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.