Running An Effective Alumni Association Current

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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION I
C HAPTER 1 DEVEL OPING A PLAN OF AC TION
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DEFINED DEFINE VISION AND MISSION GOALS DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN EVENT PLANNING
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C HAPTER
M ULTIPLY ING
RESU L TS
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EFFEC TIVENESS
UTILIZE PARTNERSHIPS AND EXISTING RESOURCES COMMUNICATION
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C HAPTER
SU STAINABIL ITY
FUNDING MEMBERSHIP BRANDING AS A TOOL PASSING THE TORCH CONCLUSION
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United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Office of Alumni Affairs
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Introduction
Alumni of U.S. government (USG) sponsored exchange programs have benefited from the invaluable experience of encountering first hand a new culture different from their own, and are therefore uniquely suited to furthering mutual understanding among nations and peoples. Participating in an alumni association offers alumni opportunities to positively impact their community through implementing concepts explored during their exchange program. Additionally, alumni associations provide a sustainable forum for alumni to network with each other, stay in contact with the U.S. embassy, and to work together to advance shared goals. This handbook is to serve as a guide for strengthening and improving alumni associations. No two associations are alike and there is no single formula that will guarantee the successful development or revitalization of an alumni association. While associations may follow different paths of development and end up taking varying forms, this handbook presents a set of guidelines and best practices that many successful associations have developed and followed with proven success. The ultimate success of an alumni association depends on the alumni themselves. While outside support from a U.S. embassy and other association partners may be helpful, especially in terms of funding, an alumni association will only be effective and sustainable if it remains in essence a grassroots, member-driven, goal-oriented organization. Should you have any questions about this guide or any related issue, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Alumni Affairs at alumni@state.gov. Also see the Alumni Association Resources Community on the State Alumni website for additional resources, best practices, and guidance (https://alumni.state.gov/alumni-association-resources).
Good luck!
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Developing a Plan of Action
In order to run an effective alumni association, an association needs to develop a plan of action. New alumni associations should begin by establishing a mission statement and goals. For established, but less active associations, the first step is to get back to the basics and reaffirm, redefine, or refine the associations mission and goals. Building on that foundation, an association can then develop a strategic plan, from which members can plan events and activities that support the associations mission and move it towards achieving its goals.
Alumni Association Defined

In this context, an alumni association is a voluntary, organized group of people who share the common experience of having participated in a U.S. government-sponsored exchange program, or if defined more loosely, those who have studied in the United States through any program and alternately, U.S. participants of exchanges to other countries. Members may or may not share common interests or a common purpose, and may in fact come from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, the fundamental characteristic that unites them and brings them together is the unique shared experience of having spent time in the United States on an exchange program. It is upon this shared bond that the foundation of an alumni association should be built and out of which a mission and goals shall arise.
DefineVision and Mission Goals

A clear and well defined vision, mission and set of goals are critical components of an effective alumni association. Vision: What the alumni association aims to become. Mission: What the alumni association strives to become; the vehicle by which the associations goals are attained. Goals: What an alumni association will do to achieve its mission. A clear vision and mission gives the association purpose and serves as an explanation to new members and a reminder to old members of why they are setting aside their time to be part of the organization. Well defined goals help an association stay on track and maintain focus.
Here is an example of the vision, mission and goals that Kosovar alumni developed when forming the Kosovo-US Alumni (KUSA) association: Vision: We aim to be a prominent, respected organization whose members make meaningful contributions to Kosovo, the lives of its citizens and each other. Mission: Our mission is to mobilize the power of the alumni for positive change: to strengthen Kosovo civil society, to improve Kosovo standards of living, and to help alumni better achieve their goals. Goals: To provide alumni with resources, relationships and opportunities that help them make contributions of immediate and enduring value. Does the association have an established mission and written goals? Is it time to redefine the groups purpose and goals? To establish, refine, or redefine the vision, mission, and goals, assemble the alumni association leadership to discuss ideas and solicit feedback from association members. Discuss with members what their interests are, what motivates them, what role they see for the alumni association, and what they want from the alumni association. With this information, work with the association to develop or refine these three statements, and in doing so: Accept and work with all ideas and suggestions. Do not exclude or alienate anyone. Shy away from political plans and statements these will divide alumni and split the association. Make decisions through compromise and consensus. It is extremely important, while managing expectations and dissuading radical or unrealistic ideas, to be as open and inclusive as possible.
Develop a Strategic Plan

