New pilot programs support member diversity

By Arnold R. Grahl
Rotary International News -- 15 March 2011

The Innovative and Flexible Rotary Club Pilot Program is focused on encouraging Rotary clubs to be fun, dynamic, diverse, interested in trying new things, and relationship rich. It is one of four new pilot programs approved by the RI Board in November. Photo by Janey Ball/Rotary Club of Newlands, South Africa

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Rotary clubs interested in taking part in one of four new pilot programs approved recently by the RI Board can now download an application form and related fact sheets. Clubs have until 15 April to submit applications to Rotary International to be considered for a pilot.

The three-year pilots -- satellite club, associate member, corporate member, and innovative and flexible Rotary club -- will allow participating Rotary clubs to experiment with flexible membership requirements and club operations beginning 1 July.

Each one is designed to improve recruitment and retention, allow for flexibility in club operations and structures, and provide Rotary clubs with an opportunity to explore new and innovative ways to promote member diversity -- all goals of the RI Strategic Plan. Other potential benefits include improved leadership, engagement, and participation among members and increased support of The Rotary Foundation.

The pilots will allow RI to collect data and analyze results from the participating clubs to evaluate the effectiveness of each change.

Read more about the 2011-14 pilots, and download related fact sheets and an application. Information and applications are also being sent to each club this month. Up to 200 clubs will be selected for each pilot. Rotary clubs must have been chartered before 30 June 2009 to be considered.

Satellite Club

The Satellite Club Pilot Program will assess the impact of allowing a Rotary club to conduct multiple club meetings during a week, each taking place at a different location, on a different day, or at a different time.

Rotarians in the satellite club would belong to a host club but would meet at their own time and location and could have their own projects. This structure may be helpful in areas with many rural communities as well as in large metropolitan areas. The pilot could give a small, weak, or struggling club the opportunity to become connected to a larger, active, and vibrant club in a nearby area and receive ongoing support.

Associate Member

The Associate Member Pilot Program gives clubs a tool for teaching prospective members about the club and the expectations of membership before they join. Clubs would determine the length of time a person could remain an associate member before becoming an active member.

The pilot is aimed at potential members who may be uncertain of the commitment involved with membership. It will provide them with an opportunity to get acquainted with a club's members, programs, and projects, thereby increasing retention.

Corporate Member

The Corporate Member Pilot Program will allow a corporation or company in a club's area to become a member of the Rotary club and appoint up to four people to serve as club members. These corporate members will attend club meetings, participate in projects, and vote on club matters, and are eligible to serve as club officers and committee members. One of the designees must be a member of the corporation's senior executive group, but the others could hold any full-time managerial role.

Only one of the designees would need to attend club meetings at a time, yet each would be considered an official member of the club and would be required to pay RI and annual club dues, as determined by the club.

Innovative and Flexible Rotary Club

Under the Innovative and Flexible Rotary Club Pilot Program, clubs will be allowed to change one element of its format or structure as an experiment. For example, a club might offer family memberships or conduct a blend of online and in-person meetings. The change should not duplicate another pilot, however.

The pilot is focused on encouraging Rotary clubs to be fun, dynamic, diverse, resilient, tolerant, interested in trying new things, member driven, inspirational, and relationship rich.

Contact ripilotprograms@rotary.org with any questions about the pilot.

33 Comments:

At 11:43AM on 28 November 2011, Sk. Abdul Hadi, R C Khulna North, D-3280 wrote: Very interesting. We will look forward to be a part of it. But sorry it is closed now.

At 10:36AM on 14 June 2011, Gurudutt N.K. wrote: Our club of Dombivli (E), Mumbai, India is fortunate to have got selected for Rotary Pilot program of "Associate Member". We will do our best!

