IN LEAGUE IN NEW YORK STATE A Guide to Managing Local Leagues League of Women Voters of New York State 62 Grand Street, Albany, NY 12207 Telephone: 518-465-4162 Fax: 518-465-0812 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.lwvny.org In League in NYS A Guide to Managing Local Leagues Table of Contents 1 THE PRESIDENT AND THE BOARD The President and the Job ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Co-Presidents/Steering Committee ..................................................................................................................... 10 Checklist for Local Leagues .................................................................................................................................. 12 Sample Board Meeting Agenda ............................................................................................................................ 13 Planning for Your Annual Meeting ...................................................................................................................... 14 Helpful Hints for Secretaries ................................................................................................................................ 19 Guide for Board Orientation ................................................................................................................................ 23 Best Practices--Suggested Guidelines for Local Leagues .................................................................................. 25 Local League Requirements and Standards ........................................................................................................ 29 2 POLTICAL YET NONPARTISAN Nonpartisan Political Policy and Local League Boards .................................................................................... 31 Nonpartisan Political Policy for Members of the Board of the League of Women Voters of NYS ......... 33 Sample Nonpartisan Policy Statement for Local Leagues ................................................................................ 34 Some Random Thoughts on Nonpartisanship ................................................................................................... 35 3 BYLAWS: HOW THE LEAGUE GOVERNS ITSELF Revising League Bylaws ......................................................................................................................................... 37 4 NOMINATING LEAGUE LEADERS Nominating League Leaders ................................................................................................................................. 39 5 MEMBERSHIP RESOURCES LL Membership Director Job Description & Duties Job Description ................................................................................................................................................ 43 Developing a Membership Plan .................................................................................................................... 44 Attracting Prospective Members ................................................................................................................... 44 Welcoming New Members ............................................................................................................................. 45 Retaining Members .......................................................................................................................................... 46 Non-Renewals---Don’t Give Up ................................................................................................................... 47 Starting a New League Welcome to the LWV: How to Start a New Chapter [How to form a Member-At-Large (MAL) Unit] ... 49 Supporting Documents: ILO/MAL Policy (see page 90) Welcome to the League brochure [handouts for all members] (see page 100) Instructions for applying for EIN # (see page 54) Sample Nonpartisan Policy [for Organizing Team] (see page 34) Sample Use of Calendaring: Planning for & Execution of Member Recruitment (see page 55) Sample Event Planning Check List (see page 58) Quarterly Report Form [for Coordinator/Team Leader] (see page 59) Use Your Bulletin for Membership Recruitment/Retention (see page 84) Instructions for filing Form 990N with the IRS [for Treasurer] (see page 109) LWVUS Local League Recognition [Application to Request a Move from MAL Unit status to Local League status] (see page 60) Keeping Membership Statistics [General Guidelines for Reporting to National] ............................................. 63 In League in NYS A Guide to Managing Local Leagues Recruiting Suggestions Summary from Consulting Firm on Member Recruitment Initiative [MRI] .......................................... 66 Tips for Successful SOARing Together Campaign .................................................................................... 69 “Hot Topics” Lunch [Example of LWVUS Membership Moments] .............................................................. 72 Attract the Community: Choose Issues with Legs [Excerpts from Diversity Toolkit] ................................. 74 Choosing an “Issues with Legs” Worksheet ................................................................................................ 76 Developing and Implementing a Diversity Policy [Incorporate Diversity into Membership Plan] ................ 77 Sample Diversity Policy .................................................................................................................................. 77 Your Elevator Speech [Guidance in “The Ask”] ............................................................................................ 78 Preparing to Communicate—A Three Step Process .................................................................................. 79 100 Great Ideas for Member Recruitment [Ideas for Planning] ................................................................... 80 Board Responsibilities Related to Membership Use Your Bulletin [For Membership Recruitment & Retention] ....................................................................... 84 Membership & Visibility Opportunities During Election Season ............................................................ 86 How to Make Changes to the LWVUS Roster ........................................................................................... 89 ILO/MAL Policy [Assistance from State League to ILO’s supervising MAL’s] ............................................... 90 Suggested Letter Formats Sample: Invitation to Join Letter .................................................................................................................. 92 Sample: Welcome New Member Letter ....................................................................................................... 93 Sample: Dues Renewal Letter ........................................................................................................................ 94 Suggested Member Survey Formats Sample Telephone Survey ............................................................................................................................... 96 Sample Membership Information Form ...................................................................................................... 98 Brochures Available Welcome to the League [For New/Prospective Members--updated July 2009] .............................................. 100 Saratoga Membership Brochure [Sample Brochure] ..................................................................................... 103 Gloves are Off…[LWVNYS Membership Brochure Available to LL] ................................................. 103 PowerPoint Presentations on Leadership Performance Delegation (8/1/08) [How to share the work] .......................................................................................... 103 League Leader Syndrome (8/1/08) [How to pass on the baton] ........................................................... 103 Membership Orientation Presentation (1/14/08) [Welcome New Members] ..................................... 103 6 RAISING AND MANAGING MONEY Tips for Treasurers/Job Description ................................................................................................................. 105 Sample: Expense Voucher for Board & Committee Members .................................................................... 106 Membership Dues ................................................................................................................................................ 107 PMP ........................................................................................................................................................................ 107 Use of Tax Deductible Contributions to Pay for PMP................................................................................... 107 IRS E-Postcard-990-N ......................................................................................................................................... 108 NYS Charities Bureau Registration .................................................................................................................... 111 Acknowledgement of Donations ....................................................................................................................... 112 Calendar for Treasurers ....................................................................................................................................... 113 Annual