Once an associations vision, mission, and goals are in place and reaffirmed, it is time to develop a strategic plan. Strategic planning involves evaluating the current state of an organization, utilizing the associations goals to determine what the near to medium term objectives should be, and lastly, mapping out a path for how the association will achieve those objectives.
Situation: Evaluate the current situation and how it came about. Target: Define goals and/or objectives (refer to goals from Refine Vision and Mission Goals). Path: Map a possible route to achieve the goals/objectives. In evaluating the situation, it is important to take stock of where the association stands today. How well does the association meet its vision? How does it fall short of that vision and why? Based on these answers, develop specific objectives that will help to put the association more in line with its vision and help it to fulfill its mission better. For example, if the associations vision is to make meaningful contributions to the community and the main weakness is low membership and lack of participation, possible objectives could be to increase membership by 20% in a year or that 80% of members each recruit at least one new member. Lastly, plan out how the association will achieve the stated objectives. Strategic plans typically have a projected duration of one to five years. Lay out practical, incremental steps that the alumni association can take to achieve its goals. In addition to laying out defined steps, it is beneficial to set an estimated date by which time each step should be achieved. That way, it is easier for the association to stay on track and evaluate its process. In 2005, the U.S. Embassy Program Alumni of Moldova developed a strategic plan with the assistance of the U.S. Embassy's Alumni Resource Center (ARC) and of an organizational consultant. At the annual Alumni Congress that year, the Alumni Board, the elected leadership of the alumni association, presented a report on what had been done in the past year, what goals had been met and to what degree. Following the report, the alumni split into regional breakout groups and brainstormed activities and projects that they would like to initiate and participate in. The brainstorming sessions resulted in an action plan ratified by the alumni to be implemented by the newly elected Alumni Board.
Situation: The alumni association is... - A community doing a lot of great things, but unaware of them - A community interested in doing more - A diverse community with common goals - A community with a lot of potential still to be realized - A community that does not fully appreciate the great progress underway - A community with an enormous ability to create enduring positive change in Moldova and success for each other Target: 1) Achieve a total association registration of 1,500 members 1/2 of all alumni in Moldova 2) Increase unity and awareness across ages, regions and domains 3) Build reputation of the Alumni Community 4) Increase citizen awareness and engagement Path: 1) Implement new operating structure Central, Regional chapters 2) Increase mass media of events and efforts 3) Execute a diverse, exciting calendar of events to attract new participants and increase benefits to participants 4) Execute one unified community outreach event, and let regions/domains handle most community service
The Moldovan alumni associations strategic plan
The alumni went on to establish specific, tangible activities to move the association along the "path" to achieve the agreed upon "target." Specific steps included creating a common calendar of events that the leaders of the regional chapters and thematic committees could submit events to be included; creating a database of members and their interests; printing all association correspondence in the three languages spoken in Moldova; establishing a listserv; restructuring the Alumni Board and providing leadership training for the elected officers; and consciously providing a range of events including monthly informal events, large special events, training series, and exclusive senior alumni events. Since 2005, the Moldovan alumni association goes through a similar strategic planning process every year at their annual Alumni Congress, where they evaluate the status and progress of the association and establish new benchmarks and methods of achieving them for the coming year.
Event Planning
With a strategic plan in place and specific objectives laid out, the leadership can come together to design events and activities for the associations members that contribute to achieving objectives in the mission plan. In all event-planning, the association should ask itself how the proposed event conforms to the association mission and how it helps it to achieve its goals. If there are no clear connections between the proposed event and the associations mission, perhaps it is best to move on to another idea. In addition to considering whether a proposed event is mission-appropriate, it is also imperative to consider the practical feasibility of the event. Assess how many resources will be necessary to successfully implement the event or project. How much money does the association have to devote to the project? Are there grants available to support the initiative? Are volunteers able to donate time, or are there sponsors to donate a venue? Is it possible to partner with another institution, such as an NGO, the U.S. embassy, or a government ministry, in order to procure additional funds? If an event seems to be too financially ambitious, consider implementing a smaller version of what was originally conceptualized, or scrap the idea in favor of something more manageable or more likely to attract outside funding. From the stand point of membership, be sure that the proposed event is realistic for the associations members to realize. Events take time and effort to plan and implement, and members freely donate their limited personal time to make these activities happen. Plan events that are of an appropriate scale and that do not always rely on the same group of people, as to not exasperate members. An association that continually takes on projects larger than it can handle or carries out projects of dubious value to its mission will inevitably exhaust and frustrate the members, leading to the associations decline. To further ensure the success of an associations events and to generate new ideas, seek out best practices from other alumni associations around the world. Visit the Alumni Association Resources Community (https://alumni.state.gov/alumni-association-resources) on the State Alumni website to peruse best practices and find contact information for other alumni associations that you might consult. When reviewing best practices, keep in mind the associations mission, local conditions and how they might affect how you would implement the event in your country, and the financial and practical feasibility of the project at hand. To effectively strengthen the association and meaningfully use members time, plan feasible events in line with the associations mission that move it in accordance with its strategic plan.
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Multiplying Results and Effectiveness
Utilizing partnerships, taking advantage of existing resources and maintaining good communications, both internally and externally, are simple but powerful steps an association can take to multiply its results and maximize its effectiveness. What is meant by multiplying results? For example, let us say an alumni association wants to donate toys to an orphanage around the holidays. The association could be effective and successful in soliciting donations from the membership and make a small but meaningful difference in their community. Alternatively, the same association could partner with radio stations to broadcast the project to the general public, partner with toy stores to have collection bins for public donations on their premises, and also engage local businesses for donations and sponsorship. In the end, through minimal efforts on the part of the association, they would have brought public attention to the plight of orphans and would have collected perhaps ten or more times as many donations.
Utilize Partnerships and Existing Resources

Partnering with various organizations and institutions can be a fruitful way of multiplying results, filling in gaps, and assisting an organization with limited means to achieve its goals. Consider partnering with universities to host events. The U.S.-Educated Azerbaijani Alumni Association (AAA) partners with a number of universities in Azerbaijan to hold an annual business case competition. The Kosovo-U.S. Alumni (KUSA) association partners with the American University in Pristina that provides office space to the association and offers facilities for events. In 2006, the Namibian U.S. Alumni Association (NUSAA) conducted a civic education project, and partnered with the University of Namibia (UNAM) that hosted the first part of the workshop and engaged the university debate team in discussions on civic involvement, democratization, and economic development. Consult with members of the alumni association who may teach at local universities and seek their assistance in establishing partnerships or seeking in-kind support. Partnerships with local NGOs, international NGOs operating in-country and agencies that administer exchange programs may also be fruitful. Seek partnerships with thematic, cause-based organizations for specific topical projects or events. For example,
civic NGOs might be able to offer assistance in implementing community development projects, or environmental NGOs with supporting a park clean-up action. In 2008, the Namibia U.S. Alumni Association (NUSAA) started a youth civic engagement education pilot program, partnering with the NGO Education for Democratic Citizenship in Namibia (EDCIN). By working with EDCIN, the alumni association utilized the civic education expertise of this NGO in achieving the project goals of explaining constitutional rights, the importance of free and fair elections, the value of opposition parties in a vibrant democracy, and the role of an independent media to young Namibians. Alumni associations may also consider soliciting the support of NGOs run by fellow alumni, as NUSAA did in the above mentioned example, where three separate NGOs led by different alumni assisted in the implementation of the association project. This example demonstrates the power of collaboration with alumni and relevant organizations that can only strengthen a given goal. In addition, exchange program agencies, organizations that partner with the State Department to implement exchange programs, may be able to help in offering materials for promoting exchanges, offering assistance with grant writing, or in facilitating useful contacts for the association. For example, American Councils for International Education (ACTRACCELS) helped a team of Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program alumni from Ukraine to increase the international representation at their International Outreach Camps (IOCs). For two consecutive summers, 2007 and 2008, American Councils utilized their Eurasia-wide FLEX alumni network to announce the project and invite alumni from other countries to take part. As a result of the additional PR efforts, fourteen international participants joined the IOCs and a spin-off project was launched in Armenia. In Armenia, American Councils helped FLEX alumni copy and distribute a CD that they had made of cultural materials on Armenia for new FLEX participants to take with them and share in American schools. In Georgia, American Councils trained alumni leaders of the local FLEX alumni association to lead group discussions for newly-returned alumni to help them readjust. These discussions also helped to engage with new alumni and encourage them to take part in the association and become active in the alumni community. Seek opportunities for partnership with the private sector. Local business or international corporations may be interested in sponsoring specific projects, conferences, or events. For example, the Fulbright Association of Panama invited Canon and Copa Airlines to co-sponsor the associations First Central American and Caribbean Fulbright Alumni Meeting in 2007. As sponsors, Canon offered an in-kind donation of copying and printing services for conference materials, and Copa Airlines offered a discount to conference attendees flying to Panama for the event. In return for their support, Canon and Copa Airlines were listed as sponsors in all conference literature, and in turn reached over 100 Fulbright alumni from 10 countries in the Western Hemisphere, including the United States, with their marketing. Contact the local chamber of commerce to find contacts among the local business community and contact the U.S. embassy to find out what American companies operating in your country might be interested in sponsorship.
The U.S embassy and national governmental ministries may also be able to assist an alumni association in developing contacts and in providing material and financial support to alumni association projects and events. Contact the Public Affairs Section of your local U.S. embassy to schedule a meeting with a representative to discuss your associations goals and ideas and to find out what assistance is available. The Public Affairs Section may also be able to link the alumni association with alumni in influential positions in academia, in NGOs, or in the private sector, who might be able to offer the association with various means of support. In 2007, the Malawi-U.S. Exchange Alumni Association (MUSEAA) partnered with the Malawi Police Service, Department of Custom and Exercise, Anti Smuggling Unit, Ministry of Health: Pharmacy Division, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training Preventive Education, Department of Prisons, and many other Malawian government entities in order to run a campaign on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. MUSAA realized that utilizing the existing framework already put in place by the Malawian government would be the most efficient way of reaching and impacting the most people. Through the associations partnerships, including the local media, an estimated 3 million Malawians were reached. As another example, the Honduran Fulbright Alumni Association partnered with both the U.S. embassy and government institutions to support education in Honduras. Since 2006, the Fulbright Association has worked with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. embassy in Tegucigalpa to administer the English Access Microscholarship program, a U.S. government sponsored program that provides English language education to 14-18 year olds. More recently, in 2008, the association signed a memorandum of understanding with the Central Bank of Honduras, which agreed to fund two students annually to study at universities throughout Latin America as part of the alumni associations scholarship program, Una Beca Ms. American Centers, American Corners and Binational Centers may also