AWARDS

NFRW Awards Program

Every two years at the biennial convention, the NFRW presents the following awards to recognize and honor excellence at the club levels:

  • The Club Achievement Awards are presented to clubs that demonstrate excellence in membership development, campaign activities, community relations, programs and club functions.

  • The Caring for America Awards are presented to states and clubs that demonstrate excellence in community service and outreach.

  • The Campaign Volunteer Awards are presented to states that demonstrate excellence in donating volunteer time to the benefit of the Republican Party, Republican candidates, or the NFRW.

  • The Membership Incentive Awards are presented to states and clubs that demonstrate excellence in the area of membership development.

The NFRW Awards Program provides a guide for individual clubs to plan their activities over a biennial period and a means to measure their success.
  • NFRW Club Achievement Award 

  • NFRW Membership Award

Congratulations to the clubs that were awarded the Club Achievement Awards at the 2023 NFRW Biennial Convention:

  • Diamond Level Club Achievement Award – Carroll County Republican Women
  • Gold Level Club Achievement Award – Upper Northwest Illinois Republican Women
  • Gold Level Club Achievement Award – Williamson County Republican Women

Working toward awards helps to grow and improve your club.

For those local clubs who are unable to attend the NFRW Biennial Convention, awards are handed out at the IFRW Biennial Convention.

You can download award forms at the NFRW website located at their Digital Resource Library link. Any questions concerning this award’s process should be directed to: IFRW Awards Chair Karen Funk –  Kfunk1811@gmail.com

AMERICANISM

The Americanism program seeks to promote respect for the Flag of the United States of America and foster allegiance to the United States and its customs and institutions.  Republican women’s clubs across Illinois help carry out this mission in their local communities through educational and inspirational programs and projects. For example:

  • Teaching the rules of Flag etiquette

  • Donating patriotic books to libraries and schools

  • Sponsoring patriotic essay contests for schools

  • Presenting flags to schools and community groups

Below are some “Americanism” resource links:

Any questions concerning the Americanism program should be directed to: IFRW Americanism Chair Rachel Crandall – rcrandall01@gmail.com

ARMED SERVICES

The IFRW has always felt a commitment to our men and women serving in uniform and to our veterans.

It is our honor and duty to support those who have put their lives on the line to preserve the freedoms we as Americans often take for granted. We can never thank them or their families enough, or show them too much gratitude for their service and sacrifice.

The IFRW Armed Services Committee oversees the Federation’s efforts to support our troops and provides information, resources and program suggestions to clubs.

The committee’s mission includes: 

  • Identifying, through local clubs, members who are veterans

  • Promoting veterans to run for political offices at all levels with focus on the federal level. We NEED veterans in Congress!

  • Informing local clubs of significant developments within the Department of Defense, Veterans Administration, and military agencies.

  • Serving as an information sharing conduit to local clubs, and fostering project ideas.

 

ACTION ITEMS

Memorial Day

  • Wear a memorial button or red poppy. 

  • Pause at 3PM during the “National Moment of Remembrance.” 

  • Display the American flag. Fly it at half-staff until noon. 

  • Visit a national cemetery or memorial, or attend a parade or a religious service. 

  • Consider supporting the surviving families of our fallen dead.

Additional project ideas

  • On Veteran’s Day, sponsor a community Veteran’s Day parade and carry the  club banner; and then place a wreath with the club logo at the Veteran’s Memorial Monument in your community.

  • On Thanksgiving Day, make and deliver food baskets with grocery gift cards along with a greeting card to needy veterans.

 

Any questions or concerns about the Armed Services Program should be directed to: IFRW Armed Services Chair Amy Buss – buss.ar@outlook.com

CARING FOR AMERICA

Clubs in the Illinois Federation of Republican Women serve their communities in a variety of ways that are not necessarily political. Those projects fall under the heading of “Caring for America,” and thousands of volunteer hours every year are dedicated to these projects. The Caring for America program encourages local clubs to actively participate in at least one community service program.
 

Caring for America is based on the belief that problems can be solved most effectively locally through the generosity and combined energies of individual citizens showing to others that “we care about our communities.”

Below are ideas for local club “Caring for America” Projects:

  • Donating items and/or your time at your local food bank or soup kitchen 

  • Supporting your local CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program

  • Helping underprivileged children with food, homework, and children leaving foster care at age 18

  • Volunteering at women’s shelters and homeless shelters 

  • Making fleece tied-blankets for newborns, children and the elderly in nursing homes 

  • Creating a thank you program for firefighters, police officers and other first responders

Any questions concerning the Caring for America program should be directed to: IFRW Caring for America Chair Lori Owen – liowen@icloud.com

CAMPAIGN AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

 

PLEASE REVIEW THE NEW NFRW GUIDELINES AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS  

 Some tips to record your campaign/political VOLUNTEER HOURS:

  • Report only the total number of hours for your club quarterly. 

  • Reporting the hours is mandatory; calls, and name of members with greatest number calls and hours is optional, but encouraged.

  • Make sure you type in your club’s entire name, no abbreviations.

  • Community service hours are not reported with your Campaign Activities hours. Those are called Caring for America hours and should be reported to the Caring for America Chairman.

 

CAMPAIGN SCHOOL

The purpose of this program is to:

  • Empower women to run for elected office at all levels of government

  • Build capacity among IFRW members to run for office

  • Help women to gain confidence needed to run for office

  • Reduce barriers to running for office 

IFRW has brought the NFRW’s acclaimed Candidate / Campaign Management School to Illinois in the past for comprehensive training and instruction by top-notch political experts.

When Republican women formed the NFRW in 1938, they adopted political education as one of the fledgling organization’s primary objectives. Today, the NFRW effectively pursues this long-time objective by training Republicans to win elections through the highly-successful Campaign Management School (CMS) program.

The CMS program is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of campaigns. Schools feature top-notch political professionals and strategists who have a wide range of knowledge and experience. These experts volunteer their time to teach students the most successful ways to raise money, write winning campaign plans, organize volunteers and communicate with voters.

Campaign fundamentals covered include creating a campaign budget and a finance plan, earned and paid media, social media and the Internet, strategy and message development, opposition and issue research, voter targeting and voter identification, get-out-the-vote activities, recruiting and managing volunteers, direct mail, organizing events, asking for money, and putting together a finance committee.

All Republicans — both women and men — are welcome to attend. 

Here is what attendees have had to say about the program in the past:

“We all walked out of the training feeling that it was time well spent, that we would attend the class again, and that it was a hugely valuable experience.”

“I cannot begin to thank the NFRW and the Las Vegas clubs for hosting the campaign school. It was full of valuable information, great resources and, of course, smart, friendly contacts. I can’t wait to apply what I learned at the school to my own campaign.”

“I’ve taken this class and recommend it to anyone involved in campaigns. Candidate. Volunteer. Staff.” 

 Any questions concerning the Campaigns and Political Activities Program should be directed to: IFRW Campaign Chair Diane Bradbury – diane20501@gmail.com

LEGISLATION

Republican women are not only patriotic, but also concerned, educated citizens.  

We want to preserve our nation’s principles of freedom and prosperity grounded in the Illinois and the U.S. Constitution.  Our Constitution endures because we care enough to advocate for laws and public policy at all levels — from state legislatures to Capitol Hill — that strengthen and protect our Republic and our way of life.

Here are some links that you might find useful:

Below are some NFRW legislative priorities:

LITERACY

The purpose of the Literacy/MELP (Maimie Eisenhower Literacy Program) Program is to foster Republican philosophy and ideas through the donation of subject related books and videos to libraries and/or schools which will help to ensure an educated citizenry of the future!

In addition, starting a “book club” is another way for local clubs to share Republican ideals and philosophy by discussing books and/or publishing book reviews in monthly newsletters and on club websites.

For more ideas and additional information: Literacy & Education

Any questions concerning the Literacy/MELP program should be directed to: IFRW Literacy Chair Kathleen Glaze – skat4@comcast.net

SCHOLARSHIP

IFRW is proud to offer scholarship opportunities to Republican women who are exploring leadership training related to the political arena.  Through these monetary gifts, we hope to enrich lives and encourage women to become future Republican Leaders.

Scholarship Form available here

In addition, many IFRW clubs across the state offer scholarships to local students. Find an IFRW club near you.

Any questions concerning the Scholarship program should be directed to: IFRW Scholarship Chair Jo Caulkins – jccaulkins@aol.com

YOUTH OUTREACH

Young Republican Women are an important part of the membership of IFRW.  Engaging young women to become members in our local clubs serves to expand the legacy of the Illinois Federation of Republican Women.

This section is created to serve as a guide for presidents and executive committee members to expand their membership to include younger conservative women.

The National Federation of Republican Women has published a tool for State Federations and local club presidents to recruit more young women to the IFRW. 

It is our hope that the information in this section will serve as a tool to increase membership with a new targeted audience.  With your help in implementing these ideas to your club, we can encourage and promote a multi-generational organization, creating long-term stability in the membership of the Illinois Federation of Republican Women.

If you have questions or comments, please contact: IFRW Youth Outreach Chair Angela Shippert – angela.shippert@gmail.com