Has the USMS ever consider starting a foundation? Many nonprofit organizations have one so that their members and other intersted parties can give large donations and the organization can use the foundation to help with extensive costs.
Generally, they are very easy to run once they have been started.
Or does the USMS have a donation mechanism connected to the membership? Has anyone ever discussed a true membership drive? I've never seem any type of membership pamphlett or brochure. If the new magazaine is going to be the property of USMS, this seems to me to be a great way to entice more people into membership and making donations. I live in a small town of about 33,000 in west central Illinois. There are two members to CMSA, however, there are other poeple who have swam in college and still swim. When I've mentioned USMS to them, they do not see a reason to become a member -two used to get Fitness Swimmer and didn't know about Swim Magazine.
I generally swim in postal races because trips to Chicago to swim for the day can be very expensive. The organization does offer many benfits to swimmers outside of simply being a link to compettition. Oddly, I don't even know towhom to address this question.
USMS has so many benefits that many people could use. The organization seems ot be very passive though.
Parents
Former Member
Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com
Has the USMS ever consider starting a foundation? ....Or does the USMS have a donation mechanism connected to the membership?
Look on your annual registration form. It is supposed to have a place where you can write in a donation to "USMS Foundation". If your's doesn't, your LMSC has removed it for some reason.
Has anyone ever discussed a true membership drive? I've never seem any type of membership pamphlett or brochure.
They are available free in the publications area www.usms.org/.../natoffice.htm.
The organization seems ot be very passive though. ]
Not at the level where growth actually happens. There is LOTS of building activity at the club level. Consider that, over the years, USMS has continued to grow despite annual non-renewal rates as high as 40%. The clubs are doing a GREAT job of registering new swimmers. What they are having a harder time doing is RETAINING them. That's where three critical success factors come into play - 1) service, 2) service and 3) service. Only if the services/$ ratio represents a great value to the swimmer, is continued participation likely. Note that these swimmers may continue to participate in the programs (because the program delivers great value), but may not renew USMS membership if the club doesn't require it (because they may not perceive a great value derived from their annual $35 outlay).
For the non-competitive swimmer, USMS offers something less than a cornucopia of valuable membership-linked services. A membership drive to bring in swimmers that are NOT being serviced by clubs only makes sense if we have in place sufficient services to represent a great value to those we recruit, such that they sign up year after year. Otherwise, its just an exercise in wheel spinning.
Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com
Has the USMS ever consider starting a foundation? ....Or does the USMS have a donation mechanism connected to the membership?
Look on your annual registration form. It is supposed to have a place where you can write in a donation to "USMS Foundation". If your's doesn't, your LMSC has removed it for some reason.
Has anyone ever discussed a true membership drive? I've never seem any type of membership pamphlett or brochure.
They are available free in the publications area www.usms.org/.../natoffice.htm.
The organization seems ot be very passive though. ]
Not at the level where growth actually happens. There is LOTS of building activity at the club level. Consider that, over the years, USMS has continued to grow despite annual non-renewal rates as high as 40%. The clubs are doing a GREAT job of registering new swimmers. What they are having a harder time doing is RETAINING them. That's where three critical success factors come into play - 1) service, 2) service and 3) service. Only if the services/$ ratio represents a great value to the swimmer, is continued participation likely. Note that these swimmers may continue to participate in the programs (because the program delivers great value), but may not renew USMS membership if the club doesn't require it (because they may not perceive a great value derived from their annual $35 outlay).
For the non-competitive swimmer, USMS offers something less than a cornucopia of valuable membership-linked services. A membership drive to bring in swimmers that are NOT being serviced by clubs only makes sense if we have in place sufficient services to represent a great value to those we recruit, such that they sign up year after year. Otherwise, its just an exercise in wheel spinning.
