Classes and Research Trips in the September webinar!

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) is pleased to announce the September 2018 webinar, "Using Classes and Research Trips to Expand Your Membership," presented by Pat Stamm.

Societies are always looking for ways to expand their membership. One of the best ways is to offer benefits. Two potential added values are educational classes and research trips. Learn how to establish these types of programs.

This webinar will be held on Thursday, September 20, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. Central Time, and will be recorded for viewing on the FGS website shortly after its conclusion. Please register in advance.

About the Speaker

Pat Stamm is a professional researcher with over 30 years of experience. Besides lecturing across the country, she is a course coordinator at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) and teaches at St. Louis Community College. She specializes in Missouri, Catholic Church records, government documents, problem-solving, and computer research topics. She is currently serving as NGS Research Trip Coordinator.

In the past, Pat served as the Education Manager for St. Louis Genealogical and the National Genealogical Society.

Coming Up Next Month

Our October webinar will feature Amy Johnson Crow who will present “Finding and Creating Images for Your Blog and Social Media.” Register in advance for this highly requested and popular topic from one of our community's best online marketers! 

About the Webinar Series

Each month, the FGS Webinar Series features a new and interesting topic, ranging from recruitment and volunteer management to technology, publications, and working with your local tourism board.

Webinars are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. The webinars are free to watch live, but advance registration is required. Regular updates will be shared via the FGS Voice blog, FGS Voice Newsletter, and social media.

Are you looking for a rewarding and beneficial way to volunteer? The Education Committee at FGS could use your expertise! Please contact Jen Baldwin at education@fgs.org,

FGS February webinar to feature Amy Johnson Crow on "Creative Thinking"

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) is is pleased to announce the February 2018 webinar, “Breaking Out of the Box: Creative Thinking for Your Society,” presented by Amy Johnson Crow, CG, MLS. Doing the same thing over and over isn’t just boring. It could strangle your society. Look at some ways to get the creative juices flowing and find new solutions. Amy has over twenty years of genealogical experience, and is a nationally recognized speaker on a variety of topics. Amy says, "I help family history enthusiasts with practical advice so they can make more discoveries and have more fun doing it." Amy is well known for her enthusiasm for genealogy societies, and has volunteered for several over the course of her career, including acting as the 2018 FGS Conference Marketing Chair.
This webinar will be held on February 15, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. Central Time, and will be recorded for viewing on the FGS website shortly after its conclusion. Please register in advance. NEXT TIME: Melissa Barker will present “Preserving Your Societies Historical and Genealogical Records,” at the March FGS Webinar. Register now to be sure you don't miss it!
About the Webinar Series Each month, the FGS Webinar Series features a new and interesting topic, ranging from recruitment and volunteer management to technology, publications, and working with your local tourism board. Webinars are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. The webinars are free to watch live, but advance registration is required. Regular updates will be shared via the FGS Voice blog, FGS Voice Newsletter, and social media. Speakers interested in presenting topics should contact Jen Baldwin, Education Chair, at education@fgs.org. Are you looking for a rewarding and beneficial way to volunteer? The Education Committee at FGS could use your expertise! Please contact Jen Baldwin at education@fgs.org

"An Unlikely Society Ally" - the first of the 2018 FGS Webinar Series

The Federation of Genealogical Societies is ringing in the 2018 Webinar Series with, “An Unlikely Society Ally - the Board of Tourism,” presented by David E. Rencher:

Nearly every community has a Board of Tourism whose purpose is to attract visitors to come to their locality and spend money! Genealogists have an incredible key to generating revenue and thus tax dollars for their community. If you want to get community support and visibility for your society – dangle the money in front of the city council. This is also a perfect way to grow your society and get you noticed locally and nationally. Spend an hour learning about an aspect of marketing your society that you may not have considered!

David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FUGA, FIGRS, is the Chief Genealogical Officer for FamilySearch. He has been a professional genealogist since 1977 and is a past president of FGS.

This webinar will be held on January 18, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. Central Time, and will be recorded for viewing on the FGS website shortly after its conclusion. Please register in advance.

NEXT TIME: Amy Johnson Crow will present “Breaking Out of the Box: Creative Thinking for Your Society,” on February 15, 2018 - register today!

