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‘3 INGREDIENTS TO KEEP MEMBERS HAPPY’

From Rotary Voices, posted on December 18, 2020
Article by 7620 PDG Barton Goldenberg, member of the Metro Bethesda Rotary Club, Maryland, USA

Members of the Metro Bethesda Rotary Club enjoy a service project.

I had the pleasure to be invited recently to an online Rotary discussion regarding member apathy. We were two past
district governors, an assistant governor, two past club presidents – one from a large club and one from a smaller
club— and a community service chair from a large club.
The topic was why some (many?) Rotarians are reluctant to participate or get involved in Rotary activities. Based
on a district-wide survey of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic I facilitated in June at the end of my governor
year (results are posted on our district website), we knew we would be facing membership challenges this Rotary
year, particularly around member engagement.
Many clubs are honorably focusing on member acquisition by pro-actively reaching out to all parts of their local
community. These clubs realize diversity is critical for long-term club health and engagement. Many of these clubs
also have created a welcome process to ensure prospective members have a great experience when visiting a club or
participating in a service project.
Other clubs are focusing more on retention. Did you know Rotary lost as many members last year as they gained?
All the effort we put into gaining new members exits out the back door when they leave Rotary. If your club is not
focusing on retention you may be headed for trouble. To determine how best to keep members, consider the
following reasons why Rotarians stick with Rotary year-after-year:
§ Fellowship: Many members, particularly older members, belong to Rotary for fellowship. But fellowship
alone is unlikely to keep members engaged and provide individual growth. Relying solely on fellowship for
member engagement can be risky since some members will leave Rotary and others die. The solution is to
continually extend fellowship opportunities, like having older members mentor younger members,
encouraging members to participate in district conferences, or inviting them to attend the Rotary
International Convention where they can make new connections.
§ Fundraising: Other members enjoy making donations to the club and/or The Rotary Foundation as their
expression of member engagement. While giving is very important, a member may not be able to give every
year, especially during this pandemic. It’s important to give them a reason to be excited beyond their ability
to give, and to share how funds are being spent so they can be excited whether or not they can contribute.
§ Service Projects: These are a very effective way at getting members engaged. I belong to a club of 74
members. It was small not too long ago, which is why I believe small clubs can learn a lot from how larger
clubs organize and manage service projects. We have at least 10-15 service projects going on at any one point
in time, with 5-25 members participating in each project. If a project does not catch on, we drop it. If a lot
of people are interested, we commit additional resources. One of the more important questions you will want
to ask is: “Is my club offering the right service projects to our members, and what is the best way to determine
this?” Nothing is more effective than regularly surveying your members.
§ Networking: Many join Rotary because of networking opportunities. To keep them, though, you will need
to expand their networking opportunities beyond your club. Provide chances for them to participate in
collaborative fundraising projects with other clubs and external organizations, or to participate in
collaborations you have created between your club and the local Chamber of Commerce, Toastmasters, or
other partner organizations.
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Rotary on the Move April 2021 Page 4