Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta has urged members to become more involved in service projects, saying that caring for and serving others is the best way to live because it changes not only other people’s lives, but also our own.
But...to be able to do more through service, Rotary needs to increase membership. Membership has hovered around 1.2 million for the past two decades. Thus, Mehta has challenged Rotary District and Clubs to be catalysts to help increase membership to 1.3 million by 1 July 2022 through his Each One, Bring One initiative which asks every member to bring one person to join Rotary within the next 17 months.
Implementation Tips
Club Leaders, the best way to see success with your Each One, Bring One campaign is to include your members and get everyone excited about the possibilities of growing your club! Below, you’ll find tips for success and a sample timeline to kick-start your campaign in the first few months of the Rotary year. Every Rotary Club is unique, so feel free to adapt, customize and dream up your own creative ideas!
Remember to reach out to District 7030 Membership Chair and Committee with questions.
June (pre-work)
- Identify an Each One, Bring One contact/point person for your club. This person may be your Club Membership Chair or someone else.
- They will receive regular communication from the District to submit the names of participating members.
- This person will be responsible for tracking members who participate by bringing guests to club meetings, service projects or social events. It will require approximately 1 hour each month and is a GREAT opportunity to prepare someone for future leadership in your club! If you don’t identify a contact person, the communications will default to the Club President.
July
- Introduce your members to Each One, Bring One.
- Complete the “Sharing the Rotary Experience” Activity with your members during a club meeting in July. The activity should take approximately 5-10 minutes and can occur in-person, virtually or hybrid.
- Utilize an internal communication tool to remind your members to invite guests
- Communicate with your community!
- Utilize the external communication tools to share “guests welcome” on social media and to use existing professional networks as a pathway to prospective members.
August
- Remind your members about Each One, Bring One and recognize the members who participate. Consider a 1-2 minute acknowledgement/thank you during your monthly business meeting for members who participated last month.
- Welcome guests warmly!
- Consider using a “Guest Welcome” script or adapt the template to meet the needs of your club.
- Empower your membership committee to develop or adapt a “welcome to your first Rotary meeting” document for guests
September
- Talk to your members about the monthly charitable incentive hosted by the district for members who participate in Each One, Bring One.
- Share information about Each One, Bring One in your club’s newsletter.
- Create a guest follow up plan!
- Inspire your membership committee to develop a plan to follow up with guests. Be sure to check out the templates in our EOBO Tool Kit or develop your own!
October
- Use the “Prospective Member” tool from Rotary International to identify prospective members in your community. This is a great activity to complete during a club business meeting.
- Remember to include regular reminders about Each One, Bring One in your internal club communications and to announce the campaign during club meetings.