About the Webinar Series

Each month, the FGS Webinar Series will feature a new and interesting topic, ranging from recruitment and volunteer management to technology, publications, and working with your local tourism board.

Webinars are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. Advance registration is required. Regular updates will be shared via the FGS Voice blog, FGS Voice Newsletter, and social media.

Speakers interested in presenting topics should contact Jen Baldwin, Education Chair, at education@fgs.org.

Are you looking for a rewarding and beneficial way to volunteer? The Education Committee at FGS could use your expertise. Please contact Jen Baldwin at education@fgs.org

Last Webinar of 2017: Creative Programming for Small Societies

The Federation of Genealogical Societies will be closing out 2017 with a don’t-miss webinar, “Creative Programming Options for Small Societies,” presented by FGS President Rorey Cathcart.

Small and rural societies face unique programming challenges they must overcome to give their members maximum benefit for their dues. Learn about programming options to consider when you’ve exhausted your local speaker pool.

Rorey Cathcart is a lecturer and professional genealogist at The Who Hunter LLC based in Charleston. Research specialties include South Carolina, Southern States and Irish Heritage. She has a special interest in advocating for Social Genealogy, using technology to improve the research process and Social Media in Genealogy. Rorey was a "Genealogy Roadshow on PBS" research team member for seasons 2 and 3. Currently serving as a President for the Federation of Genealogical Societies.

This webinar will be held on December 21, 2017, at 7:00 p.m. Central Time, and will be recorded for viewing on the FGS website shortly after its conclusion. Please register in advance.

NEXT TIME: The FGS Webinar Series will be back in January 2018 with “An Unlikely Society Ally - the Board of Tourism,” to be presented by David E. Rencher.

About the Webinar Series

Each month, the FGS Webinar Series will feature a new and interesting topic, ranging from recruitment and volunteer management to technology, publications, and working with your local tourism board.

Webinars are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. Advance registration is required. Regular updates will be shared via the FGS Voice blog, FGS Voice Newsletter, and social media.

Speakers interested in presenting topics should contact Jen Baldwin, Education Chair, at education@fgs.org.

Are you looking for a rewarding and beneficial way to volunteer? The Education Committee at FGS could use your expertise. Please contact Jen Baldwin at education@fgs.org.

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November 2017 FGS Webinar: Building Bridges Between Societies

The November 2017 FGS Society Management webinar will feature Kim Ashford, who will present “Building Bridges Between Societies.” Learn how the German-American Genealogical Partnership was created, the lessons learned, and how working with other societies can strengthen and excite your membership.

Kim Ashford enjoys membership in multiple genealogical societies. She is one of the founders of the International German Genealogy Partnership (IGGP) which is bringing together societies from around the world that have an interest in German genealogy. She currently serves on the board of the Germanic Genealogy Society in Minnesota as Past President.

The webinar will be held on November 16, 2017, at 7:00 p.m. Central Time, and will be recorded for viewing on the FGS website shortly after its conclusion. Please register in advance.

NEXT TIME: The topic for the December webinar is “Creative Programming Options for Small Societies,” to be presented by FGS President Rorey Cathcart. 

About the Webinar Series

Each month, the FGS Society Management Webinar Series will feature a new and interesting topic, ranging from recruitment and volunteer management to technology, publications, and working with your local tourism board.

Webinars are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. Advance registration is required. Regular updates will be shared via the FGS Voice blog, FGS Voice Newsletter, and social media.

Speakers interested in presenting topics should contact Jen Baldwin, Education Chair, at education@fgs.org.

Are you looking for a rewarding and beneficial way to volunteer? The Education Committee at FGS could use your expertise. Please contact Jen Baldwin at education@fgs.org

Does your society need a Social Media Manager?

The October 2017 FGS webinar will feature FGS Education Chair Jen Baldwin, who will present "The Social Media Manager Role in Today’s Society."

What - exactly - is a social media manager and does your society need one? Learn some tricks of this growing professional area and how to convert that to assist your non-profit genealogy society.

