We all want that connection, to feel “at home” where we live. But that requires that we know one another (or are acquainted, at least!) and feel safe. To get to know one another means we need to meet, to gather together and talk. Why do some civic associations seem so much more active, their neighborhoods friendly and cohesive in spirit? It takes people who are committed to making their neighborhood that way, by volunteering their time and skills to make events happen.
Below are links to a presentation made at the November 2022 MCCF meeting by members of the McKenney Hills-Carroll Knolls Civic Association in Silver Spring, which increased its membership by 475%. One is the PowerPoint the presenters used; the other is a recording of the meeting. There’s also a link to a toolkit on civic associations put together by the Montgomery County government.
Developing avenues of communication is your number one priority! If your neighbors don’t know what you’re doing, how can they participate?
Your association can use a website, listserv, newsletter (printed or online), online blog, texts, podcast, messaging, nextdoor, flyers, signs, and livestreaming your meetings to reach your neighbors.
All of these outreach avenues help to reach as many people in your territory as possible — of every age, ethnicity, and interest. This is the most vital component of your outreach.
Neighbors getting together really fosters a sense of community. You want to build relationships and promote a feeling of identity, both of which help improve neighborhoods.
One feature of more successful community associations is to offer a range of activities. They do so by staying in touch with neighbors’ individual needs. Not everyone is an activist. Some of your residents may be motivated by an opportunity to socialize, such as an event on a national holiday. Hold a dog show or have a botanist or certified weed warrior lead a nature walk. Consider combining social events with social responsibility by including food drives, or raffles that benefit local charities.
Make your meetings fun, even if the speaker turns out to be dry. Hand out tickets at the door and hold a raffle with gourmet food items. Have beverages and homemade treats on hand, if possible.
Consider meeting at different venues. If you have a local pool, pizza or ice cream shop, community center, veterans meeting hall, etc., in your territory, see about holding your meetings at those places.
Have you always had your association meetings on the same dates and times and at the same venue? There’s reliability in continuity, but you may be limiting who can attend. If you have good avenues of communication established, then maybe you can switch things around a little. Here are a few ideas.
If potential members aren’t attending your meetings, you’ll need to meet them where they are or find out why they aren’t.
Find out what is important to your members and get them involved in committees or projects involving their interest.
Whatever event you hold, always invite people to join your association. Have your Treasurer or another officer ready to collect names and dues and make sure all attendees know who’ll be doing this so they can direct folks to them.
Make sure to welcome new neighbors. Establish a welcoming committee that visits each new resident.
Provide materials (a “Welcome Kit” or at least a single sheet) that provides details on:
Working side by side brings people together. Projects offer residents opportunities to start a conversation with others they may have seen at meetings or walking down the street. It allows people to come together around a shared interest, which is important to work through perceived and real barriers.
Develop community service projects that will be of interest to folks in your neighborhood. Sponsor clean-up days, taking one street at a time so that the work seems manageable and can be accomplished in the morning.
For other ideas, see the “Social+Responsibility Events” section in the link below.
It is easy to attract new members in times of crisis. Hot button issues energize the neighborhood, particularly if residents feel their property values or quality of life is threatened. However, after the publicity dies away and the problem is resolved, active members may disappear. It is considerably more difficult to sustain interest during mundane times.
Keeping the interest and involvement of association members is an ongoing challenge in every neighborhood. Here are some pointers and ideas that hopefully will stimulate your thinking.
If your neighborhood is not experiencing any hot-button issues at the moment to discuss at a meeting, you need to make it worthwhile for your neighbors to attend. Here are a few ideas for possible speakers: