Propose a New Member
Contribute to your club's membership by bringing in qualified business and professional leaders who are interested in and committed to advancing the mission of Rotary. Together with your fellow Rotarians, you can help your club fully represent your community's business and professional life. You'll be strengthening your club and ensuring its growth and longevity.
Do it today!
Attracting Prospective Members:
Consider these approaches for attracting prospective members:
- Hand out Rotary Basics (595-EN), This Is Rotary (001-EN), and What's Rotary? (419-EN). All three are available from either www.rotary.org, the RI Catalog, or your international office.- Encourage prospective members to tour the RI Web site, www.rotary.org.
- Create a pamphlet that outlines the club's history and highlights recent service projects and social events.
- Invite prospective members to a club activity or a service project.
Click on Membership at www.rotary.org to check for the latest materials.
Identifying Qualified Candidates:
Qualified candidates for Rotary membership are adults of good character and good business and professional reputation, who hold or have held an executive position with discretionary authority in any worthy and recognized business or profession.
Types of Membership:
There are two types of Rotary club membership, active and honorary:
- Active members must meet the above qualifications, as well as live or work within the club's locality or surrounding area.- Honorary members have distinguished themselves by meritorious service in the furtherance of Rotary ideals and are considered friends of Rotary for their permanent support of Rotary's cause.
Classifications:
Each active member of a Rotary club is classified according to the member's business or profession. A classification describes either the principal and recognized activity of the firm with which an active member is connected or the member's principal and recognized business or professional activity. For more information on qualifications, see the Manual of Procedure (035-EN); the Bylaws of Rotary International, Article 4; and the Standard Rotary Club Constitution, Articles 6 and 7.
Proposing a New Member:
Once it becomes clear that the prospective member is interested in membership:
- Complete Part A of the Membership Proposal Form, and return the form to your club secretary for submission to the club's board of directors. Remember: Don't inform a prospective member of the proposal until after the board approves it.
- Wait for the club secretary to notify you of the board's decision, which should come within 30 days of the submission.
After your club board approves the candidate:
- Have the club or proposer arrange an information session for the proposed member.
- Ask the proposed member to complete and sign Part B of the proposal form.
- Publish the proposed member's name and classification to the club. The Recommended Rotary Club Bylaws allow seven days for club members to consider and file objections, if any.
- If no objections are received, the proposed member pays the admission fee and becomes a Rotarian.
- The club secretary or president reports the new member to Rotary International.
Important Reminder:
Before you submit your proposal, have you?
- Given copies of Rotary Basics, This Is Rotary, and What's Rotary? to the prospective member?
- Provided the prospective member with information about membership benefits and responsibilities?
- Encouraged the prospective member to tour the RI Web site, www.rotary.org?
- Presented your club's projects and programs to the prospective member?
- Completed and signed Part A of the Membership Proposal Form?
http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/254en.pdf