In League

A Guide to Managing Local Leagues

• Complete In-League Document

THE PRESIDENT AND THE BOARD

• The President and the Job
• Co-Presidents/Steering Committee
• Checklist for Local Leagues
• Sample Board Meeting Agenda
• Planning for Your Annual Meeting
• Helpful Hints for Secretaries
• Guide for Board Orientation
• Best Practices-Suggested Guidelines for Local Leagues
• Local League Requirements and Standards

POLTICAL YET NONPARTISAN

• Nonpartisan Political Policy and Local League Boards
• Nonpartisan Political Policy for Members of the Board of the LWVNYS
• Sample Nonpartisan Policy Statement for Local Leagues
• Some Random Thoughts on Nonpartisanship

BYLAWS: HOW THE LEAGUE GOVERNS ITSELF

• Revising League Bylaws

NOMINATING LEAGUE LEADERS

• Nominating League Leaders

MEMBERSHIP RESOURCES

LL Membership Director Job Description & Duties

• Job Description
• Developing a Membership Plan
• Attracting Prospective Members
• Welcoming New Members
• Retaining Members
• Non-Renewals—Don’t Give Up

Starting a New League

• Welcome to the LWV: How to Start a New Chapter [How to form a Member-At-Large (MAL) Unit]
• Keeping Membership Statistics [General Guidelines for Reporting to National]

Recruiting Suggestions

• Summary from Consulting Firm on Member Recruitment Initiative [MRI]
• Tips for Successful SOARing Together Campaign
• “Hot Topics” Lunch [Example of LWVUS Membership Moments]
• Attract the Community: Choose Issues with Legs [Excerpts from Diversity Toolkit]
• Choosing an “Issues with Legs” Worksheet
• Developing and Implementing a Diversity Policy [Incorporate Diversity into Membership Plan] and Sample Diversity Policy
• Your Elevator Speech [Guidance in “The Ask”]
• Preparing to Communicate—A Three Step Process
• 100 Great Ideas for Member Recruitment [Ideas for Planning]

Board Responsibilities Related to Membership

• Use Your Bulletin [For Membership Recruitment & Retention]
• Membership & Visibility Opportunities During Election Season
• How to Make Changes to the LWVUS Roster
• ILO/MAL Policy [Assistance from State League to ILO’s supervising MAL’s]

Suggested Letter Formats

• Sample: Invitation to Join Letter
• Sample: Welcome New Member Letter
• Sample: Dues Renewal Letter

Suggested Member Survey Formats

• Sample Telephone Survey
• Sample Membership Information Form

Brochures Available

• Welcome to the League [For New/Prospective Members–updated July 2009]
• Saratoga Membership Brochure [Sample Brochure]
• Gloves are Off…[LWVNYS Membership Brochure Available to LL]

PowerPoint Presentations on Leadership Performance

• Delegation (8/1/08) [How to share the work]
• League Leader Syndrome (8/1/08) [How to pass on the baton]
• Membership Orientation Presentation (1/14/08) [Welcome New Members]

RAISING AND MANAGING MONEY

• Tips for Treasurers
• Sample: Expense Voucher for Board & Committee Members
• Membership Dues
• PMP
• Use of Tax Deductible Contributions to Pay for PMP
• IRS E-Postcard-990-N
• NYS Charities Bureau Registration
• Acknowledgement of Donations
• Calendar for Treasurers
• Annual Audit
• Liability Coverage for Local Leagues
• Local League Use of Tax Deductible Funds
• Sample: Proposed Budget
• Policies on PMP and Arrears
• Budgeting for Growth – The Committee at Work

COMMUNICATION/ PUBLICATIONS

• Promoting the League
• How to Edit a League Bulletin
• Putting Publications to Work
• Criteria for Evaluating Proposed Publications
• Sample Publication Proposal
• Publications – Policy for Statewide Distribution or Scope

PROGRAM: STUDY AND ACTION

• Directing a League Study
• Consensus
• Concurrence
• State Consensus/Concurrence Guidelines & Policies
• Tips for Discussion Leaders
• Directing League Program
• Directing League Action on Issues
• Guidelines for Joining Coalitions
• Lobbying for Other Levels of the League
• Maneuvering Around the Capitol
• League Position and the Individual Member
• Action Calendar
• Speaking With One Voice: Action Guidelines for Local Leagues
• Financial Disclosure Requirements for Action on Ballot Issues
• Procedures and Guidelines for State and Local League Participation in Legal Action
• Observers: The Eyes and Ears of the League
• Program Study Action

VOTER SERVICE

• Voter Service/Job Description
• Guidelines for Candidate Participation in Debates & Forums
• Formats for Candidate Debates
• Debate Co-Sponsor Guidelines
• Debates Policies/Formats/Guidelines
• Guidelines for Conducting Community Election
• Fair Campaign Pledge
• Guidelines for Publishing Voters Guide