How to start a club, Step-by-step instructions

Access Important GWB Files Here
GWB Files

Sample Constitution
Fundraising Website Manual for Club Presidents
Check Donations Tracker
Global Brigades W-9 Tax Form
GWB Logo
GWB Info Session PowerPoint Presentation
GWB Handouts
Sample GWB Student Enrollment Forms
Sample GWB Sponsorship Letter
Sample GWB Donations Request Letter
Sample GWB Itinerary
GWB Pre-Departure Information Packet
Your Project

Before You Begin

Step 1: Contact GWB Program Director
Step 1: Contact GWB Program Director

Please reach out to GWB Brigade Coordinator Suzanne Zuppello at suzannezuppello@globalbrigades.org

She will put you in contact with your GWB U.S. Advisor to answer all your questions and guide you in your start. Your GWB U.S. Advisor will be your partner while developing your club. We encourage you to communicate regularly with this advisor and direct all questions and concerns to this person. This will be key to the growth of your club.

Step 2: Achieve Student Club Recognition by Your University or Combine with an Existing Club
Step 2: Achieve Student Club Recognition by Your University or Combine with an Existing Club

If you want to start a new GWB club on your campus we recommend that you achieve recognition from your university, although it is not a requirement.

1) Find 3-4 other students who want to join your leadership team

2) Find a faculty advisor. A good Faculty Advisor is someone who will be a strong advocate of your cause and who can be a voice to promote your cause to university leadership.

3) Write a constitution. This does not have to be laborious; use the GWB Sample Constitution as a guide.

4) Get Connected: Once you have secured a club or made an agreement with an existing club, send and email to the GWB Program Coordinator to receive:
   - A club email address (e.g. college@globalbrigades.org or leadername@globalbrigades.org)
   - Conference calls to stay updated on national procedures and to learn about best practices from veteran leaders
   - Authority to use the GWB Logo to promote your club
   - Sample documents/templates to help with each step of the planning process

Step 3: Secure a Week For Your Brigade
Step 3: Secure a Week For Your Brigade

1) You will want at least 3 months to prepare before your trip

2) View the Brigades Calendar for available dates (cannot have more than 4 groups per week)

3) Contact your GWB U.S. Advisor and GB Travel (travel@globalbrigades.org) to schedule dates for your trip and add your institution to the Brigade Fundraising Site

Step 4: Sharing Best Practices - Brigade Leader Conference Calls
Step 4: Sharing Best Practices - Brigade Leader Conference Calls

Please take advantage of the opportunity to share experiences and ideas with GWB brigade leaders by dialing in to conference calls.

New groups are especially encouraged to join the calls with questions! These calls are an incredible way for leaders to share their knowledge and learn how to effectively educate their group members in preparation for the brigade.

Step 5: Set up a Brigade Fundraising Site (BFS) Account
Step 5: Set up a Brigade Fundraising Site (BFS) Account and Open a Club Checking Account

Each GWB club must register on the Brigade Fundraising Site (BFS). ALL FUNDS (both plane tickets & in-country costs) will be raised through the BFS.

Instructions for setting up your BFS account can be located in the GWB Leadership Packet.

3-8 Months Before Your Brigade

Step 6: Hold Information Session to Recruit Volunteers
Step 6: Hold Information Session To Recruit Volunteers

Before the meeting:
1) Find and secure a time and location for your info session

2) Ask relevant department administrators to distribute emails to engineering, public health, international relations, Spanish, and other potentially interested students.

3) Make announcements in classrooms and post flyers

At the meeting:
1) Deliver a customized GWB Info Session PowerPoint presentation

2) Distribute GWB Handouts (for students to keep) and Sample GWB Student Enrollment Forms (to be collected at the end of the meeting). Also send out Enrollment Forms to interested students or create online enrollment forms to be sent out.

3) Communicate costs and commitment of the trip (ALL to be paid on BFS)
    - Nonrefundable deposit of $235 reserve a spot on the trip and to go towards airfare due within 2 weeks of securing an airline contract
    - Remainder of airfare: $500 – $1000 depending on airline quote
    - In-country costs: $650 * which includes all room/board accommodations, travel, Honduran guide, water, security etc. Of that $650, $100 is allocated directly to your group's sustainable water development project.

All in-country costs will be raised on the Brigade Fundraising Site

*$750 Starting Febuary 1st, 2010

Step 7: Hold Bi-Monthly Meetings & Introduce "Your Project"
Step 7: Hold Bi-Monthly Meetings & Introduce "Your Project"

Meetings should be held at least twice per month and more frequently when necessary.

