Affiliates Post

[_Keith]

I see the large number of new Affiliates posts, which I think is great.

A few questions if I might ask.

1. What defines an affiliate? Is this a contractual relationship?
2. If so, what is in it for IPS, for PT, and for them?
3. Are affiliates bound by the same terms of service as the rest of us?
4. Have they been apprised of, and agreed to that, formally?
5. How can we, the average members help this program to succeed?

[Ken Johnson]

I don't know the exact answer with out pulling out the rule sheet but in brief a non profit palm related garden club can ask to become an affiliate and if they meet certain criteria they are approved. No contract. Just a friendly relationship that is good for all of us.

If we belong to an affiliate we should urge them to send in tons of information and pictures. Just make sure Dooms Dave's swooning couch is ready for him first....

[realarch]

Keith, the Affiliate criteria are listed in the By-laws and are not stringent.

Most Affiliates can operate quite successfully without the parent organization and most Affiliate members are not IPS or Palmtalk members.

Too bad neither the Affiliate or the IPS require or ask more of one another to strengthen that bond.

When contacting all of the Affiliates last year, I found a few of them barely hanging on and in some cases inactive from lack of member participation. That of course could be from a lack of leadership, but we could use some sort of a mentoring program from the more successful groups.

One example, our Hawaii Island Palm Society annual dinner went from an attendance of 115 last year to 170 this year, and that didn't just happen on it's own. We'd be willing to share strategies and need to find a place for that.

Tim

[Ken Johnson]

Keith, the Affiliate criteria are listed in the By-laws and are not stringent.

Most Affiliates can operate quite successfully without the parent organization and most Affiliate members are not IPS or Palmtalk members.

Too bad neither the Affiliate or the IPS require or ask more of one another to strengthen that bond.

When contacting all of the Affiliates last year, I found a few of them barely hanging on and in some cases inactive from lack of member participation. That of course could be from a lack of leadership, but we could use some sort of a mentoring program from the more successful groups.

One example, our Hawaii Island Palm Society annual dinner went from an attendance of 115 last year to 170 this year, and that didn't just happen on it's own. We'd be willing to share strategies and need to find a place for that.

Tim

I hear that!

[Dypsisdean]

Please note that I am answering this in an unofficial capacity.

I remember when they used to be called Chapters, and you had to belong to the IPS in order to be able to join a Chapter. Then the name was changed to Affiliate, and that requirement was dropped. I was told at the time that these changes were made in order to minimize any "bond" between the IPS and these Chapters so to lessen any liability that could flow from a "Chapter" to the "Parent" organization.

Again, I was only told this by an officer at the time. I can not vouch for it's accuracy.

[_Keith]

Keith, the Affiliate criteria are listed in the By-laws and are not stringent.

Most Affiliates can operate quite successfully without the parent organization and most Affiliate members are not IPS or Palmtalk members.

Too bad neither the Affiliate or the IPS require or ask more of one another to strengthen that bond.

When contacting all of the Affiliates last year, I found a few of them barely hanging on and in some cases inactive from lack of member participation. That of course could be from a lack of leadership, but we could use some sort of a mentoring program from the more successful groups.

One example, our Hawaii Island Palm Society annual dinner went from an attendance of 115 last year to 170 this year, and that didn't just happen on it's own. We'd be willing to share strategies and need to find a place for that.

Tim

Tim, thanks for the timely response. I really appreciate it.

Please note that I am answering this in an unofficial capacity.

I remember when they used to be called Chapters, and you had to belong to the IPS in order to be able to join a Chapter. Then the name was changed to Affiliate, and that requirement was dropped. I was told at the time that these changes were made in order to minimize any "bond" between the IPS and these Chapters so to lessen any liability that could flow from a "Chapter" to the "Parent" organization.

Again, I was only told this by an officer at the time. I can not vouch for it's accuracy.

And thank you Dean. I am a member of a couple of national professional organizations that upon joining, also require one to join a local chapter as well. And they include and collect fees for both as well. I an not in any way advocating that IPS should take that approach, in fact I don't care for it at all, but did want to note it does happen.

[PALM MOD]

FYI - the Affiliate "posts" being mentioned have been hidden for the time being as some details are being worked out.

