APRA-IL Board and Committee Operations Handbook (Updated as of 10/02/2015) 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS By Laws. 3 Chapter Organizational Chart 7 Executive Board Job Descriptions President 8 Vice President 10 Treasurer 11 Secretary. 13 Committee Director Job Descriptions Programming and Professional Development 15 Membership 17 Social Media and Marketing.. 19 Chapter Operations Chapter Accounts 21 Banking Google Drive Conference Call Social Media Taxes Volunteers Board Meetings.. 22 Time/Location Elections. 22 Terms Committee Activity Programming and Professional Development 24 Social Media & Marketing. 25 Membership. 27 Finance and Governance. 27 APRA International Chapter Summit... 28 Chapter Leaders Conference Call 28 Chapter Leader s Forum.. 28 Annual Conference.. 29 ARC Conference.. 29 2
BY LAWS ARTICLE I. Name of Organization The name of the organization shall be the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement - Illinois Chapter (APRA-IL). The organization shall operate as a local chapter of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA), a private, non-profit association. ARTICLE II. Purpose and Method The APRA-IL chapter seeks to advance the goals and interests of persons currently working, or interested in working, in the field of prospect research, prospect management, and/or development analytics. These goals include, but are not limited to, professional development, continuing education, information sharing and the advocacy of the prospect development profession. This will be carried out in programs held at least twice a year. ARTICLE III. Membership and Dues Section A. Membership Section B. Dues APRA-IL chapter membership shall be divided into two categories: full membership, and honorary membership. All chapter members are expected to uphold and advance the responsibilities and goals of the chapter without conflict of interest. Full membership is open to anyone working in or interested in prospect research, prospect management, or development analytics. Honorary membership shall be extended to the officers of APRA-IL, to former APRA-IL officers (now out of state), and to no more than 10 additional people at the discretion of the President. Honorary membership status is created to encourage networking between APRA-IL and APRA, other local chapters, and other related fund-raising organizations. The chapter's fiscal year will run concurrently with the calendar year. Dues paid within three months prior to the start of the fiscal year will be honored until the end of the following calendar year. Dues may be increased or otherwise adjusted to meet the financial needs of APRA-IL. An increase in price of membership will be announced prior to the end of the calendar year. The Membership will be notified of the increase through a communication of the executive board and it will go into effect upon their next renewal date. ARTICLE IV. Board of Directors Section A. Board Membership and Structure APRA-IL shall be governed by a Board of Directors comprised of between four and ten chapter members. The Officers shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The remaining Directors shall be Member ship, Marketing and Social Media, and Professional Advancement and Programming. Director roles 3
may be co-chaired by no more than two individuals. Directors will lead respective standing committees. Additional directors may be appointed as necessary to meet future needs of APRA-IL. Former officers may be retained in a consulting capacity. Additional committees may be formed on an ad hoc basis for the purposes of meeting a temporary need, completing a project, or as a standing committee meeting a Chapter need. Section B. Terms of Office Board Members shall be elected for one two-year term and may serve no more than two consecutive full terms in the same office. Board Members seeking reelection are subject to the same eligibility requirements as other candidates. The Officers of President and Secretary, and Directors of Membership and Professional Advancement and Programming (one Co-Chair) shall transition within the same election cycle. The Officers of Vice President, and Treasurer and Directors of Marketing and Social Media and Professional Advancement and Programming (one Co-Chair) shall transition within the same election cycle. If a Board Member finishes an incomplete term of a departing Board Member, then the new Board Member is still eligible for two two-year terms. Section C. Unexpected Vacancies An unexpected vacancy occurs when and if a Board Member resigns, becomes disqualified, moves from the region, or is otherwise unable to perform his or her duties. Vacancies of all Board Members, Officers and Directors shall be filled by eligible chapter members approved by the remaining Board Members. A member chosen to fill a vacancy shall serve through the term of the person he or she replaces. If a Board Member finishes an incomplete term of a departing Board Member, then the new Board Member is still eligible for two elected two-year terms. Section D. Eligibility Board membership is open to any APRA-IL chapter member who meets all the following criteria: 1. Spends a portion of his or her professional duties devoted to prospect development. 2. Is a member of good standing of APRA-IL for at least one full year prior to election. In addition, officers of APRA-IL must be members in good standing of APRA International. Section E. Election The Nominating Committee will be led by the two Executive Board Members whose positions are not up for reelection (Vice President and Treasurer or President and Secretary in alternating years) and consist of any other APRA-IL member volunteers. Call for nominations for Board Members (Officers and Directors) shall be announced by the 15th of September. Nominations for Board Members from the Board and the Membership at large shall be received by the Nominating Committee by the 1st of October. The Board shall review all nominations and select one candidate for each open position in order to create a slate, which shall be approved by majority vote by the Board. The Board-approved slate shall be delivered to the Membership via email or in person for majority approval (30%) by the first of November. The Nominating Committee shall tally the votes. Officers will begin their terms at the 1st of January. Officers will be introduced to the 4
