Tag Archives: aauw

Maybe I’ll get my life back

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Hmm… I understand it’s hard to predict what the specific requirements will be for volunteers with AAUW after the new bylaws pass in June, 2009. But I really don’t think the application form that’s just been released will help populate whatever positions the new board and the staff will craft to support the new organization.

The information that’s requested:

  • which of this long list of skills do you have (and how do you rank yourself, expert to novice)
  • which of this long list of career fields have you worked in (and at what level, admin to exec)
  • your resume (with no prompts about how to make that particularly relevant to an AAUW recruiting team)

My guess is that at some point the folks who are responsible for AAUW tasks that could leverage volunteer efforts will decide

  • It’s not worth it. Let the board set policy and the staff implement it. The other volunteers can get on with their lives working on local issues (which is what 99% of them do anyway).
  • Folks will try to use the data collected in this form, realize it’s a losing battle and fall back on personal networks. Maybe I’ll be on someone’s radar screen. Maybe not.
  • Someone will come up with a form that will be helpful — as well as a sample list of tasks that will help match volunteers in a specific, time-limited, skills-appropriate way. Maybe I’ll see it and apply. Maybe not.

Full disclosure: I did see drafts of this form and, working with others, tried to improve it. The powers that be obviously disagreed with the direction of my suggestions, so if this works for other people, great.

Changes we made in forming a branch

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AAUW North Carolina has just formed the Tar Heel Branch, http://tarheel.aauwnc.org, a “branch without borders” that will serve the entire state using the Montana model .

Given this experience, I have a few comments on the process AAUW recommends for branch formation. Since this is something folks tend to do once in a lifetime, there’s not much opportunity for learning the process. So here’s my two cents, particularly for the benefit of those who are forming these new-style virtual branches. I have written the membership department and membership committee with some of these comments, but don’t have the sense that changing the documented process is high on anyone’s TODO list.

The short version of the recommended process (login to get the whole scoop – or let me know where this is posted on www.aauw.org) is

  • Phase I: A small group recruits 15 individuals eligible for membership, chooses a branch name, notifies any branches that will be affected by the new branch, and petitions the state for approval.
  • Phase II: The initial group decides whether it will use bylaws or working rules during its initial period, finalizes the appropriate document and sends it to the AAUW bylaws chair for approval. Recruiting continues and discussion/implementation of programming begins.
  • Phase III: The group elects branch officers (using guidance from the bylaws or working rules). Copies of the state approval from Phase I, the bylaws chair approval from Phase II, and the list of (at least 15) charter members and the branch officers are sent to AAUW. The AAUW executive committee reviews this information and issues a formal letter confirming the branch as a duly chartered organization. Recruiting, programming continue.
  • Phase IV: The branch receives the charter, applies to the IRS for an EIN, opens a bank account and starts collecting dues.

We saw two major problems with this process

  1. State approval is requested after the 15 charter members are identified. It should be possible to describe the concept of the branch (“evening branch” in a community where another branch already exists, virtual branch that might recruit from all the other branches’ areas) to the state board and get the state’s approval before recruiting is very far along. The recruiting message can be much stronger if the organizers can say they have the state organization’s support.
  2. Dues are not collected until phase IV. In the best of cases, this process can take 3-6 months. Nonmembers who become prospects early in the process should become AAUW members as early as possible.

Here is the process as we modified it for the AAUW Tar Heel (NC) Branch:

  • Phase I: An initial group comes up with the idea for a new branch. They contact the state mvp and president to discuss how the new branch would advance the AAUW mission. The state lets the other branches (especially those that would be directly affected) know that this group would like to form. The group petitions the state for approval in principle of the branch concept.
  • Phase II: The core group recruits a fiscal agent, decides the amount (if any) of local dues that will be collected during this phase, and starts recruiting members (who pay dues at the this time).* As the group grows, discussions of programming start (both to serve the current members and to provide opportunities for recruiting additional members). The state provides resources to orient the new members on AAUW priorities and programs.
  • Phase III: The threshold of 15 members is reached. A group works out the bylaws or working rules which will guide the branch during the first year (and gets them approved by the Association bylaws chair). The members approve the name of the branch, approve bylaws/working rules, elect officers, and approve the amount of local dues. This information is sent to the state for its approval, and then the petition for a charter is sent to AAUW.
  • Phase IV: Once the charter is approved, AAUW creates the branch in its database, connects the branch members and officers to the branch in the database, and sends formal approval to the branch. The branch applies to the IRS for an EIN and opens a bank account. The branch settles accounts with the fiscal agent. Recruiting continues (with checks now being written to the new branch), and the branch programs begin using the branch’s formal name.

Again, we did it this way during July – December 2008, using AAUW NC as the fiscal agent. It really adds two steps to the proces: state approval in principle (Phase I) and the use of a fiscal agent (phase II, III). It’s likely that this isn’t the best process — but we tried to comply with the current requirements while making sure that our prospects got AAUW and AAUW NC benefits as soon as possible.

We recommend this modified process to any other group starting a new branch. It requires some familiarity with the dues schedule (MALs converting to branch membership, half-year dues, branch members from this state and other states joining the new branch as dual members, c/u reps joining the branch, etc.). It was helpful that the person responsible for tracking new member data was a branch treasurer who could see information on members (e.g. expiration date for MALs) through the aauw.org Member Services Database. That meant that the when the list of charter members was submitted it could include the member id and expiration date of each charter members. A fiscal agent with branch treasurer access may be able to help the new branch with these details.

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*The branch doesn’t exist, so it can’t have a bank account, therefore it needs a “fiscal agent” to collect dues. We did it this way partly because the last branch that formed in North Carolina had a terrible time with dues collected but not promptly forwarded to AAUW. A couple of models for this:

  • The state is the fiscal agent. A new member writes a check to the state. Someone in the core group is responsible for filling out an at-large membership form and forwarding the form and the check to the state treasurer. The state treasurer forwards the form and a check for at-large membership dues to AAUW (keeping the state portion of the dues, and holding the local portion in the state account for the branch).
  • Another branch is the fiscal agent. A new member writes a check to this branch. Someone in the core group is responsible for filling out the branch membership form and forwarding the form and the check to the branch treasurer. The branch treasurer processes this as usual, except that the local portion of the dues is held for the new branch. The existing branch may or may not confer the benefits of branch membership, but the new member will get benefits from AAUW and the state

There will be expenses for the branch during Phase 2 and 3 — postage, printing, etc. It may be that the core group will be willing to cover these out of pocket — but if the branch chooses to collect local dues (or has other income — perhaps fundraising?) the fiscal agent may also be asked to reimburse expenses.

Process for forming a new branch

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Check with the AAUW Membership Department for the current version. This was current as of July 2008.

Thank you for your interest in forming a new branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW.) AAUW members belong to a community that breaks through educational and economic barriers so that all women have a affair chance.

This document is a guide through the branch formation process, and all forms as well as reference materials are attached to this guide for your convenience.  Throughout this process you will need numerous documents listed below, however, we will remind you through each phase of the process when to use which documents.

Branch Formation Required Document List

  • State Board Approval for Branch Organization
  • Branch Formation and Naming Policy 205
  • Model Branch Bylaws (Select Model Bylaws or Working Rules)
  • Working Rules for Organizing Branches (Select Model Bylaws or Working Rules)
  • Petition for Branch Recognition
  • Checklist for Recruiting New Members (reference)
  • Sample letter for recruiting individuals (reference)
  • Charter Member List/Branch Officer Form
  • New/Renewal Additional Dues Remittance (ADR)

Phase I:

Work with your AAUW state membership vice president (MVP), who can offer you a wealth of information on AAUW and who can help you form a branch organizing team, recruit members, and complete the necessary paperwork to form a new branch.

Recruit a core group of three to five individuals. Involve them in organizing your new branch by educating them about AAUW’s mission and current initiatives. After they are familiar with AAUW, have them recruit 10 more individuals. We have attached a checklist for recruiting new members reference document. The total number of individuals needed to start a branch is 15.

Complete the attached State Board Approval for Branch Organization Form. Be sure to include the proposed name of your potential branch. Also review the attached Branch Formation and Naming Policy 205. Send the form to the state MVP, referenced above. After the state board of directors votes to grant approval for your branch, the form is signed by the state president and MVP and sent to the Association.  Once the Association receives the form, you will receive notification to proceed.

Required Phase I Documents

  • State Board Approval for Branch Organization
  • Branch Formation and Naming Policy 205 (reference)
  • Checklist for Recruiting New Members (reference)
  • Sample letter for recruiting individuals (reference)

Phase II:

Form task forces for bylaws completion, membership marketing, and program development.  The next three steps highlight the objectives of each task force.

Decide if your branch will operate under bylaws or working rules for the first year.  If you choose to operate under bylaws, complete the model bylaws (fill-in-the-blanks).  If you choose to operate under working rules, a sample copy is also attached.  Notify the Association bylaws chair of your choice, submitting two copies of model bylaws or notice of plan to use working rules.

…

Identify potential members and begin recruiting. Make a special effort to recruit women and men who represent a cross-section of your community in terms of age, race, cultural  background, abilities, religion, sexual orientation, and occupation. (You must have at least 15 individuals eligible for membership to be recognized as a branch. To be eligible, an individual must have an associate’s or equivalent baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution. Should you have fewer than 15 eligible individuals, you can form a satellite of another branch. Later, once you have a stronger membership base, you can choose to become a branch).

Plan your programming by asking where members interests lie. Discuss the community’s needs. Be sure to plan a small project that will spur your group into community action.

