Volunteer Leader Recruitment Toolkit

What are the requirements for serving as a Chapter Leader?
All chapter leaders must be professional or young professional IDSA members in good standing. 

How long can a chapter leader serve?
Chapter leaders may serve for a total of two (2) terms (four years). 

What if I am unable to serve two terms?
If you are unable to serve the two terms, you may step down; however, we encourage you to work with your leadership board to appoint your replacement. IDSA offers a leader recruitment toolkit to assist with this. 

How many hours is a leader required to serve per week? 

The number of hours that a chapter leader serves depends on decisions made by that leader, their leadership board, and the event that the team is planning. We recommend being open and honest about your ability to serve since this is a volunteer position.  

May I create a new leadership position/title for my chapter? 

Absolutely! While the Chair and Vice Chair are required positions for each community, we encourage chapters to include leadership positions that will best support their chapter.  If you have a special talent or expertise that you can contribute to your chapter, AND you have a snazzy title to go with it, propose it! 

Am I required to go through the election process to become a chapter leader? 

If you are serving during an odd numbered year, and plan to serve for another term, you will need to participate in your chapter’s election. 

As a leader, do I use my own money to support my chapter? 

No. Each chapter uses their annual seed money to support the experiences that they create for their community. Each chapter receives one credit card that they can use to expense items.  If you use your money to pay for chapter event related items, you may receive a reimbursement for the expense. 

How does IDSA support chapters/chapter leaders? 

IDSA has a dedicated staff member whose job is to support chapter leaders/chapters district leaders who formerly served as chapter officers and offer advice and experience managing chapters and events a chapter director who sits on IDSA’s Board and advocates for chapters on the board level. Additionally, IDSA offers the following resources to assist with leadership and chapter management: 

• Chapter Orientation 
• Chapter Resource page with tools to manage IDSA chapters. 
• Diversity Equity and Inclusion Toolkit to assist with planning DEI events and experiences.  
• Complimentary Zoom license/zoom room for each chapter. 
• IDSA.org chapter email address 
• Chapter business cards 
• Vimeo showcases for virtual events. 
• Chapter logos 
• Folder on IDSA’s share drive.
• Toolkits to assist with member recruitment, event planning, and volunteer recruitment.
• Chapter Miro Board
• And more…

I have more questions. Who should I contact?

For detailed questions related to the chapter that you will support, please contact the current leaders from that chapter.  For general questions related to IDSA chapters or volunteer leadership, contact Shannon Bayer, IDSA’s Senior Community Manager. 

Below is a list of Chapter Leader positions with descriptions. Have an idea about a different position for your chapter? No problem! Share your idea and expertise with the leadership team.  

Chapter Chair*   
The Chapter Chairperson has the overall responsibility for developing chapter programs, for ensuring that plans and assignments are carried out, and for seeing that the chapter fulfills its obligations to the local community and IDSA.  
 

Vice Chair*   
The Chapter Vice Chair assists the Section Chair in managing the operations of the Chapter in the best interest of the local members and provides leadership, guidance, and a sense of purpose for other chapter volunteers.  
 

Secretary-Treasurer  
The Secretary generally keeps minutes of the Chapter meetings, sends notices of meetings, and maintains the Chapter’s records and documents. As Treasurer, they handle the Chapter’s finances.  
 

Social Media and Communications Manager  
The social media and Communications Manager develops and implements the chapter’s social media strategy, including marketing plans that leverage social media outlets. Develops and maintains online content that attracts attention, generates interest, and is easily shared with social networks.  
 

Student Liaison  
The Student Liaison serves as liaison between the IDSA Chapter and the local colleges and/or universities. The liaison is responsible for communication flowing between both entities and manages collaborations between the two. 

*Required positions 

Dear [name], 

I am a proud member of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) [your city] Chapter, and I am reaching out with a request for support.  

