1. NORTH CAROLINA FFA ALUMNI

2. Supporting Agricultural Education & FFA

3. Question Are you a supporter of FFA and Agricultural Education?
Are you a parent or family member of someone in FFA?
Are you involved in your child’s FFA chapter?
Do you know other parents that are involved in your child’s FFA chapter?
Are you a former FFA member?
Are you interested and excited about FFA’s success and growth in your community?

4. Yes! Yes! Yes!
If you answered Yes to any of these questions, then you are in the right place!
It’s easy it is to convert your support and enthusiasm into starting a local FFA Alumni affiliate in your hometown.
First, let’s define exactly what an Alumni affiliate does!

5. What is the purpose of a FFA Alumni Affiliate?
An FFA Alumni association is an organized group of individuals who promotes the success and growth of their FFA members in their local FFA Chapter, support agricultural education and care for their community.
Support and promote the FFA Organization, FFA Activities and agricultural education on local, state, and national levels.

6. What is the purpose of a FFA Alumni Affiliate? (Continued)
Agriculture teachers rely on FFA alumni members to help ease the outside commitments of teaching, bring more support to agricultural education programs and give teachers more freedom to do what they do best - teach students!
FFA relies on alumni members for student recruiting, scholarship money, aiding in camps, conferences, national FFA convention and other personal development programs. The high level of commitment the FFA Alumni offers the National FFA Organization and the communities in which they live helps make FFA students' lives better.

7. What does a FFA Alumni affiliate do?
Chaperone chapter, district, state and national functions
Hold a free chili supper
Assist with FFA fruit sales
Raise money for an annual scholarship
Sponsor a FFA member to go to State Convention
Assist with organizing the chapter banquet
Serve as advocates for Ag Education at school board meetings
The local FFA Alumni affiliate can decide how active they want to be.
Fundraising &
advocacy
Social Activities
Recruitment
Activities

8. Basic steps in Organizing an Alumni Affiliate
6. Planning & Executing Activities
5. Recruitment
4. Elections & Chartering
3. First Meeting
2. Organize Members
1. Determine Needs With Teacher

9. Determine needs with teacher
Gain teacher’s support.
Identify classroom, FFA and community needs with teacher.
Research school policy on volunteer groups.
Recognize that the alumni works in support of the teacher. All ideas and activities should have the teacher’s approval.

10. 2. Organize Members
Three to five interested individuals can start the nucleus of the Alumni affiliate. Recruiting and welcoming new members should be ongoing and occurring at each meeting!
Parent # 1
Parent # 2
YOU!
Supporter
Teacher

11. 3. Hold First Meeting Contact all potential members
Invite chapter officers and advisors (maybe have them do the opening-closing ceremony or give a short presentation)
Have a state alumni representative present or an alumni member from another alumni affiliate, if possible
Make use of State and National FFA Alumni materials
Have agenda organized before meeting time
Have snacks!
Identify goals and ideas for the alumni affiliate
(Determined with the FFA Advisor before hand)
Have a sign-up sheet going around during the meeting

12. 4. Elect Officers
An organized alumni affiliate needs and organized group of leaders to be successful. Just like FFA Chapters elect officers, the local Alumni should too.
Make sure that the president is someone that is willing to put forth the time and energy necessary to start and lead an affiliate.
Votes can be determined by an election of attendees in the meeting.
Officers are usually elected annually.

13. 4. Elect Officers (continued)
The chapter can form committees as local FFA/ Ag Education needs are established. Examples may include:
A chair of the scholarship committee
The chili supper chairperson
Chair of community activities/ Advocacy
Chair of Livestock shows
Chair of Fund Raising
Chair of Chaperones
*Don’t be afraid to start small. Focus on the greatest need, then expand as volunteers and resources grow!

14. 4. Steps to chartering
Suggested constitution & bylaws should be handed out and each item discussed
A suggested copy of a constitution & bylaws can be accessed online:
Visit
Visit

15. 4. Steps to chartering (continued)
After this discussion, constitution & bylaws should be decided
Attendees at the meeting should accept the constitution & bylaws
The elected secretary and president should keep a copy of the constitution & bylaws and have one present at all meetings
Consider giving a copy to new members as they join

16. 4. Steps to chartering (continued)
Determine local dues & organize finances
The local FFA Alumni affiliate determines the amount of local dues to be paid.
The elected Secretary/Treasurer should collect local, state and national membership dues and send them to the state association.
A banking account is generally established to track alumni savings and spending.
A copy of the financial records should be provided at each meeting.

17. 4. Steps to chartering (continued)
Local FFA Alumni
Affiliate
State & National Dues
Participation and
Involvement in
State FFA Alumni
Association
Completed Alumni
Membership Roster
In order to charter a local alumni affiliate in the State and National FFA Alumni; the following must be submitted to the state: state and National dues, membership roster, copy of bylaws and application for local charter.
The above steps qualify the new affiliate to participate in any state or national activity. This includes using the tax exempt status for alumni business.

18. 4. Steps to chartering (continued)
In order to charter a local FFA Alumni affiliate, national dues for at least ten members must be paid.
Membership year runs from September 1 – August 31. Rosters and dues must be submitted to National FFA Alumni by May 15th to qualify for awards and delegates.

19. Benefits of joining The National FFA Alumni Association
4. Steps to chartering (continued)
Benefits of joining The National FFA Alumni Association
Provides $100,000 annually back to local affiliates in the form of rebates, WLC scholarships, college scholarships, Local chapter grants, and awards
Obtain tax exemption qualification for your local affiliate
Annual subscription to the National FFA Alumni’s newsletter, New Visions and for $2 the FFA New Horizons
Watch your $10 at work for the advocacy of Ag Education and FFA!
Enjoy the satisfaction of giving back to the organization that has impacted your life or the life of your family.

20. 5. Recruiting Members (Anyone who supports Ag education & FFA)

21. 6. Planning & Executing Activities
1. Make a list with teacher of things the department/FFA needs.
2. Find out who can do the work
3. Research and know all the legal or policy requirements and liabilities
4. Analyze Community Resources
5. Have organized committee groups
6. All people can not do all things, find their niche.
Execute
Plan
&
Research
Goal

22. 6. Planning & Executing Activities
Activity Ideas
Support the FFA Advisor
Sponsor a FFA member to attend
state leadership camp
Sponsor a college scholarship
Sponsor a FFA cookout
Help with transportation
Help train a team for competition
Serve on the Ag Dept. Advisory Board
Work with the FFA on a community
project
Provide equipment/assistance for chapter farm
Make the news media aware of FFA
Alumni and FFA activities
Work together with FFA members
on a safety project
Help FFA Members select livestock
for projects
Assist with local FFA Auction
Help set up field trips
Help students find Ag-related jobs
Help find sponsors for activities
Serve as an advocate for FFA/ Ag Education at your school board meetings.
Possibilities are endless!

23. NORTH CAROLINA FFA ALUMNI