membership through email communications or at large at the next scheduled business meeting or programming event. Section F. Structure of the Board of Directors The Board of Directors will be comprised of between four and ten chapter members. Officers President: Vice President: Secretary: Treasurer: Directors Professional Advancement and Programming: Membership: Marketing and Social Media: Sets the agenda for and chairs all Board and membership meeting s, and acts as spokesperson for the chapter. Serves as liaison to the Chapter Services Director of APRA. Receives and processes Board nominations and votes with Vice President. Receives and processes Board nominations and votes with President. Acts as President in his or her absence. Records all Board and Membership Committee minutes and distributes them to Board and membership. Works with APRA to maintain any required non-profit organizational status. Receives and processes Board nominations and votes with Treasurer. Handles the financial accounting and prepares monthly reports for Board meetings. Works with Membership Director to process membership dues for the APRA-IL chapter. Works with President to submit annual tax documents. Receives and processes Board nominations and votes with Secretary. Secures speakers and locations for educational programs and networking events. Leads mentoring program. Drives membership strategy and execution of retention, satisfaction, and acquisition tactics. Stewards membership data. Maintains APRA-IL website, marketing of programs and events, and related internet and social media activities. 5
ARTICLE V. Meeting and Programs Section A. Board/Business Meetings The Board of Directors of APRA-IL must announce and disseminate a tentative schedule of business and program meetings of the upcoming calendar year by the 31st of December. The Board of Directors of APRA-IL shall conduct at least four business meetings per year, open to all chapter members. Dates of the meetings will be chosen by a majority of the Board Members. Any Board Member who is absent from two consecutive meetings in a single calendar year without sufficient cause may, upon consideration of the remaining Board Members, be removed from office. Not less than one-half (4) of the elected Board Members shall be required in attendance to constitute a majority in order that an issue be approved and/ or ratified. A Director may, with a minimum of two days notice to the President, designate an alternate who may cast a full vote on behalf of the Director. Section B. Powers and Authorities The Board of Directors shall have the ultimate authority to make and execute all rules, policies and/or decisions necessary in order to conduct the affairs of APRA-IL in an effective manner. Section C. Programs Members of the programming committees shall plan at least two programs per year. A program is any scheduled gathering open to the membership-at-large and interested individuals who advance the goals of APRA-IL (see Article II). Examples of programs include retreats, networking meetings, vendor presentations, discussion groups, seminars, or tours. This list is not controlling or exclusive. Event Discount Policy for committee and board members: After a vote of the Board of Directors, the official policy regarding discounts or compensation for committee and board members is as follows: Until such time that the chapter is fiscally capable of maintaining the cost of covering the complete cost of event registration for committee and board members, these volunteers will be required to cover the full cost of any event that they are attending for their own educational benefit. Those events that they are attending as an integral part of running that event, they will be required to cover the cost of their food for the day and the chapter will cover the rest of the registration cost. Registration Cancellation Policy: If you have registered for the conference and are unable to attend, you may transfer your registration to another member of your choice by MM DD, YYYY. Should you need to cancel your conference registration, a letter must be sent to the APRA headquarters office requesting a refund. This letter must be received on or before MM DD, YYYY to receive a refund, less a $100 administrative fee. No refunds will be issued after MM DD, YYYY. Unused funds can be applied to the next year s conference. All refunds will be processed six to eight weeks after the conference. All refund requests should be sent to registration@aprahome.org. 6
Section D. Schedules Every attempt shall be made to schedule business meetings for the same dates as programming events, but alternate or additional dates may be chosen. No programs or business meeting shall be required during the month of August or another such month during which the APRA conference is scheduled. ARTICLE VI. Amendments to the By-laws Any member in good standing of APRA-IL may propose an amendment to the chapter bylaws. All proposals will be considered by the Chapter Board. If approved by the majority of the Board, a proposal will be presented to the membership -at-large for consideration at the next Board or business meeting. Amendments may be passed by a majority of members present at the meeting. ARTICLE VII. Dissolution At such time as the APRA-IL Board of Directors feels it is appropriate, by a majority vote of the Board and member ship, to dissolve APRA-IL due to lack of membership, diminished interest, or other reasons, all funds remaining in the treasury after payment of debts will be given to APRA International or another APRA Chapter for scholarships and/or programming. November 1997; Amended April 2001, September 2003, December 2013, and June 2014. ORGANIZATIONAL CHART President Executive Board Secretary V. President Treasurer Director of Membership Finance & Governance Director of Programming Director of Social Media & Marketing 7
