Suggestions from Leaders

These suggestions came from leaders who attended the AAUW Arizona Spring Conference 2016 

Presidents

  1. Have a mission based plan, publish and delegate
  2. Plan retreat for board members
  3. Plan neighborhood meetings – perhaps by zip code
  4. Include plans for recognition, rewards and awards with creative ideas to say thank you
  5. Resource: Plant Seeds of Leadership: aauw.org/resource/conference-of-state-presidents

Programs

  1. Handout/publish the program calendar for the year
  2. Network/cross fertilize with other branches, across regions
  3. Encourage diversity via new cultural experience/events, i.e. dances from different groups;  Ethnic and regional foods, Literature
  4. Share programs and contacts – though Google.doc – Program “bank”
  5. More action – such a one branch actually set up a STEM science fair in which members progressed from table to table doing the science
  6. Tech Trek and Tech Savvy

Treasurers

  1. State provide quicken template to assist non-accounting treasurer
  2. State provide good mentoring
  3. Match presidents’ timeline of duties to treasurers’ duties at both the branch and state levels.
  4. LUNAFEST for fund raising and to lift the AAUW profile.
    (LUNAFEST   www.lunafest.org/ LUNAFEST is a national traveling festival of short films by, for, and about women. LUNAFEST runs from October to March in 100 + venues nationwide)
  5. Create a member only section on state website to post state financial reports (decreases copying costs) and make report accessible to the entire membership in the interest of  transparency
  6. Video or teleconference for Treasurers (SKYPE) during the year

Public Policy

  1. Encourage/campaign members to join National’s Washington Legislative Update and to use the tool to make your voice heard
  2. Offer free workshops, i.e. “How to Plan a Public Forum”; how to access and to use the information available on National’s website and how to develop and use the coalition   process with groups such as the League of Women Voters and the National Organization for Women
  3. Offer to do voter registration on campus
  4. Lead a tabling event to disseminate AAUW information
  5. Push for members to share the “2015-2017 Public Policy Program”
  6. Pull out public policy “nuggets” and include in your public policy column of branch newsletter – focus on advocacy and controversy, and education minus the adversarial
  7. Have a public policy interest group that meets monthly – may combine with community action group
  8. Focus on civil discourse.
  9.  Letter writing campaigns (Lisa Maatz calls these the letter whores.

Grants and Special Projects

  1. Group now understand the difference between grants and special projects
  2. Use the state monies that are available for projects.
    (Forms to apply for these funds are on the AAUW of Arizona website)

Membership

  1. Put membership #s on Branch website in the member only section, on the roster or directory.
  2. Reward members who recruit.
  3. Try new things and ways of doing things!!
  4. What is your elevator speech about what is AAUW.
  5. Greeters for guests especially to welcome and introduce newbie to others.
  6. “Interesting” Interest Groups – these draw members;  pen House with Interest groups, chairs and mission – open to the public.
  7. Survey members to find out what they like and who has special interests/talents.
  8. Contact/invite other groups from the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, for example – asking if you can speak briefly.
  9. Give a Grad a Gift memberships.  
  10. On member only part of website, post board minutes, annual reports, financial statement and branch budge for the year.
  11. Meeting for interested members during the summer to develop programs and activities.
  12. Have each member invite a guest who may become a members and offer reduced member rate if the guest joins at a general meeting.

STEM

  1. Fun, Run = young, new, interested members
  2. Give a Grad a Gift memberships to STEM graduated
  3. STEM Initiative Needs on Website  
  4. STEM Resources on Website

Publicity/Public Relations/Marketing

  1. Advertising in Media, Face Book, Newspapers, Area Agency on Aging
  2. Think Marketing – not just public relations
  3. Use social media for fundraisers and program
    One Branch uses 5 different social media sites)
  4. Refrigerator magnets with programs listed
  5. Printed programs
  6. College and University publications
  7. Plan, strategize publicity for fund raisers such as Lunafest.
  8. Partner with another local non-profit to share publicity

College and University Partnerships

  1.  Names a C/U chair!! Thus allowing opportunities to bring AAUW programs to students – future students