2014: Appreciate! Collaborate! Educate!

The Junior League of Arlington’s “Appreciate! Collaborate! Educate!” initiative was honored with this year’s Award for Membership Development after having turned around five years of membership decline and a 20 percent deficit in fundraising.

The League’s four-pronged strategy yielded impressive results. The new “dual entry” Provisional Program brought in 59 new members, a staggering 400 percent increase over the previous year and a record-setting haul since 1995. The Emerging Leaders Institute provided a skill-based competencies curriculum to 28 members. During National Volunteer Week, the League issued letters of appreciation, LinkedIn recommendations and a new JLA lapel pin. A voluntary co-mentorship program for Active and Sustaining members successfully retained members and fostered connections. Membership is now up to 500, or a 15 percent bump over the previous year.