serve as partners for activities and may be able to provide alumni associations with a venue to hold events such as lectures, workshops, and roundtables. American Centers are libraries run by U.S. embassies that contain reference materials, periodicals, and circulating book collections designed to promote mutual understanding between the peoples of the United States and other countries. American Corners, smaller, more flexible versions of American Centers, are partnerships between the Public Affairs sections of U.S. embassies and host institutions for the purpose of making information about the United States available to people in a number of countries around the world. In addition to offering access to books, digital media, and the Internet, both American Centers and American Corners may offer program space in addition to reading or meeting rooms to host an alumni associations events and activities. The Myanmar-United States Friendship Exchange (MUSFEX) alumni association, for example, frequently partners with the American Center in Rangoon to host events such as a three-day
workshop on grant writing for staff and volunteer workers from community based organizations and civil society groups held in 2008. MUSFEX organized another forum to discuss the international relief effort in response to Cyclone Nargis, the worst natural disaster in Burmas recorded history. The American Center provided the meeting space, which allowed MUSFEX to bring together international donors and local relief workers for the first time since the disaster, in addition to providing equipment for MUSFEX to display photo-slides of the local relief effort that was never depicted in the official media. Like American Centers and American Corners, Binational Centers (BNCs), found predominately in countries in the Western Hemisphere, may similarly serve as partners for association activities by providing a venue for alumni events. BNCs are autonomous institutions dedicated to the promotion of mutual understanding between the host country and the United States. English teaching is often a major component of their cultural, educational, and information activities. Although BNCs often work in close cooperation with American Embassies overseas, they are independent in their financial and administrative management. When alumni associations are interested in partnering with BNCs, it is also important to consider how the BNC could benefit from such a partnership. For example, the Fulbright Alumni Association in Nicaragua was awarded funds by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Managua to complete a series of BNC working group conferences, in which Fulbright alumni participate in the training of the BNC board of directors, administrative staff, and teachers. Through various training workshops, retreats, and seminars, the alumni association helped to professionalize the board, to increase the effectiveness of the staff and teachers, and incorporate alumni involvement in BNC programs. American Embassy websites often contain links to local BNCs, American Centers, American Corners and other similar institutions. Also, visit http://americancorners.state.gov/ (Username: "american" Password: "corners") to find out more information about American Corners around the world. Take advantage of resources available through the State Alumni website. Instead of paying for costly web development and monthly hosting fees, State Alumni provides alumni associations with the platform to create free websites, called Communities, under the umbrella of State Alumni (https://alumni.state.gov). Through Communities, associations can take advantage of any or all of the features that are available on the main State Alumni website. State Alumni utilizes a content management system (CMS) that any association member can navigate and manage. A special association section may be used not only as the associations web presence, but also as means of hosting virtual discussions and association planning, and as a way to disseminate information and news.
State Alumni Communities provide alumni associations with: A unique website connected to State Alumni with any or all of the features offered on the main State Alumni site. A unique URL (https://alumni.state.gov/AlumniAssociationName) that can be distributed and used as a direct link to the webpage. Easy to use content management system (CMS) for uploading content. Ability to display content in multiple languages and/or character sets. Free, indefinite web-hosting and support. Contact the Office of Alumni Affairs for a full list of available features and a complete explanation of the process of creating a personalized web-based Community.
State Alumni Community for the BiH-USA Alumni Network, the alumni association in Bosnia Herzegovina
The Office of Alumni Affairs, which manages the State Alumni website, can also provide associations with promotional materials for State Alumni and limited logo design assistance for your Community. Contact webmaster@alumni.state.gov for more information.
Communication
Good communication between the leadership and among individual members is critical to the effectiveness of an alumni association. Being able to quickly and efficiently disseminate information will help an association keep its members informed and engaged. Conversely, providing members with a mechanism to provide feedback and share their ideas with the leadership will help to give members a sense of ownership of the association, and will
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provide members with an avenue to contribute to, towards the direction of the association. In addition, an ongoing flow of communication will prevent the leadership from alienating members. In order to effectively disseminate information about events and motivate members to participate, it is important to make a general call as well as a personal call. Making a general announcement about an upcoming event is important for efficiently disseminating information about an event. Sending a mass email, direct mailing, or SMS/text message to all association members and/or posting an announcement on the associations website are all effective vehicles for making a general announcement. Some alumni associations have also created email listservs to quickly and efficiently disseminate updates and highlights of events and activities. It is also important to make personalized announcements, by personally contacting individual members to spread the word about an event and encouraging them to participate. Personally calling or sending a personalized email to individual members and asking for a commitment is an effective way to both motivate alumni and ensure that more members will participate in an event. Taken together, making both general announcements and personal calls to action go hand in hand in effective outreach. Neglecting either will diminish results. In addition to traditional means of communication, such as email and telephone, consider other avenues for disseminating information and reaching out to current and potential association members: State Alumni o Use networking features to connect with current and potential alumni association members. o Post news stories about association events and activities to share with the greater alumni community. o Send a mass email to all the members of the associations Community section. o Contact the State Alumni webmaster (webmaster@alumni.state.gov) if interested in making an announcement to a targeted group of State Alumni registrants. U.S. embassy