BOARD JOB DESCRIPTIONS Board Role: PRESIDENT Charge/Responsibility: In accordance with established bylaws, policies and procedures, the President will serve as a member of the Board of APRA-IL. The president provides executive leadership, direction and support to the strategic planning effort, meeting and communicating regularly with both internal and external constituents. Term of Service: The President is elected bi-annually, in years ending in an even number, by a majority vote of the membership to serve for a term of two years. Upon the completion of his/her term of service, the President will deliver to his/her successor all pertinent materials for which he/she is responsible. Duties: The duties of the President shall include: Independently: Preside at Board meetings, and participate as a voting member Ensure that Board Members have the information they need to make informed decisions Maintain contact with committee chairs, helping them to stay on track and monitoring whether they need any additional support Enforce adherence to the Chapter s By-laws and assure the integrity of the Board process Ensure that all new Board members get a proper orientation to the Board through access to International s Chapter Leaders materials Submit our total active membership, board roster, a financial statement, and our nonprofit tax status to APRA International each year Initiate and lead the Board's process of annual performance review in consultation with the Vice President/President-Elect, other Officers Take charge of the delegation of responsibilities, making sure that they are spread out equitably among the Board Members Organize the Board committees, appoint committee chairs and ensure that all are properly served by Board Members Represent the Chapter at public functions and before public bodies Attends or appoints a delegate to attend International s Chapter Summit and reports back to the Board Secretary Prepare, in consultation with the Secretary, the agendas for the Board meetings Work with Secretary to prepare election slate on odd numbered years for the role of Treasurer and Vice President 8
Treasurer Review financial reports submitted by the Treasurer, and advise the Board of these reports and any necessary actions by the Board. This includes monitoring the bank accounts of the chapter to maintain financial checks and balances Work with the Treasurer and Secretary to submit tax forms for the chapter to both IL Secretary of State and IRS to meet thr May deadline Director of Programming: Coordinate the planning of the Board's activities for the year ahead and plans for the Chapter's future. In this capacity, the President is responsible for ensuring that an ongoing planning process exists for the Chapter Director of Membership: Coordinate the recruitment of volunteers for each committee and board positions Monitor member benefits and sponsorship opportunities Director of Marketing and Social Media: Help the Director of Marketing and Social Media maintain the chapter s online accounts including WildApricot, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, GoDaddy, Citrix, OpenVoice and Paypal Communicate with the membership on a regular basis through newsletters or events Time Commitment: The estimated time commitment for the President is approximately ten to twelve hours per month. This time commitment may vary based on the frequency of membership events, special circumstances, etc. Confidentiality: As a member of the APRA-IL Board of Directors, the President shall consider all Board and Committee discussions to be confidential and shall abide by APRA s Conflict of Interest Policy. Eligibility: Board membership is open to any APRA-IL chapter member who meets all the following criteria: Spends a portion of his or her professional duties devoted to prospect development. A member of good standing of APRA-IL for at least one full year prior to the election. The President of APRA-IL must be a member in good standing of APRA International. 9
Board Role: VICE PRESIDENT Charge/Responsibility: In accordance with established bylaws, policies and procedures, the Vice President will serve as a member of the Board of APRA-IL, chief advisor to the President, assisting the President in coordinating APRA-IL activities. The Vice President agrees to be available for consultation by the Board President and other Board Members on an as-needed basis. This may include meetings with vendors for negotiation of contracts and ad hoc meetings with small groups of board members in person or by telephone or email. Most tasks are accomplished via email and telephone. In the event that the President requires assistance with or is unable to coordinate or lead APRA-IL activities such as a board meeting, the Vice President is responsible for ensuring APRA-IL s continuity. Term of Service: The Vice President is elected bi-annually, in years ending in an odd number, by a slate vote of the executive board and approved by the Membership to serve for a term of two years. The Vice President s term must also be staggered with that of the Director of Programming. Duties: Partner with the Director of Programming in the planning and executing of committee business and in the event of a vacancy of the Director position, serves as the Director until filled Assist the President in recruiting committed APRA-IL members to