Best Practices for a Thriving Chapter

Running an effective chapter takes strategy, consistency, and creativity. Here are proven tactics:

1. Social Media & Communications

• Content Calendar: Plan weekly posts highlighting local issues, upcoming events, and member spotlights.

• Platform Mix: Use Instagram for visuals, Twitter for rapid updates, and Facebook/Threads for event RSVPs.

• Branding: Incorporate CCD and Campus colors and the official CADEM “D” logo to maintain a cohesive identity.

2. Tabling & Events

• High-Traffic Timing: Be present at orientation week, midterm study breaks, and major campus events.

• Engagement Tools: Use QR codes linked to your mailing list, informational flyers, and CCD swag (stickers, buttons).

• Interactive Activities: Host issue quizzes or “political bingo” to draw in passersby.

3. Membership Growth

• Info Sessions & Mixers: Partner with related majors (political science, sociology) to co-host informal meet-and-greet events.

• Referral Incentives: Offer small rewards, like free snacks or raffle entries, to members who recruit friends.

• Classroom Outreach: Coordinate with professors to make brief in-class announcements about CCD opportunities.

4. Strategic Partnerships

• Campus Allies: Collaborate with campus chapters of Planned Parenthood, environmental groups, and multicultural student unions.

• Joint Initiatives: Co-sponsor voter-registration drives, policy roundtables, and advocacy campaigns.

• Resource Sharing: Leverage the CDA × YSD × CCD Chapter Starter Kits, containing sample outreach templates, budget spreadsheets, and event guides, to jumpstart your first semester.