QDMA

What is a QDMA Branch?
A Branch is a group of QDMA members who are interested in promoting the science and philosophy of QDM and the QDMA. QDMA Branches
hold a variety of activities including educational seminars, field days, kids' days and fundraising raffles and banquets. Each QDMA Branch is
required to hold one educational event and one fundraising banquet per year.

Starting a New QDMA Branch
The first step in organizing a Branch is to hold an organizational meeting that consists of local QDMA members and other interested people
meeting at a centralized facility and discussing the issues of deer management in the local area, and what goals a Branch could accomplish in
an area.

Typically these are the items that are discussed during an organizational meeting:
What does this new group of the QDMA want to accomplish?
What does this new group want to be called (usually a geographic specific name)?
What challenges in the local area face hunters, landowners or deer managers?
What is the general belief about QDM in the local area? What can we do to educate and inform the public in the local area?
Who wants to take the various leadership roles?
During an organizational meeting many questions about the Branch will need to be answered. Some questions that will typically come up are:
How much time will I need to take a leadership role?
A volunteer can give as much or as little time as he or she can. Typically a QDMA Branch Board of Directors meets about once a month, with
the Branch meeting about once a quarter.

How often should the group meet?
Most Branches will have quarterly meetings. Usually a winter meeting consists of planning the upcoming year. A spring or summer meeting
may be in conjunction with a seminar and Short course. And a fall meeting is usually in conjunction with some type of major fundraiser or
banquet.

What type of guidelines must the Branch operate under?
The Branch is guided by the QDMA Branch Operational Manual. This guide was developed by the QDMA Staff and the Branch Board of Directors
for the Branches to follow. The Branch Operational Manual can be obtained by your QDMA Regional Director or the QDMA National Office.

Raising funds
Funds can be raised a number of ways through a QDMA Branch.
Each Branch is required to hold one major fundraiser a year, in which a membership fee is required.
The QDMA Banquet Guide is a great source for learning how to throw a banquet. This guide is available from your QDMA Regional Director or
from the National Office. The QDMA provides support in the form of merchandise that the Branch can purchase at cost for use in fundraising.
The National Office also supplies numerous support material and help in assisting a branch in fundraising activities.
Funds are extremely important in helping the QDMA grow and helping the QDMA reach and educate more people.
Information taken from www.qdma.com with permission.