serve on committees Participate in Board meetings as a voting member Ensure that records are available when required for reports, elections, referenda, other votes, etc Ensure that an up-to-date copy of the bylaws is available at all meetings Ensure that proper notification is given of Directors' and Members' meetings as specified in the bylaws. Participate in Board meetings as a voting member In the absence of the President, the Vice President may call meetings to order, presiding until a temporary chairperson is elected Time Commitment: The estimated time commitment for the Vice President is approximately one to five hours per month. This time commitment may vary based on the frequency of membership events, special circumstances, etc. Confidentiality: As a member of the APRA-IL Board of Directors, the Vice President shall consider all Board and Committee discussions to be confidential and shall abide by APRA s Conflict of Interest Policy. Eligibility: Board membership is open to any APRA-IL chapter member who meets all the following criteria: Spends a portion of his or her professional duties devoted to prospects development A member of good standing of APRA-IL for at least one full year prior to the election The Vice President of APRA-IL must be a member in good standing of APRA International 10
Board Role: TREASURER Charge/Responsibility: In accordance with established bylaws, policies and procedures, the Treasurer will serve as the Chair of the Finance Committee and as a member of the Board of APRA-IL. They provide financial guidance and leadership to the Chapter and Executive Board. Term of Service: The Treasurer is elected bi-annually, in years ending in an odd number, by a slate vote of the board, to be approved by the Membership and serve for a term of two years. Upon the completion of his/her term of service, the Treasurer will deliver to his/her successor all pertinent materials for which he/she is responsible. Duties: The Treasurer is the custodian of all association funds. More specifically, the Treasurer oversees the receipting of membership dues and other payments; disburses funds at the discretion of the President and/or Board of Directors; oversees and reviews the financial budgets and financial statements; and assists with the annual and long-term strategic financial planning for the association. Prepares the final, annual, balanced budget for full Board approval each fall Prepares and submits the association s tax return and selects annual auditors in consultation with the President Receives and reviews general ledger and bank statements monthly Oversees and approves the opening of bank and investment accounts, notifying the Board of any changes in accounts Signs checks and authorizes payments (Note: payments exceeding $2,500 require two signatures President, Treasurer and/or Executive Director) Provides input to financial and investment policies Monitors and evaluates financial activities, accounting processes and investment performance Monitors association management best practices in financial and records management Communicates with the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, key budget, financial and other financial information Communicates regularly with the Executive Director and APRA accounting staff, auditor, general counsel and investment manager Attends APRA International Treasurer Quarterly Conference Calls to keep the APRA-IL Board informed any pertinent information and activity Performs other duties as may be assigned by the President and/or Board of Directors Time Commitment: The estimated time commitment for the Treasurer is approximately five to ten hours per month, including time spent on calls with the Executive/Finance Committee and the Board of Directors, as well as the time required to work with the Executive Director in preparation of the annual budget. 11
Additional time commitments include those related to annually scheduled Board of Directors meetings, strategic planning sessions and the APRA Annual International Conference. Confidentiality: As a member of the APRA Board of Directors and Finance Committee, the Treasurer shall consider all Board and Committee discussions to be confidential and shall abide by APRA s Conflict of Interest Policy. Eligibility: Board membership is open to any APRA-IL chapter member who meets all the following criteria: Spends a portion of his or her professional duties devoted to prospects development. A member of good standing of APRA-IL for at least one full year prior to the election. The Treasurer of APRA-IL must be a member in good standing of APRA International. 12
Board Role: SECRETARY Charge/Responsibility: In accordance with established bylaws, policies and procedures, the Secretary manages the general correspondence of the Board of Directors. APRA-IL is required by law to maintain certain records for several purposes, including: Accurate recollection of decisions Determination of eligibility to vote Continuity of policies and practices Accountability of directors and officers The Secretary is responsible for ensuring that accurate and sufficient documentation exists to meet legal requirements; and to enable authorized persons to determine when, how, and by whom the Board's business was conducted. The Secretary records minutes of meetings, ensures their accuracy, and availability, proposes policies and practices, submits various reports to the board, maintains membership records, and performs other duties as the need arises and/or as defined in the bylaws. Term of Service: The Secretary is elected bi-annually, in years ending in an even number, by a majority vote of the membership at the annual meeting to serve for a term of two years. Upon the completion of his/her term of service, the Secretary will deliver to his/her successor all pertinent materials for which he/she is responsible. Duties: The duties of