Page 11 - Branch Leader Guide

Branch Leader Guide

Part II - Starting a CMTA Branch: The Basics

Materials Box

You will receive a box of CMTA branch materials. Please keep one of each item for
yourself. Many of the included materials can be handed out free of charge to your
members, but others are salable items for display only. The display items may be
purchased from the CMTA’s on-line store at www.cmtausa.org/store/. Please familiarize
yourself with all CMTA materials once you have received the box. If you have any
questions, contact your regional branch manager.

Choose a Venue

One of the first orders of business is finding a meeting place. Libraries, hospitals,
clinics, municipal buildings or your local church/religious facility may allocate rooms for
non-profit organizations at no charge. Please make sure that the building is spacious,
easy-to-reach, has adequate parking and is handicapped accessible. If the facility asks
for a 501c(3) letter authenticating the CMTA’s non-profit status, your regional branch
manager can provide one.

Set a Date and Time

Once you have a location, choose the date of your first meeting, giving yourself and the
CMTA at least six weeks to prepare and publicize the meeting. Most groups meet on
Saturdays or Sundays, either morning or afternoon, as it is more convenient for working
adults and parents with kids to free up time on a weekend.

Frequency and Duration

We ask that our leaders have meetings approximately two hours in duration at least
three times a year. Many groups meet quarterly and schedule extra time for relaxed
summer picnics or holiday get-togethers. Others meet almost every month. As
coordinator and leader/co-leader of the group, setting the frequency of the meetings is
entirely up to you, based on your schedule and availability. Often, presenters will take
up the majority of those two hours, especially when time is allowed for a question-and-
answer period, but try to leave 10-15 minutes at the beginning and end for updates,
ceremonial activities, branch business and social time.

Many branches meet at regularly scheduled intervals, while others prefer the flexibility to
accommodate speakers with busy schedules. Whatever approach you take, at the end
of each gathering, try to let attendees know the date or the tentative date of the next
meeting. This allows your members to plan ahead and integrate the meetings into their

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