HOW TO….

Recruit & Retain Members/Volunteers – Build an Organization

Cal State San Marcos SRL—Recruiting Members
“Your current members may seem to be too busy to go out and recruit new members. At other times it may seem that people just aren’t interested in joining your organization. And finally, people who come to one meeting often won’t return. This handout offers some ideas for making your next recruitment drive a successful one.”

Community Organizer’s Toolbox—Building an Organization
Includes in formation on meeting skills, planning and strategy, and conflict management.

Community Organizer’s Toolbox—Recruiting Members and Keeping Them Active
A complete guide to recruiting members, keeping them active, setting up a membership system, developing a recruitment strategy and planning.

Energize, Inc.—Volunteer Recruitment
Good resource for articles, books, and ideas on how to improve your volunteer recruitment skills.

Energize, Inc.—Get Off the Throne: How To Handle Power-Hungry Leaders
“What do you do when one of your group's leaders thinks he's a king, refuses to listen to suggestions, and isn't willing to get his hands dirty with menial tasks? As you stand with mouth agape, he takes credit for everything that goes right, blames you for everything that goes wrong, yet has little to do with the actual work that makes your projects or events run smoothly. You probably feel like strangling him — or worse.”

Energize, Inc. - How to hit your Members’ hot buttons
“Every time you ask your members for a chunk of their time, whether to do committee work or to attend a meeting, a sale takes place.” Read more to find out how to sell your ideas so other students will respond.

Feminist Leaders Institute - Building a Strong Membership: Recruitment

Lion’s Club - Recruiting New Members
This list of recruitment ideas is tailored to new Lion’s Clubs, although there are some really inventive and creative ideas for member recruitment.

Recruiting and Keeping Volunteers
Really useful tips for students on how to recruit, motivate, and maintain volunteers on campus. (From the FIU Volunteer Action Center)

Recruiting for Controversial Subject Areas
(From the National CASA Association)

Service Leader - Recruiting Volunteers
Service Leader provides a complete list of links for all types of volunteer recruitment and management.

Service Leader - Retaining Volunteers
Find here a complete list of links for maintaining volunteers, keeping them motivated and active, and supporting your volunteers’ work.