the Secretary shall include: Before a Meeting Consult with the President and the other Officers of the Board on the order of the business of the meeting and setting the agenda in advance of the meeting Schedule and sending notice of scheduled meeting along with the agenda Circulate copies of minutes and any papers to be discussed, any reports or information requested at the last meeting Follow up with APRA International that they have submitted our Annual Report to the IL Secretary of State by August 15 th At the Meeting Ensure that accurate minutes are taken, approved by a vote of the Board, and a copy maintained in the corporate records Ensure that the records of the organization are maintained as required by law and made available when required by authorized persons. Records include articles of incorporation, lists of officers, Board and committee meeting minutes financial reports, and other official records 13
Ensure that official records are maintained of members of the organization and Board and that these records are available when required for reports, elections, referenda, other votes, etc. Ensure that an up-to-date copy of the Chapter s By-laws are available at all meetings Ensure that proper notification is given of Directors' and Members' meetings as specified in the bylaws Participate in Board meetings as a voting member. In the absence of the President and Vice President, the Secretary may call the meeting to order, presiding until a temporary chairperson is elected. Ensure that documents necessary to maintain the corporation are filed Time Commitment: The estimated time commitment for the Secretary is approximately two to five hours per month. This time commitment may vary based on the frequency of membership events, special circumstances, etc. Confidentiality: As a member of the APRA-IL Board of Directors, the Secretary shall consider all Board and committee discussions to be confidential and shall abide by APRA s Conflict of Interest Policy. Eligibility: Board membership is open to any APRA-IL Chapter member who meets all the following criteria: Spends a portion of his or her professional duties devoted to prospect development A member of good standing of APRA-IL for at least one full year prior to election. The Secretary of APRA-IL must be a member in good standing of APRA International. 14
Board Role: DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING Charge/Responsibility: In accordance with established bylaws, policies and procedures, the Director of Programming & Professional Advancement will serve as a member of the Board of APRA-IL and as a Director of the Programming & Professional Advancement Committee. The Director of Programming serves as the leader in the planning and execution of events for APRA-IL. The Director organizes and leads Programming Committee meetings and delivers Committee reports to the APRA-IL Board. While the Director is the lead of the Programming Committee, he or she must work in collaboration with the Vice President on high level decisions affecting the budget, contracts, and decisions that need Executive Board approval. Term of Service: The Director is elected by a majority vote of the Membership to serve a two year term that is staggered with that of the Vice President. Upon the completion of his/her term of service, the Director will deliver to his/her successor all pertinent materials for which he/she is responsible. Duties: The duties of the Director of Programming shall include: Prepare and run monthly Committee meetings. Agendas will be sent out with suitable time for discussion to committee members prior to monthly meeting Delegate committee duties to members such as note-taking and event point person Plan professional and social events for the Membership of APRA-IL. This includes event content, speakers, volunteers, venue, and coordinates with the Marketing Committee for advertising Attend and manage events. Duties for events include bringing the event supplies bag and arranging for the basic functions of registration, signage, volunteer management, and the master of ceremonies role Partner with Membership Committee to recruit new and current members to host events and to participate in committee activities Communicate regularly with the APRA-IL Board and attend Board meetings Perform other duties as may be assigned by the President and/or Board of Directors Time Commitment: The estimated time commitment for the Director of Programming is approximately five to ten hours per month. This time commitment may vary based on the frequency of membership events, special circumstances, etc. Confidentiality: As a member of the APRA-IL Board of Directors, the Director of Programming shall consider all Board and committee discussions to be confidential and shall abide by APRA s Conflict of Interest Policy. 15
Eligibility: Board membership is open to any APRA-IL Chapter member who meets all the following criteria: Spends a portion of his or her professional duties devoted to prospect development Is a member of good standing of APRA-IL for at least one full year prior to election 16