Jen writes, lectures, and consults on a variety of genealogy topics. She is the Data Acquisition Manager, North America for Findmypast; and serves as a volunteer for the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) as a Board Member and the Education Committee Chair. She served for several years as the Social Media Chair for the War of 1812 Preserve the Pensions fundraising campaign, led by FGS. Jen is also an active volunteer for the Larimer County Genealogical Society (CO), and has been the host of #genchat, a popular genealogy crowd-sourcing community chat on Twitter, for nearly four years. 

The webinar will be held on October 19, 2017, at 7:00 p.m. Central Time, and will be recorded for viewing on the FGS website shortly after its conclusion. Please register in advance.

NEXT TIME: The topic for the November 16, 2017 webinar is “Building Bridges Between Societies” presented by Kim Ashford.

About the Webinar Series

Each month, the FGS Webinar Series will feature a new and interesting topic, ranging from recruitment and volunteer management to technology, publications, and working with your local tourism board.

Webinars are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. Advance registration is required. Regular updates will be shared via the FGS Voice blog, FGS Voice Newsletter, and social media.

Speakers interested in presenting topics should contact Jen Baldwin, Education Chair, at education@fgs.org.

Are you looking for a rewarding and beneficial way to volunteer? The Education Committee at FGS could use your expertise. Please contact Jen Baldwin at education@fgs.org

What can your society learn from the corporate world?

The September 2017 FGS webinar will feature Laurie Hermance-Moore, who will present "Borrowing Corporate Strategy Techniques for Your Society."

The webinar will address a variety of paths for a society to utilize the techniques of the corporate world. 

Many societies are at a crossroads: new competition from online genealogy sites and webinars, dwindling membership, and challenges in figuring out how to evolve activities. It’s time to stop and make a plan!

So why not borrow from the business world?

Marketing strategist and genealogist Laurie Hermance-Moore will show you techniques that are used by large companies to refine how they “go to market.” Learn how to align your society leadership to your vision for the future, your current mission, how you are positioning yourself against the competition, and identifying and prioritizing your target audiences.

Laurie has more than 15 years of experience in marketing, marketing research, strategic planning, and brand development. She provides coaching to professional genealogists and genealogy societies in marketing strategy, so they can craft their unique story, target their offerings to the right clients, and build their confidence in marketing.

The webinar will be held on September 21, 2017, at 7:00 p.m. Central Time, and will be recorded for viewing on the FGS website shortly after its conclusion. Please register in advance.

NEXT TIME: The topic for the October webinar will be “The Social Media Manager Role in Today's Society” presented by FGS Education Chair Jen Baldwin.

About the Webinar Series

Each month, the FGS Webinar Series will feature a new and interesting topic, ranging from recruitment and volunteer management to technology, publications, and working with your local tourism board.

Webinars are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. Advance registration is required. Regular updates will be shared via the FGS Voice blog, FGS Voice Newsletter, and social media.

Speakers interested in presenting topics should contact Jen Baldwin, Education Chair, at education@fgs.org.

Are you looking for a rewarding and beneficial way to volunteer? The Education Committee at FGS could use your expertise. Please contact Jen Baldwin at education@fgs.org.

FGS Announces Webinar Series on Society Management

Monthly webinars will be free to the general public.

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announces the launch of our Society Management webinar series, scheduled to begin July 20, 2017. This series of free events will bring a much-needed aspect to the array of learning opportunities currently provided in the genealogical community; focusing solely on the leadership and management of non-profit societies.

The series will begin July 20, 2017 at 7:00pm central with a presentation by Fred Moss discussing The Open Death Records Initiative. The August session will feature David Rencher, CG, presenting on the best practices – and challenges – surrounding The Nominating Committee.

Each month thereafter will feature a new and interesting topic, ranging from recruitment and volunteer management to technology, publications, and working with your local tourism board. 

Registration will be necessary, and regular updates will be shared via the FGS Voice blog, FGS Voice Newsletter, and social media. Webinars will occur every 3^rd Thursday of the month.

Registration for the July program can be found here.

Update: Did you miss the live webinar?  You can watch the recording here.

Speakers interested in presenting topics should contact Jen Baldwin, Education Chair, at education@fgs.org.

