A Season of Gratitude
Empowering Change - Stronger Together
GFWC OHIO
2024-2026
MEMBERSHIP
All Aboard the Membership Trolley
State Chairman
Jackie Lang
Junior Chairman
Eileen Frost
District Chairmen
Lake Erie District: Kristina Smith
Northeast District: Carrie Davis
Southeast District: Lisa Hedrick
Southwest District: Harriett Groh
Membership recruitment and retention are essential to the success of any organization. Members are the driving force to the long-term success and growth of an organization. To recruit and retain members, current members must ALWAYS be welcoming and FLUENT is all aspects of our organization.
This administration, we will trial a new concept: Membership Guides. A Membership Guide is like a travel guide. A Membership Guide will help members explore the unexplored advantages of belonging to GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs. Membership Guides will help members see the best version of our organization. They will help to make the experience of being a member more enjoyable and fulfilling by helping members explore what GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs has to offer.
A good guide will excite ladies to join and help ladies get the most out of their membership.
So, grab your membership passport and climb aboard the 2024-2026 Membership Trolley. It is time to get excited and increase our membership retention and recruitment. The Membership Trolley is on the move!
The fun awaits as we share the trip of a lifetime, a trip though the General Federation of Women’s’ Clubs/ Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs. The more you know, the more you will love your membership and the more you will want others to join.
OBJECTIVE: To develop and utilize Membership Guides to direct current and prospective members around areas of interest, and to give them information and insights that help them make the most of the membership.
PLAN OF ACTION: Develop characteristics of good guides in your club members. All club members are Membership Guides responsible for ensuring that our clubs are informative, engaging, and enjoyable. Club members will utilize Membership Guide Brochures developed by the GFWC Ohio State Membership Committee to share the history of GFWC and GFWC Ohio, GFWC Affiliates, advantages of membership, and special offerings of their clubs with each other and prospective members. Activities can be logged into club members’ individual passports and rewarded with a SMILE stamp in their passport. Passports with activities recorded may be turned in at Convention for a drawing for a membership prize. Members need not be present to win a Membership Prize.
RETAINING MEMBERS (Possibilities)
■ Assist members to become Membership Guides. Educate club members on GFWC, GFWC Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs, GFWC Affiliates, advantages of membership, and special offerings of your club, etc. All members should be fluent in the history of their organizations, opportunities, and benefits of joining the organization. The more current members know about their organization, the more comfortable they will feel in retaining their membership.
■ Conduct a Membership Orientation Program for new members and invite current members to join.
■ Regularly, remind and update your club members on all aspects of your club and the Federation.
■ Strengthen your core base of members. Find ways to engage members and use their talents.
■ Be flexible and efficient with your members’ time. DO NOT WASTE THEIR TIME.
■ Schedule social opportunities outside of club meetings.
■ Invite members to start common interest groups or activities.
■ Show appreciation to ALL members. Establish awards such as a Sunshine Award for a positive member, Good Neighbor Award for a welcoming member at meetings, or a Duct Tape Award for a member who fixed something for the club.
■ Recognize years of membership.
■ Celebrate club anniversaries.
RECRUITING MEMBERS (Possibilities)
■ Create a Membership Recruitment Team to coordinate activities and to evaluate both the positive and negative impact of activities. Just because something worked years ago does not mean it will work today. Be willing to discard unsuccessful activities. Be open to new suggestions and activities.
■ Hold a Recruiting Event to attract and excite potential prospective members.
■ Bring GFWC, GFWC Ohio and club promotional materials to all projects and programs.
■ Promote membership by wearing GFWC, GFWC Ohio and club apparel, pins, and buttons to all events, projects and programs.
■ Bring a friend to a club meeting, program, or event.
RESOURCES
GFWC Ohio Direct Member Application
GFWC Ohio Club Membership Application
Club Anniversary Order Form
https://gfwc.users.membersuite.com/auth/portal-login
https://www.gfwc.org/membership/gfwc-resources/club-manual/
https://www.gfwc.org/united-by-our-diversity-how-to-recruit-new-gfwc-members/
https://www.gfwc.org/membership/membership-benefit-programs/
https://www.gfwc.org/membership/membership-discounts/
https://www.gfwc.org/what-we-do/affiliateorgs/
https://www.gfwc.org/what-we-do/public-policy/
https://www.gfwc.org/what-we-do/community-service-programs/
https://www.gfwc.org/what-we-do/success-survivors/
https://www.gfwc.org/what-we-do/whrc/
https://www.gfwc.org/news-publications/news-notes/
https://www.gfwc.org/news-publications/clubwoman-magazine/