Board Role: DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP Charge/Responsibility: In accordance with established bylaws, policies and procedures, the Director of Membership will serve as a member of the Board of APRA-IL and as a Director of the Membership Committee. The Director of Membership is responsible for the membership retention, satisfaction, and new member acquisition for APRA-IL. Term of Service: The Director is elected bi-annually, in years ending in an even number, by a majority vote of the membership to serve for a term of two years. Upon the completion of his/her term of service, the Director will deliver to his/her successor all pertinent materials for which he/she is responsible. Duties: The duties of the Director of Membership shall include: Leadership of the APRA-IL Membership Committee Development and implementation of comprehensive strategy for membership retention and growth, including recruitment and satisfaction efforts, mail campaigns, promotional materials, and results analysis in accordance with the APRA-IL Board goals Identification of groups of prospective members and the development of outreach approaches Research of member needs and subsequent membership strategy modifications based on analysis Management of renewal, new member, and recruitment communications, including welcome letters, reminder letters, etc. Serving a front-line role in membership and prospect engagement Management of volunteer structure: identification of new volunteers, management of volunteer schedule, and matching volunteers with organizational need Coordination with Social Media and Marketing Committee, Events and Programming Committee, and Treasurer on membership items Coordination with APRA-IL Board President on partnership/sponsorship strategy Development of new policies to constantly improve membership benefits; and acquisition tactics To attend all APRA-IL events as possible, promoting the benefits of membership To attend all Board meetings, as a voting member, and provides the Board with membership metrics and strategy updates Time Commitment: The estimated time commitment for the Director of Membership is approximately five to ten hours per month. This time commitment may vary based on the frequency of membership events, special circumstances, etc. 17
Confidentiality: As a member of the APRA-IL Board of Directors, the Director of Membership shall consider all Board and committee discussions to be confidential and shall abide by APRA s Conflict of Interest Policy. Eligibility: Board membership is open to any APRA-IL Chapter member who meets all the following criteria: Spends a portion of his or her professional duties devoted to prospect development Is a member of good standing of APRA-IL for at least one full year prior to election 18
Board role: DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING Charge/Responsibility: In accordance with established bylaws, policies and procedures, the Director of Social Media and Marketing will serve as a member of the Board of APRA-IL. The Director of Social Media and Marketing is a co-leader with the President, Vice President, and Directors of Programming and Membership in the planning and execution of marketing for APRA-IL events, programs, and membership drives. The Director organizes and leads Marketing Committee meetings and delivers marketing reports to the APRA-IL Board. Term of Service: The Director is elected by a majority vote of the membership to serve a two year term. Upon the completion of his/her term of service, the Director will deliver to his/her successor all pertinent materials for which he/she is responsible. Duties: The duties of the Director of Social Media and Marketing shall include: Will prepare and run regular Committee meetings as needed. Agendas will be sent out with suitable time for discussion to committee members prior to monthly meeting Work with other board members and volunteers to manage the development of a social media strategy and marketing materials for events, programs, and membership drives Delegate committee duties to members such as blog writing, social media presence, graphic design, and the generation of new marketing ideas Maintains the look and voice of the APRA-IL website. Helps teach others how to utilize the site so that blog posts and emails have a similar design Creates templates for presentations, emails, letterhead, and other items as needed Leads the organization, design, and distribution of a regular newsletter (at least 6 per year) in coordination with the President Leads the organization, design, and distribution of other e-blasts as needed in coordination with the President Proposes ideas for events, programming, and campaigns that increase the presence and voice of APRA-IL in coordination with the Director of Programming and the Director of Membership Attends and market events. Provides and makes it easy for board members and volunteers to share information regarding upcoming events and campaigns Partners with Membership Committee to recruit new and current members to volunteer to utilize social media during and between events, as well as volunteers that have an interest in blog writing and/or design Communicates regularly with the APRA-IL Board and attend Board meetings Performs other duties as may be assigned by the President and/or Board of Directors 19
Time Commitment: The estimated time commitment for the Director of Social Media and Marketing is approximately five to ten hours per month. This time commitment may vary based on the frequency of membership events, special circumstances, etc. Confidentiality: As a member of the APRA-IL Board of Directors, the Director of Social Media and Marketing shall consider all Board and Committee discussions to be confidential and shall abide by APRA s Conflict of Interest Policy. Eligibility: Board membership is open to any APRA-IL chapter member who meets all the following criteria: Spends a portion of his or her professional duties devoted to prospect development Is a member of good standing of APRA-IL for at least one full year prior to election 20