Are you looking for a rewarding and beneficial way to volunteer? The Education Committee at FGS could use your expertise. Please contact Jen Baldwin at education@fgs.org

FGS 2017: Focus on Societies Day

FGS national conferences kick off with a day devoted to genealogical societies. Focus on Societies Day features tracks geared to society leaders, society members, and those interested in learning more about societies. Attendees will learn:

• innovative ways to manage and grow societies
• how to adapt changing technology to meet society needs
• about becoming more involved with societies

Focus on Societies Day at FGS 2017 begins with “Creating, Packaging, and Sharing Your Society to Non-Genealogists.” In this opening session, D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, focuses on ways to package genealogical societies for non-genealogical partners, including local media, donors, charitable organizations, and politicians.

The rest of the day features 35 sessions in seven tracks. A few of those are highlighted below, but you can find the complete program on the FGS 2017 Conference website.

Members & Volunteers

How to Find Volunteers and Keep Them!
by Cari A. Taplin, CG

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any society. This lecture gives societies tips and ideas for ways to locate volunteers, motivate them, and keep them engaged.

Putting the Customer Back in Customer Service—Strategies for 21st Century Organizations
by Curt B. Witcher, MLS, FUGA, IGSF

This presentation will explore how a focus on good customer service will bring organizations in the genealogy space more members, and move them from surviving to thriving.

Programs & Events

Dynamic Programming for Societies
by Teri E. Flack, MA, MBA, FTxSGS

Educational programs are central to the mission of genealogical societies. Learn innovative and creative ways to develop dynamic education programs that can revitalize your society.

DNA and Your Genealogical Society

by Blaine Bettinger, PhD, JD

DNA is here to stay, and your members are asking about it. It is a unique opportunity to attract new members with much-needed educational programming, yet many genealogical societies are ignoring the valuable opportunity. Let’s review what other genealogical societies are doing to educate members and explore ways you can engage your members.

Projects

Digitizing on a Dime: Digitization Basics for Individuals and Small Genealogical Societies
by Kristin Britanik

This presentation demonstrates the basics of digitization for your collection of historic photographs and documents. Learn best practices for creating and keeping digital files with limited resources.

Creating a County Record Guide

by Tina Lyons

Put your society’s knowledge into a printed or online guide to help members and nonmembers find records in your area.

Reaching Out

Your Society Is on Social Media. Now What?
by Amy Johnson Crow, MLIS, CG

Do you feel like your society isn’t getting all it can from social media? Is your Facebook page lonely? Learn what one society did to increase their performance and reach more people.

Outdated Outreach: Breathing New Life into our Outreach Approach
by Cheri Daniels, MSLS

The challenge of attracting and engaging an ever-changing audience and/or member base has increased over the years and our previous methods can miss the mark. Learn new approaches that engages various groups and connects them through content-based programming.

Society Boards

Plain Spoken: Updating and Simplifying Your Society Bylaws
by Randy Whited

Do the bylaws of your organization guide or hamper its actions? Are they hard to interpret or perhaps ignored altogether? Let’s tackle how to clean up ambiguous language, make use of other guiding documents, and get our bylaws working for us.

Grant Writing Success for Societies
by Tina Beaird, MLS

Grant writing can be a daunting task for small societies and museums. Learn how to find grant opportunities online, define various types of grants, and decode a typical application process. Tina will share strategies on raising your application to the top of the pile and winning that grant!

Websites

Building Your Society’s Digital Library
by Jen Baldwin

Societies are increasingly creating and maintaining digital collections. Learn about best practices, overcoming financial obstacles, choosing your nonprofit or for-profit partners, and the necessary technology to achieving digital success. Sponsored by Findmypast.

Calling All Members: Your Society’s Website Needs Help
by Cyndi Ingle

A society’s website should be as diverse as its offerings and its membership. Is it time for you to give it a critical look and help overhaul your site? What can you do to help?

Discussion Groups

Delegate 101

by FGS Board Members

Join FGS leadership to discuss your role as a society delegate and how to get the most out of your society’s FGS membership.

Publications
by FGS Board Members

Do you have problems finding content for newsletters or journals? Are you considering moving from print to digital? Discuss issues your society has with publications.

In addition to programming that will help you with the challenges of managing a modern society, Focus on Societies Day will allow you to connect with other society leaders and members.

