At Rekindle, we want to be open and transparent about what it takes to actually launch a new Chapter. We often say, “If you can get people in the room, the Rekindle curriculum ensures that you’ll have a meaningful conversation - and you’ll emerge as friends and allies afterwards.” And while that’s true, it takes some real work on your end to get those people in the room. We want you to know that you should have these elements in place before you get started with the nitty-gritty of actually recruiting folks. This includes:

1. Have at least one partner organization, and ideally a coalition: You’ll potentially need to talk to 50 people to recruit your first cohort of 10-12 Fellows. The best way to do that is in partnership with other organizations, representing the diversity of the Black and Jewish communities.

2. Have the chutzpah to get out there: Starting a Rekindle chapter takes hustle. You’ll have to put in 30-50 hours of talking about the idea with local partners. We can provide materials, but you’ll need to put in the time and effort - and know that “we’re not interested” is a fine answer, because it just means you can move on to the next potential partner!

3. Financial Support: We ran our first chapter in Cleveland with an all-volunteer team, including volunteer moderators and a free space, so we really only paid for dinners for the five sessions (about $900 total!). Your organization will need to calculate what your staff time really costs. Nowadays, we pay our moderators, staff time, space, and more, so cohorts run closer to $7,000 each. Still a great investment for 16 Fellows to have this transformative experience!

4. Moderators: While Rekindle can provide training (via videos and a full guide), you will need to find individuals willing to moderate the conversations.

5. A dedicated administrator: We’ve put together a step-by-step playbook on how to do this, and do it well, but someone on your team needs to love being the administrative backbone of your Chapter. From sending emails and texts, to ordering the catering, to setting the meeting dates, the logistical details matter!

Once you’ve nailed the elements above, we’ll be excited to talk with you more and get the ball rolling. Just click the button below to start your Rekindle Chapter journey!