Feedback from Chapter Presidents
The majority of the Chapters are experiencing low participation. A couple of them have seen an increase. The furlough, sequestration, retirements, and no leadership/management support were factors cited as main contributors to participation. Not being able to attend the PDI was a contributor to low participation. Non-interest and distance were issues also. Conference approval process very tedious.
Following are suggestions for increasing participation/interest in ASMC:
Focus on Members:
- One chapter grew membership by 8 people by focusing on the members; they gave away something at each meeting and only members could win
- Free, catered Christmas luncheon for members
- Find out charitable things active members like to do and get the chapter to make events to support those areas
- Gift card drawings at every luncheon
- Chapter Award Program where members earn points for attending meetings/participating in events
- Lots of cheerleading for the chapter
Theme: Set a theme at the beginning of the year and focus events, activities, luncheons around that theme throughout the year; i.e. Aloha Chapter’s theme is “Developing Tomorrows Financial Management Leaders Today”
Monthly Meetings (Luncheons):
- Brown bag meetings in large conference rooms
- Ordering pizza or grilling burgers ~$5.00 per person
- Conduct DCOs and teleconferences
- Have meetings in concert with audio conferences to reach out to non-members
Location:
- Use an on-site facility which costs nothing to procure
- Distance was an issue for some
Speakers/Topics:
- Speakers from the local community, both on and off-base, with interesting topics
- Political advisors to talk national security, former instructors to host hands-on decision support exercises, and local PhDs to teach on organizational culture and leadership
- Local speakers and a few guests from the outside, mostly the Air Force since they are our primary customer
- Benefit Coordinators come out and discuss retirement and buying-back military time
- Life coach discussing mentoring and also TekSouth do a Microsoft Office tips and tricks class
- General Office, SES, and local Schools Superintendent as guest speakers
- Guest speakers from OSD Comptroller to speak via VTC and get local members to present information on how to use FM Mylearn to document training
- Interesting speakers: Air National Guard Comptroller, Army Corp of Engineers financial rep, Secret Service (currency division), and AFOSI
- FM Certification, Mentoring, Sr FM Leadership Panel (FM Leads on base) and Base or Local Community leaders
- Diversified speakers by incorporating local community leaders, state government officials, and commercial CEO's
- Speakers that were current workforce employees to talk about their programs and projects. This was good especially if we had a supporting budget analyst assigned to that Program Manager or Test Officer
- Taxes during tax season
- Health Care
- Personal Budgets during the furlough period
- From the National PDI "library"
- Focus on FM Certification
Conference Approval Process
Topics based on membership feedback
NOTE: We recently had our FM/Warplanner speak on civilians deploying: positions open, how to apply, pay, and eligibility requirements. It was very interesting.
Recruitment:
- Look at recruiting members in all financial series; i.e. Management analysts, ORSAs (Army), contracting officers, and senior leadership
Fund Raising:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers concession stand for the entire season netted us over $6,000
- Local Restaurants: i.e. "Give-Back" monthly luncheon at Chili's restaurant; Chapter given 10% of sales for scholarship fund
- Raised over $5,000 this past summer with their food booth
- Corporate sponsors and the local chamber of commerce gave gift bags
- Sold t-shirts to members as a fund-raiser
Mini-PDI:
- Solicit corporate sponsorship
- Provide low or no cost event
- A "no-cost" mini-PDI with box lunches ($10)
- Utilize a local University with a conference room and dining area to be used for the whole day with very little interruption
- Chapter hosts the event and members pay $45 to attend and non-members $55. One day event and a working lunch is included; we conduct the event in a large conference room that has VTC capability and has a large classroom next door for breaks, lunch, and auction items.
-Invited the colleges on base/post to set up displays in the classroom for members to get information on continuing education opportunities and ask questions
- FM leadership donated funds to buy coffee and water; Committee members baked muffins for breakfast
- Chapter members prefer a "sit-down" environment in which they can network and converse during lunch and feel at ease, versus a classroom or office venue
- Each Red River Chapter donated a basket for a silent auction fund raiser
- Local businesses donated items for the silent auction or to give as door prizes
- Considered as a day of training, giving attendees a lunch break instead of meals being provided
- Partner with Sister Chapters
- Charge members for meals and non-members a small registration fee
NOTE: Our Chapter decided to hold a half-day “Training Symposium” free to PAID members. We’re providing a continental breakfasts, have speakers for FM Certification, Cost Analysis, and Cyber Security. Members with expired memberships are renewing and we have a few folks joining ASMC! ~ Yolanda