Levels of Excellence Award Best Practices 

Every year, MOAA’s best councils and chapters vie for five- and four-star recognition during the annual Levels of Excellence award competition. Review their best practices that are listed below.  

Recruitment and Retention

 

• Spotlight members: members recognized by sharing personal stories at meetings and posting biographies in newsletter (Arizona and Northwest Arkansas Chapter);
• Analyze return-on-investment for direct-mail campaigns: compare themed campaigns to actual return rates (Minnesota Chapter);
• Sort recruiting list by ZIP code: ask chapter members to review names in their neighborhood and contact 10 members (Montgomery County Chapter, Md.);
• Remind about meetings with call-out: three main benefits — confirm date/time/location of next meeting, check on member’s health and well-being, and promote legislative message (Northeast Arkansas Chapter);
• Create new satellites in geographically separated locations under the sponsorship of a strong established chapter (Northern Arizona Chapter);
• Mail complimentary chapter newsletter inviting non-chapter members to join (Tucson Chapter, Ariz.) and encouraging them to attend chapter events (Monterey Chapter, Calif.);
• Keep diversity in program themes: solicit different volunteers to plan monthly meetings and make arrangements (Orange Empire Military Officers’ Club, Calif.);
• Prepare comprehensive recruiting package: invitation letter, history of the chapter, newsletter, membership form, and why-join closure (Northeast Florida Chapter);
• Attach membership applications to an information fact sheet summarizing state-level legislative and community activities (Colorado Council of Chapters);
• Create business cards with chapter contact information (Catawba Valley Chapter, N.C.);
• Place chapter membership application on website. (Venice Area Chapter, FL)
• Send personalized recruitment and welcome letter (Greater Dallas Chapter, Texas);
• Include “Everyone” on the membership committee (Cape Canaveral Chapter, Fla.);
• Use systematic dues renewal processing: notification newsletter, phone calls, and personalized thank-you notes after renewal (Northeast Florida Chapter, Fla.);
• Conduct meetings at different venues to meet member needs and encourage active participation (Hampton Roads Chapter, Va.);
• Send welcoming certificates to new incoming commanders (Yuma Chapter, Ariz.);
• Be involved with college veterans’ alumni chapter or Student Veterans Associations (Jayhawk Chapter, Kan.);
• Set a goal of having each board member as a member of another veterans’ group or service organization (Greater Cincinnati Chapter, Ohio);
• Create a detailed chapter standard operating procedures on recruiting and retention  (Florida Suncoast Chapter);
• Place a brief announcement in the local newspaper a week prior to the monthly meeting  (Venice Area Chapter, Fla.);
• Conduct “officer call” recruiting events at a local venue and invite non-chapter members whose names appear on the recruiting lists provided by national MOAA (Palm Beach-Martin Counties Chapter, Fla.);
• Include dues reminder in the end-of-year newsletter with a self-addressed stamped envelope for easy return (Old Capitol Area Chapter, Ga.); and
• Create a member service committee whose members welcome and sponsor new members, provide casualty assistance, and maintain contact with members via phone-tree groups (Columbia River Chapter, Wash.).

Legislative Affairs

 

• Set up a legislative affairs program focused on “What we as citizens and military officers can do” (Middle Tennessee Chapter);
• Invite state/federal legislators as guest speakers (Capitol Area Chapter, Mich.);
• Request congressional members cosponsor legislation (New Jersey Council of Chapters);
• Send “action” email blasts to chapter members (El Paso Chapter, Texas);
• Partner with State Veteran Advisory Commission (Heartland of America Chapter, Neb.) and state-level United Veterans Councils (Pikes Peak Chapter, Colo.);
• Organize council and chapter visits to state legislature (Multiple);
• Send or email chapter newsletter to elected political leaders (Multiple);
• Chapter newsletters contain legislative-alert information and requests for members to send in MOAA-suggested messages (Multiple);
• Provide copies of MOAA’s Legislative Update and News Exchange to state and federal legislators to educate them on issues that affect the military (Multiple);
• Provide at every meeting a legislative update on pending legislation (Multiple); and
• Have a prominent elected official install your council/chapter officers (Multiple).

