By-Laws of the International Women’s Club of Philadelphia

August 2025

Article I – NAME

The name of the organization shall be the International Women’s Club of Philadelphia, hereafter referred to as IWCP.

Article II – OBJECTIVE

The objective of the IWCP shall be to welcome women of all cultures in the Philadelphia area and to promote friendship ,cooperation and understanding without political agenda and self-promotion of business. 

Article III – MEMBERSHIP

1. Membership shall be open to all women residing in the Philadelphia area who are either foreign-born, American-born and have lived abroad for at least a year, including cumulative time spent abroad. All memberships are granted at the discretion of the Board. 

2. Before applying all new applicants must attend at least one event to meet our members. They also will need a minimum of one IWCP member who is in good standing to sponsor them.

3. The Director of New Membership must submit all applications for membership for Board approval. The approval of a simple majority of all voting Board members will be sufficient. The proportion of American-born members shall be limited to 25% of the total members.

4. The membership year shall run from July 1st to June 30th .

5. Annual dues and other IWCP fees shall be determined by the Board; any changes to the annual dues will be shared with the membership immediately following the approval by the Board to make a change.

6. Members shall have priority over non-members for all IWCP-sponsored events, up until the registration deadline. Non-Members are welcome if there is remaining availability. 

7. Members of the Women’s Clubs International affiliated clubs automatically are eligible for membership in IWCP with no support vote necessary.

Article IV – OFFICERS

1. The officers of the IWCP shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these by-laws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the IWCP.

2. President: The President shall preside at all meetings of the IWCP and the Board and maintain co with other organizations. The President shall be authorized as a signatory for the IWCP bank account and handle all financial matters in the absence of the Treasurer. 

3. Vice President: The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the Director of Membership Relations. As Director of Membership Relations, she shall work with the New Membership Director to build and sustain a dynamic, inclusive community by fostering connections with current and prospective members. This role focuses on member outreach, strengthening participation, and developing relationships with external institutions to support club growth and visibility. If the President is absent or unable to perform her duties, the Vice-President shall do so.

4. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep a record of all IWCP proceedings, maintain a record book in which the by- laws, special rules of order, standing rules and minutes are entered, and conduct the general correspondence of the club. If the President or Vice-President is absent or unable to perform their duties, the Secretary shall do so.

5. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall collect and hold all monies on behalf of the IWCP and deposit them in the IWCP bank account. She shall disburse these funds as directed by the President and/or the Board of Directors. She shall keep a correct record of all money received and paid out by her, and report to the Board at each meeting. She shall prepare a written annual report to share with the membership through the Newsletter. At least a month before the Annual Business Meeting Luncheon, the President and the Secretary shall review the Club’s financial records and report their findings to the Board and membership through the Newsletter. If either the President or Secretary is not available, the Vice-President shall do so.

All Officers must maintain accurate records of their respective offices and transfer these records to their successors at the completion of their terms of office. All records remain the property of the IWCP.

Article V – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1. The Board of Directors shall consist of the Officers of the club together with a Newsletter Editor, the immediate Past President and a minimum of three Directors. These Board members shall perform their  duties as prescribed by these by-laws and by the parliamentary procedures adopted by the IWCP. Provided that they are still members of the IWCP, the founding members and Past Presidents are invited to attend all Board meetings as non-voting members.

1.1 The Director of Programs role may be split into Programs for the City and the Suburbs. She/they shall plan and organize monthly activities for the Club, present these activities to the Board each quarter and plan two luncheons.

1.2 The Director of New Membership shall communicate with potential new members. She will assist with the application process when necessary and send a summary of new applicant’s information to the Board for approval. Once the new member has been approved by a simple majority, she will notify the applicant. She will also notify the Treasurer who will collect the membership fee. After payment has been received, she will notify the Board of new active members at every quarterly meeting.

1.3 The Newsletter Editor shall ensure information is received in a timely manner, organize information, proofread and edit, then send the completed Newsletter in a format acceptable to the Webmaster for publication on the website. The Newsletter must be published at least four times during the club year, in a format agreed to by the Board.

