Update from Cornel Hart
Vice Chair Operations
Membership Committee Structure
December 2020

Dear current, past and future CDS members,

CDS has gone through a significant number of changes since 2018. One of which was to streamline our organizational structure towards more effective functioning and participation of our members. This month you will read all about the different Committees of CDS.

I wish to share with you the Role and Functions of the Membership Committee that I chair and its respective Sub-Committees and chairs.

We invite you to participate in any one or more of these sub-committees as we build our Society to be a ‘Home for all Community Development Practitioners (CDPs)’.

The Membership Committee is chaired by the VC-Operations and consists of Sub-committee chairs and ad-hoc members who wish to also participate at this level. This committee recruits, serves and retains members of CDS as well as supports the CDS Chapters. We see this committee as the ‘engine room’ of our Society that must collectively work with current members to grow our Society and become more effective in serving CDPs.

The Membership Committee’s theme for 2020/21 is: Reinventing our Society for systemic change in the 21^st Century, and the following sub-committees are all geared up to take us towards this change.

Recruitment & Retention Sub-Committee – Chair - Ron Hustedde

This committee encourages CDS membership retention and expansion. As part of this effort, we report our activities to the CDS Vice Chair of Operations. We also cooperate with the paid CDS staff member who is responsible for operations and collection of membership fees.

To find out more about the goals and projects of this committee and/or to join in all the excitement; please contact Ron at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Chapters Sub-Committee - Chair – Mary Simon Leuci

This committee encourages regional groups within and beyond the United States to form chapters for local interaction and activities. It also supports the CDS Student Chapter in its work to engage budding practitioners and scholars in the Society's operations. All chapters receive guidance and support in meeting CDS guidelines. It also supports an international working group for engagement with CDS and all aspects of the Membership and Recruitment Committee.

To find out more about the goals and projects of this committee and/or to join in all the excitement; please contact Mary at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Engagement & Communications Sub-Committee – Chair - Lisa Gilchrist

This committee keeps the pulse of our Society and its members. Through the Vanguard newsletter, updates are shared, and Society business is published. The CD Practice provides an opportunity for sharing innovative approaches, tools, and techniques that can be readily applied by community development practitioners. The committee continuously identifies ways to increase engagement and gain insight into member needs and interests. A cornerstone initiative for this year will be the CDS member survey to assist with Reinventing our Society for systemic change in the 21^st Century.

To find out more about the goals and initiatives of this committee and/or to join in all the communication and engagement for CDS; please contact Lisa at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Awards & Recognition Sub-Committee – Chair - Cornel Hart (interim)

This committee oversees the process for issuing annual awards for CDS, which recognize outstanding achievements and volunteer efforts for those who assist the society. The committee also recognizes outgoing board members for the society.

We are currently looking for a chairperson to lead this sub-committee. To find out more about the goals and projects of this committee and/or to join or chair this committee; please contact Cornel at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

1) 2015-2016 highlights and accomplishments

a) Update of CDS brochure

b) Planning of new members’ activity at CDS 2016 reception

c) 2 new social media contributors

i) Coordination with CDS 2016 planning committee for social media promotion

2) 2015-2016 ongoing activities

a) Diversity ad hoc committee

b) Connecting with “new members” through email

c) POG, website alignment and rolling membership

d) LinkedIn Company page update

Co-Chair Cindy Banyai

Co-Chair Dan Kahl

By Cindy Banyai

Executive Summary

This report discusses the composition of the 2014 Community Development Society (CDS) obtained from the membership roster and the most recent Membership Survey.

This information is being analyzed to better inform the CDS marketing strategy, as well as to tailor conference components (mobile workshops).

Here are the top findings:

• Members report being a part of CDS for an average of 11.3 years. They are largely from the Midwest, but there is a sizeable international component of the membership.
• Aside from community development specifically, members are most involved with planning and evaluation, education and training, and dealing with projects and programs.
• Networking, knowledge sharing and learning, and the journal and publications are the most valued components of being a member of CDS.

Membership data from 2011-2014 has also been analyzed to better understand the year to year membership retention rates and to set targets for future growth in this area. The major findings are that we have a major issue with membership retention, with only 40% of members renewing consistently. The issues stem from a lack of continued value for conference-local memberships and problems with the membership renewal system.

The Membership Committee requests $6,000 in 2015 to help address some of these recommendations.

Membership Composition

Average member reports being involved with organization for 11.3 years

Where are CDS members from?

Only a few members in each state, but membership is Midwest-heavy

Top Origins of CDS Members 2012-2013

1. Minnesota (12.5%)
2. Kentucky (7%)
3. Wisconsin (6.2%)
4. Ohio (5.4%)
5. Missouri (5.4%)
6. Illinois (4.7%)
7. Canada (4.7%)
8. New York (3.1%)
9. International (3.1%)

 What areas do CDS members work in?

1. Community Development
2. Planning and evaluation
3. Education/teaching/training
4. With programs/projects
5. Research
6. Economics
7. Rural
8. Leadership
9. Extension
10. Government
11. Youth
12. Business
13. Urban
14. Volunteers
15. Health
16. Tourism
17. Sustainability

What career difference does CDS make?

1. Networking
2. Knowledge sharing and learning
3. Journal/Publishing

This is consistent with what members like about CDS. In the member survey, people most often identified the connections they make through CDS as what they like the most, followed by the publications, and knowledge sharing.

Membership Retention

The findings from analyzing year to year membership lists, as well discussing with other Directors and Julie While from the management office, is that there is a core membership of 135 or so members the sign up every year (2011-2014 puts number at 106). This number is low because of some of the peculiarities of the CDS membership process being associated with the conference. The main issues with this include: a large single-year membership contingent from the conference host area dedicated members who can get the discounted membership rate for 2 conferences, but skip paying years.

Data Analysis highlights:

• Consistent membership 2011-2014: 106 members, 40% of total memberships between 2011-2014. This demonstrates a tremendous issue with overall membership retention.
• 38% of memberships (295 out of 800) between 2011-2014 were only members for 1 year. This data relates to the issue with regional membership in conference areas, but indicates a lack of apparent continued value and outreach to colloquial members.
• 2013-2014 to 2014-2015 retention rate (through July 2014) = 47% according to CDS management office, but analysis of 2011-2013 shows a much lower number of 40%
• 35 people were only members from 2011-2013, 37 people were only members from 2012-2014, and 15 people had gap years in their membership. All of this information points to issues with the membership renewal process.

Potential rationale for retention issues

• Lack of consistent membership outreach – Some members only stay a short time because they cannot find a home in the organization and have difficulty connecting to value of membership (especially if not publishing), this could potentially isolate practitioners
• Lack of consistent membership renewal reminders and ease of renewal process - even long time members have gap years because of lapses in the membership process
• Conferences are too colloquial – the locals who attend the conferences cannot find benefit to continued membership beyond the conference year

Membership Committee 2015 Budget Proposal

2014 -2015 Committee Members

Cindy Banyai - Co-Chair

Dan Kahl - Co-Chair

Sharon Gulick

Chris Marko

John Gulick

Rani Bhattcharyya

Kathy Macomber

Johanna Reed Adams

Tracy Marlo-Daugherty

Dennis Deerey

Christopher Cotton

Paul LaChapelle

James Wilcox

Kurt Mantonya

John McNutt

Beth Nagy