Community/Small Chapter Best Practices

Why Suddenly a Subject of Interest?

More chapters who were corporate chapters have become community chapters because of changes in contractors, changes in top management

Small businesses need to be as knowledgeable as the “big guys” they may be competing with

The federal government is looking to small businesses to provide services and materials

Comparisons between Small and Community Chapters Community

Generally not sponsored by a business

Smaller membership

Membership is made up of many businesses

Meet at public locations

Usually meet during the evenings

Usually purchase web site

Small May be

sponsored by a business

Smaller membeship

May be a city government or small business

May meet during business hrs

Web site may be sponsored by business

Pros and Cons of Small/ Community vs Corporate Chapters

Pros Not tied to

business – can gather members from anywhere

Can meet anywhere – such as restaurants

True networking Don’t have to do

everything – focus on one or two things you do well or want to do well

Cons No corporate

sponsorship to help with funding

No senior management to count on

No set place to meet and store materials

No set field of members

Can’t take dues from paychecks

Fewer members to hold offices and chairs

What is Your Goal?

Training for your members

Providing training for others

Community service

Speech Contest

Large membership to do many things

How Do You Decide What to Do With So Few People?

You may want to combine officers and chairs Secretary/Treasurer VP/Membership Chair Community Service Chair/Publicity

Use National to provide training through live online

Sell business membership to allow for less expensive training materials for their business

Meet with other Associations – Project Management, Administrative Professionals, Professional Engineering Groups

How can NMA Help?

On-Line Training

LDCs and National Conferences

Staff, National Officers, and National Directors

Councils – way to participate in more

Breaktime

Foundations of Management

Building Virtual Teams

Bring in a facilitator List three things that every member wants from

the chapter Multi-vote to trim down to no more than 6 items Every member gets 1 vote for the item that means

the most to them Take the top 2-3 items and have someone

volunteer to lead a team in discussion about one of the topics – do this for each of the 2-3 items chosen List what the target audience is, what the

benefits would be to them, what chapter resources will be required, what the benefits are to the chapter

What One Chapter Did

What One Chapter Did

Present the results and decide how to move forward – accept the items, change the items, delete the items

Form teams and go forward with the focus of the chapter

If membership grows, meet again to choose focus areas or take some of the other items from the larger lists

Think of this as a 2-year strategic plan – take time to do it right, plan to spend some money, don’t give up!

Any Ideas to Share?