Ithaca Sunrise Rotary Membership Committee 2009/2010 Roger Beck Peter Brellochs David Bulatek Chris Haase Mark Haase Roni Mays

Agenda Membership Life Cycle Survey results Where to find potential members Tools New member process

Membership Life Cycle Potential members (pre-contact) Prospective members (contacted) Inductees (application) Fresh members (first and second years) Middle members (three to five years) Solid members (five to ten years) Cannot be anything but a member (> 10yrs) And then there are those that have left …

Membership Life Cycle Potential members (pre-contact) Prospective members (contacted) Inductees (application) Fresh members (first and second years) Middle members (three to five years) Solid members (five to ten years) Cannot be anything but a member (> 10yrs) And then there are those that left us …

Years in Rotary / Sunrise 14% / 21% = 1 to 2 years (4/6) 18% / 11% = 3 to 5 years (5/3) 11% / 11% = 5 to 10 years (3/3) 57% / 57% = over 10 years (16/16) (28 responses)

Years in Rotary / Sunrise 14% / 21% = 1 to 2 years (4/6) 18% / 11% = 3 to 5 years (5/3) 11% / 11% = 5 to 10 years (3/3) 57% / 57% = over 10 years (16/16) indicates influx from other clubs? Loss of members? Or Low recruitment? (28 responses)

Sunrise Member Ages 0% = in 20's (0) 0% = in 30's (0) 32% = in 40's (9) 39% = in 50 's (11) 18% = in 60's (5) 11% = in 70's (3) 0% = in 80's (0) (27 responses)

Reasons for Joining. Service to community, world (28)

Reasons for Joining.. Fellowship, increase friends (28)

Reasons for Joining… Meet community leaders (28)

Reasons for Joining…. Meet business leaders (28)

Reasons for Joining….. Make business, professional contacts (26)

Enthusiasm for Rotary (26)

Reason for Higher Enthusiasm. Joy of being involved, working with others (22)

Reason for Higher Enthusiasm.. Accomplishing worthy goals (23)

Reason for Higher Enthusiasm... Good Fellowship (23)

Reason for Higher Enthusiasm…. Plenty of fun (23)

Reason for Lower Enthusiasm. Not enough fun (19)

Reason for Lower Enthusiasm.. Too much admin time vs. mission time (18)

Reason for Lower Enthusiasm... Inefficiency of time spent (19)

Reason for Lower Enthusiasm…. Too many projects / not enough members (20)

Reason for Lower Enthusiasm….. Doing same things over & over (19)

Reason for Lower Enthusiasm.….. Not enough fellowship time (20)

Comments on Enthusiasm I'm so tired from overwork; it is hard to carve out time for Rotary. Often, there is no “fellowship time” between fines and the start of the speaker. That 5 min period really “makes or breaks” the meeting, as you can sit with a table full of Rotarian friends and never get to talk to them. Suggested goal: increase diversity in membership

Prospective members 35 Prospective members brought to our meeting in the last 3 years 18 of these became members (51%)

Difficulty with getting members. Financial obligations (20)

Difficulty with getting members.. Time commitment (23)

Difficulty with getting members… Meeting time (22)

Difficulty with getting members…. Meeting location (20)

Difficulty with getting members.…. Do not know how to approach/ask (20)

Comments on Difficulty Most prospects complain of the early hour. (Meeting time) is not troublesome but often an issue when told. Indifference [is the difficulty] The issue is the time of day; there are a lot of “non-early birds” out there. I've had people join that left because of the aggregate financial obligation/pressure – dues, Paul Harris, weekly breakfast, fines, solicitation for donations for events like spaghetti, etc.

How can we assist you… Have club pay for guests breakfast. Prod members to be friendly and talk with guests. Better printed/hand out materials An event that we have at the meeting (that has) everyone inviting a potential member. Remind us.

How can we assist you… (continued) I think just keep telling people we meet about this great organization and people will come and join if they can. Make membership information packet available; redesign sunrise tri-fold. I have someone in mind that I will pursue. Thanks for the subtle reminder!

Potential members (pre-contact) Where to find potential members? Classification Survey Friends / Family Members Business Contacts New / Existing Businesses Places of Worship Other …

Potential members (pre-contact) Where else to look for?  Rotaracts returning home  Current Rotarians in other clubs  Current members in other types of clubs (Lionians, Moosarians,etc...)  Second lifers (former Rotarians, Lionions, Moosarians, etc...)  WHAT ELSE...

Tools Updated tri-fold – intro to Rotary and our club (potential members) Breakfast cards (prospective members) Pre-induction handout – detail/expectations summary (prospective/inductees) Updated orientation (fresh members)

Tools (continued) Retention plan - includes continuing education (middle, solid, and “can’t be anything but” members) Newsletter distribution lists (ClubRunner) Membership Development Resource Guide District 7170 activities

For those that have left… Reconnect meeting (former Rotarians) – Janet Steiner

New Member Process (bylaws) Section 1. Eligibility – … attend at least 4 regular meetings before their name is presented to the board … … has to be sponsored by a member in good standing …

New Member Process (bylaws) Section 2. Procedure for Election as a Member - a. - Submitted to the board in writing, through the club secretary. The proposal for the time being shall be kept confidential … b. - The board shall ensure that the proposal meets all the classification and membership requirements of the club.

New Member Process (bylaws) c. - The board shall approve or disapprove the proposal within one month of its submission, … d - … board is favorable, the prospective members shall be informed of the purposes of Rotary and of the privileges and responsibilities of membership, … shall be requested to sign the membership proposal form and to permit … to be published to the club.

New Member Process (bylaws) e. - If no written objection … within ten (10) days following publication …, that person, upon payment of the admission fee …, shall be … elected to membership. If any such objection has been filed with the board, it shall vote … f. - … the president shall arrange for the new member’s induction and further orientation, and the club secretary shall issue a membership card, rotary pin and badge to the member and shall report such action to RI.

Thank you Keep thinking of new places / ways to find new members Keep finding & talking to potential members Stick with prospective members / inductees Keep in touch with fresh members Greet people you don’t recognize at meetings Keep sharing your ideas