Posted by PDG Hector Ortiz on Nov 02, 2017
The ability to serve more, reach farther and complete projects quicker happens when we increase Rotary membership. Who is responsible for growing membership? The RI President? Rotary Directors? District Governors? Membership Chairs? Club Presidents? Or, EVERY Rotarian? Opinions may vary, but one thing is true; membership is a responsibility of ALL of us. Whether you agree or disagree, the truth remains that membership growth cannot happen by simply attracting new members. We know that all Rotary Clubs are different. Therefore, each Club must implement a strategy specific to them. More importantly, as vital as it is to attract new members, we must also keep current members engaged and involved to retain their membership.
 
At the Zones 24 and 32 Rotary Institute, General Secretary John Hewko shared that Rotary attracted and inducted 150,000 new members in 2016. Unfortunately, we lost almost the same number of members the same year. In some countries, membership is declining while in others it is increasing.  Therefore, Rotary has had the same membership for the last 15 to 20 years. The majority of declining membership has happened in the US. Due to this trend, the Rotary Board of Directors made a tough decision to redistribute the Zones and increase the Zones to areas where Rotary is growing (particularly in the Asian continent).  There are 34 zones in Rotary International and 17 Directors that serve on the RI Board. The US will lose two zones and the ability to nominate one director to the Board of Rotary International. The issue is not the number of directors or the need of balancing a budget. The issue at hand is why is the US consistently decreasing membership, while other areas like India or Japan are consistently growing?
 
Common sense says we need to do three basics things to change the membership trend in the US:
  1. Attract more Rotarians and have less attrition. Charter new clubs that meet the needs of our customers (Rotary club members), while still keeping our mission, values and principles.
  2. Engage, involve and welcome new Rotarians to avoid them leaving. Many new members leave Rotary during the first two years of their membership. Each Club needs to assess if they are really welcoming. Does the culture of the club allow creativity and innovation? Is our club attractive and relevant? Does the culture of our club welcome all persons of good character?  
  3. Utilize, as needed, the opportunities for meeting flexibility that the Council on Legislation adopted in 2016. Planning is fundamental and the adaptability to change is essential. Clubs need to begin in an honest discussion related to membership. Keep in mind who the final beneficiaries of your Rotary membership are. It is not just the Club, District, Zone or Rotary International, but the people we serve, the friends that we make and the communities that we support.
We are all equally responsible for growing Rotary membership. Take the lead and create a membership strategic plan for your Club. Think about “Service above Self”, both locally and globally. If not today, when? If not here, where? If not you, who?
The decision is yours! Looking forward to working with you until the end of this Rotary year and remember that your leadership responsibilities as Club President or District officer goes until June 30th. We can be the change in the current momentum! Let’s grow our membership in our clubs, in District 7390 and in the US. Check out the Rotary Membership Resource Guide! (click here)