We’ve just launched our new website! Some features may still be in the works – thank you for your patience as we fine-tune your experience.

Affiliate Group Resource Library

Welcome to the National Peace Corps Association’s Affiliate Group Resource Library, your Affiliate Group’s one stop shop for resources to enable your group to thrive.

This Resource Library will be regularly updated as needed and based on your input.

Please click on a category heading below to see more information about that topic.

 

Getting Started

Questions Addressed

NPCA provides:

  • A network of affiliate group leaders from which to seek advice
  • Webinars on group-related topics
  • An affiliate group resource library for in-depth info
  • Affordable website and database technology, if desired
  • Collection and disbursement of membership dues, if desired
  • An online directory that helps RPCVs find groups
  • Promotion of groups through NPCA media channel

Threshold questions:

  • What is your group’s mission? Will people join to support a cause, advocate for Peace Corps, serve your community, promote the Third Goal and/or stay connected?
  • Would your group have a charitable purpose — mentoring, grants, service opportunities, etc.? If yes, in which state would you want to register your group? Registration is usually a simple online process, costing a few hundred dollars.
  • Will your group raise money? if so, how (e.g., memberships, donations, etc.)? Basic accounting software is easy to use, linked to your group’s bank account.
  • Does your group (eventually) want to seek 501(c)(3) tax deductible status? (No rush, you don’t need it when annual revenues are $5000 or less.)

To start, tap into our resource library (including our Getting Started Toolkit), set up a call to talk through the process with NPCA staff and/or just start working on the affiliation application. Contact us if you have any questions!

But don’t just take it from us; here’s a note from one of our newest affiliate groups:

“We are extremely excited to become a part of the NPCA family and look forward to working with you all! “

“Honestly, your support and suite of available resources has made the once daunting task of starting [the group] easy.  Likewise, we are extremely for you awarding us the IT grant to help us get up and running! THANK YOU! “

“We are ready to hit the ground running to start contributing to the NPCA’s goals!”

Applications For Affiliation

Don’t fit into any of those models? Contact us!

Legal Considerations

Step-By-Step Guides

Relevant Documents & Internet Links

Membership

Questions Addressed
What are the NPCA membership categories? How can my affiliate group expand its membership? What are the best practices for managing my affiliate group’s members? How can partnership with NPCA benefit the members of my affiliate group?

Step-By-Step Guide

Relevant Documents

Communications

Questions Addressed
What are the best means for your affiliate group’s leadership to effectively communicate to its members? How does my affiliate group utilize internet social networking? How does my affiliate group create, promote, and maintain a website?

Step-By-Step Guide

Relevant Documents

Financial Management

Questions Addressed
How do we budget? How do we transfer membership dues between NPCA and your group? What are the basic responsibilities for financial management?

Step-By-Step Guide

Relevant Documents

Advocacy

The National Peace Corps Association’s Advocacy team advocates for Peace Corps community interests to the U.S. Congress. The NPCA is the advocate for issues important to serving and returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Our efforts are strengthened by the support of our affiliate groups. We need your support – and the support of your members – to ensure that our Congressional Representatives learn about the impact and importance of the Peace Corps.

For an overview of the NPCA Advocacy Program and the importance of collaboration with our affiliate groups, click here.

 

Relevant Documents

Affiliate Group Network

The Affiliate Group Network – AGN facilitates communication between and among NPCA affiliate groups for purposes of sharing best practices and more. It consists formally of an annual meeting of the leadership of NPCA’s affiliate groups, scheduled each year in conjunction with the Peace Corps Connect conference. The meeting is open to all. NPCA also presents a webinar series. Throughout the year, NPCA affiliate groups are encouraged to communicate via the Facebook Affiliate Group Network and check out the NPCA Affiliate Group Directory!

NPCA affiliate group delegates elect an Affiliate Group Network (AGN) Coordinator every two years. The AGN Coordinator is a voting member of the NPCA Board of Directors, per the NPCA bylaws. The Affiliate Group Network Coordinator position (for the term 2020-2022) is currently vacant. Elections will be held in 2022.

Annual Meeting:

The Affiliate Group Network Annual Meeting is held annually in conjunction with Peace Corps Connect.

Minutes from previous meetings:

Purpose-Driven Group Webinars

This capacity building webinar series is presented through the generous support of a grant from the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Wisconsin-Madison. Use the links below to review recordings of past webinars.

Archived webinars

Peace Corps Community Archives

You’ve put a lot of work into your group and you’ve accomplished a lot.  You should be proud! And you should be sure you don’t lose that history as your group evolves and changes.

We encourage you to consider donating your group history to the Peace Corps Community Archive at American University in Washington, DC.

Learn more here.

Workplace Affinity Groups

Network with other members of the Peace Corps community, carry out the Third Goal of Peace Corps and support efforts to strengthen our community at the workplace!  Here are some resources shared by workplace affinity groups that may be helpful for others that are forming. (See above for the application to formally affiliate with NPCA.)

Relevant Documents

Charters

Establishing an Employee Association

Non-competitive Eligibility (NCE)

Other Resources

Activities

Topics Addressed
Generally the most successful Affiliate Groups are ones with clearly-defined activities and goals. For what is your group known?  Why do people join or support your group?  How can you best carry out the Third Goal of the Peace Corps and share your Peace Corps county’s culture with Americans? These links below offer some toolkits and resources to help you make your activities a success and strengthen your group.

Relevant Documents and Links

Office of Third Goal Toolkits

Historical Documents

While these documents are quite dated, the general content could be helpful for logistics and planning purposes.  The toolkits may be replaced with updated documents over the coming months.

Event Planning Toolkits (originally created in 2011 for Peace Corps’ 50th Anniversary)

Contact Us

Your Divisional Board Director and the Affiliate Group Network Coordinator are your key connections to the NPCA Board of Directors. Invite them to your events, send them your newsletters and reach out with questions/comments on NPCA’s direction, governance and plans. For organizational questions, to start a group, or for logistical or technology support, contact NPCA staff at [email protected].

Please reach out to the director in your division and add them to your email distribution list if they are not on there already.

NPCA Staff:

Meet the full Board of Directors.