Renewal Application Review Process

Renewal Application Review Process

1. Renewal Application Process

a. 5 months before a Member’s renewal date, the Member and Membership Committee receives an email indicating that the respective Member is up for renewal in 5 months. This is the Membership Committee’s notification that the Participation Review should have been scheduled and/or conducted for each renewing Member.

b. At 60 days before a Member’s renewal date, the Secretary/Treasurer begins to remind the renewing Member weekly during the Treasurer’s Report that their membership renewal is due on their respective date

c. At each meeting thereafter in which the BNI® Membership Renewal Application and payment has not yet been submitted, the Secretary/Treasurer announces that the respective Member is still up for renewal

d. Once the BNI® Membership Renewal Application and payment have been submitted online, the Member is then re-inducted

e. The Membership Committee will review the Member’s application, including past participation, and determine if they would like to accept or decline the Member’s renewal. This process is completed online in BNI Connect® or by sending the appropriate Accountability Letter (see below #6, Denying a BNI® Renewal Application). Declined renewals need approval from the Region Office.

2. Late Fees

a. If the Member submits their online Renewal Application and credit card payment before their renewal date, no late fee applies.

b. If the Member submits their online renewal after their renewal date, an automatic $100 late fee applies.

c. If the Member submits their online Renewal Application on time, yet payment isn’t received in the BNI® Region Office before their renewal date, the $100 late fee applies.

3. Payments

a. When an applicant pays online during their renewal process, they must select Online Credit Card payment to pay by credit card.

b. If the Member elects to pay via eCheck, they must select Other as their payment option; these payment options are found on BNITampa.com under “Membership Dues”

4. Review the BNI® Membership Renewal Application

a. The Membership Committee must evaluate the Member’s application

b. Review the history of the Member and determine whether to accept or deny the Member’s BNI® Membership Renewal Application

c. Remember that this is the Membership Committee’s opportunity to say, “How can we help you?” Take this time to talk to the Member about what things would make them a better, more productive Member

Regardless of whether the Membership Committee is accepting or denying a Renewal Application, all renewal announcements should be made the month of the renewal date

5. Approving a BNI® Membership Renewal Application

a. The Vice President selects the Approve/Decline button in BNI Connect® before the 15th of the month, or it is automatically approved. An email notification of approval is immediately sent to the Member and Membership Committee.

6. Denying a BNI® Membership Renewal Application

a. Under NO circumstances should you open a Member’s classification, including declining a renewal, without Region Office approval. NOTE: The Region Office will likely be unable to provide approval to open a classification if a documented Participation Review (see below) was not completed showing poor performance or behavior

b. The Vice President sends Accountability Letter of non-renewal (#11) from the portal after their last eligible meeting date as a Member

c. The Vice President selects the Decline button in BNI Connect® before the 15th of the month

Participation Review

Participation Review Process:

Scheduling Reviews

• Those Members who are experiencing challenges with more than 2 of the Chapter’s goals should be reviewed by 2 Membership Committee Members

• The Member Engagement Specialist schedules a mutually agreed upon date, time, and location by the 2 Membership Committee Members & the Member for the Review

• For Participation Reviews:

  • Members who are unwilling or non-responsive to scheduling a Review – if after 2 documented, good-faith attempts over the course of 2 weeks (at least 1 verbal attempt should be included), the Membership Committee either receives no response or a negative response from a Member in trying to schedule the review, the last email to the Member, cc’ed to the VP and the President should indicate a specific time that the review will take place, with or without the Member in attendance.

  • For Members who schedule but then are no-shows for their Review – the same procedure described for unwilling/non-responsive Members should be followed when a Member does schedule a Review date and time but cancels or does not stay/show up for their Review.

Preparing for Reviews

• The Member Engagement Specialist should review the “

Dues Report” (found in BNI Connect®) to determine when Members have 5 months remaining on their membership.

• Note that all Members should be reviewed before their renewal

• For Members who have opted for a 2-year membership, a review should be completed 7 months after their membership went into effect and again 19 months into their membership

• At the Monthly Chapter Success Meeting, upcoming Reviews should be discussed with notes taken about any acknowledgment, support, opportunities, and concerns for those whose Reviews are to be performed, along with an evaluation of each upcoming review's Strengths and Development Potential. This information should be noted on the LT Seven-Month Check-In in Reporting2You

• The Member Engagement Specialist should review a “Summary PALMS Report” (found in BNI Connect®) and a Traffic Lights report for the review & the Member Training Record (found in BNI Connect®)

Conducting the Review

• Reviews should be conducted by 2 Membership Committee Members to provide a wider range of ideas and to ensure that there are no misunderstandings regarding the content of the Review. One of the 2 can be the Vice-President. The tone of the review should have the intention of supporting all Members by raising the bar on their performance to hit or exceed the Chapter’s goals.

• Brainstorming should occur on behalf of the Member(s) being reviewed to support them in any or all areas that fall below Chapter goals or fall below the Member’s expectations

• The Membership Committee Members conducting the review should have the following:

  • The Professional Development Event schedules to refer Members to trainings that may be able to assist them with their participation

  • Working knowledge of the Chapter’s Library contents to know what in-house Chapter resources are available

  • An understanding of the Traffic Lights Report and the ability to review it with Members

  • An understanding of the Traffic Lights Evolution Report and the ability to review it with Members

  • An understanding that mentors are available for Members who would like support

• Notes should be taken of any feedback from the Member(s) being reviewed for discussion at the next Membership Committee meeting.

• Commitments made by Member(s) to raise the bar in the spirit of continuous improvements should be noted on the LT Seven-Month Check-In by the Membership Committee Members conducting the review in Reporting2You.

Membership Committee Action after the Review

• The Membership Committee determines the status of the renewal request – Accept, Probation or Decline

  • If a Decline is desired, Region Office approval MUST be given BEFORE making the selection in BNI Connect® and before sending the appropriate Accountability Letter

• If a Member is placed on probation and, after the probationary period but before renewal, the Membership Committee determines that the Member has not met the required standards, they may request that the Region Office approve the use of the Open Seat Accountability Letter to open the Member’s classification.