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o Ask the public affairs section to send out an email on the associations behalf to all of their alumni contacts. Social networking sites o Consider creating a group on Facebook, Orkut, LinkedIn, or the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs own Exchanges Connect network (http://connect.state.gov). o Posting a page on MySpace or on another local social networking site to direct alumni to an associations website or Community section on State Alumni is a great way to expand an associations reach and visibility. Local media outlets o Consider publicizing the alumni association events and activities through local print, radio, or television announcements. Association Partners o Send messages to partner organizations and friends of the alumni association and ask them to forward it to their contacts, if appropriate.
Maintaining good external communications can also be a useful tool in leveraging support for an alumni association. If appropriate in your country, consider including government representatives on your associations email distribution list to promote transparency and also to keep them informed of your activities so that you might be able to solicit additional funding or support for specific projects. Keep U.S. Embassy personnel informed about your alumni associations activities as well and invite them to take part in events. The more familiar they are with an associations activities, the more likely they may be to consider providing support. Keep supporters, friends, and partner organizations aware of your activities, to share best practices, solicit their support, and multiply your associations results.
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Sustainability
Sustainability is a key consideration that must be continually in the collective consciousness of an effective alumni association. Practically speaking, sustainability means cultivating reliable and diverse funding, implementing sound budgeting and auditing policies, maintaining strong membership numbers, and adopting mechanisms for transferring leadership responsibilities in regular intervals to new leaders.
Funding
To secure the long-term sustainability of an alumni association, identifying a variety of sources of funding is necessary. In many cases, U.S. embassies are able to provide full funding for the short-term development of the organization, and partial funding over a longer period if the association maintains clear goals and sustainability. In either case, the U.S. embassy will want to see that the association will be able to stand alone once embassy funds cease. It is not the place or the desire of the U.S. embassy to run or manage the association. Effective associations are typically alumni-driven and alumni have ownership and responsibility for the direction of the association, while the embassy plays a partnership role. Ways that an alumni association can work closer with a U.S. embassy include selecting embassy officials to serve on an honorary board, inviting embassy officials to participate in activities, and asking the embassy to review association project proposals. In any event, it is necessary to seek out monies from other sources. It is in an associations best financial interest to diversify their funding sources and to seek sustainable means of procuring funds. Consider the following sources for funding opportunities: Grant Opportunities There are numerous sources of funding available through local resources that alumni may be able to utilize, such as public-private partnerships, project grants (visit the Grant Opportunities section of State Alumni), and alumni grants from the U.S. embassy. Typically, U.S. embassies set aside a limited amount of funds to support alumni activities that an association might be able to utilize. Often, individual alumni can utilize their personal and/or professional connections to local NGOs, universities, private companies, and the government for additional financial support.
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When applying for grants from outside institutions, it is important to understand the grantmaking process. Applicants need to be mindful of the goals and objectives of donor institutions when crafting proposals to ensure that they are as competitive as possible. A proposed project might be exactly what the association needs to do, but if it does not match the donor institutions criteria, chances are it will not be funded. Additionally, be sure that your associations charter allows for the association to accept foreign funds. A prohibition of foreign funds or an absence of guidelines might make receiving support from the U.S. embassy or international NGOs difficult or impossible. Membership Dues Charging annual membership dues is a good way to secure a steady cash flow to support alumni association operation and events. Membership dues are never likely to cover all costs, but can still contribute greatly to financial sustainability. As a positive by-product, charging dues literally gives members a sense of ownership and responsibility for the alumni association, which helps to keep the leadership accountable and the members more engaged. Consider charging a reduced rate for students so that they are not alienated from the association by the cost of joining. In addition to charging annual dues, some alumni associations, such as the Fulbright Alumni Association in Belgium (FAAB), offer members the choice of becoming life-time members. While annual FAAB dues are 25 Euro, life-time membership is a one-time cost of 400 Euro, which includes a 150 Euro life-time dues charge plus a mandatory 250 Euro donation to the FAAB Fulbright Scholarship Fund, which supports additional Fulbright grants for Belgians. If charging dues isnt possible or reasonable for an alumni association, consider requesting small donations from members for refreshments at meetings and events to raise additional funds. Member Donations While not necessarily a reliable source of consistent revenue for an alumni association, soliciting donations may be an effective means of raising funds for initiatives. As an example, the German Fulbright Alumni Association solicited donations from its members to help support additional Fulbright grantees for underprivileged students in Germany. The Fulbright Alumni Association in Belgium (FAAB) solicits donations from members to support their Fulbright Alumni Loan Fund, which makes limited interest-free loans to current Fulbright grantees to help them in the event of an unexpected financial emergency while in the United States, or, as is more common, to complement their financial resources in the case of the continuation of their studies in the United States beyond the terms of their Fulbright grant to help them achieve their educational and professional objectives.
