Whether you’re a new chapter officer or have held your position for a while, it’s important for leaders to routinely assess their chapters and take steps to strengthen them to ensure success. Consider these tips:

• Review the chapter’s strategic plan and mission. This is critical and something many leaders probably aren’t doing. To have a successful chapter and recruit and retain members, leaders need to have a clear vision of what the chapter is and develop a plan with specific objectives and goals. Start by considering how you would respond to a potential member who asks: “What does your chapter do?” This will help you analyze whether your current strategy is promoting positive recruiting and retention.
• Be inclusive. Those with different backgrounds and experiences might have a lot to offer and can be assets in leadership positions. Use all resources available to you, specifically surviving spouse members and spouses.
• Set up a recruiting committee. One person cannot do it alone. Although every chapter member should be considered a recruiter, a membership committee of three to five individuals should establish goals, plan and carry out membership-solicitation drives, and follow up on leads concerning potential members. It’s helpful to have committee members living in various parts of the chapter area, so they easily can make personal contact with prospective members.
• Adjust programs and activities to gain more participation.Chapter activities and times and dates should be varied to reach out to as many members as possible. To determine activities and programs members might enjoy, periodically distribute a questionnaire. Feedback can identify activities new members are interested in as well as changing preferences of existing members.
• Enhance your newsletter and website. A chapter’s newsletter and website are the primary tools to communicate with members and potential members. Both communication tools should include information about your chapter (such as meeting times and locations, contact information, and how to join), legislative efforts, community-service projects, and chapter activities. Try to include something that interests everyone.
• Actively participate in a community-service program. Community involvement is essential for a chapter to function and should be a principal mission objective. It not only generates goodwill in a community, but it also can be very beneficial for recruiting and retention. Find ideas here.
• Stay informed. National MOAA communicates with its members through a variety of online and print channels, including Military Officer magazine, www.moaa.org, social media, and e-newsletters. It’s important for council and chapter leaders to use these tools to stay informed to discuss hot topics at chapter meetings and highlight key issues in chapter communications.