CHAPTER OPERATIONS Website: The APRA-IL website (apraillinois.org) is a maintained through the web application WildApricot. Through WildApricot, we are able to edit and update our website. They also provide us tech support and professional development for Board operations. Our website is hosted on a server through GoDaddy.com. All account information regarding these vendors can be found in the President s folder on the Google Drive. Administrative privileges: In order to make changes to the website, a member must have administrative privileges. These privileges should only be given to Board Members and Directors of a Committee. To change the level of permission, see help section in WildApricot. Accounts/services: Banking (as of 10/2015): Our bank is TCF Bank. Only the Treasurer, President, and Secretary should have access to this account. Each transition of leadership should also coincide with a change of names on this account. The Treasurer and President hold business debit cards in order to pay for APRA-IL activities and will report these expenses to the Board and Membership. OpenVoice: This is the main conference call service we use. Anyone on the board and committees may use this service. There is only one room code and administrator code so you must make sure no one else is holding a conference call at the same time. For the number and admin code, see account information sheet in President s folder on the Google Drive. Citrix (GoToMeeting): This is our secondary conference call service. This service has the potential to be upgraded in a partnership with International for our use for hosting webinars. For the number and admin code, see account information sheet in President s folder on the Google Drive or ask a Board Member to send you the login information as the password may have changed. Social Media: APRA-IL has accounts with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. These accounts are used by the Social Media and Marketing Director, Committee, and the President. For the number and admin code, see account information sheet in President s folder on the Google Drive or ask a Board Member to send you the login information as the password may have changed. Go Daddy: Our website is hosted on their services and is a yearly (February) payment handled by the President and Treasurer. Google Drive: All of APRA-IL s Chapter documentation is saved on our account. Each committee is responsible for the organization and proper archiving of their files. For the number and admin code, see account information sheet in President s folder on the Google Drive or ask a board member to send you the login information as the password may have changed. 21
Volunteers: Taxes: APRA-IL is responsible for filing taxes with the State of Illinois and the IRS every year. We have changed our address to that of International s so we never lose our active status with both agencies. International will forward the mail from both agencies in the spring to be filled out by the Treasurer, President, and Secretary. APRA-IL is run exclusively by volunteers. It should be a high priority of all Board Members and current volunteers to continually recruit for more volunteers to succeed them. Volunteer recruitment is officially a responsibility of the membership committee but also an unofficial responsibility of the Board of Directors. Event Discount Policy for committee and board members: After a vote of the Board of Directors, the official policy regarding discounts or compensation for committee and board members is as follows: until such time that the chapter is fiscally capable of maintaining the complete cost of event registration for committee and board members, these volunteers will be required to cover the full cost of any event that they are attending for their own educational benefit. For those events that they are attending as an integral part of running that event, they will be required to cover the cost of their food for the day and the chapter will cover the rest of the registration cost. BOARD MEETINGS The Board meetings for APRA-IL are held on the third Wednesday of every month at 12 pm CST by conference call. The President is in charge of setting the agenda on the WildApricot event page, scheduling the email reminder at least one week prior to the meeting, and setting up the OpenVoice conference call. ELECTIONS Terms All Board Members serve two year terms. The Board Members have alternating terms so that only half of the Board is new at one time. Further descriptions of election deadlines, election committee, and other issues can be found in the Chapter By-laws. COMMITTEE ACTIVITY PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE The Programming Committee typically holds a conference call the third Tuesday of every month at 11 am by conference call. The meeting agenda is compiled by the Co-Director and placed in the event description on WildApricot. The agenda should be added to the event description more than a week prior to the event, and the reminder email should be sent to attendees on the Tuesday before the meeting. Committee members must register for the meeting through APRA-IL s website (or WildApricot) in order to receive the scheduled email. 22
Director Responsibilities: Agenda setting Event planning and execution Delegation of event responsibilities Attend Board meetings Maintain continual dialog with President and Board Members regarding Committee activities Committee member responsibilities: Meetings Registering for meetings Meeting every month on the third Tuesday Every committee member takes a turn taking minutes Events Help plan Basic Skills Workshop, Fall Conference, Salons, APRA-IL outings, Education Week, annual conference get-togethers, and membership meeting We expect every member to lead or be a co-leader on an event each year SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING COMMITTEE Director Responsibilities Managing the brand of APRA-IL through communications (newsletters, website, and social media) Recruit and manage the Marketing and Social Media Committee Work closely with the APRA-IL Board of Directors and Director of the Programming Committee to schedule marketing needs for events and membership news. Blog Recruit bloggers from the Membership, Marketing Committee or other professionals in the prospect development field Coordinate blog posts on a monthly basis using the blog schedule spreadsheet located on the Google Drive Responsibilities to APRA-IL committees Coordinate and design APRA-IL email blasts for all events with the Programming Committee and Board of Directors Design and schedule APRA-IL newsletters on a quarterly basis to Membership with the Board of Directors 23