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When soliciting donations from members, it is best to seek such funding for a special project that, through donating, will offer alumni an opportunity to give back, will help to promote exchanges, or some other cause important to alumni and the association as a whole. If the purpose of soliciting donations is vague or simply to go to the general support of the association, alumni may be less likely to identify with the immediate need and may be less enthusiastic about donating. To solicit donations, consider mailing out donor cards to members or providing these cards at association events. Additionally, consider posting a donor form on the associations website that alumni could print and mail in to the association. Always, be sure to clearly explain the purpose and need to alumni for their financial contributions. Fundraising Events In addition to seeking individual donations from individuals, consider raising funds through events that target not only individual members, but also association partners, the business community, and other constituencies. Organizing gala events, such as fund-raising benefits, can be an effective way to raise funds for a particular cause. As an example, a FLEX alumni group in Ukraine organizes an annual benefit for a rotating group of beneficiaries, including schools, orphanages, and hospitals. They typically invite the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine to be the honorary chairman of the organizing committee and they enlist the help of other high-level officials and personalities to raise the profile of the event and help popularize it. In 2007, the FLEX alumni association in Armenia partnered with the Birthright Armenia Organization (BAO) to throw a Halloween party to raise money to cover higher education costs of students from low-income families. The association contacted local businesses in Yerevan for sponsorship, and was able to book a popular rock band, secure a free venue, attract over 150 guests, and raise over $800. Another example is the biennial Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal dinners. The U.S. Fulbright Association recognizes three outstanding Fulbright alumni whose distinguished careers and civic and cultural contributions have sought to expand the boundaries of human wisdom, empathy, and perception. The association reaches out to its contacts to invite guests to purchase tickets ranging from $500-$2,000. The event not only raises a considerable amount of money for the association's special projects, but also raises the profile of the association itself and highlights the benefit of exchanges and mutual understanding. Other fundraising events to support an alumni association might include conducting paid seminars and trainings for the business community, or offering paid language courses for the general public. Fundraising activities need not be complicated or intensive. For example, to help mitigate the cost of renting office space for their association, the U.S.-Educated
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Azerbaijani Alumni Association on occasion rents their conference space to other organizations and private businesses. Utilize the resources and skills of members to develop the most effective fundraising events. Budgeting Once an association has funding, developing an annual budget is a necessity. Creating a budget helps an association to utilize funds in an efficient way, to keep track of the associations finances, and to make future reporting for tax purposes easier. In essence, an associations budget is its organizational plan stated in financial terms. Much like an associations strategic plan, a budget helps the association to plan and forecast its future revenues and expenditures and helps the association to evaluate itself. It is profitable for an association to develop a long-term plan of how it will fund itself, and to rely increasingly less on outside grants to cover basic operational costs. Accounting Complementary to budgeting, accounting is the process by which financial information about an organization is recorded, summarized, and analyzed. Just as budgeting is important on the front-end and throughout the life of a project, accounting is crucial on the back-end and essential in demonstrating the financial integrity of an organization. For an alumni association, accounting ensures the tracking and responsible use of funds and aids in the management, good governance, and financial planning for the future of the association. Accounting is an important part of the fundraising process, as potential funding partners may request to review the associations year-end financial review audited by an accountant.
Annual Financial Report 2007 Statement of Accounts in Euros
EXPENSES: Mailings by the Commission (Newsletters, invitations) Transfer to the Deflandre Endowment fund Travel for Intl Secretary National Comm.meetings Bank fees 3.043 2.412 1.484 324 41 __________ Total expenses 7.304 Total receipts __________ 2.717 RECEIPTS Bank interest Dues (incl. 9 lifetime memberships) Eat & Meet 52 2.065 600
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TREASURY End of 2006 Current account Term account 11.030 3.084 __________ 14.114
End of 2007 8.640 3.137 ___________ 11.777
Fulbright Alumni Association in Belgium 2007 Annual Financial Report to association members
Membership
People are the most important part of any organization, and for an association to be successful and sustainable, it must remain acutely aware of the needs and desires of its membership. Member recruitment and member retention are, therefore, two of the most important and never-ending occupations of an alumni association. Recruitment Capitalize on the excitement of returning alumni, by encouraging them to join as soon as they come back to the country. Having had several fantastic weeks to a year or on exchange, alumni will be keen to find ways of perpetuating that experience; ways that only being a part of an alumni association can provide. If possible, consider meeting with outgoing participants at pre-departure events to present the alumni association to them, to explain the opportunities available to them through membership in the association, and to inform them of how they can be cultural ambassadors during their exchange program. An alumni association should contact the public affairs section of the U.S. embassy to arrange meeting with current participants and to send invitations to newly returned alumni about the alumni association. An additional way to recruit new members is to grant automatic membership to returning alumni and waive the first years dues. This allows new alumni to taste and see what the alumni association is about before committing themselves financially. When new alumni are permitted to experience the alumni association on a trial basis, they will be more likely to retain their membership by paying their dues the following year. When reaching out to newer and experienced alumni alike, it is important to do so in a professional and organized way. Consider developing calling cards or explanatory brochures that the alumni association can mail or hand out to alumni. When designing marketing materials, keep in mind the audience and highlight specific features of the association that will most appeal to them. For example, younger alumni may be more interested in career
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development and volunteering possibilities, while experienced alumni may be more interested in networking and conferences. Retention and Engagement Retaining and engaging existing members is as important as recruiting new ones. Alumni will continue to be active members of an association if they feel that it is beneficial to them, if there are ways for them to contribute, and if they have a sense of ownership. To design activities that benefit all alumni association members, allow everyone to make tangible contributions to the mission of the association, and provide all with a sense of ownership in the organization. Gathering feedback from members after events, both through informal conversations, as well as through the completion of anonymous standardized evaluation forms, is critical in measuring the pulse of the association and in determining whether the membership is content with what the leadership is putting forward. The U.S.Educated Azerbaijani Alumni Association (AAA), for example, gathers feedback from members through a mini-survey that they periodically distribute. They then develop projects and activities based on the results of the survey. Organizing a mentorship program is another way of keeping members engaged over longer periods of time and of fostering internal bonds between group members who might not otherwise interact. Mentorship programs involve experienced alumni providing advice and guidance typically to younger, more recent alumni, young professionals, or youth over a defined period of time. A mentorship program may also serve as a means for an alumni association to promote exchanges, by engaging those who are interested in participating or learning more about exchange programs. Such mentorship programs provide alumni the opportunity to share their unique experience of living abroad. Again, keep in mind the mission and goals of the alumni association when designing a mentoring program, as mentoring may serve to not only augment the professional development of association members, but could also contribute to a concrete goal of the association. Examples of alumni association mentorship programs include a program instituted by the U.S.-Educated Azerbaijani Alumni Association (AAA) in which older, well-established scholars, mentor younger undergraduate and graduate students to provide assistance and guidance on their research with the larger goal of developing AAAs capacity to produce high-quality research papers, augmenting their other projects of drafting policy briefs. Members of various alumni associations throughout Latin America have served as mentors through the College Horizons Outreach Program, which provides two years of English instruction, mentoring, and academic advising to Afro-Latino, indigenous, and other socially excluded high school students. In Nicaragua, for example, members of the Fulbright Alumni Association agreed to serve as mentors to all of the students in the first cohort. The
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Fulbright alumni also led the training for all mentors participating in the programs second cohort. The British Fulbright Scholars Association (BFSA) has a mentoring program for all visiting scholars currently in the UK. Scholars are matched with Fulbright alumni in their area and from their discipline. Mentors and mentees meet periodically over the course of the mentees exchange and all involved meet three times for a welcome reception in September, a Thanksgiving dinner in November, and a farewell garden party in May. The mentorship program enables association members to give back to the program and to maintain and forge new transatlantic ties. Above all, in order to sustain membership, an alumni association must provide activities, benefits, and opportunities that are recognizable and attractive to alumni members and potential members alike. Alumni members may ask Whats in it for me? therefore the leadership of the association should strive to answer this question by offering attractive and exciting opportunities on a continual basis.
Branding as a T ool
Branding an alumni association can be a useful tool in fostering the sustainability of the association. In fundraising, member recruitment, and membership retention, having a consistent, recognizable brand augments an associations efforts and makes them more effective. Consider applying the following branding tools: Develop a logo and use it consistently in all publications and on all products.
Logo of Cercle Jefferson, the French International Visitor Leadership Program alumni association
Choose a color scheme to use on all marketing materials, on the association website, and newsletter.
Cercle Jeffersons color scheme
Establish a style sheet that dictates the font, font size, and similar publishing considerations to be applied to all written correspondence, web content, and newsletters.
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Example from Cercle Jeffersons website: http://www.cerclejefferson.org
Some alumni associations, such as the International Visitor Leadership Program Alumni Association of the Philippines (IVLP-Phils), have additionally adopted a motto for their alumni association which reminds members of their purpose as an association and the fundamental values and goals of their alumni association. The motto of IVLP-Phils is, It Starts with Me, which represents the members' commitment to individual and social transformation through practical tasks which benefit of the whole society and reinforces the association's commitment to volunteerism to achieve their goals.
Passing the T orch