1.4 The Director of Social Events shall coordinate with the organizers of these ongoing events and report to the Board at each Board meeting.

1.5 The Director of Hospitality shall fosters a warm and caring community within IWCP by supporting members during significant life events and enhancing the welcoming atmosphere at gatherings. She will send cards or flowers on behalf of IWCP during times of illness, loss, or other major life events; help create a friendly and inclusive environment at IWCP events (e.g., greeting guests) and work with the Board to support member care and community spirit.

1.6 The Director of Charity shall maintain contact with those charities supported by the Club with annual visits. She shall coordinate with the Treasurer by monitoring the funds collected from members for our charities and encourage members to donate to our charities. She will coordinate with the Treasurer donations from members and keep on top of the balance remaining in our charity account and work with the Secretary on the annual Holiday Raffle, the Club’s major fundraiser.

1.7 The Webmaster maintains the online system. She maintains the website, which includes ongoing updates, security, documentation and instructions. The Webmaster is responsible for the system’s security by providing targeted access to Board members.

1.8 Board Member at Large – This position will familiarize a Board member with the responsibilities of the Board. She will be available for projects and responsibilities that do not fall with the purview of another Board member.

1.9 Immediate Past President – For a 3-year term following the Presidency, this position will ensure a smooth transition of the President’s responsibilities and support Board initiatives as needed.

2 The number of Board positions held by American-born members at any time shall be limited to less than one half of all the Board positions.

3 At the regular Board meeting held in November, the Board shall elect a Nominating Committee of three members. This committee shall include at least one Board member, preferably the immediate Past President, and two other members selected from the Board and/or the committees and interest groups. The President may not serve on the Nominating Committee. It shall be the duty of the Nominating Committee to nominate  candidates for the offices to be filled for the coming 3-year term. In addition, the Board will solicit nominations and/or volunteers via email and the Newsletter from the membership directly. The Nominating Committee shall report at the regular Board meeting in February. At that meeting, the Board members will vote on the nominations.

4 New Board members shall be elected at a Board meeting by show of hands to serve a term of three years. Their terms of office shall begin on July 1st .

5 The terms of office of the Board members will be staggered so as to preserve the continuity of the Board. Over a three-year period, the terms of office will expire as follows:

Year 1 – President, Immediate Past President, and one Director.

Year 2 –VP-President, Newsletter Editor, Treasurer, one Director.

Year 3 -Secretary, and two Directors.

6 No Board member other than the Vice President shall hold more than one office at a time. Board members may serve consecutive terms with the consent of a simple majority of the Board.

Article VI – MEETINGS

1. The regular Board meetings shall be held in the first week of November, February, May and August.

2. At the Business Luncheon in May or June current as well as newly elected Board members and Officers will be introduced to the membership. New IWCP members will also be introduced at this luncheon. Any other business that may arise shall be conducted then as well.

3. All Board members are expected to attend at least three regular meetings during the club year. In the event that they are unable to attend a particular meeting, each Board member must designate other Board members as their representative. This representative may vote by proxy for the absent member.

4. The regular Board meetings shall be open to the general membership to encourage participation and recruitment for club activities.

5. The quorum for the regular Board meetings shall be a simple majority of all voting Board members. Non-Board members cannot be counted towards the quorum, nor are they entitled to vote.

Article VII – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the IWCP, in so far as they do not conflict with these by-laws or any special rules of order the IWCP may adopt. The President shall be responsible for upholding and adjudicating any issues with respect to parliamentary procedure.

Article VIII – AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS

These by-laws may be amended at any regular Board meeting by a two-thirds majority vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to the full Board before the regular Board meeting. Updates will be communicated to the membership in the Annual Membership Directory.

Article IX – LIABILITY

Neither the IWCP nor the Board of Directors accept liability for any loss, damage, accident or injury sustained or caused by any individual or club member while participating in IWCP activities. By attending any IWCP event members acknowledge that their participation is at their own risk.