Website maintenance Maintain the design and functioning of the APRA-IL site to the best of our ability. Be the point of contact between WildApricot and the APRA-IL Board Social Media Maintain the APRA-IL accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Actively post and interact with the online community for APRA-IL Ensure transition of accounts to new Board Members. SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING THEMES & BRAND Color Scheme APRA-IL s colors are based on the APRA International logo, and are primary colors. Key colors are provided below. Online Brand APRA-IL is driven by membership, and therefore makes a point to interact regularly with our online community. Twitter is the primary method of interacting with our online constituents, and very effort should be made to thank new followers. As of August, 2015, APRA-IL uses IFTTT to thank all new followers on Twitter. Timeline and Communication Goals: Twitter: 1-2 times a day Facebook: 1 time a day/every other day LinkedIn: 1 time a week Blog Posts: At least 1 new post a month Newsletters: At least 6 a year Website: Update quarterly or as needed Tools: Buffer is a free tool that allows you to connect and schedule social media posts. 24
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Director Responsibilities Agenda setting Design overall membership strategy Delegation of tactical responsibilities Attend Board meetings Maintain continual dialog with President and Board Members regarding Committee activities Approve membership communications Create and update all automatic membership related emails as needed Personally reach out to any member indicating volunteer interest to assess next steps, and/or refer volunteer prospects to appropriate Board Member Member Recruitment and Retention Recruit new members to the chapter from the field of prospect development Engage current members in volunteer opportunities, events, and services provided by APRA-IL Volunteer recruitment Manage and maintain the volunteer contact spreadsheet on the Google Drive Website Maintenance: Member Data Periodically review and update member to ensure validity- i.e. removing bad emails that bounce back, change in contact information (e.g. job change, promotion, office relocation) FINANCE & GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE Director (Treasurer) Responsibilities Set Agenda for all Finance & Governance meetings Delegate duties to committee members to assist in reviewing the finances of the Chapter Distribute the monthly financial report to all Committee Members Cross train all Committee Members in the activities of the Committee to ensure consistency and to foster succession planning Report committee activity back to the Board 25
Duties Prepare and present monthly report Review requests for purchases Provide financial guidance to the Board and other committees for yearly planning APRA INTERNATIONAL Chapter Summit: APRA International hosts a retreat in February every year for Chapter Leaders across North America. This is a great opportunity for Chapter Leaders to meet and exchange ideas and solutions to take back to their chapters. Typically the President and Vice President are the two appointed delegates. In case either cannot attend, other board members can stand in. It is an important event to attend and maintain close connections with other leaders and International employees. Chapter Leader Conference Calls: There are quarterly Chapter Leader conference calls for the President and Treasurer with International to continue the conversations regarding the annual conferences, programming, and chapter issues. The call information is sent out by the Chapter Leader s listserv. Contact International to be added to this email list. Chapter Leader s Forum- This is a special section on APRA International s site for all chapter leaders to share information such as calendars, resources, and ideas. Important documents Annual Conference Orientation- APRA International provides orientation slides for new Executive Board Member positions. The most important ones provided are Treasurer and President. Taxes- APRA International provides guidance on filing Chapter taxes. APRA-IL needs to be active with the Illinois Secretary of State and the IRS. If APRA-IL is in good standing, the only requirement is to refile a 990N post card and a form for the Illinois Secretary of State. Chapter Leader s Calendar- APRA International provides a group calendar to share chapter events. This helps in seeing the timing of other events so you don t plan something to close to a neighboring chapter s event. At the annual conference, the Chapter Leaders meeting is held on the Tuesday of conference week. This is a continuation of the Chapter Summit in February. 26
The APRA-IL Chapter typically schedules a social meet up for Chapter Members attending the conference. Events in the past have been dinners, happy hours, and breakfasts. This event is arranged and planned by the Programming Committee. ARC Conference The APRA Regional Conference is a new conference initiated by APRA International. It is a rotating annual conference that is taking the place of MARC, which was in the mid- Atlantic region annually. APRA International picks a regional location and the local chapters are responsible for working with them to create programming for a three day conference. They handle hotel and conference space booking. Local Chapters form a committee to call for presentations. Chicago is a logical central location for our region. Our chapter will be involved frequently in the planning and providing of volunteers for this event. 27