How creativity increases club value

How creativity increases club value

A past New York governor reveals how one internet club thrives by doing things differently.

By James Mancuso
Photos by Maureen Neuringer 

In the Kiwanis world, the term “membership” is often heard, and for good reason. The effectiveness of this organization hinges on the number of members willing to roll up their sleeves and contribute to community service.  

However, as we strive to grow our ranks, perhaps it’s time to elevate another word in our lexicon: “creativity.” 

One successful model is Kiwanis Club of the East Coast, U.S., which operates primarily online. Now in its second year, this internet-based club exemplifies how creativity can fuel growth and service impact.  

The internet has become a powerful tool for increasing accessibility and engagement in Kiwanis. By creating a model that accommodates varying levels of commitment and involvement, Kiwanis Club of the East Coast demonstrates that it is possible to foster a vibrant community of service-minded individuals, regardless of their schedules. 

A new way to engage
The club’s operating model is straightforward: Each quarter, members research and evaluate several charities. During their meetings, three selected charities present their missions and needs, followed by an electronic vote to determine which organization will receive funding. This structure not only keeps members engaged but also allows them to explore a diverse range of charitable causes. 

Members commit to a quarterly donation of $100, leading to thousands of dollars in collective contributions. This system has enabled the club to make a significant impact without demanding excessive time from its members. 

One of the notable charities supported by the Kiwanis Club of the East Coast is Night Out for You (see photo below), which offers adults undergoing cancer treatment experiences akin to “make-a-wish” services. By providing opportunities such as attending Broadway shows and dining out, they help ease the burdens of medical challenges.  

The club has also supported organizations that provide service dogs to disabled veterans, care for injured wildlife, and offer music lessons to children — showcasing a broad spectrum of community interests.  

Harnessing the internet’s power
As Kiwanis clubs navigate the challenges of membership growth, they must be willing to embrace creativity as a cornerstone of their efforts. Internet clubs can open doors to a wider audience. (See a Kiwanis blog post from last year regarding how the East Coast club itself came together.)  

Kiwanis Club of the East Coast shows what Kiwanians can achieve when they adapt and innovate, proving that service and community impact can flourish in diverse formats. 

If you are interested in membership, reach out to Club Secretary Lisa Hallett at kiwaniseastcoasters@gmail.com.  

James N. Mancuso and Maureen Neuringer are Distinguished past governors of the New York District.

3 tools to reverse membership losses

3 tools to reverse membership losses

These ACE resources provide answers for Kiwanis clubs that are losing people. 

By Tony Knoderer

Clubs lose members. It’s a fact of life. People move away or their jobs become more demanding — or other circumstances arise that don’t necessarily signal a lack of interest. But when a Kiwanis club is losing more members than it’s gaining, the reasons are usually larger than these individual causes.

The good news: Kiwanis International offers resources that can help reverse membership losses. In fact, three of our Achieving Club Excellence (ACE) tools are designed for your club to build a culture that keeps members engaged:

  • Member survey. What makes the club experience valuable for members? With this tool, specific questions and activities can help your club find the answers — and provide the kind of experience that inspires people to stay. 
  • Club vision. What does your club do, and why does it exist? This tool helps your club create a vision that guides its leaders and inspires its members. And that helps make everyone more enthusiastic about persuading other people to join.  
  • Club excellence plan. In addition to vision, your club needs shorter-term goals and milestones that help members see the progress they’re making. This tool helps create them, along with a plan to reach them. 

Don’t forget: All these resources can be found on the ACE tools webpage, which includes other common concerns clubs face — and pairs them with the tools that help address those issues. 

Microgrants help kids get ahead 

Microgrants help kids get ahead 

From October through December, smaller clubs made a big impact through the Kiwanis Children’s Fund.

By Erin Chandler

In October, November and December 2024, Kiwanis clubs around the world received Kiwanis Children’s Fund microgrants. Available for clubs with 35 members or fewer, microgrants recently helped clubs complete projects that brought clothing and other essential items to people facing weather adversity, books to community libraries and classrooms, and more. These projects might be smaller in scale, but they will make a big impact. The following three projects highlight some of the ways Kiwanis clubs are using microgrants to help young people in need keep up with their peers in the Kiwanis cause areas of education and literacy, health and nutrition, and youth leadership development.  

Health and nutrition
Kids’ Fun Zone
The Kiwanis Club of the Coast Fork, Oregon, U.S., plans to promote the physical and emotional health of some of the most vulnerable kids in their community. A Children’s Fund microgrant will help purchase a swing set, sandbox, monkey bars and more play equipment for a local center that serves people recovering from homelessness. Club members will take part in installing and inspecting the equipment. The “Kids’ Fun Zone” will let the kids at the center play, exercise and socialize in a safe and stable environment.  

Education and literacy
Library and reading center
Many students at Escuelo Nuevo Belén in Panama feel the effects of their community’s high poverty rate in their educational attainment — some struggle with reading and writing, while others never complete their primary or secondary education. By transforming part of the school into a library and learning center, the Kiwanis Club of El Águila De Panamá hopes to change approximately 2,500 of these students’ futures. A Children’s Fund microgrant will help to remodel the space, with new tables, chairs, bookshelves and other furnishings. The club also plans to clean and paint, install new lighting and air conditioning, purchase books and train teachers and volunteers to jumpstart kids’ love of reading and learning.  

Youth leadership development
Suited Seniors
When the Kiwanis Club of Duluth-Norcross, Georgia, U.S., learned that students who lack financial resources and mentorship are less likely to pursue career opportunities requiring interviews, they did something about it. In partnership with local businesses, the club will donate professional clothing items for approximately 50 students across five local high schools. They will also organize workshops on interview techniques, résumé writing, personal branding, goal-setting and other tactics to build students’ confidence and readiness as they enter the next phase of their lives. 

How you can help 
To learn more about Kiwanis Children’s Fund microgrants, visitkiwanis.org/microgrant-program.   

If you want to help the Children’s Fund provide grants like these that reach children around the world, you canmake a giftto The Possibility Project. Your club can alsoapply for a grantto help kids in your community today.