Required Phase II Documents

  • Model Branch Bylaws (Select Model Bylaws or Working Rules)
  • Working Rules for Organizing Branches (Select Model Bylaws or Working Rules)
  • Checklist for Recruiting New Members (reference)
  • Sample letter for recruiting individuals (reference)

Phase III:

Select your group’s officers. Then complete the Charter Member/Branch Officer Form so your group receives important AAUW leadership publications and notices. (The officers you initially choose may be temporary. Once your group becomes larger, you may choose to elect new officers. Just be sure to notify AAUW of new officers so they will receive AAUW leadership mailings. You can use the Officer Change Form to notify AAUW of new officers.)

Send the Charter Member/Branch Officer’s form along with the Petition for Recognition documents to AAUW. Also send a copy of the these documents to your state president. The following forms, included in your branch formation materials, must be completed for your group to be recognized as an AAUW branch:

  • Petition for Branch Recognition
  • Charter Member List/Branch Officer Form

In addition to the forms mentioned above, the Membership Toolkit for your Branch Membership Vice President and a Finance Toolkit for your Branch Finance Officer, are available on the website for downloading.

Required Phase III Documents

  • Petition for Branch Recognition
  • Charter Member List/Branch Officer Form

Phase IV:

Congratulations you are in the home stretch! At its next meeting, the AAUW Board of Directors will vote to officially recognize your group as a new AAUW branch. Soon after, you’ll receive a recognition letter, certificate, and a $50 award grant.

After you receive approval from the AAUW board it will now be time to begin collecting dues from your new members. All dues for state should be submitted to the state using a copy of the NEW/Renewal Additional Dues Remittance Form. Then send the state finance officer a copy of the Charter Member/Branch Officer’s Form and state dues for each branch member.

If your branch is opening a bank account, before doing so, you will need an Employee Identification Number (EIN) and you will need to complete an IRS Form SS-4. We know that IRS can be a challenge, but if you follow the quick tips below and read the attached materials from IRS you should be fine.

When completing the IRS’s SS-4 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdf use these help tips:

  1. Begin with the application
  2. View additional materials, select continue
  3. Choose “other non-profit/tax exempt”, select continue
  4. Read and select continue
  5. Read and select continue
  6. Enter banking purposes
  7. Enter responsible party
  8. Select individual

We have embedded the necessary links below for your reference.

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00.html

http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq12-5.html

Required Phase IV Documents

  • New/Renewal Additional
    Dues Remittance (ADR) Forms (copy to send state with state dues and the original to AAUW with national dues)

Resources

As you grow your branch, you will find the AAUW website a great resource.  We have attached a key links in the AAUW Member Center that will help you grow your branch.

Membership Resources

http://www.aauw.org/member_center/resources/index.cfm?cs_LoginTime=171329

Membership Matters and Tips & Tactics the monthly MVP Highlights

http://www.aauw.org/member_center/resources/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=25990

Membership Campaigns

http://www.aauw.org/member_center/membership_growth/index.cfm

Membership Tool Kit

http://www.aauw.org/member_center/tools/MembershipToolkit/index.cfm

Member Services Database

https://svc.aauw.org/RECore/inc/Login.asp?member_id=AAUWSTF

Additional Dues Remittance (ADR) Forms

http://www.aauw.org/member_center/forms/additionaldues_newmembers.cfm

Continued contact with your state membership vice president will help your group move toward completion of all requirements.

Tech Toolkit — Progress?

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Once upon a time (1999 actually), AAUW published a set of toolkits — membership, president, leadership, etc. These were 8.5×11 guides that contained a wealth of information. In the almost ten years since, the idea has been extended and enhanced — the membership toolkit is updated each year, a public policy manual was recently published, the finance officers toolkit includes key information, and the entire series was augmented with the spring 2008 Leadership Development DVD. The current list includes:

Back when I served on the Association Program Development Committee 2001-2003, one of my goals was to plant the seeds for a Technology Toolkit — from the 2001 convention discussions (Tech-Savvy in the Branches special interest group, in particular) it was clear that AAUW could provide a member benefit by providing direction on what tech skills were key for members (and if not for all members for each branch to encourage some member to learn).

The problem’s enormous, of course.

This morning, I reconfigured wiki.bbvx.org to be a holding place for resources that I’ve been collecting along the way. I’m not sure why it took me so long to consider using the wiki to help outline the toolkit, but now that it’s done, I hope to gather my thoughts there — and to encourage others to contribute (at least to the list of topics that need to be covered).

Comments welcome!

My comments on the bylaws

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I happened to know that the Bylaws Committee would be getting a preliminary report with the submitted comments, so I made sure to get mine in early. You’ll find them here: Comments on 7.10.08 Proposed Bylaws

Enjoy. Let me know if you have comments.

Post your own comments: http://www.aauw.org/member_center/strategicProcess/

Participate in the AAUW WA discussion: http://aauw-bylaws.blogspot.com/