Register today for FGS 2017 in Pittsburgh.

FGS 2017 Tracks: Learning Opportunities for Researchers and Societies

The annual FGS National Conference offers a unique experience for those interested in genealogy with one day dedicated to genealogical societies followed by three days of tracks dedicated to individual researchers of all skill levels – beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

The 2017 conference, scheduled for August 30-September 2, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will be no exception. Focus on Societies Day features tracks devoted to helping society leaders and members best the challenges of managing a modern society.

If you aren’t a member or leader of a genealogical society, then join us for the genealogy program, which features world-famous speakers covering topics from basic to advanced methodology, ethnic specialties, local history, and family history trends.

The FGS 2017 Conference kicks off on Wednesday, August 30 with Focus on Societies Day and offers seven tracks designed to help society leaders better manage and grow genealogical societies of all sizes and levels.

Focus on Societies Day Tracks:

• Members & Volunteers
• Programs & Events
• Projects
• Reaching Out
• Society Boards
• Websites
• Discussion Groups

The genealogy program runs Thursday, August 31, through Saturday, September 2. With 16 tracks designed for individual researchers of all experience levels from novice to expert, you are sure to discover new ways to help you solve your genealogy research problems.

Genealogy Tracks:

• Methodology
• Records
• Land & Taxes
• Immigrant/Ethnic
• DNA
• Military
• Regional
• Analysis
• Skills
• African American
• Religion
• Understanding Ancestor’s Lives
• Finding Records
• Occupations
• In the Field
• Ancestry

 The full program, including topics, descriptions, and speakers, is available on the FGS 2017 Conference website. You can also download the conference registration brochure in pdf format.

We will take a closer look at individual tracks over the next few months leading up to the conference in August. In the meantime, take a look at the program and start thinking about the skills you want to improve and the areas you want to learn more about!

Selected FGS Focus On Societies Day Recordings Available Now

New Resource for FGS Member Societies!

To help society leaders improve their society management skills, FGS offers a whole day at national conferences every year devoted to societies for all society leaders (FGS members or not) and their members followed by three days of excellent genealogy and family history sessions and workshops — open to anyone and for all skill levels. 

In an effort to expand some of the society management learning opportunities to more of our FGS Member Societies and thanks to the generosity of our speakers, FGS is now able to provide access to selected "Focus on Societies" Day audio recordings of selected past national conferences to FGS Member Society leaders! 

The first series of selected FGS "Focus on Societies" Day audio recording sessions that are available in the Members-only Area of the FGS website come from our FGS 2014 National Conference, "Gone to Texas" in San Antonio, Texas. Take a look at the lineup:

• Plenary Session and Strong Business Strategy = Sound Society Strategy, David E. Rencher and Ed Donakey — Run your society as successfully as a business. For all society delegates, members-at-large, and other interested parties.
• Strategic Planning for Society Leaders, Jordan Jones — The National Genealogical Society recently completed a strategic planning process. Come hear the President of NGS discuss strategic planning and how your society might benefit from it.
• Preparing for Change: Transition Planning and Your Society, D. Joshua Talyor — As new officers and committee members come into your society, it is essential that information is easily passed from one to the other. Learn ideas for planning transitions within your society (both the expected and unexpected).
• Embracing Technology: Tools You Can Use Today to Move Your Society Into Virtual Space, Jen Baldwin and D. Joshua Taylor — Learn about a variety of tools available to create a more efficient and organized collaborative online presence for your society.
• Is WordPress Right For My Society?, Randy W. Whited — It's not just for blogs anymore. The popular Content Management System (CMS), WordPress, powers about 20 percent of all websites. Learn more about the basics and extended capabilities of this tool and decide if it is right for you and your organization.
• Innovative Programs: The How-To, Cindy Foreman — Society programs can become stale and repetitive. Identifying topics and finding speakers can be challenging. Come learn a system that will help you develop fresh, interesting resources and programs.
• FGS Supports Member Societies (Sponsored by Dell), Ed Donakey — Learn how FGS supports societies and individuals by cooperating with for-profit and non-profit organizations to deliver tools and services for genealogists.
• It Sometimes Takes Two: Partnering with Other Societies or Organizations, Sandra J. Crowley — Learn how your society or organization can identify potential projects and organizations to partner with to help you both achieve your goals.
• Virtual Presentations for Genealogy Societies, Thomas MacEntee — Learn how you can expand your genealogy speaking opportunities to include virtual presentations from the comfort of your home or office.
• Creating a Community Indexing Project, Thomas MacEntee — Learn the available options for taking a set of genealogy records, creating an index, and sharing it with the genealogy community.
• The Dotted Line: Sign Before Other Steps, Paula Stuart-Warren — Handshake? Text message? Email? Available on__? Does this protect organizations, speakers, or researchers? Nope. No way. No how. Details need to be clear and agreed to by all parties. Leave this session prepared for the next event.
• Volunteering from a Distance, Paula Stuart-Warren — Learn how you can expand your genealogy speaking opportunities to include virtual presentations from the comfort of your home or office.
• Effective Advocacy, Teri E. Flack — Records are the lifeblood of genealogical research; however, their preservation and access continues to be threatened. Advocacy by the genealogical community, and your society in particular, can help mitigate the threats, but only if we act effectively.
• Electronic Publishing Fundamentals for Society Leaders, Jordan Jones — Your society may publish books, journals, and newsletters on paper, as PDFs, or in e-book format. Whether your society already publishes electronically, or you?re only considering it, learn ways to do it successfully.