At 12:07PM on 23 May 2011, Rtn S J HARIKUMAR wrote: In India atlest one Health center in Two wards to avoid Helth Problam

At 2:46PM on 12 May 2011, Betsy Nordstrom wrote: I applaud the effort. Have you considered what to do with the clubs that would like to explore these avenues after the pilot has begun, but within the 3 year trial? Are they to wait and possibly go down waiting for RI to sanction a new effort?

At 10:11AM on 18 April 2011, Mark Zober wrote: The Membership Pilot Program has alrestimulated great interest in our Club. The Jerusalem Rotary Club, located in the capital city of Israel, has many corporations that have not been approach for membership. We look forward to working with other Clubs and Rotary Staff to implement an innovative Corporate Membership Drive that can be replicated by other clubs around the world.

At 8:35AM on 14 April 2011, Ed Jackson wrote: Over 90% of our club members agreed to this. We are already stronger. May the most that we wish for be the least that we get!

At 10:01AM on 4 April 2011, K. M. Aarif wrote: The changes brought in by Rotary International is the need of the hour. The four Pilot Programmes will prove very beneficial. A changing Government or Organization is a sign of progress. Stagnation is death. Long live Rotary. PE ( 2011/2012 ) , Rotary Club of Lonavla ( Maharashtra, India )

At 9:50AM on 4 April 2011, Ron Seeto Newmarket D.9920 wrote: My "Newmarket" club is seizing this opportunity......refreshing Winds of Change are blowing through our policies and procedures ...whilst our core value of doing good in the world remains a rock in these fast changing times.....EXCITING

At 9:20AM on 31 March 2011, Poosha D V R wrote: Very interesting. We look forward to be a part of one of the pilots.

At 8:12AM on 22 March 2011, Dr. Diana Watkins wrote: We are struggling with the fact that we have to decide before our district assembly and don't really have enough info. Is the deadline set in stone?

At 12:24PM on 21 March 2011, Dr.Prakash Garud wrote: Our main problem remains-The retension! We,in Rotary,like other organisations,should start LIFE MEMBERSHIP. ,by paying 10 times the annual fee.The RI dues and club expenses will be drawn from the interest of this amount.It will solve the problem of RETENSION,and membership will increase.-Dr.Prakash Garud,District Secretary,(Admin) RID3132.

At 9:42AM on 17 March 2011, Rtn.Dr.B.Rameshkumar wrote: A novel innovative approach for membership development.Definitely our club(Pondicherry,India) will participate in the programme.

At 12:10PM on 17 January 2011, CP Martin Brands, Thailand wrote: These are all good initiatives! Our membership is struggling in major parts of the world as a result of our restrictive rules that are not in tune with the demand of our times - already for more than a generation. What I still find lacking is any link to the around 500,000 members of Interact & Rotaract - they are the future of Rotary! Also, even though these pilots were (again) asked for at the recent Council on Legislation, where is the active involvement of our 34,000 Clubs? They are the only members of RI. The Rotary System fully ignores this very basic fact. RI Directors, TRF Trustees, RI/TRF Staff, Zone officials, DGs & PDGs are supportive institutions by definition. Nothing else, although they see this differently and have assigned substantial powers to themselves over the course of many years without any meaningful consultation of & approval by RI members. As a first step, all these institutions (& annual reports, etc) should be made accountable to Rotary Clubs for all their actions. It must be bottom-up, not top-down!

At 11:22AM on 17 January 2011, Fred Mandryk wrote: There certainly is a lot to be gained through this pilot. Give it a go!

At 11:20AM on 17 January 2011, Ray Jackson wrote: Whilst I applaud the move to making Rotary more accessible I do find the requirement that a corporate member must have a senior executive as a member and all other members must be of managerial status. What blatant discrimination this is. I thought Rotary was all about the person and what they could contribute to Rotary and not what position they hold in a company. Wake up Rotary and allow any person in a company to join who will make a good Rotarian. Stop being elitist and pompous. Ray Jackson, Crowborough Rotary Club (UK)

At 9:42AM on 17 January 2011, Ed King wrote: Jim, The other side of your coin is that the individual could well become enthused by what he/she experiences and elects to become a member in his/her own right whether remaining with the corporate or not. Ther are a lot of folk in corporate structures we are just not reaching.

At 5:05PM on 14 January 2011, Jim Bennett wrote: My concern about Corporate memberships is the potential for lack of enthusiasm. One will be a member of a particular club simply because his/her boss said so. In my work with non profits, I've seen board members who are junior partners or an up and coming employee who sat on a non profit board and simply wasn't engaged in the organization. What happens if the person leaves the corporation?

At 2:51PM on 12 January 2011, Joseph Cronin wrote: I think this waters down the Rotary brand. Geez-o-moin, it's an hour a week plus a few dollars for dues.

At 2:52PM on 12 January 2011, Emmanuel Ogenyi wrote: Rotary a noble club ,service to humanity above self,these initiative will go a long way to involve the world.Rotary is good.

At 2:55PM on 12 January 2011, Nurun Nessa Begum wrote: The Associate Member Pilot Program is very important for membership retention. If membership sustain total number of 1.2m Rotarian would increase. Hope for the best..

At 9:52AM on 11 January 2011, PDG. Dr.P.Narayana wrote: Exciting prospects for growth of Rotary. These new prospects should excite those who are in the IT world.

At 11:28AM on 3 January 2011, Marlene Herman wrote: In our ever changing world, we need to be creative and innovative with forward thinking. I applaud the changes or the opportunity to create more relationships. While less structured, it affords us more flexibility to expand our membership while maintaining our values. Change is the only constant.

At 9:38AM on 3 January 2011, Alex van der Sluys wrote: Indeed good news especially for clubs and potential members in Southern Africa where the establishment of racially diverse clubs have been a problem for many years!!! District 9350 will have to make use of this opportunity!!

At 10:13AM on 27 December 2010, Levi Abongo from RC Lira Uganda wrote: This is exactly what has been a dream to so many rotarians for ages. Rotary clubs will now attain new dimensions of membership growth.

At 10:02AM on 27 December 2010, Richard Jacobs wrote: Asa District Membership etc Chairman I have had several issues this year many of which I can see will be helped with these initiatives. The board are to be congratulated for their ability to embrace change. Well done.

At 9:20AM on 20 December 2010, Emmanuel Ogenyi wrote: Wonderful initiative wish to follow.

At 9:04AM on 20 December 2010, UMAPRASAD DATTA wrote: Such flexibility should encourage persons with mind to serve community to come closer to Rotary, because of flexibility. Such changes are most welcome

At 9:02AM on 20 December 2010, Gerald Sieberhagen wrote: These are excellent pilots and certainly proves that Rotary is moving into Bigger Better Bolder territory - exciting times indeed

At 9:01AM on 20 December 2010, Gerry Noel wrote: I agree with Janey - exciting initiative - especially for me, the corporate member and the innovative and flexible club.

At 9:01AM on 20 December 2010, Graeme Hooper wrote: Exciting concepts, hope our club takes up the challenge

At 9:00AM on 20 December 2010, Ayoub Ayoub wrote: We are struggloing with the 1.2 million Rotarians around the world. These new initiatives will surely help: keep our Rotarians in clubs and enthuse others to join, But the real challenge is: Rotary in China.

At 12:35PM on 17 December 2010, CP CHEW Ban Seng, Rotary E-Club of 3310 wrote: The concept of "Associate Member" was first mooted by Rotary E-Club of 3310 under its prototype Constitution (Article VI Section 7Membership) as approved by RI back in 2004. Now, it has been adopted by RI under its new 3-year trial period... http://www.rotaryeclub3310.net/about/e-club-3310-constitution/ Now, we would like to explore the new pilot program "Corporate Member" category... :-)

At 12:36PM on 17 December 2010, Janey Ball wrote: What an exciting initiative..... do hope it receives the response it certainly deserves.

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