[start a chapter]

Interested in starting a chapter of SSF in your city?

1. Host an organizational meeting | We suggest holding a brown bag luncheon or cocktail party inviting 15 to 30 friends, colleagues and business associates who you think may be interested in joining SSF. You should prepare an agenda for the meeting. Agenda items might include an introduction to SSF, the SSF mission statement, and a discussion of the goals of your chapter. At the close of the discussion, you should seek volunteers who are interested in forming an interim Steering Committee to organize the chapter.

2. Convene a meeting of the interim Steering Committee | We suggest that you meet with the core group of volunteers to make some initial organizational decisions, such as what types of programs or events you wish to organize, what other committees you should form and what sort of organizational structure your chapter should have.

3. Submit a letter of intent to SSF | We'll respond with all the formal documents and forms needed to formalize your chapter.

4. Sign up for SSF membership | You'll be introduced to SSF's communications programs, newsletters and other mailings, so you can be more familiar with how you will communicate and within and outside of your new chapter.

5. Compile a mailing list | Begin to compile a mailing list of people who you think may be interested in coming to your programs and events. Everyone on the Steering Committee should consult their rolodexes for names. Additionally, you can gather names from professional directories for your area.

6. Plan your first event | Make a splash with your first public event. Publicize the event by issuing a press release, getting local professional publications to announce the event, sending out flyers to your mailing list and calling people who may be interested.

If you would like more information on starting an SSF chapter in you city, please feel free to contact our headquarters at or 206-324-4850.