Best Practices: Club Mission

Create a mission statement that is known among active members and publicized to all other area alumni. It will help draw participants who share the same goals. Develop a strategic plan that details how the group can work toward its mission and will allow a club to measure its progress and give club leaders a clear understanding of what is expected of them.

• Ideas for Making This Happen
• How We Can Help
• How Other Clubs Have Made This Happen

Ideas for Making This Happen

• Keep the mission statement simple. It should be something that club leaders can quickly and easily talk about with people who want to learn more about the club
• Post the club's mission statement on the club's Web site.
• Include the club's mission statement on literature sent to members and prospective members.
• Regularly evaluate where the club is in relation to its strategic plan for carrying out the mission.
• Create club bylaws that incorporate the mission statement and strategic plan along with an outline of the club's officer structure so that officers understand their responsibilities for carrying out the club's mission.

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How We Can Help

• Talk with your regional outreach coordinator about alumni in your area, your club's location, the interests of your board and your club's history.
• Ask your regional outreach coordinator to share samples of other clubs' bylaws and to review a draft of yours.

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How Other Clubs Have Made This Happen

The U of M Club of Orange County and the U of M Club of Greater Boston state the purpose of their organizations at the beginning of their bylaws, outlining goals that define their interaction with the University, alumni, students and the community.