The Nonprofit Membership Toolkit

by Robinson, Ellis M.M.; Klein, Kim

• ISBN13: 9780787965068
• ISBN10: 0787965065
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-07-10
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

Your Hands-On Membership Toolkit To be successful, social change organizations require support from both dedicated partners in the community and individuals who need organizations to speak and act for them. Smart organizations create a win-win situation by building membership programs that engage individuals in social change and assure long-term financial success for their organization. Successful membership programs provide individuals with valuable services, a place in a community, and advocates who work on their behalf. In return, members provide organizations with volunteers, expertise, credibility, future leadership, political clout, word-of-mouth support, financial assistance, and a team of readily available loyalists. Step by step, The Nonprofit Membership Toolkit shows how to create, manage, and sustain a dynamic membership program that will help a social change organization thrive. Written for both new and well-established organizations, this book is grounded in proven marketing techniques. It gives managers and executive directors the information and tools needed to understand their current members and attract new ones, and it walks organizations through the process of linking program goals with membership goals. The Nonprofit Membership Toolkit includes a wealth of illustrative examples and sample membership publications. Schedules for typical membership tasks keep organizations on track, and the easily reproducible worksheets and checklists and the companion Web site help readers design a program that can be adapted to meet the unique needs of their individual organization. The Nonprofit Membership Toolkit will help executive directors, development directors, staff andboard members, and other volunteers involve the community, build program effectiveness, and diversify and strengthen their organization' s funding base.

Author Biography

Ellis M. M. Robinson has more than twenty-five years of experience in membership development, fundraising, and nonprofit management, serving more than five hundred local, state, and national organizations. As president of The Buttonwood Partnership, Robinson conducts workshops and intensive training seminars nationwide on cultivating, retaining, and growing membership. Her clients have included Alaska Wilderness League, Island Institute, The Land Trust Alliance, Training Resources for the Environmental Community, Colorado Environmental Coalition, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Clean Wisconsin, and the Texas Bicycle Coalition.

Table of Contents

List of Worksheets and Exhibits	p. xi
Preface	p. xv
Acknowledgments	p. xxi
About the Author	p. xxiii
Integrating Membership into Your Organization	p. 1
Introduction: The Membership Partnership	p. 3
The Benefits of Membership	p. 15
Defining Membership in Your Organization	p. 29
Managing Your Membership Program	p. 49
Building a Renewal Program	p. 51
Inviting Member Action Through Special Appeals	p. 79
Creating Effective Member Publications	p. 101
Expanding Your Membership Base	p. 115
Recruiting New Members	p. 117
Converting In-House Prospects to Members	p. 133
Inviting Membership One-on-One	p. 149
Recruiting Members by Mail	p. 161
Electronic and Community Networking	p. 193
Strategic Planning for Future Growth	p. 209
Upgrading Your Members	p. 211
Creating Your Membership Plan	p. 219
Staying Legal	p. 243
Resources	p. 247
For More Information	p. 249
Recommended Protocol for Managing Membership Records and Finances	p. 257
Source Code Protocol for Members and Contributors	p. 263
Membership Activities Report Form and Tracking Patterns	p. 269
Copywriting Tips	p. 271
Organizational Contacts	p. 277
Index	p. 281
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.