Dear PFLAG Supporter,

The end of the PFLAG fiscal year is approaching, which means it’s time for many of you to start planning for elections! Finding folks to fill the big shoes of past leaders can be scary, but it’s not impossible and can bring a breath of fresh air to your chapter. Read more below for some steps to get you started in recruiting new board members!

Tips and tricks for board recruitment: 

• Create a job description that details the roles and responsibilities and number of hours per month someone should expect to commit. Check out some example board member positions and duties from us at PFLAG National. A job description helps people know what to expect, feel less intimidated by the ask, and have clear cut tasks once they start.
• Don’t forget to ask - at meetings, in your newsletter, on social media, etc.! 
• Reach out to partner organizations - if they don’t have folks in their org who could help, they often know people who could be a good fit! Ask them to uplift the opportunity and job description on their bulletin boards (create a flier on Canva!) or in their newsletters.
• Use online resources like board matching sites! For example, BoardStrong has an online board matching portal, Idealist allows you to post board positions, and BoardSource has a collection of board matching programs by state.
• Make nominating season a party! When it’s time for chapter elections, consider taking a meeting to talk about what roles are open and what folks enjoy about being on the board. Bring snacks and treats, or order a pizza - food is always a motivating factor for attendance. 
• Make sure that new board members are a good fit for your chapter. While you may need someone to fill the position, you want to make sure they’re the right person for the job! Conversely, a fresh face can reinvigorate your chapter, and this guide can help you navigate the initial conversations.

Once you identify and elect/appoint new board members (according to your bylaws), ensure they are set up for success:

•  Outgoing and/or current board members should provide mentorship and guidance to incoming leaders, including sharing the chapter’s governance document.  
• All new board members should explore the PFLAG Academy Online Creating Confident Leaders: Effective PFLAG Chapter Boards webinar and toolkit. 
• New Presidents, Treasurers, and Secretaries should check out the PFLAG Academy Online Learning Skills to Pay the Bills: A PFLAG Chapter Leader Primer webinar and toolkit. 
• Consider also sharing account information and procedures with an administrative notes document for the chapter.

PFLAG Academy Online: August 2024

Tuesday, August 27, 2024 | 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT: PFLAG Votes 2024: All You Need to Know To Vote—and Get Out the Vote—Like A PFLAGer

On August 15th, PFLAG National will launch the PFLAG Votes 2024 campaign, a robust voter-engagement initiative aimed at educating and mobilizing the PFLAG community—chapters, members, and supporters—leading up to the 2024 election. Join this learning session to learn more about how you can energize and unify LGBTQ+ people and those who love them to get engaged in the upcoming election. Together we can motivate everyone to come together and be a PFLAG voter. 

Register today!

Urban Think Tank Alert

We know urban chapters face specific challenges, so the Urban Think Tank is a peer-to-peer facilitated discussion space for chapter leaders from cities across the chapter network. August’s discussion topic will be advocacy. 

Cities often have different politics than their surrounding areas, leading urban PFLAG chapters to have specific issues and needs. Whether this is a struggle or a success story for your chapter, come prepared to share and support other urban chapter leaders!

PFLAG National's Advocacy team will join us to educate on our PFLAG Votes program, and then share their advice and expertise as we discuss urban chapter advocacy successes and challenges.  

Join us at the next Urban Think Tank on Monday, August 19th at 5pm PT/8pm ET.

Regional Roundup

I’d like to highlight a few chapters who have done a great job bringing on new board members and setting them up for success. PFLAG Tacoma was on the brink of closure, having lost most of its board members and with the remaining members needing to term out. As a last ditch effort, they posted in a local queer Facebook group and had an outpouring of support with new people ready to take on the mantle of leadership. Leadership transitions can also happen with more succession planning. PFLAG Portland (OR) has been really intentional about bringing on dedicated board members, including their new President, whose blog post outlines some of their activities, such as board recruitment.

Stay safe,

Eddy Funkhouser (they/he)

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