Throughout my career, IDSA has been the main way to connect with local designers and share design knowledge and ideas. The experiences that our chapter hosts engage us, amplify the industrial design community in [your city], and connect us to each other.  

I am writing because we are seeking volunteers to help serve on the [your city] chapter leadership board, and you came to mind as a perfect candidate. I’ve attached a list of all the chapter leader positions but note that we are only required to have a Chair and a Vice Chair (although successful chapters have at least three leaders serving). 

IDSA has several resources to support chapters, including a staff person dedicated to working with volunteer leaders, as well as an online resource page and downloadable toolkits to assist with event planning and membership recruitment.  

Serving as a chapter leader provides an opportunity for more professional visibility for you and your company, is the starting point for moving up the IDSA leadership ladder (e.g., chapter leader to district leader to IDSA Board member) and is a way to give back to the Industrial Design community. If you have questions, or would like to learn more about chapter leadership, please contact [name/email address].  

Thank you in advance for your interest and consideration. I look forward to reconnecting with you through our [your city] Chapter.  

Sincerely,  

Dear [name], 

I am a member of the IDSA [your city] Chapter.  I’m writing to ask for your support. Throughout my career, IDSA has been the main way to connect with local designers and share design knowledge and ideas. The experiences that our chapter hosts engage us, amplify the industrial design community in [your city], and connect us to each other.   

Would you like to see continued chapter leadership in the [your city] chapter? We need [#] professionals in [your city] area to serve on our chapter leadership board. IDSA has several resources to support chapters, including a staff person dedicated to working with volunteer leaders, as well as an online resource page and downloadable toolkits to assist with event planning and membership recruitment.  

Will you consider serving as a leader of IDSA [your city]? I’ve attached a list of all the chapter leader positions but note that we are only required to have a Chair and a Vice Chair (although successful chapters have at least three leaders serving). Serving as a chapter leader provides an opportunity for more professional visibility for you and your company, is the starting point for moving up the IDSA leadership ladder (e.g., chapter leader to district leader to IDSA Board member) and is a way to give back to the Industrial Design community. If you have questions, or would like to learn more about chapter leadership, please contact [name/email address].  

Thank you in advance for your interest and consideration. I look forward to reconnecting with you through our [your city] Chapter.  

Sincerely,  

Dear [name],  

I am a long-time member of IDSA here in [your city], and I’m writing to you out of concern for the IDSA [your city] Chapter, which is currently leaderless and inactive this year (though we have about [#] professional members). Throughout my career, IDSA has been the main way to connect with local designers and share design knowledge and ideas. At its peak, [your chapter] was an energetic community in IDSA’s chapter network, hosting events, organizing portfolio reviews for students, and arranging a tour of local design offices. The experiences that our chapter hosted engaged us, amplified the industrial design community in [your city], and connected us to each other.   

Would you like to see a reenergized [your city] chapter? We need 2 – 3 professionals in [your city] area to volunteer to form a chapter leadership board. IDSA has several resources to support chapters, including a staff person dedicated to working with volunteer leaders, and I will also offer my support and input as needed.  

Will you consider serving as a leader of IDSA [your city]? I’ve attached a list of all the chapter leader positions, but note that we are only required to have a Chair and a Vice Chair (although successful chapters have at least three leaders serving). Serving as a chapter leader provides an opportunity for more professional visibility for you and your company, is the starting point for moving up the IDSA leadership ladder (e.g., chapter leader to district leader to IDSA Board member), and is a way to give back to the Industrial Design community.  

If you have questions, or would like to learn more about chapter leadership, please contact Shannon Bayer at IDSA via [email protected] who has the official info.  

Thank you in advance for your interest and consideration. I look forward to reconnecting with you through our [your city] Chapter.  

Warmly,    

Flyer that can be customized and distributed during in person (or virtual) chapter events. Download here.

Marketing tool to get the word out about chapter’s recruitment needs. Download here.

Leaders from IDSA’s Ohio Chapters created these videos to share the valuable experience of serving as a Chapter Leader.