""Enkindle"", of 6 Rotarians to engage in a membership recruitment effort. The team created a computer database of target names, made up of names from members, past speakers, past members, and business directories. In total, there were 140 names, 25 of which were invited to lunch at a cost of �85. From this effort the club gained 11 new members. They are currently using this method to target younger members.
Results
ContactEmail
PhoneFax
Website
Club NameSamaru
CountryNigeriaDistrict9120
RegionSub-Saharan Africa
Membership Element(s)communication, retention, recruitment, public relations, diversity, communication, retention, recruitment, public relations, diversity
IssuesOur Club is located in a Muslim dominated region of Nigeria where holding of Fellowships in a Nightclub and drinking of alcohol during meetings is considered to be an abomination or rather not tolerated by the local community. Hence we are finding it difficult if not impossible to attract and retain Business men and Professionals from our local community.
StrategiesTo maintain club diversity, promote our public relations, attract and retain good members, we are now revisiting our meeting time and venue to make it fair and beneficial to all concern and to promote goodwill and understand with our local community.
ResultsDecisions taken are to be with effect from 2005-2006 Rotary year with the hope that it will stimulate interest in Rotary, attract new members and encourage participation of the local populace in our community-based projects.
ContactYusuf A. AhjmedEmailyaahmed2@yahoo.com
Phone+234-69-550397Fax+234-69-550737
Website
Club NameDistrict 5030
CountryUnited StatesDistrict5030
RegionUSA:Western:Pacific Northwest
Membership Element(s)diversity, recruitment, diversity, recruitment
IssuesTo bring interested alumni into Rotary
StrategiesThis year District 5030 had 27 young people for 5 GSE team member spots. DG Nancy Keenholts Dalton talked to the applicants about the tremendous interest Alums show in joining Rotary. She told them that she would be contacting those that were not chosen for the team to visit a Rotary club. They all seemed thrilled with this. Nancy did tell them that their future interest in joining a club would have no bearing on the decisions made by the committee. These are young people with good jobs, many with advanced degrees and interested in service work and -- 25-40 years old!!!! They are exactly who we want.
ResultsDG Nancy will be contacting them through the district membership team to get them invited to meetings at Rotary clubs. GREAT IDEA!!
ContactDG Nancy Keenholts DaltonEmailbaywolf@isomedia.com
PhoneFax
Website
Club NameRotary Club Bhavnagar Royal
CountryIndiaDistrict3060
RegionAsia
Membership Element(s)attendance, public relations, diversity, attendance, public relations, diversity
IssuesThere was no club meeting on Sunday in my town. Many prospective members could not join Rotary as they were unable to spare time on evenings of weekdays when other clubs were meeting. We applied an idea to start a new club with breakfact meeting on sunday afternoon.
StrategiesAs new club with Sunday afternoon meeting concept started, many professionals from different vocations shown their interest to join us. We have shortlisted all the unfilled classifications and approached people of that classification one by one till we got at least one member each from the unfilled classifications. Also, being a new club, we concentrated mainly on building public image by organising various entertainment and cultural programmes with a view to raise funds for social cause and also to attain good membership strength. 
ResultsThe outcome of all such practice is that the club membership grew up to more than double within 2 years of its chartering. We have currently about 70 members with nearly 54 classifications. Idea of sunday meeting was proved to be best for getting younger professionals with us. This brought average age of member to 36.5 years. 
ContactHimal PandyaEmailhimalpandya@yahoo.com
PhoneFax
Websitewww.rotaryroyal.webs.com
Club NameLoveland
CountryUnited StatesDistrict5440
RegionUSA:Western:Mountain
Membership Element(s)diversity, recruitment, diversity, recruitment
IssuesGoal: To recruit quality new members.
StrategiesThe membership committee tok up the twin challenges of increasing the club's membership and improving membership balance by focusing on under-represented occupational sectors for new members. This was accomplished by assigning a specific member to develop qualified new members for each of seven occupational areas. The steps taken to implement this strategy were: 1) to schedule regular monthly membership committee meetings, 2) to identify occupations thought to be under represented, 3) assign a person to be responsible for identifying qualified candidates and to develop these for potential membership, 4) develop a member retention program.
ResultsThrough the first 3 quarters of the fiscal year, the club inducted 36 new members with work in progress on 7 potential applications.
ContactStuart PalmerEmailstupalmer@rmisp.com
PhoneFax
Website
Club NameKfar Saba
CountryIsraelDistrict2490
RegionMiddle East and North Africa
Membership Element(s)diversity, recruitment, diversity, recruitment
IssuesClub decided to capitalize on the influx of immegrants to the country and increase the club's membership. The goal was to have each member propose a new candidate to the club.
StrategiesAs the needs of our community grow while absorbing new immegrants into our country, we had a club meeting in which we decided to develop an action plan in order to increase our membership. As a result, the following steps were initiated. 1) Developed and organized club plan to bring in new members. 2) Utilize our workplaces to find prospective members amongst our co-workers. 3) Encouraged Rotarians to invite prospective, qualified new members through the appropriate club actions.
Results6 members joined our club and fully integrated in all our club activities and served on our board of directors. 6 new candidates are planned for the near future.
ContactYael LazarusEmailyaki44@gmail.com
PhoneFax
Website
Club NameLiverpool Garston
CountryEnglandDistrict1180
RegionGreat Britain and Ireland
Membership Element(s)diversity, recruitment, public relations, diversity, recruitment, public relations
Issues A questionnaire was given to each of the club members to gauge their knowledge of the club and membership development. The results showed that club members could not put across the message of Rotary due to a lack of knowledge, and as such, they could not recruit new members. The club needed to recruit new members with particular emphasis on bringing in younger and female members.
StrategiesA 3 Year Club Business Plan was brought into use and 4 business meetings were scheduled for the year to educate members in Rotary affairs and monitor the Business Plan. The Club Membership Committee updated their goals and plans and began reporting more directly to the club, thereby providing more emphasis on club membership recruitment and retention. A survey was created to find out what hte perception of the club's Rotarians and the public at large thought about Rotary. Furthermore, a Public Relations sub-committee was formed to improve awareness of Rotary within the local media and publish a Liverpool Garston Club pamphlet to promote the club locally. Finally, the club implemented casual dress for use at normal meetings to help remove the image of stuffy old men and promote an awareness of how the younger age group dress today, even in a modern business environment.
ResultsThe programmes were a "whole club" initiative, led by Council, with full participation of all club members wherever possible to ensure that all members felt they had "ownership" of the club's programmes. As a result of these initiatives, the club experienced: a net increase of 4 new members, 3 of which are female (bringing the represenation fo females from 0 to 7%); a reduction in the age profile of the club; an increase in the members' knowledge of Rotary and membership development; increased public awareness of Rotary through local press.
ContactVernon SchwarzEmailschwarz@waitrose.com
PhoneFax
Website