Ideas for Running an AGM

What do you do in an AGM?

• Report on the past year to your membership, and discuss plans for the next.
• Discuss and vote on changes to your bylaws (if there are any proposed changes). 
• In odd numbered years, hold elections for your country committee. (Review the CC Election Procedures for best practices for elections.)
• If required by your bylaws or mandated by your Executive Committee, hold special elections to fill vacancies or confirm appointments.

AGM Regulations

• Most of the applicable rules appear in each country's bylaws. Be sure to review the entire bylaws when you prepare. For example, the descriptions of officers' positions may include a requirement to report at the AGM.
• If your committee is a registered organization within your country, be sure to review your country's AGM requirements. 
• Provide a notice of the meeting time and date to all your membership. The schedule for the notice will likely be indicated in your bylaws, otherwise it is 30 days.
• Ensure you have a quorum (check your bylaws).
• Take meeting minutes and submit these minutes to the International Secretary
• Hold your AGM before July 1 of each year – or before the deadline indicated in your bylaws.

Meeting Arrangements

• Set a date and time with your excom that allows ample notification time.
• Create an AGM event on your DA webspace for members to use to rsvp. 
• Email an announcement of the meeting to all your members, make sure it meets your notification criteria.
• Consider announcing the meeting on FB as well as via email.
• Plan your agenda with your excom.
• Organize volunteers for each aspect of the program. Examples include:
  • Welcome team to greet members as they arrive
  • Refreshments organizer
  • Someone to take meeting minutes if your secretary is not present. 
  • Someone to work with your speaker 
• Confirm your speaker (if you will have one) well ahead of time.   

Venue Arrangements

• Look for a space that will hold your members comfortably and that will not be noisy.
• Consider accessibility for all of your members.
• Consider a sound system. 
• Book your venue space. 
• Confirm with the venue a week ahead of the event.
• Hosting your AGM in a private residence may not conform to your bylaws and is generally not consistent with an open meeting.

Agenda sample

Annual General Meeting of Democrats Abroad (insert country)
Date, timeThursday 20th October, 7.30 to 9pm
Location

Agenda

1. Minutes of previous AGM 
2. Chair’s report
3. Secretary’s report
4. Treasurer's report
5. Bylaws discussion
6. New business

Make Your Meeting Fun 

• Bring in a speaker
• Add refreshments and provide time for mingling 
• Hold a fundraiser (a raffle or auction are great energizers)  – and be sure to say that membership and attendance cost nothing in DA!
• Register voters
• Welcome new members