Regular meetings will allow you to:
   -Organize the student group to take part in necessary pre-trip activities in the U.S.
   -Collect/keep track of airfare and in-country costs
   -Educate the group about what to expect during their time in Honduras
   -Review "Your Project " to give everyone an idea of the type of work they will do in Honduras.
   -Get to know each other!

You can also take this opportunity to learn more about Water and Sanitation & Health!

See the GWB Leadership Packet for more infromation and a guide to our suggested meeting schedule

Step 8: Club Members Register On Brigade Fundraising site
Step 8: Club Members Register On Brigade Fundraising Site

All volunteers must be entered into the Brigade Fundraising Site to be officially registered for a brigade. The site serves four critical functions:

Registration : Each volunteer signs up under the appropriate institution

Solicit donations : Each volunteer will have a personalized webpage to collect donations from their friends and family. Brigaders can send emails from the platform using preexisting templates or create your own letter. All major credit cards are accepted. In addition, you will have a team page to collect funds as a group

Waivers and Code of Conduct : To register for a brigade, all volunteers must agree to the waiver to release Global Brigades from liability and a conduct form. Both are displayed on the site

Reporting : Club presidents can pull financial reports indicating who has registered for their brigade and determine how much each have fundraised

Step 9: Fundraise & Manage Money
Step 9: Fundraise & Manage Money

In your meetings with club members be sure to reiterate the costs and commitment of the brigade.

See the GWB Leadership Packet for detailed information on:
   -Collecting student costs
   -Fundraising
   -Managing group money

Step 10: Secure Airline Reservations & Collect Airfare
Step 10: Secure Airline Reservations & Collect Airfare

The moment that you have an idea of how many people will be going on your trip (when you have collected deposits), call our Global Brigades travel team with the following information:
     -Name of School/GWB Club
     -Your name and contact info
     -How many people are travelling (only those with deposits submitted)
     -The dates of your trip (you may need to be flexible depending on availability and cost)
     -Your departure/arrival airports (You will generally be arriving in Tegucigalpa, Honduras)

The Global Brigades travel contact is travel@globalbrigades.org

They not only book travel, but works directly with our in-country staff to insure a smooth pick-up/drop-off of every volunteer. They also insure every student has signed the correct waivers, has SOS insurance and calls the appropriate foreign consulate offices so they know of our whereabouts in Central America. Because of our high volume of volunteers it is LOGISTICALLY HAZARDOUS for our in-country staff to have to work with several different agents and airlines, so we assess a $100 in-country fee per brigader for any volunteer group that purchases outside of Global Brigades Travel. Please read our Airfare FAQ

For further details on arranging travel and airfare payments with Global Brigades Travel, please consult the GWB Leadership Packet

Ensure all student passports do not expire WITHIN 6 MONTHS of arrival in Honduras. If they do, the student must renew their passport before departure.

Students with out US Passport may need a Visa. Contact your GWB U.S. Advisor if you have questions regarding requirements to obtain a Honduran Visa.

     a) Read Requirements
     b) Fill out Application
     c) Return to Honduran Consulate

Step 11: Have All Students Get Vaccinations
Step 11: Have All Students Get Vaccinations

Mention vaccination requirements at one of your first meetings
   -Hepatitis A
   -Hepatitis B
   -Tetanus
   -Typhoid
   -Malaria

Every volunteer should obtain Typhoid and oral Malaria vaccines. Hepatitis A, B, and tetanus vaccinations should already have been received if attending school in the U.S., however some may need these as well. If they do need HEP A and HEP B, they are given in doses that are months apart, so the student will need as much time as possible to complete these. However, if only one or two doses are received before departure than Honduras, this is okay, and they should receive the final dose(s) upon return to the U.S. Vaccinations can usually be obtained at the university health clinic or through each volunteer’s personal health care provider.

1 Month Before Your Brigade

Step 12: Collect Minimum $650* on the Brigade Fundraising Site
Step 12: Collect Minimum $650* on the Brigade Fundraising Site (*$750 starting February 1, 2010)

*Payment Deadline: 2 weeks prior to arrival date*

The deadline is 2 weeks prior to arrival because the Honduran in-country staff needs to know how much money your group has for the water project in order to make necessary purchases. It is up to you as a leader to make sure everyone in your group has paid.

