This document provides guidance on connecting with organizations in the community to promote membership growth. It instructs the reader to research 5 potential partner organizations, identifying how their missions align. The reader is told to draft an outreach email introducing their initiative and requesting a meeting. Sample meeting tips include learning about the organization's goals, clearly defining what can be offered to help them, and following up on next steps like setting a start date or arranging another meeting. Maintaining relationships over time through thank you notes, check-ins and future collaborations is emphasized.

1. Thinking outside the box

2. Fall
recruitment
events
I can’t Wait
Campaign
Door
hangers (dry
cleaners)
School
flyers
Share
successful
events

3. Research and discover 5 organizations
that you can connect with in your
community.
READY
SET
CONNECT!
MEMBERSHIP GROWTH

4. Organization
Mission
Contact
Organization
Mission
Contact
Organization
Mission
Contact

5. Organization
Mission
Contact
Organization
Mission
Contact
Organization
Mission
Contact

6. Brainstorm: connect our mission/goals with the goals of the organizations you discovered in your research. Identify who
they are, what we can offer them, when we can deliver, where we will deliver, and how we can support their
mission/goals. “You only need one good reason to commit to an idea, not four hundred.” (Twyla Tharp)
WHO
WHEN
HOWWHERE
WHAT
Girl Scouts builds girls of
courage, confidence and
character that make the
world a better place.

7.  You must reach out to your contact, via email
and a follow up call. Do NOT take no for an
answer. Get past the gate keeper by connecting
with the right person first!
 A properly formatted message will get you in the
door. (See letter draft)
 Identify what you can you do for them. How you
can help them achieve their goals? Have a game
plan in place) Request a face to face meeting
and arrive on time and prepared.
 In your meeting you will Discover even more that
will help you help them. Specifics and details
will emerge through a face to face conversation.

8. SAMPLE LETTER DRAFT
Dear…………………….
As you are well aware, middle school is a crucial time of transition and
adjustment for kids. It¹s also a time when bullying behavior tends to peak,
making these years the most important time to promote core ethical values
and develop critical social and leadership skills.
This is why the Girl Scouts of the USA is launching an innovative national
bullying prevention initiative for middle school girls. BFF (Be a Friend First)
includes a curriculum designed to help girls develop healthy relationship
skills, understand relational aggression, and learn about conflict resolution
and bullying prevention.
Through our extensive research, we found that about one-third of all girls
worry about being teased, bullied, or threatened at school. More than
160,000 students miss school each day out of fear of being bullied. Bullies
themselves actually have a higher dropout rate, and are more likely to
bring weapons to school.

9. We also know that girl bullying looks different from boys: It often
involves teasing, exclusion, and cruel behavior in social media forums,
all of which are harder for adults to notice. But the consequences are
just as devastating: Girls who are targeted have higher rates of
depression, eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicide.
Rather than addressing or punishing bullying behavior after it happens,
BFF gives girls the social and leadership skills necessary to prevent it in
the first place. With our extensive expertise on girls’ leadership and
relationships, the Girl Scouts is uniquely positioned and qualified to
offer such a turnkey solution. I’d like the opportunity to come talk to
you, or someone on your administration team, about how we can bring
BFF to your organization.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.

10.  Introduce yourself & thank them for agreeing to meet with you. Don’t
forget your business card.
 Briefly share some of the information you’ve discovered about their
organization and how their mission seems similar to the GS. Tell them
that you’re here to explore how GS can help them achieve their goals.
 Ask them to share their strategies in achieving their goals. What are their
most challenging goals? Their target audience? Budget? Staffing? Timing?
Location (s)?...
 Take some time to review the materials you brought and why you think it
would help them. Clearly define exactly what you can offer. Answer
questions, ask for more details….
 The bulk of your time should be spent in discussing the needs of the
organization and how you can help them achieve their goals. Don’t make
promises you can’t keep. If you’re not sure; it’s better to tell them that
you’ll find out the answer and get back to them.
 If they would like more time to review curriculum go ahead and leave a
copy for them. You can arrange to pick it up at a later time which is also
a great way to arrange for a follow-up meeting! If you are able to set a
start date Congratulations…that’s half the battle.
 Thank them for their time, review expectations, follow up details, and
next steps. If you brought cookies; now is a good time to leave them.

11.  As soon as you are able; write a thank you card to the
person you met with and get it in the mail.
 Follow up on any outstanding details, questions, etc. and
report back. Confirm follow-up meeting. Email registration
form.
 Complete PIF & budget form. Begin gathering materials,
books, staff, etc. Update Outlook calendar.
 Email confirmation & program details to organization; ask
for approval/confirmation.
 Deliver on your Promise. “Confidence is a trait that has to
be earned honestly and refreshed constantly; you have to
work as hard to protect your skills as you did to develop
them.” (Tharp)
 Confidence is a two-edged sword: Confidence in your
ability to deliver on your Promise is built slowly and only
through your diligence and hard work. Remember it only
takes 2 seconds to destroy a lifetime of trust and
confidence.

12.  Fostering relationships
 Stay in touch. Make sure to send thank you cards
after program delivery.
 Drop by through out the year just to say hello. This
helps your contacts remember your face 
 Bring goodies: cookies, pencils, stickers, etc.
 Share new program opportunities or ideas
 Don’t be afraid to ask to recruit
 Book your next event/program/series. Many
organizations plan out months in advance. Getting
scheduled for the new year makes them feel like
you’re giving them preferential treatment. We know
that this also reduces our CDM stress and helps grow
membership.
 Make sure to debrief, refresh and improve
 Ask for referrals. This is how you build your network
and grow membership.

13. Expand Your Horizons = Membership Growth = Happy!