RRCA PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

OBJECTIVES

• Successfully integrate RRCA programs into your club/event

• Learn about the services available to clubs/events

• Learn about volunteer and leadership opportunities in the RRCA

• Build on the successes of others

Your Best Source of Information

• Home• RRCA - Information about RRCA, listing of Board and Staff,

business items like the Bylaws, etc.• Join - Information about joining, renewing and important

forms. Also join the RRCA email news list here• Clubs – National database of RRCA member clubs &

events • Calendar – Post events for FREE on the RRCA calendar• Coaches – National database of RRCA Certified Coaches• Services • Programs• Running & Resources• Shop

RRCA WEBSITE

RRCA PROGRAMS• RRCA Championships• Coaching• Education and Advocacy• Personal Fitness Program• Run@Work Day• Kids Run the Nation®• Roads Scholar Program®• State Rep Program

CHAMPIONSHIPS

• RRCA Championship events receive product from Gatorade,

• Plaques for the Open, Masters and Grand Masters Male and Female winners (for all National & Regional events and for one event at the state level) ,

• RRCA Championship banner to fly at your finish line,

• Race bag fliers from RRCA with great product discounts for your runners,

• Event advertised along with other RRCA National Championships in a national running publication,

• List your winners in the RRCA Championship Database,

• Potential for race to be a spotlight in an issue of Club Running or FOOTNOTES,

• “How to Brand Your RRCA Championship” Flier posted online 

COACHING

 

• RRCA maintains a database of current RRCA certified coaches

• Host a coaching certification.• Ensure 15 persons committed to attending the certification. • Contact the Coaching Program Director, Patti Finke, at

coaching@rrca.org to schedule the course date. Patti needs at least 3 to 6 months in advance of the desired course date to allow for adequate planning time.

• The host will be responsible for securing adequate classroom space to comfortably seat 30 - 34 people for two full days.

• All certification courses are financially self-supporting. • The host receives one free registration for the certification.

EDUCATION & ADVOCACYThe RRCA has developed safety training programs, materials, and tip sheets on various topics related to safety that clubs can reproduce in newsletters.

•RRCA General Running Safety Tips• RRCA Runners Etiquette Brochures©***•Hot Weather Running Safety Tips•Cold Weather Running Safety Tips•Rules of the Road, Trail and Track•Multi-use trail tips•Trail running tips•Leading a Group Run Guidelines©

PERSONAL FITNESS PROGRAM• You can directly link this program to your club’s website to

expand your program offering to your members.• You can include the text from the RRCA website and

provide a link directly to www.RRCA.org/programs/personal.

• Use the logo on your website as you see fit.

NATIONAL RUN@WORK DAY• National Run@Work Day is always the third Friday in September• Our goal is for members across the country to host community

based events encouraging people to incorporate at least 35 minutes of exercise into their daily lives.

• The RRCA has developed a “Planning Kit” that can be found on our website at www.rrca.org/programs/runatwork.

• Hang Run@Work Day posters around the office or around town to promote your event. The RRCA has created a general Run@Work Day promotional poster. To order multiple FREE copies of the Run@Work Day posters visit the RRCA Publication Store online at http://store02.prostores.com/servlet/rrca/StoreFront

• Sign the FREE pledge hosted by Active.com at www.RRCA.org/programs/runatwork.

Kids Run the Nation Program• The RRCA’s vision is to see a locally managed and financially

supported youth running program in every grade school in America.

• The Kids Run the Nation Program is a multi-week, gender neutral, youth running program designed for children in grades kindergarten through sixth grade.

• The Kids Run the Nation Program Guide is designed to help teachers, coaches, or program directors develop youth running programs that can be implemented as a physical education or classroom wellness curriculum, or as a before or after-school program, or as a community-based youth running program.

• The emphasis of this program is on participation and developing a healthy lifestyle as opposed to being a competitive running program.

The Program Guide is a full-color, 40-page educational curriculum divided into eight lesson plans, with a bonus ninth lesson on competitive running. Each lesson plan can be taught during a one-hour class period over an 8-week time frame

The cost of the Guide is only $5, making it an affordable Resource for teachers.

• The RRCA has created a PowerPoint presentation about the Kids Run the Nation Program that you can present to a local school if you want to implement the program or it can be presented to a foundation if you are trying to raise funds.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE PROGRAM• State Representatives help promote the mission of

the RRCA and the sport of distance running at the state level. • Designate RRCA State Championship Events• Nominate deserving clubs/people for awards• Circulate State level information: newsletter,

emails, website, etc.• State Reps represent our members’ interests and

concerns at the national level.• For information on becoming an RRCA State Rep,

please contact a Regional Director or the Executive Director to learn how you can serve in this vital role for the RRCA.

• Branding• Convention• Fundraising• Insurance• Online Services• National Awards• News Syndication• Microfinance

SERVICES

BRANDING • Royalty free use of RRCA logos for members• Posted on the Branding page under the Services Tab• RRCA Program ads posted here that your club can include

in your newsletter

RRCA ANNUAL CONVENTION• Each year the RRCA gathers in a different cities for the

annual convention, meeting of the membership, workshops, and national awards banquet.

• The RRCA awards the National Convention location through a competitive bidding process for member clubs. Hosting the RRCA Convention is a great opportunity for a club to highlight their community’s commitment to running, earn revenue for their club, and promote a local race.

INSURANCEInsurance coverage for our membership is the major benefit that the RRCA offers its members. This allows members to host a variety of events, runs and/or races under the RRCA insurance umbrella. Check Insurance FAQ’s

• Liability Insurance• Directors and Officers Insurance (D&O)• Additional Insured Certificates• Equipment Insurance (extra charge)• MetLife Home & Auto special savings• And more

FUNDRAISING• One benefit of RRCA membership is the IRS nonprofit

group exemption status.

• Nonprofits that operate in and solicit contributions in a state are required, by law, to file charitable solicitation registration forms.

• As the parent organization, the RRCA offers members who are taking advantage of the nonprofit group exemption status, the service of filing charitable solicitation registrations in all requiring states.

ONLINE SERVICES TO GROW YOUR CLUBFree access to Active’s Volunteer Module Discounts on websites for club events Discounts on race day technology Discounts on advertising and marketing services Access to market-leading event registration tools Personal account management support

The RRCA has developed a partnership with Constant Contact, the leading email marketing service for small businesses, associations, and nonprofits. With Email Marketing you can stay connected and get your message out.

RRCA NATIONAL AWARDS• RRCA National Awards - As a service to our members, the RRCA

developed the RRCA Annual Awards to acknowledge the service and commitment of outstanding volunteers to the running community.• Winners get $400 to help travel to Annual Banquet and

National Awards Ceremony.

• RRCA Outstanding Volunteer Recognition Program - A club president or designated officer may submit up to 3 individual volunteers per year that have contributed at least 2000 hours over the years to their club. They receive a patch & certificate from the RRCA and are listed on the RRCA website.

• RRCA Club Web Site Awards - Each year the RRCA recognizes the top club web sites as part of their annual awards

NEWS SYNDICATION & WIDGET• News articles posted to the RRCA News section are

available as a Free RSS (Rich Site Summary) news feed. • Webmasters can utilize php, perl or other scripts to list

current RRCA news article titles and links on their own web sites.

• These will automatically update as new articles are posted by the RRCA.

• RRCA Widgets can be posted on websites so people can easily find a club, coach or event listed in one of the RRCA databases.

MICROFINANCE PROGRAMThe RRCA Microfinance Fund will provide small annual loans to qualifying nonprofit running clubs for the purpose of purchasing capital assets such as timing systems like the Ipico system, timing clocks, and more.

•The Microfinance Fund will provide small annual loans ($1000-$5000)

Criteria for Receiving a Loan•A club must be a 501(c)3 organization either through the RRCA or directly with the IRS,

•must be a member of the RRCA and in good standing,•must submit a copy of previous 2 year’s 990 and financial statements.

Loans will be applied for using the standard RRCA forms within the stated application period. Loans will be reviewed and granted by a loan selection pane.

• Inside Track• Keeping Pace emails• Club Running• FOOTNOTES• RRCA Shops – publications &

www.runthenationstore.com• Club & Event Management

RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT• Club Management – helpful policies are posted here

• Event Management - "Guidelines for Safer Road Racing Events”

THE RRCA TEAMThe RRCA Board of Directors is a governing and oversight

board

The National Office Staff manages the RRCA • Jean Knaack-Executive Director

• Eve Mills - Director of Program Services• membership/insurance/• championships/awards

• Dorothy Commock-Office Manager• shipping/receiving/admin services

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES• RRCA State Reps volunteer to represent the

organization• Selection panels assist the National Office in selecting

grantees and awardees.• Task Forces assist the Board with addressing issues

that arise• Working groups assist the National Office with

addressing ongoing programs

In Conclusion…

The RRCA offers many programs and services. We encourage you to take advantage of them to help your club grow.

What you Can Do Locally• Host a club awards banquet (potluck)• Special events like Run@Work Day• Host races• Recruiting new club members – help with the “Join a Club”

Campaign• Be sure you have a beginning running program for your club• Develop or support a local kids program – Give the Kids Run the

Nation Materials as a gift to all of your local gradeschools