Step 13: Collect Two Copies of Each Students Passport
Step 13: Collect Two Copies of Each Students Passport

You will leave one copy of each passport along with Emergency Contact Information for each person with a trusted individual at your university (ex: Faculty Advisor). In case someone loses their passport, this person can fax a copy of it to the U.S. embassy in Honduras (this is a last resort). You will also take to Honduras a copy of each person’s passport.

Step 14: Validate Payment of In-Country Cost
Step 14: Validate Payment of In-Country Cost

One week before your brigade, send an activity summary printed out from the Intelis website along with a list of members attending the brigade and send it to your GWB U.S. Advisor. This will serve as a record to ensure each brigader has paid their in-country cost. The responsibility is on the Brigade Leader to do this.

Step 15: Review Sample Itinerary & Deliver "An Introduction to Honduras & Water" PowerPoint
Step 15: Review Sample Itinerary & Deliver "An Introduction to Honduras & Water" PowerPoint

One week before your brigade you should receive an itinerary for your trip from a Brigade Coordinator. The villages in which you will be conducting brigades will have been finalized and you can share the information with your group. You can view a sample itinerary to see an example of what you will receive.

Deliver the "An Introduction to Honduras & Water " PowerPoint

Step 16: Pack Your Bags!
Step 16: Pack Your Bags!

At the final meeting review the GWB Marketing Supplemental Document with your students. Answer any questions they may have about what to bring or what to expect in Honudras.

On Your Brigade

Step 17: Get to the Airport and to Honduras Smoothly
Step 17: Get to the Airport and to Honduras Smoothly

A couple general tips for getting organized at the airport:
   -Organize rides to the airport for those who need it.
   -Have everyone meet early at the airport (3 hours before your flight!)
   -Make sure everyone is in possession of their passports and the luggage they will be checking in
   -Wait for everyone to arrive so you can have the group check in together.

Upon arrival in Honduras, every passenger will need to complete a customs declarations form. If your flight has a stop or changes plane in another location, in San Salvador for example, you will not need to complete a customs form for that location – only for the final destination. Upon arrival back to the US, every passenger will need to complete another customs declarations form.

Step 18: Have the Experience of a Lifetime!
Step 18: Have the Experience of a Lifetime!

Once you arrive at the airport in the Honduras, the GWB will have everything under control. At the airport make sure to gather all of your luggage and make your way to the exit where we will be waiting for you. If any luggage has been lost, please come outside the airport to talk with us. We can help you take care of any problems.

After the Brigade

Step 19: Debrief With Your Group
Step 19: Debrief With Your Group

It will take a few days to adjust back to U.S. culture upon your return. Take this opportunity for the students to re-group and share what they have learned from their experience. Invite family and friends who donated to hear the stories that they helped to make happen. Invite potential future brigaders to ask questions about the experience. Share what you have learned and the new insight that you now have into the world. This is a great opportunity to ask who wants to continue the experience, and help take on an officer or leadership role on a future trip.

Remind students of any remaining items they need to attend to: thank you letters to donors, taking their last malaria pill doses, getting you that last donation they forgot about, etc.

Step 20: Write Thank You Letters to Donors, Sponsors, & Grant Organizations
Step 20: Write Thank You Letters to Donors, Sponsors, & Grant Organizations

Many of the grant organizations that supply funding and resources to GWB require that you report back to them with a summary after the trip. Take the opportunity to report back and thank them and create a relationship so that they will be willing to sponsor your group in the future.

*Make sure you do this within 2 weeks after your trip*

Step 21: Prepare and Submit a Press Release for Your School Newspaper
Step 21: Prepare and Submit a Press Release for Your School Newspaper

Once you’re back on campus, it’s time to share with your school your group’s accomplishments. Submitting an article to the school paper is a great way to promote your club, get new volunteers, and find potential donors. Who knows who will read it and be motivated to help?

Step 22: Debrief With your GWB U.S. Advisor & REPEAT!
Step 22: Debrief With your GWB U.S. Advisor & REPEAT!

Once you are re-acclimated to your U.S. lifestyle, give your GWB U.S. Advisor a call. We’d love to know how it went! Also, if you would like to write a testimonial about your great experience, please email it to your GWB U.S. Advisor and they will post it on the website.

Now that you are an experienced brigade leader, make sure to share all of your knowledge with future leaders and officers of the club, so that your efficiency and impact can increase over time.

Thank you for caring and making all the difference!