NIGP's Chapter Resource Library

Membership

Resources to help recruit new members to your Chapter.

Once you have established a NIGP chapter, the next step is to market it so you can reach potential members who will benefit from being a part of your chapter. We have put together helpful guides and resources you can use to recruit new members, whether they are existing or new public procurement professionals, or students exploring the possibility of a career in the profession.

Sample Chapter Membership Brochures

Membership brochures provide quick, at-a-glance information about your chapter and can distributed to local businesses and organizations to advertise your chapter.

While every chapter will take its own spin on a brochure, they all have certain things in common. Make sure your membership brochure includes information about membership pricing, meeting schedules, and the executive committee. Your brochure should include contact information so interested parties can easily call or email someone to ask questions or register as a member.

Here are some brochures that local NIGP chapters have used to successfully attract new recruits. Use them as inspiration to create your own unique brochure. 

New Member Packets and Certificates

Joining a new organization can be intimidating for anybody. Make new members feel welcome by creating new member packets that give them all the information they need to get the most out of a NIGP chapter membership. Here are a few examples you can use as inspiration to create your chapter’s new member packets. 

Giving members certificates will make membership official and help members feel included in your NIGP chapter. Here is an example of a membership certificate that you can personalize and use to confirm membership in your chapter.

Consider changing the wording of your membership  recruitment/retention/invoices communication.  See how the Copper Chapter changed their wording from “member dues” to “membership investment.

Chapter Member Benefits

Newsletters

Scholarship Programs

Annual Reporting Forms

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Governance

Bylaws, Succession Planning, Sample Job Descriptions, Policy Manuals, Strategic Plans

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Financial Management

Banking, Record Retention, Debit Cards, Financial Documentation

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Marketing

Marketing Toolkit, Social Media

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Events & Conferences

Reverse Trade Shows, Speed Buying

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Legal, Taxes & Insurance

Insurance, Meeting Contracts, Policy & Agreement Documents

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Webinars

For Chapter Leaders

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2020 Outstanding Chapter Award Submissions

 SCAGPO Outstanding Membership

 Central Florida Outstanding Membership

 Utah Outstanding Membership

Incorporating Students into Your Chapter

Students are the future of procurement, so successful NIGP chapters take the time to incorporate students into their chapters. The first step to incorporating a student membership category within your chapter is to set up the criteria for defining a student membership and its eligibility requirements. 

NIGP encourages a non-fee based student category and promotion of a dual membership at both the national and chapter levels. Make sure your by-laws state the inclusion of student members under your individual membership category. 

Individuals who are enrolled part-time or full-time in an accredited community college, college, or university and actively pursuing an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in business or public administration, public purchasing, materials management, or related field of study are classified as a “Student  Member” for a twelve-month period; renewable annually. Full-time enrollment is defined as twelve (12) or more credit hours for undergraduate students and six (6) or more hours for graduate students.

This criteria also qualifies students for national memberships, allowing students to carry dual membership with NIGP national and their local NIGP chapter. 

All chapters should provide NIGP with information about new student memberships so we can contact the students directly and offer complimentary NIGP membership. 

How to Market Your Local NIGP Chapter

Your local colleges and universities will be your best partners for recruiting student members. Here are some ideas for how you can market upcoming meetings and events: 

  • Host a booth at college career fairs
  • Post fliers at local college hangouts
  • Post fliers inside student career offices 
  • Meet directly with relevant clubs on campus
  • Develop creative campaigns on chapter social media channels
  • Advertise upcoming chapter events in student newspapers and local papers
  • Reach out to college marketing programs to promote the procurement profession
  • Speak to the campus webmaster to get your chapter included on the campus website
  • Participate at student career days at earlier levels (grade school, middle school, high school)
  • Create a targeted postcard campaign by pulling a list of students enrolled in local business degree programs
  • Tap into existing business programs at the high school level (such as DECA or FBLA) to introduce the profession and let them know how they can get involved with your chapter

What to Market to Students

Here are some ideas of what to include in your fliers and promotional materials to attract students and encourage them to check out your next chapter event.

  • Resume-building experience
  • Opportunity to run a project during an internship
  • Free national membership, which can be added to a resume
  • Access to research tools, list serves, and reduced-cost training
  • Free attendance at chapter meetings and events to learn about the profession
  • Opportunity to build a network in the local professional community to help with future employment 
  • Access to pressing issues for the profession, which could be used in current school projects
  • Real-life experience understanding the day-to-day realities of the profession

Getting students to attend a chapter event is one part of the equation. To turn students into chapter members, you need to find ways to engage them and inspire them to seek careers in public procurement. 

Here are some ideas of how you can engage students in your chapter.

  • Create a members-only online job board
  • Incorporate a scholarship program for student members
  • Develop a professional mentoring program for students to help them transition from school to career
  • Host a chapter career fair for students that includes speakers from various agencies within the chapter
  • Host training sessions on topics students are interested in and that could apply to other professional interests (project management, leadership, etc.)
  • Open up select leadership positions for students to give them a voice in your chapter’s governance (e.g., a seat on the Board or a student committee)
  • Give students the information they need to decide if a career in public procurement is right for them:  Why choose Public Procurement as a Career

You can order a student kit for your next chapter event by contacting membershipinfo@nigp.org