Build Your Regional Affiliate Committee

Regional Affiliate Committee Structure

Each Regional Affiliate is unique and amazing! We strongly encourage each Regional Affiliate Committee to adopt the following comprehensive Aspirations program emphases, though we recognize each region’s committee structure may vary somewhat, depending upon your region’s distinctive design and needs. If your region is smaller or your committee is still growing, you can still cover all these areas but might find it easier to combine roles.

AFFILIATE COORDINATOR (OR, PREFERABLY CO-COORDINATORS)

Manages the overall program implementation, including oversight of all committees and program activities (program outreach, application and award promotion, outreach events, award event)
Recruits other volunteers for the committee

AWARD APPLICATIONS CHAIR & COMMITTEE

Works with the Program Promotion Chair during the application season to ensure maximum outreach
Serves as or recruits others to serve as Applicant Liaisons

APPLICANT LIAISONS

Reaches out to each new applicant who has started an application, to offer help, guidance and support
Provides ongoing outreach to applicants during the application period to encourage completion, offer help and reminders to complete
Provides follow-up encouragement/outreach to non-recipients and non-submitted/non-completed applicants

AWARD SELECTION CHAIR & COMMITTEE

Organizes applications, reviews and selects award recipients based on AiC award program standards for selection
Completes NCWIT selection process, coordinates local affiliate notifications to recipients

SPONSORSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY CHAIR & COMMITTEE

Develops community partnerships to fund and sponsor the award event and other AiC program activities (meetups, outreach events, etc.)
Work to build local AiC community partnerships

PROGRAM PROMOTION CHAIR & COMMITTEE

Works with local contacts, partners and advocates in education, industry and nonprofit to promote all affiliate events such as meetups, workshops, outreach events, AspireIT programs, and award application periods.

AWARD EVENT CHAIR & COMMITTEE

Plans and coordinates the annual award ceremony

ASPIREIT AND COMMUNITY LIAISON

Works to continue long-term outreach to local AiC community members and NCWIT Alliance members, and serves as a conduit for those interested in AspireIT

NCWIT LIAISON

Serves as the conduit between regional Affiliate and the NCWIT Alliances
Stays connected to/informed on the NCWIT Alliances and work to strengthen local connections and opportunities

BUILDING YOUR TEAM

For inspiration, we recommend first taking a look at the Aspirations Award photos, viewing the multiple videos on the NCWIT YouTube Channel, or taking a look at the profiles of past award recipients. These are great tools to inspire others to join you in this important effort. Share these links with your team before you launch your first team meeting.

Recruiting Efforts

Local Aspirations Award committees can be made up of industry volunteers, educators, past recipients, local college students, representatives from academia and members of your state legislature. You should make every effort to engage stakeholders in your community that represent the various stages of the IT pathway. This includes but is not limited to K-12 organizations (both formal and informal education), colleges & universities, corporations, and professional associations, such as the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Black Data Processors Association (BDPA), or your local Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA)). Don't forget to reach out to organizations that reach or serve underrepresented populations: Boys & Girls Clubs, Girls Inc., Police Activities League (PAL), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), Out In Tech, TransTech, and locally based organizations including your local Women in Tech (WIT) chapters. Engaging these groups in the planning process up front ensures that you will have a diverse pool of applicants from which to select a diverse and representative slate of final awardees. Contact us for help connecting with other NCWIT member organizations in your area.

Committee Responsibilities

While the local affiliate can be managed by a single individual, we strongly suggest to share the excitement and responsibilities with other people that have common passion and goals. Creating a committee will also help us reach and support more students! An ideal committee has three designated chairpersons that make up the core team for a local Aspirations Community and head each of three sub-committees. This team is responsible for:

Completing the Affiliate Agreement (designate one signatory)
Communicating with your NCWIT Regional Affiliate Manager (designate one local liaison)
Establish a local timeline within the parameters set by NCWIT
Identify sponsors & partners
Fiscal management/development of a local affiliate budget
Supervising sub-committees (see below)
Managing the award process using the aspirations.org website
Planning meetings of the committees
Post event wrap-up and reporting to NCWIT

The three suggested subcommittees listed below carry out the work of the Affiliate. These subcommittees should each have a leader that sits on the main Affiliate Award Committee.

Publicity/Recruitment – this committee works primarily at the front and back end of the program to recruit young women to apply and garner publicity for the Affiliate Award.
Review & Selection – This committee is responsible for recruiting a team of volunteer reviewers to score the applications and selecting and notifying the award winners, their parents and teachers/schools.
Award Event – This committee is responsible for implementing the award event, gathering prizes (SWAG), and generally making sure the award winners, parents and community have a great experience. They are also responsible for ensuring that all award recipients receive their trophies and SWAG if not in attendance.

FINDING PARTNERS & SPONSORS

Identifying sponsors

Local partnerships can take many forms. Partners might provide in-kind donations such as a venue for the event, publicity, prizes for winners, catering/food for the event, and volunteers for the selection or event planning committees. Partners can also assist with promoting the award and recruiting girls to apply. Affiliate coordinators may create a letterhead template to establish an identity for your Affiliate. Use the sponsor letter, letters to schools, letters to universities to recruit partners to your cause as either a letter or email guideline. The Award Presentation can be used to educate sponsors about the urgent need for more young women in computing and technology, and how the award supports that goal.

Recognizing sponsors

Sponsors and partners can be recognized via the Affiliate Award Webpage, in promotional materials, press releases, and recognition at the award event. The sooner a sponsor or partner comes on board, the more exposure they will see. Use the customizable sponsor packet to recruit sponsors. NCWIT recommends that sponsors pay for expenses directly, rather than passing money back and forth. This reduces the accounting burden and saves money by not passing funds around. For example, a sponsor might host the catering for the event, provide the event venue in-kind, or directly purchase prizes for the award winners. More information is available in the Budget section under Award Preparation.