Recruiting Members and Volunteers

New members and volunteers bring new ideas and extra hands to help and support your organization. Recruiting new members can be a challenge, but developing an approach to recruit them can make this task less stressful.

Recruitment ideas

• Have board members bring a neighbor to a meeting.
• Send personal letters inviting new neighbors to a meeting or event.
• Post fliers at grocery stores, schools, businesses, libraries, etc., in your neighborhood.
• Designate a member to attend parent club meetings at neighborhood schools.
• Develop a recruitment brochure.
• Use the newsletter to promote and recruit.
• Consider presenting special awards for a business or neighbor's beautification efforts.
• Promote the group with advertising: T-shirts, bumper stickers, buttons, open houses, tours, parties, etc.

Encourage participation

When people show up to a meeting/event for the first time, welcome them.

• Listen to them and find out what they are interested in.
• If they're interested in being more involved, give them something to work on.
• You need to convince people they will get something in return for their time and effort.
• Be respectful of the person's time and commitment-level; never guilt-trip.
• Recognize volunteers' hard work and dedication.

Most of all, be patient. Participation and commitment grows steadily, but often slowly.