A Membership Challenge

(formerly Membership Challenge)

Results of January 1 to July 1 2008 "Chapter Recruitment & Retention Rewards Contest" - Click HERE

Arkansas Federation Past President Ron Moore has been working on a program he has titled "Membership Challenge" (now called "Chapter Recruitment and Retention Awards"). Ron presented his plan to the 2007 Convention in Fort Smith and subsequently made a presentation at the October 26, 2007 Executive Board meeting. Ron's plan was then presented to the NARFE National Executive Board (NEB) for their consideration. Ron's remarks on the reason for his plan follow in the next paragraph. The remainder of the page announces the action that the NARFE NEB has taken on his proposal.

The program effort would galvanize the rank and file of NARFE to grow our membership back to 450 – 500 thousand members. The proposal was that the national office initiate a "Membership Challenge" to our federations and chapters and make this effort a number one priority for the current year. The last several years NARFE has experienced a slow…but steady downward spiral of our membership. We are all concerned that membership totals have dropped to approximately 330 thousand members.

STATUS UPDATE -- "GOOD NEWS"

The proposal was submitted to the National Executive Board at their meeting held on November 14-16, 2007 (14th exact date). The draft proposal was approved unanimously with some changes as reflected below in the areas of adding a "Retention" category and adding "cash amounts" to the prize categories.

The approved "Initiative Test" is shown below with a start date of Jan. 1, 2008 and will end July 1, 2008 (See results through link at beginning of this page.)

Chapter Recruiting & Retention Initiative Test. In the last few years Chapter recruiting & retention has declined. Historically, approximately 30% of new recruits have come from individual/chapter efforts – this has fallen to 20%. To stimulate more chapter participation we are planning to initiate a program that will encourage a healthy dose of competition among chapters to stimulate NARFE’s overall recruitment & retention numbers. We want to set up an annual award program for chapters to compete in the following categories.

1. Recruitment:

a. Category 1. Chapters with the highest number of new recruits (Gross numbers) measured during the test period.

b. Category 2. Chapters with the most improved recruitment rate (Percentage increase) measured during the test period. .

2. Retention:

a. Category 1. Chapters with the greatest gross member gain measured during the test period.

b. Category 2. Chapters with the highest percentage increase in membership measured during the test period.

Nationwide winners (1^st, 2^nd, 3^{rd places}) in these categories will be presented with cash prizes (1^st - $500, 2^nd - $300, 3^rd - $200) and given special recognition at the biennial NARFE National Convention. Test program would start January 1, 2008 and end July 1. (Cost: $4,000)

See Results of January - July period at the top of this page.

Comments or questions should be addressed to Ron Moore, e-mail: remo88@juno.com.

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