What is a Club Sponsor?

A club sponsor is assigned to each new club attempting to charter and plays a fundamental role in successfully creating a new Toastmasters club.  The Club Extension Committee assigns club sponsors based on inquiries or applications from members progressing towards the Distinguished Toastmaster accreditation.  A club sponsor is an experienced Toastmaster with leadership skills, a passion for Toastmasters, and a strong dedication to helping charter a new club.  Each new club may have up to two sponsors.

Why be a Club Sponsor?

As a club sponsor, not only will you share your passion for Toastmasters with new members, but you will also enhance your own skills through the process, such as:

• Enhance your leadership skills by inspiring others, sharing your knowledge, and creating new leaders
• Translate values and strategies into productive actions
• Develop project-management abilities.
• Expand your marketing expertise.
• Invest in the future of Toastmasters
• To share the benefits of the Toastmasters pathways program with others.
• Enhance your teamwork skills through a new learning experience.
• Participate in the enthusiasm created in members when starting a new club.
• Earn credit toward the Distinguished Toastmasters accreditation

Club Sponsors Duties and Responsibilities

The sponsor is responsible for organizing the new club, including promoting the new club idea to prospective members, helping to set up regular meetings, completing the charter paperwork, and planning the charter party.  Upon successful chartering, the sponsor receives a certificate and credit toward their Pathways DTM.

As a new club sponsor, you are responsible for:

• Sharing potential new club leads with the Club Extension Chair for follow-up.
• Helping to facilitate a demonstration meeting. A demonstration meeting is an opportunity to show prospective members how a Toastmasters meeting is conducted and what the Toastmasters program can do for them.
• Set up regular club meetings to maintain enthusiasm. It is important to quickly establish regular meetings to maintain momentum in the chartering process.
• Help the prospective club submit the required forms to start a new club. See the club charter checklist below under ‘Link to club charter forms’
• Help the club to request and set up a website. Encourage members to use it to manage their roles on the agenda and the executives to use it to simplify the administration of the club and communicate with its members.
• Help the club select their name, elect their club officers, establish their club dues, and pass their Club Constitution.
• Submit the Application to Organize.
• Provide initial training to club executive on their prospective roles using club central resources.
• Help recruit members. Assist new club executive in recruiting members. Request assistance from the Club Extension team and the Area Director if required.
• Help submit all appropriate paperwork.
• When the prospective club reaches 20 members, help the club executive complete the charter application forms and send them, along with the new members’ fees and dues, to World Headquarters.
• Introduce the Pathways program and the different paths within it. Help facilitate pathways orientations as new members join. Help the new club understand how the Pathways program can help to facilitate their skill development.
• Conduct educationals from the Better Speaker Series Programs to Help members develop their skills and a better understanding of the benefits of Toastmasters.
• Inform the club about club officer training and encourage their participation in it.
• Assist with planning the charter presentation. The presentation of the charter marks the debut of a new Toastmasters club and is an excellent opportunity to recognize those who helped form the club. It’s also a chance to generate publicity for the club, so plan the event carefully.
• Keep your Club Extension Chair informed of your progress and immediately inform the chair of any chartering issue (complete progress reports)
• Get Credit for being a club sponsor. Ask the club’s president to send an email to Toastmaster International’s New Club Unit indicating that you have successfully completed your club sponsor role.