Understanding SAVMA’s Proposed Bylaws Changes

What’s Changing and Why It Matters

The Southern Arizona Volunteer Management Association (SAVMA) is updating its bylaws—the rules that govern the organization’s operations. These changes reflect today’s volunteer engagement field, create more flexibility for members, and prepare SAVMA for long-term growth and success.

Read the read-lined version of the revised Bylaws in their entirety here>>>>>>>>>>

With this in mind, here are the key updates:

  1. Mission and Values: The bylaws now clearly outline SAVMA’s mission: to promote excellence in volunteer program management through education, leadership, resources, and networking. Core values—integrity, professionalism, respect, and volunteerism—are written into the bylaws to guide decision-making.
  2. Membership Structure: SAVMA is introducing a tiered membership model to meet the needs of different types of volunteer engagement professionals and supporters:
    • Voting Members:
      • Volunteer Engagement Professional (VEP) – 3+ years of experience
      • New Professional – 3 years or less
      • Retired Professional – with 10+ years of experience
      • Collegiate – students, AmeriCorps, SeniorCorps participants
    • Non-voting Members:
      • Associate – individuals working with volunteers outside their primary duty
      • Industry Champion – businesses, nonprofits, or consultants who support volunteerism

This new model provides a platform for everyone in SAVMA—students, early-career professionals, seasoned experts, and allies.

  1. Voting and Meetings: Only members in good standing with voting rights may vote on directors, bylaw changes, or dissolution. Meetings (Programs) continue to happen regularly, with at least six per year, and SAVMA members continue to have the option to vote by proxy or written ballot.
  2. Board of Directors and Officers: The board consists of 3 and 13 members. Directors serve two-year terms, renewable up to three times.  Officers include a President, a President-Elect, a Treasurer, and a Secretary.  This remains unchanged.
  3. Committees and Leadership Flexibility: The authority of the board to create committees and advisory groups as needed, allows SAVMA to adapt to emerging needs. This remains unchanged.
  4. Policies and Code of Ethics: The bylaws require SAVMA to maintain key governance policies (conflict of interest, document retention, whistleblower protection) and a member Code of Ethics—a strong commitment to integrity in volunteer engagement.
  5. Amendments: Future, bylaws revisions remain unchanged keeping the process accessible and transparent.

Why SAVMA Leadership Urges Approval of These Changes

The bylaw changes are an essential step in SAVMA’s evolution. Here’s why:

  • Strengthening Our Community: The new membership model ensures everyone—from students discovering the field to industry partners who champion volunteerism—has a meaningful way to belong.
  • Increasing Professional Recognition: By naming membership tiers around professional roles (like VEP, New Professional, Retired Professional), we honor the unique contributions of volunteer engagement professionals at every stage of their careers.
  • Building Future Sustainability: These bylaws create room for SAVMA to grow. A tiered structure allows us to adapt as our field changes and ensures SAVMA remains strong for decades to come.
  • Ensuring Transparency and Trust: With clear rules around governance, ethics, and member rights, SAVMA serves as a trusted leader in volunteer engagement in Southern Arizona.

Moving Forward Together

Those committed to the power of volunteers built SAVMA. By adopting these bylaw changes, we are not just updating legal language—we are launching a new membership model that reflects the career pathways, growth, and future of volunteer engagement in Southern Arizona.

We, the leadership, respectfully urge members to approve these bylaws and help us take this important step forward together.

Removing Voting Rights from Organizational Members

One of the most critical updates in the proposed bylaws is that organizational memberships, now called “Industry Champions,” will no longer carry voting rights. This decision was not made lightly, and we want to share the reasoning behind it.

  • Voting Belongs to Individuals, Not Institutions: SAVMA is a professional association. Our mission is to support individual volunteer engagement professionals in their careers and practice. When organizations hold voting rights, the focus shifts away from personal accountability and professional standards of members. Giving voting rights only to individuals ensures that SAVMA stays centered on the people doing the work.
  • Clarity of Purpose: Industry Champions (corporate, nonprofit, and consulting partners) are valued partners in SAVMA. They play a vital role in supporting volunteerism through thought leadership, sponsorships, and program collaboration. However, roles differs from that of an individual professional whose daily work involves volunteer engagement. Removing voting rights from organizational members clarifies this distinction while still honoring the critical contributions of our partners.
  • A Pathway to Stronger Individual Engagement: Removing voting rights doesn’t mean eliminating influence. Industry Champions will continue to be recognized, invited to events, and consulted on issues where their perspective is essential. They will also have increased opportunities to engage through committees, sponsorships, and special partnerships. This change ensures that the professionals guide governance SAVMA was created to serve.

👉 In short: Organizational members remain an essential part of SAVMA’s community, but voting rights should belong to the individual professionals whose careers, ethics, and practice we exist to strengthen.

When will the changes take effect?

After a majority of the members vote, SAVMA Leadership will take action to operationalize this long awaited change. Changes will not take effect until current memberships expire and contracts end.

What happens if the changes are not approved?

The board of directors took more than 18 months, and three interactive sessions with members, so the hope is that they will. However, if that is not the case, leadership will return to the proverbial drawing board.  The current membership arrangements will remain unchanged.

Bylaws Vote at the Annual Meeting

Members, if you are not able to attend the annual meeting on December 18, 2025, submit your proxy form to the Board Secretary at least 24 hours before the meeting (savmatucson@gmail.com).