This page contains resources for volunteer leaders in the Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter.
Access to some documents is restricted to current volunteer leaders: Chapter ExCom members, Officers and Chairs, Group ExCom members, Outings Leaders, Chapter Staff. Contact Chapter Admin Chantal Mulenga <chantal.mulenga@sierraclub.org> for assistance.
Chapter Directory - Use the filter to find the Pennsylvania Chapter and then click the View Entity button beneath the Actions column on the far right.
Volunteer Roles Descriptions
- National descriptions
- PA Orientation Materials
Digital Tools Help
- Flyer with descriptions of what the Digital Tools Help Team can help with
- Help Request Form
- Group Email Send Date - 4th Wed of each month is reserved for Group emails
Chapter Outings Team
- National Outings Leader Guidelines
-
Chapter Sign-on Letters
- 2024
- 2023
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
Chapter Equity Team
Council of Club Leaders
- Resolutions and Letters from or signed by PA Chapter
Chapter ExCom Meeting Minutes
- Meeting Agendas, Minutes and Supporting Docs Folder
- Standing Rules - resolutions from ExCom meetings
Chapter Political Team
- Endorsement Guidelines
- PAC Donation Guidelines
- PA Political Team Standing Rules
C3/C4 Compliance Guidelines
Tabling Resources
track whether newly collected contacts have been added to the Sierra Club database
Tabling Packages (stuff you can buy) summary document, order form
Money for Members
SC National will give a "kickback" to a Group that inspires a new/renewed membership or gift membership. See Money for Members memo . Find links for each of our Groups here .. Put them on our Group websites.
Conservation Work
- Chapter Teams Folder
- Grants
- Application
- Previous Winners: Water Quality Monitor Probe Rehabilitation; Environmental Yard Signs; Lehigh Gap Nature Center Bee Hive Winterization; Scranton Community Garden Shed; and Bethlehem Landfill Expansion Litigation.
- Current Year Grant Fund Status
Following is a dynamic list of resources being built in 2025 to help achieve our Membership Growth and Volunteer Leader Growth goals. Contact Jim Wylie, PA Chapter Membership Chair at jimwylieg@gmail.com with questions or suggestions. Links will be filled in as they become available.
Print-ready Flyer/Brochure for tabling and contacts
PA Chapter Flyer - .pdf (ver E)
Allegheny Group Flyer - .pdf (ver C)
Group Template - Canva source - can be copied and customized. Or request help. Melissa Farr has also offered to help with Canva editing.
Email Info Session ( slide deck, recording from Mar 12, 2025)
Suggestions for expediting the Digital Tools Help Request process for email sending
Get trained on Marketing Cloud so your Group can compose their own emails to send to contacts in the SC database.
Opt-In lists - for committees or issue-specific teams or informal info updates. Send as often as you like. GoogleGroups is recommended.
The last Wed of each month has been reserved for Group Emails. Other dates can still be requested, but the last Wed can be counted on as being available..
Recommend sending out monthly updates to Group members/followers. If not a full Newsletter, than at least a heads up of what's coming this month: ExCom mtg, Outings, cleanups that other orgs are doing.
Group Newsletters
Best Practices - Chapter and Group Newsletter examples
Online Newsletter (not easily printable): Great Falls Group (VA) - Dec 2024 , Sylvanian Dec 2024, ME Chp - Jan 2025
PDF Newsletter (printable): North Star Chapter (MN) - Winter 2025, Moshannon Grp - May 2024
Easy-to-use Newsletter Template
Newsletter Archiving
Group Web Page Refresh
Best Practices - Group pages to be emulated : Great Falls Group (VA Chp), Moshannon Group (PA Chp)
Web Admin Training - request Drupal Training
Request help - send edit updates to Digital Tools Help Team
Include a form to join a Group Newsletter (opt-in) list
Include a Volunteer Interest Form on your front page !!
Include a link to Join SC on front page using the links defined in the Money for Members memo
Join My Group pages have been added to all Group sites. Usually under the About menu item. Find the QR code to this page HERE.
Campfire Events Training - there is Campfire Events 101 on Campfire Learning, but it's easy to follow along with someone that's done it.
Put your meetings (ExCom or sub-committees) on Campfire - some new volunteers might show up
Tabling Resources
track whether newly collected contacts have been added to the Sierra Club database
Tabling Packages (stuff you can buy) summary document, order form
Host a Volunteer Job Fair or Meet & Greet
Perhaps in partnership with some other local organizations - (find example of a collaboration)
In-person or online
Promote to SC members & supporters in your Group (email, social)
Include outreach to communities that are not well represented by current Group volunteer leaders
A Meet & Greet could be at a restaurant or library or someone's house. Guidance/Resources for Meet & Greet events.
Could tag along with an educational event with a speaker - or before/after an ExCom meeting
Local Outings
Equip Outings Leaders with info about joining SC and volunteering with the local Group
Include Outings Leaders in info about Group activities
New Volunteer Onboarding Suggestions
Meet one-on-one with a Group Leader - in-person or zoom or phone. Find out where their interests overlap with current projects.
Add them to a volunteer opt-in email list so they will hear about upcoming meetings and volunteer opportunities.
Share a list of "entry-level" volunteer tasks. Easy stuff that they can do on their own. Suggested list here.