Our local chapters and councils are the front line – and often the front door – when it comes to how new members join the organization, how active they become as volunteers and participants, and how much they support our work at all levels of the organization. While there are a host of resources to help you or your membership committee recruit new members, to engage existing members, and to develop active members into leaders, it’s important first to understand the many benefits of focusing on membership as a way to grow your ability to protect and restore your local streams.
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Benefits of Strong Membership Focus
When you make membership an important focus of your chapter or council strategic plan, and set goals and activities designed to bring in new members and activate and engage them, you set the stage for growth and taking advantage of many opportunities, including:
- Chapters receive a one-time $15 rebate for every new member they recruit – This can add up quickly with an active member recruitment effort using special online links described in the recruitment section.
- Councils receive $2.50 annually for every active, dues paid member in the state – As membership grows, so do the council coffers
- New members are twice as likely to volunteer as long-time, inactive members – The more members you recruit the more bodies you have to do the work
- Every hour a member volunteers is worth $24 in match – Growing volunteer hours can help you unlock grants and larger funding
- Three out of 10 members will step up to volunteer – Recruit 50 new members in a year and you’ll have 15 new volunteers to help out