Hopefully you were able to learn how GCSAA provides and delivers valuable resources directly to you the member in the spring newsletter.  This article dives into the resources available to your local association.  The affiliation between GCSAA and your local association are very important and the ability of your chapter to deliver value to you, the member, is key to the success of our industry.  The goal of utilizing resources and benefits delivered from GCSAA, your local chapter, to you the member is to build the “we” instead of the “us” and “them.”

Effective local associations have the best chance of assisting you in being a highly efficient and effective member.  GCSAA works to ensure that resources are available to give the best possible chance of that happening.  An extensive list of those benefits and resources are listed below.  Whether you are a leader of your local chapter or not, this list should show the value of associations working together for the benefit of everyone!

Chapter Board Resources

• Effective management involves having clear job descriptions, taking accurate minutes of meetings, and working closely with superintendents, who represent the future of the chapter and the profession. A policy and procedures handbook also is an invaluable guide. A handbook should cover governance, planning, goal setting, decision-making, problem solving, financial management, and board and staff professional development.  Tips, tricks, and templates are available to assist your local association.
• GCSAA staff can facilitate a Board Orientation Session at no cost to the chapter. Topics include:
  • Governance — bylaws, SOPs, board roles and expectations, confidentiality, and board business.
  • Financials — budget, authorization, fiscal Responsibility, IRS considerations.
  • Your chapter and GCSAA — field staff, affiliation agreement, insurance policies, voting.
  • Teamwork — working together as a board, understanding conflict, Five Dysfunctions of a Team and lack of commitment.
• Investing the time to conduct a Strategic Planning Session encourages chapters to establish a framework, helps them to focus on accomplishing specific goals and broadens the scope of member involvement. GCSAA provides strategic planning assistance. A field staff representative will facilitate a 1/2-day or full-day planning session with your chapter's board of directors or other members who wish to participate.
• GCSAA hosts a Chapter Leaders/Executives Symposium in the spring at GCSAA Headquarters in Lawrence, Kan. The symposium provides leadership training, development, and support to chapters. It also highlights the programs and services available to chapters through GCSAA and provides an opportunity for chapter leaders and executives to network with their peers from around the country.
  

Grant-Financial Opportunities

• Although GCSAA dedicates considerable resources to national outreach, those efforts alone are not enough to achieve desired results. For this reason, GCSAA has established the Chapter Outreach Grant to help chapters engage in activities that complement its efforts to communicate the value of membership to key constituents, primarily golfers and employers.
• Thanks to generous support from ClubProcure, the GCSAA Foundation is offering one-time chapter grants for qualified member education events held in 2023. Affiliated GCSAA chapters may apply for a grant of up to $1,000 to help fund educational events, including speaker fees, event space rental, meeting logistics, food, and beverage, and related travel.
• Agronomic and environmental Best Management Practices are key to successful golf course operations. They are also key to successful advocacy and ensuring golf's license to do business.  GCSAA has offered grants, through funding from the Foundation, to chapters to build state documents and to facilitate those working on facility adoption programs.  This grant process is reviewed each year to ensure the goals of the BMP initiative are being met and the 2024 opportunity has yet to be determined at this time.
• For the second year in a row, the GCSAA Foundation’s Rounds 4 Research program supporting turfgrass research broke records, yielding more than $544,500 during its April 24-30 online auction, an increase of $53,300 over 2022.  More than 1,500 rounds of golf were donated for an online auction where more than 16,000 bids were made, and 1,471 rounds were sold to golfers. R4R funds are used to strengthen advocacy, education and research that advances the work of golf course management professionals.  If your association is not taking part in the auction, perhaps it’s time to consider doing so!
  

Communications Resources

• There are News Release Templates available that can be a starting point for spreading the word to local media about chapter success stories and milestones.
  • Chapter anniversary template
  • Chapter fundraiser template
  • Chapter awards template
  • Chapter board election template
• Looking to strengthen membership and empower your equipment managers?  An Equipment Managers Toolkit has been created with information on competencies, best management practices to develop education, education GCSAA can offer, as well as promotional pieces to reach EM members.
• Stay ahead of the latest laws and regulations. GCSAA outlines key issues and connects you, even one-on-one, with staff while offering free compliance counseling, information, and resources available in the GCSAA Compliance Center, housed in the Advocacy Hub.  In addition, GCSAA’s Government Affairs team can assist in developing Action Alerts to advocate on state related legislative and regulatory issues.

Hopefully you recognize many of the resources above as benefits being utilized by you local association.  Better yet, I’m hopeful you are utilizing the BMP and Government Affairs opportunities at your own facility!  Be sure your equipment manager finds those educational resources too.  As always, I hope I can be a resource to you as well.  Be sure to reach out to your chapter and GCSAA to ensure you make the most of all of your membership benefits.