How to plan for recruiting 

How to plan for recruiting 

Apr 27, 2026 | Club building, General interest | 0 comments

Use these steps to create an efficient club process for finding potential members.  

By Tony Knoderer

Every Kiwanis member plays a role in recruitment. After all, inviting people to club meetings and events is something any member can do. But the strongest Kiwanis clubs support those efforts, making recruitment a part of club culture rather than a collection of individual acts. 

If your club needs to start the work of finding and meeting with people — or needs to refresh everyone’s enthusiasm for it — Kiwanis International can help. We have five steps for creating an efficient recruiting process. Share them and start a discussion in your club: 

  1. Develop “cold” and “warm” prospect lists. Your cold list will be made of people you don’t know. Your warm list will consist of people you have a connection with. Fill out index cards with prospects’ names, email addresses, home addresses, telephone numbers and any other information you feel is important.  
  2. Assign teams. Teamwork is a successful approach to recruiting because it helps reach more people in more places, more quickly than individuals can. (And you never know who a prospective member will relate to better.) Remember to assemble your teams so each one has a mix of skills, personalities and backgrounds. 
  3. Explore the “Community Survey” tool. Part of our suite of Achieving Club Excellence (ACE) tools, the community survey provides you with more ideas on what to say and do. (You can find more information about all the ACE tools in our club toobox.) 
  4. Use the roster analysis worksheet. This downloadable resource provides prompts to help you think about people you know in various careers.  
  5. Remind members why recruiting matters. Continuing inspiration is one of the most important resources for any club. From club meetings to casual conversations, help your fellow members keep in mind that the larger your club is, the more connections, ideas and skillsets it has — and the more it can do for kids in the community. 

Together, the steps above are a way to plan the work of recruiting. After that, your club can start working the plan. And we have tips for that too! In fact, they’re all in a handy, one-page resource available for viewing or download through our Build. Nurture. Retain. page. You’ll even find tips and tactics for making meetings with potential members successful. 

Want to find even more ways to grow your club? Check out our set of club-strengthening resources

The truth about satellite and corporate memberships

The truth about satellite and corporate memberships

Apr 6, 2026 | Club building, General interest, Leadership, Service projects | 0 comments

Let’s separate fact from fiction for each. 

By Tony Knoderer

Among the ways that Kiwanis clubs can add members, two lie outside the “classic” methods: satellite membership and corporate membership.  

Satellite membership is an opportunity to include people who can’t attend club meetings because of distance or scheduling. Satellite members are part of the club but have some autonomy on meeting times and service projects. 

With a corporate membership, a company or organization can be a member of your club — with a representative of its choice attending club meetings, service projects and fundraisers.  

What’s fact, what’s fiction?
Satellite and corporate memberships are valuable ways of expanding your recruiting efforts, so it’s important to know how they differ from traditional membership — and how they don’t. Based on questions we get from club leaders, we’ve identifiedsome common misunderstandings. Here are a few of them — with an explanation of the truth for each one.  

“Corporate members can’t hold club offices.”
Fiction: The selected representative is eligible to serve as a club officer. In fact, the representative also can attend conventions as a club delegate. 

“Corporations can send as many members as they want for their membership, and they all can vote.”
Fiction: Of course, any Kiwanis club should welcome as many company employees as possible to its events and activities. But a corporation or organization can have only one corporate membership — with one designated employee and one vote.  

“Satellite membership groups have their own bylaws.”
Fiction: Satellite membership groups operate under the bylaws of the parent Kiwanis club. This structure allows satellite groups to function as part of the larger club while offering flexibility in meeting times and formats to accommodate members’ needs.  

“A Kiwanis club can have a Kiwanis Voices satellite.”
Fiction: Kiwanis Voices is a pilot program designed to create clubs for young adults aged 18-26. A Kiwanis club can certainly have young adults as members of their satellite, but they cannot be members of a Kiwanis Voices club. Satellite members are members of the host Kiwanis club. 

“Dues for satellite and corporate members must be the same as for other members.”
Fiction: Kiwanis International provides each Kiwanis club with an invoice that reflects the same dues amount for all of the club’s members. However, the club may set its own dues structures for each membership type. For example, corporate members could pay a higher amount to reflect the increased visibility and marketing opportunities that result from the connection with Kiwanis. And in many clubs, satellite members’ dues don’t include meal costs since they meet at different places and times. Please note: Any exception must be codified in the club’s bylaws. 

Where to learn and share more
More details about club and satellite memberships are available on our website. For instance, you can print and use our two-page toolkit for finding and welcoming satellite members.  

We also have separate recruiting materials for potential satellite members and corporate members. Each is a great source of information for those you’re trying to recruit — and for current members who are doing the recruiting. In fact, they’re sized to fit our “Join Us” brochure. Check out all of these recruiting materials, which are available for free, on the webpage in the Kiwanis Family Store.

4 responses to recruiting roadblocks

4 responses to recruiting roadblocks

Apr 1, 2026 | Club building, General interest | 0 comments

Check out these responses for common objections to joining Kiwanis.

By Tony Knoderer

When you talk to people about becoming Kiwanis members, you might occasionally find that someone is interested in service generally — but has specific reasons for not joining Kiwanis.

Some of these roadblocks are actually pretty common. Here are a few that many Kiwanians have heard, along with responses that have helped overcome them:

  • “I’m too busy.” Explain that most Kiwanians have additional priorities and responsibilities —  in fact, it’s a strength — but clubs decide how often they meet, and members decide how active they will be. Busy people prioritize what matters to them. 
  • “It costs too much.” Ask them what appeals to them about Kiwanis. Then let them know that member dues are what make it happen. Dues allow Kiwanis International to pay for members’ leadership education, club membership resources, club growth support, Kiwanis youth programs and much more.  
  • “It’s hard to join.” They only need to complete an application and pay a prorated dues amount, depending on the month they join. 
  • “I’m part of another organization.” Ask them to consider what Kiwanis offers — and whether it could complement their existing affiliation. They don’t have to choose just one! Either way, thank them for serving the community and ask whether they know anyone who might be interested in Kiwanis.

Whatever the response to your recruiting efforts, always mention that membership helps develop leadership skills that also improve careers and communities. In fact, a Kiwanis club is a place to network with community leaders. (And don’t forget to mention Kiwanis Amplify.)

Our online club toolbox has many resources you can use to grow your club — including a dedicated webpage for recruiting materials. Find customizable club brochures, inserts designed to fit them and more! 

And download our handy one-page resource with tips and tactics for inviting guests. Use it and share it with other members!