2024 Chapter Spring Meetings & Prior Approvals

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. 

Chapter Rebate Requirements

• Submit bank statement for the month of April to ANFP Headquarters - Due May 31
• Officers entered into Chapter Portal for future volunteer year (officers must be entered each year regardless of length of term) - Due June 1
• Submit updated reporting template by June 30 each year to ANFP Headquarters - Due June 15
• Upcoming Meeting Dates - Due July 15
• 990 filed and E-receipt submitted - Due July 15

Earlier this year we conducted another round of one-on-one calls for those chapters that showed interest. Chapter one-on-one calls are an opportunity for chapters to meet with members of the Chapter Leadership Team (CLT) as well as staff, to ask questions, discuss their challenges, and give feedback. These calls have been mutually beneficial and helped staff and the CLT understand how we can provide support to our peers and learn about the obstacles chapter leaders are facing and be able to help them overcome these challenges or offer assistance. Chapter leaders also took the time to request tools and resources that would be helpful, including member outreach and communication templates.

Member Outreach – A newly updated section in Volunteer Resources includes email templates for new members, students, and lapsed members. Communications with new members should be sent out on a regular basis to ensure your new members know who to contact with questions and the resources available. You can customize the template to fit your needs and include important information about your chapter. This section also includes letters for students and inactive/lapsed members.

Employer Letter of Support – Many of our chapter leaders mentioned members having a difficult time getting support from their employers. We created a template that members can use to start the conversation and explain to their employers the importance of maintaining the credential and how they can support them. Members should also include the scope of practice and ‘How Employers Can Support a CDM, CFPP’ when discussing the benefits of the CDM, CFPP. Both tools, as well as other useful support resources, can be found in the Chapter Marketing & Recruitment Toolkit in Volunteer Resources.

Support for Attendance at ACE– Members that need employer support to attend the upcoming Annual Conference & Expo (ACE) in Reno can also present a letter to their supervisor to explain the benefits of attending such an event. This template can be found here.

2024 Chapter Spring Meetings & Prior Approvals

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 templates 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. 

Chapter Rebate Requirements

Below are the upcoming rebate requirements. Documents can be submitted either through 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

This month we are recognizing James Stewart, CDM, CFPP of the California (CA) ANFP Chapter. James joined ANFP in 2019, but did not get involved until 2022, after attending his first ACE. Following the 2022 ACE, he began to engage with the other chapter leaders regularly through Zoom meetings and offered his assistance.  

During his first year, James began to learn from the CA chapter leader “all-stars” and began to understand how the organization worked from the inside and continued to help whenever asked. Eventually he was appointed to the role of President-Elect and is currently the CA Chapter President.

Since getting involved with the chapter, James’ biggest impact has been the consistent willingness to help, show up and do whatever he can to help the chapter become stronger. He does this also by speaking at CA chapter events, assists with virtual meetings and is in continuous communication with members, all while having a great sense of humor. 

James envisions a bright future for the CA chapter. One that involves the chapter winning awards, including the coveted Diamond Award. Additionally, he would like to see the chapter increase the number of CDM, CFPPs in the chapter as well as increase CA member presence at ACE.  

Thank you, James, for your continuous dedication, hard work, and support of the CA ANFP Chapter! Our chapters continue to thrive because of volunteers 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. 

• Grammarly is an artificial intelligence (AI) writing tool that assists writers with punctuation, spelling and overall grammar and content structure. Don’t let AI scare you! While it should not be used to create the content itself, it is a useful tool to ensure your writing is clear, concise and error free. The platform is free. Users can plug in their content and check for grammar accuracy or improve the content with the paraphrasing tool. 
• Canva is a graphic design platform with templates for all types of documents like newsletters, fliers, invitations, and other visual communications. The free templates can be designed to fit your needs and branded with ANFP logos and colors. 
• Microsoft Templates is like Canva, as it offers various templates within the Microsoft Office Suite that can be useful for other chapter projects. Perhaps you are looking to enhance your next PowerPoint or would like to track evaluation results over a period in Excel. Microsoft offers an array of templates to help you get started on your next communication or project. 
• ChatGPT is another AI tool that can help users refine their content making it more concise. Like Grammarly, it should not be used to create the content itself; it can be useful to rephrase content and ensure accurate spelling and grammar.
• ANFP's Style & Brand Guide is a handy resource for all your chapter branding and writing needs. When creating a marketing document (including your newsletter), we recommend you refer to this guide to ensure seamless branding and a professional look. You can access this in Volunteer Resources here.  
• Perhaps the most important tool you have is the Spelling & Grammar function in Word which should be used with every document created as a best practice. Additionally, when creating communications, newsletters, or other marketing documents or collateral, it’s also a best practice to proofread the content before sending it out to your audience. You may also want to consider having a couple fellow chapter leaders proofread these documents as well. 

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!