To start listening to and learning from the experts, FGS Member Society leaders just have to log-in now to the Members-only Area of the FGS Website and click on "Focus on Societies" in the menu! 

Is your society not a member of FGS? Join FGS to start taking advantage of the suite of tools and services FGS provides its Member Societies!

Don't forget! If you like these topics, you'll love the lineup of our "Focus on Societies" Day at the FGS 2016 National Conference, "Time Travel: Centuries of Memories" this year in Springfield, Illinois, August 31 — September 3, 2016, with plentiful built-in networking opportunities for all society leaders (FGS members or not) followed by three days of excellent genealogy and family history sessions, workshops, luncheons, and special events open to anyone with an inkling of finding more about their family history. Take a look at the program now. Registration opens soon!

How Learning from Regina's Success Can Help Your Society

Are you sharing your society's Regina-like experiences?

Recently on our Facebook Page, we shared a heartwarming story about a librarian, named Regina Rush, who had found out more about her family history by using primary source materials. (Librarian Finds Clues About Her Family's Past Hidden in Special Collections)

Seems like just another day for a genealogist or family historian, doesn't it?

So why did it have so much favorable engagement on Facebook?

Besides the fact it is a well-written piece, I believe it did so well because as genealogists and family historians, we could all relate in some way. We either have been Regina or we want to be Regina (again). We have either experienced research success like Regina's success or we want to (again).

And by the end of the piece when Regina is quoted as saying about her ancestors, "'They didn’t have a voice and I want to give it to them. I want to say, ‘You lived, you were here, and your life mattered.’ It matters to me. Your DNA runs through me and I am who I am because of you,'” we are shaking our heads in affirmation and saying to ourselves, "Yes. Exactly!"

So, society/association leaders, what does this have to do with your genealogical society, historical society, or family association? Libraries and archives too?

Well, everything.

I read a lot of society/association newsletters, journals, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, etc., in order to stay on top of our members' educational activities, fundraising efforts, preservation projects, and services. 

And in doing so, I see a lot of reporting and sharing of curated content about what other entities are doing and not a lot about what the organizations themselves are doing and the impact they are making by helping researchers just like Regina.

And it is not because these organizations are not providing opportunities ripe for Regina-like experiences. Because they are. They most certainly are. They're just forgetting to share it with their members and the world.

And that's a shame because genealogists and family historians can relate to the successes that other researchers are having in some way. It gets them excited. It gets them motivated. 

And it may even get them to the organization's next event or webinar.

Sharing your organization's Regina-like experiences everywhere (website, blog, newsletter, Facebook Page, Twitter account, and Pinterest account) can make a lasting impression with your members, your potential members, your donors, and your patrons. 

And stories like these are your organization's stories. 

Tell your organization's story.

Because Regina's success is everyone's success.

And to borrow broadly just a bit from Regina...