 

Personal Affairs

 

• Send surviving spouse condolence letter with offers of personalized assistance (St. Petersburg Chapter, Fla.);
• Have customized and laminated emergency data and contact cards for each member, with copies to pass to family and friends (Suncoast Chapter, Fla.);
• Have Personal Affairs Guide with notification system (Southern Nevada Chapter);
• Distribute chapter business cards on visits to local hospitals, surviving family members, and hospice organizations (Grand Strand Chapter, S.C.);
• Provide each member with an emergency assistance phone directory with necessary contact information and instructions (Montgomery Area Chapter, Ala.)
• Hold annual chapter memorial service for deceased members at a local veterans’ memorial site (Albuquerque Chapter, N.M.);
• Assist surviving spouses following the death of their military sponsor (Multiple);
• Establish a “Start at Home Project” to stay in touch with members who are homebound (Superstition Mountain Chapter, Ariz.);
• Create refrigerator magnets with personal affairs information (Tucson Chapter, Ariz.);
• Establish a formal bereavement protocol (Heritage Hunt Chapter, Va.); and
• Have standard operating procedures on emergency planning (Mount Vernon Chapter, Va.).

ROTC and Awards Programs

 

• Present Junior ROTC (JROTC) Instructor of the Year award (North Carolina Council of Chapters);
• Offer bank gift cards for ROTC/JROTC awards program (South Jersey Chapter);
• Ask ROTC/JROTC commanders to provide articles for the chapter newsletter describing upcoming events (Jayhawk Chapter, Kan.);
• Sponsor JROTC drill meet with MOAA-USAA sponsorship funding (Green Country Chapter, Okla.);
• Invite ROTC/JROTC units to provide the color guard for chapter events/activities (Jayhawk Chapter, Kan.);
• Hold a Joint Leadership Summit that brings together military-focused youth organizations (ROTC, JROTC, Civil Air Patrol, and Naval Sea Cadets with military organizations and community partners (Charleston Chapter, S.C.);
• Give each ROTC/JROTC awardee a flag that’s flown over the state capitol (Tucson Chapter, Ariz.); and
• Host ROTC/JROTC recognition events with USAA sponsorship funding (Multiple).

Base/Community

 

• Partner with local chapters of other veterans service organizations to support area veteran activities (Multiple);
• Organize Veterans Advisory Council: invite city and county government leaders to chapter meetings (Wichita Falls Chapter, Texas);
• Obtain 501 c (3) corporation status to support community-service events and activities (Green Valley Chapter, Ariz.);
• Partner with local chamber of commerce (Rose Capital Chapter, Texas);
• Send care packages for deploying servicemembers (St. Petersburg Chapter, Fla.);
• Organize Veterans in the Classroom program (Treasure Coast Chapter, Fla.);
• Partner with local hospice for “We Honor Veterans” events (Western North Carolina Chapter);
• Serve as Military Welcome Center greeters at airport (Oklahoma Council of Chapters);
• Support with mentors veterans treatment court (Multiple);
• Participate in Employer Support of Guard and Reserve (ESGR) events (Multiple); and
• Adopt a platoon or unit (Multiple).

 

Additional Tips

 

• Provide quarterly hard-copy newsletter for those without an email address (Huntsville Chapter, Ala.);
• Conduct staff/directors meeting immediately prior to or following the general chapter membership meeting, which saves time and makes more potential leaders willing to participate (Northern Arizona Chapter);
• Has a meeting notices and reminders system via emails, phone calls, and local paper (Grand Canyon Chapter, Ariz.);
• Hold a “Leaders’ Boot Camp” facilitated by experienced council leaders on various chapter-management topics (North Carolina Council of Chapters);
• Strictly adhere to one-hour board of directors meeting time limits (Halifax Area Chapter, Fla.)
• Have a wise counsel of past presidents to generate good ideas and facilitate continued involvement in the chapter and to mentor/advise newer leaders (Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, Fla.);
• Have chapter challenge coins (Multiple);
• Publish an annual membership directory (Multiple);
• Get visible media exposure through timely press releases and photos (Cape Canaveral Chapter, Fla.);
• Host a two-day training event for chapter leaders on effective chapter management and recruiting (Florida Council of Chapters);
• Establish a relationship with another nearby chapter: hold joint meetings and activities (Multiple); and
• Set goals, determine budget to achieve, assign committees to each goal, measure and monitor, and most importantly, remember to have fun (Kitsap Chapter, Wash.).