[Ken Johnson]

FYI - the Affiliate "posts" being mentioned have been hidden for the time being as some details are being worked out

What now?

[realarch]

Not much really, let"s just say the cake was half baked and there will be a better solution once a consensus is reached. We directors jumped the gun, nothing to hide, just an idea that needs a bit more time in the committee oven.

Tim

[mike in kurtistown]

I developed a method of disseminating affiliate reports that uses existing capabilities of the existing Palm Talk system (an excellent system resulting from many years of development and rethinking) and the Newsletter. This is a system that can be implemented immediately. No action by the system builders to implement it is required. I fully acknowledged that there are plans contemplated to reconfigure the websites that might lead us to transition to a new system when those plans (for the websites) are implemented.

But it was halted in its tracks by several members of the Palm Talk committee because, as I understand it, it did not conform to their emerging concepts of how they wanted this to be done, and because I didn't go to the committee and ask for their permission to implement the method.

In the previous posts about developing the websites, I see no reference to any timeline for such development, leading to the possibility that this might be a time-consuming process that leaves our affiliates stifled in the meantime, many months or even years. If I am wrong about the lack of a timeline, I would be happy to accept correction.

As our membership has dropped from 3,000 to 1,300 in several years, possibly partly as a lack of interest by affiliate members, we need to keep them involved and not let bureaucracy impede our efforts to rebuild IPS membership.

[Ken Johnson]

I developed a method of disseminating affiliate reports that uses existing capabilities of the existing Palm Talk system (an excellent system resulting from many years of development and rethinking) and the Newsletter. This is a system that can be implemented immediately. No action by the system builders to implement it is required. I fully acknowledged that there are plans contemplated to reconfigure the websites that might lead us to transition to a new system when those plans (for the websites) are implemented.

But it was halted in its tracks by several members of the Palm Talk committee because, as I understand it, it did not conform to their emerging concepts of how they wanted this to be done, and because I didn't go to the committee and ask for their permission to implement the method.

In the previous posts about developing the websites, I see no reference to any timeline for such development, leading to the possibility that this might be a time-consuming process that leaves our affiliates stifled in the meantime, many months or even years. If I am wrong about the lack of a timeline, I would be happy to accept correction.

As our membership has dropped from 3,000 to 1,300 in several years, possibly partly as a lack of interest by affiliate members, we need to keep them involved and not let bureaucracy impede our efforts to rebuild IPS membership.

Amen brother. I will work with you to correct this.

[_Keith]

Ditto on the Amen.

And giving this an inadequate amount of time for thought, here is a process that comes to mind.

1. Assemble list of Affiliates
2. Assemble list of Primary Contact(s) for each affiliate
3. Construct message that will go out on PT
4. Send email to contact informing them that a message will go out, the contents of that message, and state the intent, which is exposure for them.
5. Kindly ask for a reciprocating message on their part to their membership gaining exposure for PT. Be sure to indicate that it is not required.
6. Ask them, if possible, to track if they are got any new members or member inquiries as a result of this effort.
7. If they reciprocate, PT and IPS should do the same.
8. Even if everyone wins, future cooperation can only be guaranteed by measuring it.
9. Close by asking if there are any other idea on furthering the partnership with PT/IPS.
10. Post the Affiliates Pages
11. Alert PT members in all forums of the effort. Ask for their help in getting it go viral, talk it up, on PT and in their local Affiliates if they are members.

[LJG]

Good work Keith. Ready to take lead?

[_Keith]

Good work Keith. Ready to take lead?

You know Len, a few months ago I would have jumped at that offer, but I must decline other than to offer ideas. The main reason is that you already have a volunteer. Mike seems ready to roll. Seems the leadership just needs to give him a little more guidance and then get out of his way to let him do the job. I can only hope that he keep his motivation and does not feel about the current leadership as I do, which is that they are overly defensive, overly controlling, and dismissive of the membership in general and particularly of PT. May be right, may be wrong, but those are my feelings. This may change at some point in the future, and I hope it does before the membership drops even more. I will be watching closely to see what choices are made at the biennial. You, Len, will be a part of the new leadership team. I do believe your heart and passion is in the right place, and wish you the best of success.