Your organization lives. It's here. It matters to the genealogical community. And the community is what it is because of your organization.

Vision Statements: what are they and why genealogical societies need them

Jack Welch, Chairman of General Electric said, "Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion."

Vision Statements v. Mission Statements

Mission statements and vision statements do different jobs. A mission statement is a short statement of the purpose of an organization. It guides the actions, gives the overall goal and directs decision making. Vision statements also define an organization's purpose, but they focus on the goals and aspirations of the organization. Both mission and vision statements are designed to be educational and inspiring. However, a mission statement changes to reflect current thinking, but the vision may stay the same throughout the life of the organization. Vision statements explain to others what your organization wants to be.

What is a Vision Statement?

A Vision Statement:

• Defines the desired future state of what an organization wants to achieve over time (goal)
• Provides guidance and inspiration as to what an organization is focused on achieving in five, ten, or more years (future)
• Draws people to a common work (unites)
• Inspires others to action (motivates)
• Written succinctly in an inspirational manner that makes it easy for all to remember and repeat
• Provides a basis for developing other aspects of strategies and action plans (direction)

Leaders may change, but a clearly established Vision encourages people to focus on what's important and better understand organization-wide change and alignment of resources.

How to Create a Vision Statement

Step 1: Find the "Human Value" in Your Work

First, identify your organization's mission. Next, find the "human value" in that mission. For example, how does your organization improve people's lives? How does what you do make the world a better place? Keep in mind that human values are the foundation of ethics and guidelines used in daily life.

Step 2: Refine Into Values

Then determine what you and other members value the most about how your organization will achieve this mission. Condense these into values your organization has (or should have). If you have a hard time identifying your organization's values, talk to your members. What values do they think the organization stands for? Some attributes may include: honesty, trustworthiness, diligence, discipline, fairness.

Step 3: Combine Your Mission and Values

Combine your mission and values and polish words until you have an inspiring statement that will energize people — inside and outside your organization. It should be broad and timeless. It should tell others why the people in your organization do what they do.

Key Points

Mission and vision statements are succinct, inspirational statements that clearly communicate the direction and values of an organization. These statements can powerfully explain your intentions and motivate your organization to realize a motivating vision of the future. Not having a clearly defined Vision and Mission limits occasions for the organization's success and is a disservice to members and volunteers. If an organization wants engaged and productive members, it should make sure members and volunteers know how their work contributes to accomplishing the Mission and ultimately how it contributes to the Vision of the organization.

The lack of or poorly written Vision and Mission statements are lost opportunities for:

• Attracting/engaging/retaining talent
• Building organizational culture
• Increasing productivity

Examples of Vision Statements

Examples of effective Vision statements include:

Alzheimer's Association: "Our Vision is a world without Alzheimer's disease."

Microsoft: "Empower people through great software anytime, anyplace, and on any device."

Summary

It's never too late for an organization to define its Vision and Mission. Some even reinvent themselves through the strategic planning process, beginning with these two core elements. Regardless of how an organization creates an effective Vision and Mission statement, it is important that they be entrenched into the culture through clear and consistent communications from the highest levels of an organization. Developing effective vision and mission statements are two of the most important tasks your organization will ever do because almost everything else you do will be affected by these statements.

Cherie Bush

FGS Director

2015 Webinar Series: How to Keep Your Volunteers Happy, Helpful, and Engaged

FGS is pleased to announce the re-launch of its webinar series. FGS is committed to continuing education for societies and the individual genealogist alike.

The first webinar of the new slate will feature Amy Johnson Crow on "How to Keep Your Volunteers Happy, Helpful, and Engaged." An author, Certified Genealogist and regular speaker at FGS conferences, we are certain Amy’s webinar will help societies learn the tools necessary to keep those much needed volunteers actively participating in your organization.

Please register for How to Keep Your Volunteers Happy, Helpful, and Engaged on Jun 23, 2015 8:00 PM EDT at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6687687484175642113

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Brought to you by GoToWebinar®

Webinars Made Easy®

This webinar will remain publicly available for 30 days. After 30 days it can be found in our Members Only Area. Not a member society? Please consider joining us for this and other great content at www.fgs.org