Why Organize An FFA Alumni Affiliate?
Congratulations on Your Interest in Organizing an FFA Alumni Affiliate!
The FFA Organization has been developing young Americans’ personal, leadership, and career potential since its formation in 1928 as the Future Farmers of America. The National FFA Alumni was born in 1969 out of a desire by national agriculture education leaders and others to support and assist agricultural education and the FFA in their youth development efforts at the local, state, and national levels as well as to provide a vehicle for the leadership development of adults.
The mission and vision of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association distills what interested individuals strive to accomplish through involvement in the FFA Alumni.
The Mission of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association
The mission of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association is to secure the promise of FFA and agricultural education by creating an environment where people and communities can develop their potential for premier leadership personal growth and career success.
The Vision of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association
We are advocates for FFA and agricultural education.
Why Organize a Local FFA Alumni Affiliate?
The dedicated agricultural education instructors in our schools are out front in providing the world-class career and leadership training and experiences that agricultural education and FFA offers. Today these dedicated professionals face a number of challenges that stretch their personal and professional resources.
· School district budget constraints
· Federal mandates on student achievement that affect school priorities
o State mandates on course requirements that limit opportunity for students to enroll in non-core academic courses
o School district emphasis on academic courses to meet Federal achievement targets
· Increasingly diverse selection of agriculture education course offerings to meet student interest and employee skills needed by agriculture industries.
· Increasingly technical and sophisticated requirements of agriculture education program materials, equipment, and facilities to meet training needs for modern agriculture.
· Increase in quality youth development opportunities provided by state and national FFA.
· Need for and student interest in post-secondary education and training to meet their career aspirations and needs of agricultural businesses.
What Are Local FFA Alumni Affiliates Doing To Assist Agriculture Educators and FFA Members?
The programs and activities of FFA Alumni affiliates in Wisconsin are as varied and diverse as are our communities and school districts. The key is that each affiliate develops their program to serve their community, support and promote the FFA Organization, FFA activities, and agriculture education. Some examples of what Wisconsin Alumni affiliates are doing are:
· Serve as advocates for agriculture education and FFA with local school board, local government officials, the state legislature; and other stakeholders.
· Promote community service, entrepreneurship, and free enterprise in local communities.
· Recruit, facilitate and coordinate involvement of former FFA members and others interested in promoting and assisting agriculture education and FFA.
· Volunteer to assist the agriculture education instructor/FFA advisor.
o Offer business place or personal expertise as resource for agriculture education classes.
o Use personal interest and expertise to assist FFA advisor in preparing/coaching CDE participants, local leadership training, ag ball teams, etc.
o Assist advisor with transportation, chaperoning, meeting arrangements, and other needs.
o Evaluate applications and interview officer, award, scholarship candidates.
· Plan and carry out community service, fundraising, and social activities jointly with FFA chapter.
o Joint chapter/affiliate picnics, recreation nights
o Sponsor June Dairy Breakfast On The Farm
o Sponsor tractor pulls and other community events
o Agronomic crop test plots
· Raise funds to support agricultural education and FFA programs. Some examples:
o Purchase or contribute toward advanced educational technology for use by agriculture education department and FFA
§ Computers and computer laboratories
§ Smart Boards
§ Specialized instruments and equipment
o Purchase, construct, or contribute to greenhouse, food science or other specialized laboratory facilities.
o Purchase/lease vehicles for use by FFA advisor and FFA Alumni
o FFA jacket subsidy program for FFA members
o Scholarships for FFA members to attend WLC and other leadership development conferences and workshops; state and national convention.
o Scholarships for graduating FFA members for post-secondary education.
o Donate to worthy local community projects.
How To Organize An FFA Alumni Affiliate
What Does It Take To Qualify As An Active FFA Alumni Affiliate?
v A minimum of ten members who have paid state and national FFA Alumni dues.
v Develop a set of by-laws that is in harmony with the National FFA Alumni Bylaws.
v Elect a council of officers
What is the Procedure For Applying For a Charter?
Send to the executive director-treasurer of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association:
· the completed Application For Local Charter
· the Bylaws
· completed roster of charter members
· the state and national dues for the members listed on the roster
The documents and national dues are forwarded to the National FFA Alumni Association. Upon receipt, the National FFA Alumni Association will officially charter the new affiliate by issuing an affiliate number, a charter certificate, and a charter scroll.
What Are The Dues?
Annual Dues
National $10
Wisconsin $10
Total $20 – Paid annually*
Life Dues
National $150
State 50
Total $200 – Paid one time
To maintain status as an active local affiliate a minimum of 10 members must be enrolled and have paid both state and national dues--either annual or life every year.
*Local affiliates may elect to assess local dues in addition to the state and national dues.
Annual Membership Timeline
December Roster materials for the new year received from National and forwarded to affiliate contact person
March 1 Affiliate rosters and dues must be submitted to state association Executive Director to qualify for Wisconsin awards and recognition
May 1 Affiliate rosters and dues must be submitted to state association Executive Director to qualify for National awards, grants, and national convention delegate counts
August 15 or later Affiliate rosters and dues received by the state association Executive Director will be held for new membership year.
What Do We Do to Reactivate an Affiliate?
An affiliate that does not submit a roster for two consecutive years is declared inactive and removed from the list of active affiliates. Any life members of the affiliate are transferred to the state membership list. To reactivate, the same three qualifications as for organizing a new affiliate must be met. The Executive Director maintains an archive of past rosters so can provide local reactivation groups with the affiliate number and last roster submitted. Life members can be transferred back to the reactivated affiliate.
What Assistance is Available for Groups Desiring to Organize An FFA Alumni Affiliate?
v National FFA Alumni Web Site http://www.ffa.org
v Wisconsin FFA Alumni Web Site http://www.wisconsinffaalumni.org/
o Click on the Download Center button on the left side of the screen. Scroll down to Wisconsin FFA Alumni Manual section and then the Local Affiliate Information section. The papers listed can be viewed on the screen or can be downloaded and printed.
v Wisconsin FFA Alumni Manual
o The Manual was extensively updated in 2009 and is available for download from the Wisconsin FFA Alumni web site. The manual has information for affiliates seeking ideas for everything from how to work effectively with your instructor/advisor to how to conduct a meeting.
v Wisconsin FFA Alumni Personnel
o The state leadership of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association, INC. who can be of assistance to groups seeking to organize an FFA Alumni affiliate are listed below. In addition, sectional representatives are elected from each of the ten geographic sections into which the state is divided. The sectional representatives for the section your FFA chapter is located in are closest to you and familiar with affiliates in your area. They should be able to arrange to meet with your interest group to answer questions and get you started. The state membership chairman who is also the President-elect, as well as any of the State Council executive committee members are willing to answer questions, travel to meetings with your group, and help you get organized. A complete list of the State Council executive committee and sectional representatives with contact information is included in this packet.
§ Regina Oldendorf, Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association Executive Director
Phone: 605-989-2187
Email: