Though it is only February, we have already had a busy start to the year. Chapters have been submitting the required documents for the second set of rebate requirements (due January 15), we’ve begun to schedule one-on-one calls with chapter leadership, and we introduced two additional policies related to financial management. The new policies will be a big change for our chapters, but also come with many benefits. We recently held a webinar on Tuesday, January 30 to discuss the policies in detail and the next steps along with the benefits of this new program. Learn more about the benefits of this program below.

Policy 1 - Chapters were provided with a financial reporting template that will need to be submitted twice a year as part of the rebate requirements. 

As chapters began to use the new financial reporting template, they’ll notice the benefits of the document.  The reporting template supports chapter’s recordkeeping practices by including all their financials on one, easy to use document which ensures accountability, transparency, sustainability, and overall financial well-being of the chapter. To learn more about the template or how to use it, please view this webinar here.

Policy 2 - Chapters will transfer all financial accounts to the ANFP-approved online financial platform, Crowded.

One of the newly announced policies involves chapters moving their funds to our new banking platform, Crowded, which is designed for organizations like ANFP that have several chapters. Once chapters make the transition to the new platform, they will find there are many benefits including the easing of some of the administrative burden that goes along with managing a bank account. It will also help to streamline the transfer of the account when new chapter leaders are sworn into office and become the new account authorizers. Additionally, the account can be accessed anywhere and anytime. And perhaps most importantly, it will ensure the financial well-being of all chapters no matter the level of activity or leadership in place.

Policy 3 - ANFP National shall have “Read only” access to all chapters’ financial accounts through verified login credentials on all accounts. 

When chapters transfer their accounts to the new platform, ANFP national will be assigned to the account with ‘read only access’. This means National will not be able to conduct business on behalf of the chapter and only view the account on an as needed basis. This will allow National to support struggling chapters and keep finances of dormant chapters intact until leadership can be established. It will also help to ensure account turnover is seamless as well as protects chapters against fraud.

While we understand these are big changes and there will be a learning curve with the new platform, much training and support will be provided. Also, the new policies will benefit the chapter greatly and allow us to focus more on improving our members’ ANFP experience.

For those of you that were not able to join the live webinar covering the policies, you can view it on ANFPtv HERE.

This month we are recognizing Andrea Armstrong, CDM, CFPP of the Indiana (IN) ANFP Chapter. Andrea first joined ANFP in 2010. A few years later she began to get involved by volunteering on the chapter’s Finance Committee serving on the committee from 2019 to 2022. From there she moved into the President Elect role from 2022 to 2023 and graduated to the role of President this year and will hold the position through 2025. Additionally, Andrea is currently a member of the Certifying Board of Dietary Managers.

As a chapter leader, Andrea plays a large role in planning the IN ANFP chapter meetings. She knows it takes a lot of moving parts and connections to get the planning done and is an integral part of each piece of the preparation and execution. The IN ANFP chapter takes pride in making their conferences fun, exciting and filled with a variety of educational topics for their members. However, to deliver this type of conference, Andrea recognizes this takes time and much preparation starting at least one year to six months from the meeting dates.

Looking at the future, Andrea would like to see ANFP continue to grow in its membership and continue to attract professionals that are new to the organization as well as help recruit and mentor the next generation of dietary and foodservice professionals. 

Thank you, Andrea, for your hard work and dedication to ANFP and the credential! Our chapters remain one of the great benefits of ANFP because of volunteer leaders like you!

We’d like to recognize you and your fellow chapter leaders as our Volunteers of the Month in 2024. Please send your nominations (which can include yourself) to asolazzo@ANFPonline.org.

ANFP is celebrating and recognizing holidays/observances and month-long celebrations throughout the year. To learn more about these observances, please visit our Facebook page and check out E-news, that will include links to our toolkits.  This month ANFP proudly recognizes:

February 1-29 - Black History Month

February 13 – Mardi Gras

As you begin to finalize your spring meeting agenda/programs, please be sure you are following the prior approval guidelines and best practices. Please review the application and handbook and make use of the tools and template available in the Prior Approvals Toolkit & Meeting Resources. Submitting completed applications along with the required documents the first time helps to expedite the approval process.

Below are the upcoming rebate requirements. Documents can be submitted either the chapter portal or sent to chapters@ANFPonline.org.

• Submit bank statements for the month of October to ANFP Headquarters – Due November 30  
• Financial Reporting Template – Due January 15 (can be uploaded via the portal)
• Chapter Bylaws – Due January 15 (if the chapter bylaws have not changed, please let us know. You will not need to submit another copy.)                                                                                           
• Policies & Procedures - Due January 15 (if the chapter policies & procedures have not changed, please let us know. You will not need to submit another copy.)                                                        
• Bi-Annual Chapter Rebate Achievement Report - Part 2 - Due January 15
  

Also, if you have not submitted the following documents from the first deadline, please do so as soon as possible:

• 990

• Affiliate Agreement 

• Financial Code of Conduct

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

Improve Strategic Thinking Skills – Working at the National level involves strategic thinking and looking at issues from an elevated level rather than working out the details of how to execute the plan. This can involve the development of new policies and strategies to support the strategic plan as well as focus on proactive solutions for the future. Strategic thinking and decision-making are essential leadership skills for any job or position.

Be a Champion of Change – Serving at the National level provides an opportunity to make your voice heard about issues you are passionate about. Perhaps you are passionate about mentoring chapter leaders (apply for the Chapter Leadership Team) or want to help increase awareness of the credential throughout the country (apply for Government Affairs Committee or the Political Action Committee), maybe you would like to develop the professional development plan and help identify industry trends and topics (apply for the Professional Development Committee). Whatever your passion may be, ANFP offers many opportunities for members to use their voice for change.

Share Your Unique Perspective – Each of us has our own story whether it be about where were from, how we were raised and our path that led us to where we are today. These experiences help to shape you and can help to create a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming environment. ANFP encourages all members with varying skill sets, education, race, ethnicity, career level/experience, etc. to apply for volunteer leadership roles and share your unique perspective to help make a difference.

Earn CE – Volunteers can earn CEs with both chapter and national roles. Per the CBDM, these requests for CE for volunteer leadership activities will be based on the following:
a. Organization for which activities are contributed must be related to a domain in the Detailed Content Outline 
b. The activity must be at a leadership level and in a non-compensated role
c. A maximum of two CE may be accrued per year, with a total of six CE in a three-year recertification period.
d. CE will not be awarded until date of service ends.

ANFP’s Call for Volunteers is open and accepting applications until February 1, 2024. 

We encourage you to continue building your professional and volunteer career and consider submitting your name for the 2024 Call for Volunteers. Please click here to learn more about the opportunities available as well as the criteria for each committee/board. We look forward to working with you!

Look back at our 2023 Volunteers of the Month. Each of these volunteers have continually demonstrated their dedication to ANFP and their chapters through hard work, perseverance, and exceptional leadership. We are appreciative and grateful for all they have done for ANFP.

We’d like to recognize you and your fellow chapter leaders as our Volunteers of the Month in 2024. Please send your nominations (which can include yourself) to asolazzo@ANFPonline.org.

ANFP is celebrating and recognizing holidays/observances and month-long celebrations throughout the year. To learn more about these observances, please visit our Facebook page and check out E-news, that will include links to our toolkits. This month we are recognizing the following holidays and month-long observance.

January 1 – 31: Poverty in America Awareness Month

January 15: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Below are the upcoming rebate requirements. Documents can be submitted either the chapter portal or sent to chapters@ANFPonline.org.

• Submit bank statements for the month of October to ANFP Headquarters – Due November 30  
•  Financial Reporting Template – Due January 15 (can be uploaded via the portal)
• Chapter Bylaws – Due January 15 (if the chapter bylaws have not changed, please let us know. You will not need to submit another copy.)                                                                                           
• Policies & Procedures - Due January 15 (if the chapter policies & procedures have not changed, please let us know. You will not need to submit another copy.)                                                        
• Bi-Annual Chapter Rebate Achievement Report - Part 2 - Due January 15         

Also, if you have not submitted the following documents from the first deadline, please do so as soon as possible:

• 990
• Affiliate Agreement                                                                                                               
• Financial Code of Conduct

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

Many of us have heard about DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) by now. You may have heard it referred to as EDI, DEIA (Accessibility), DEIB (Belonging), or J(Justice)EDI or perhaps as other acronyms. Whether it’s been discussed within our facilities or at a recent chapter meeting, it’s a topic that’s growing in importance and is becoming engrained in our industry. There are many definitions of the concept and framework of DEI as a whole. However, the simple definition of DEI (according to Dictionary.com) is “a conceptual framework that promotes the fair treatment and full participation of all people, especially in the workplace, including populations who have historically been underrepresented or subject to discrimination because of their background, identity, disability, etc.” While this definition helps to clarify the concept, we first want to understand the meaning of each term and how we can begin to incorporate this framework into our chapters. (Please note there are many varying definitions of each of these terms. These are defined below for the purpose of this newsletter.)

Diversity: the presence of differences; populations that have been and remain underrepresented among practitioners in the field and marginalized in the broader society.

-        Take a look at your chapter volunteers. Are there individuals from different populations represented such as age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education level, ability (physical or cognitive), gender, etc.? Embracing diversity brings individuals from all walks of life and backgrounds together, to share their viewpoints and experiences and may generate new ideas that otherwise would not have been possible.

Equity: promoting justice, impartiality and fairness within the procedures, processes, and distribution of resources by entities or systems.

-        Equity within your chapter will ensure all members are given equal opportunities and access to resources. This may mean holding a virtual meeting, so all members are able to attend, eliminating the need to travel and associated costs (gas, tolls, parking, etc.) as well as taking time off work. Or perhaps at your in person meetings, special dietary or accessibility needs are met to ensure all attendees can participate and enjoy the meeting.

Inclusion: an outcome to ensure those that are diverse feel and/or are welcomed.  To the degree to which diverse individuals are able to participate fully in the decision-making processes and development opportunities within entities and systems.

-        Inclusion in chapters means members feel a sense of belonging. Think about this at your next board or committee meeting. Establishing a safe space that encourages and supports participants to share their opinions respectfully and freely, creates a sense of inclusion for all volunteers.

This month we are recognizing Jeff Wuolett, CDM, CFPP of the Minnesota (MN) ANFP Chapter. Jeff joined ANFP as an Allied member in 2012 while enrolled in a dietary manager program in Eastern Iowa. He became certified in 2013 and began volunteering with the MN ANFP chapter in 2016 as the secretary and is currently serving as president-elect in his second term. 

Jeff has also served on various committees at both the state and national level. At the National level, he has served on the Awards & Recognition Committee, Chapter Leadership Team, Marketing & Communications and Government Affairs Committees as well as a Director at Large on the National Board of Directors from 2020-2023.

Having served in these roles, Jeff has been able to bring a new approach to the way our organization interacts with our members and has been able to connect with younger professionals within the chapter and throughout membership. 

Moving forward Jeff hopes to see the membership grow as industry members are facing a lot of burnout and will need new CDM, CFPPs to succeed those that leave the industry or retire. Additionally, he would like to see continual recognition of the CDM, CFPP credential and eventually become the industry standard. 

Thank you, Jeff, for your continuous hard work and dedication to MN ANFP and our members! Volunteers like you ensure sustainability and growth for our future. Your time and efforts are greatly appreciated!

We’d like to recognize you as our Volunteer of the Month. Please send your nominations to asolazzo@ANFPonline.org.

Below are deadlines for rebate requirements.

2023 October Bank Statement - Due November 30

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

Member engagement is as important as ever to our chapters. Our recent fall meetings allowed the opportunity to engage with members face to face, but only with those in attendance. For many of our members, life is not yet back to the pre-pandemic level of normalcy, and they were not able to attend the meeting due to staffing or scheduling conflicts. For others, they may not have seen the value in attending and networking with other members and industry peers. And for some, attending meetings may not be the way they want to engage with the chapter. It is our job as chapter leaders to provide our members with engagement opportunities outside of meetings and that meet the needs of our members. This past week we discussed the challenges of member engagement during the chapter best practices session and how we can increase engagement at every level with varying opportunities. See below for some of the session highlights.

Understand Member Needs – Before we begin to design engagement opportunities, we first need to understand our members’ needs. We can gather this information via surveys, polls, evaluations, focus groups or town hall/’ask me anything’ sessions. This information will help us understand what we need to do to meet demands of our members and how they would like to engage with us whether its through meetings, social media, volunteering, mentoring, advocacy, or something else entirely. 

Create a Sense of Belonging – We also want to think about the community we created. Is it inclusive? Is it diverse? Do all our members feel welcome? When we have an environment that is safe, inclusive, and welcoming, members are going to feel that sense of belonging and community and more likely want to be a part of it.

Give Them One Reason – Members don’t need 10 reasons to engage with their chapter; they need 1. One reason whether its giving back, being a part of the change, personal benefits/gains or maximizing their membership, is all it takes to get a member involved. As chapter leaders, it’s our job to provide them that one reason. Survey responses will help you narrow down those reasons.

Ongoing Process – Member engagement is an ongoing process that takes place through the lifecycle of the membership. It’s relationship building from the start of the membership (or in some cases before) through retirement (and beyond) that will require different engagement opportunities dependent on where the member is during their career.

We’d like to recognize you as our Volunteer of the Month. Please send your nominations to asolazzo@ANFPonline.org.

Below are upcoming deadlines for rebate requirements.

2023 October Bank Statement - Due November 30