Transferring leadership through a regular, organized rotation of officers is critical to the longterm sustainability of an alumni association. Charismatic leaders come and go, and it is important for the sustainability of the alumni association that it not become dominated by one or two individuals who would leave a huge void if they eventually move on to something else. While the number and title of officers may vary, an effective alumni association will have a specified set of key officers with established executive positions including a president/chairperson, vice president/deputy chairperson, treasurer, and secretary. Effective associations also have an established process and timeline for the nomination and election of association officers, which ensures a smooth transfer of leadership from one slate of officers to the next. Regular elections serve to keep members engaged and also bring new alumni with fresh ideas to power, which continually breathes new life and vigor into the organization.
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Conclusion
Running an effective alumni association takes a serious commitment of time, energy, and concentration. However, implemented in an organized fashion with well-defined goals and a carefully crafted plan, the administration of an alumni association need not be excessively difficult. Always keeping an eye on the associations mission and goals, maintaining open and fluid communication between members and association partners, and being creative with activity planning and funding, will help to multiply results that make the association as effective and efficient as possible. Use this handbook as a guide, not as a rigid set of precepts, and be ever mindful of the particularities of the alumni associations country and the interests and concerns of the alumni. Borrow examples, ideas, and best practices found in this document and reference the wealth of alumni association resources found on the State Alumni website, in the Alumni Association Resources Community, which can offer useful information for the alumni association with which you are involved. The alumni associations mentioned here can also lend practical guidance. Their contact information can be found on the State Alumni website, and their best practices can be of service. U.S. embassies may be able to organize a digital video conference (DVC) between the alumni association in your country and another, more established alumni association in another country, which provides an exciting opportunity to discuss ideas, ask questions, and share best practices across distances. For additional information on sources of funding, alumni best practices from around the world, or for additional advice, please contact the Office of Alumni Affairs at alumni@state.gov or visit the State Alumni website (https://alumni.state.gov). In particular, take advantage of the resources in the State Alumni websites Alumni Association Resources Community (https://alumni.state.gov/alumni-association-resources).
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Running An Effective Alumni Association Current

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Running An Effective Alumni Association Current

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R U N N I N G

UTILIZE PARTNERSHIPS AND EXISTING RESOURCES COMMUNICATION

FUNDING MEMBERSHIP BRANDING AS A TOOL PASSING THE TORCH CONCLUSION

Alumni Association Defined

DefineVision and Mission Goals

Develop a Strategic Plan

Utilize Partnerships and Existing Resources

End of 2007 8.640 3.137 ___________ 11.777

Cercle Jeffersons color scheme

Example from Cercle Jeffersons website: http://www.cerclejefferson.org

Passing the T orch

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