DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM

AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN

How to Be a Distinguished Club

WHERE LEADERS
Rev. 01/2021 ARE MADE
DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM
AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN
How to be a Distinguished Club

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WHERE LEADERS
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Item 1111   Rev. 01/2021 www.toastmasters.org
Toastmasters District Mission Club Mission
International Mission We build new clubs and support all We provide a supportive and
We empower individuals to become clubs in achieving excellence. positive learning experience in which
more effective communicators members are empowered to develop
and leaders. communication and leadership skills,
resulting in greater self-confidence and
personal growth.

Toastmasters International Core Values

 Integrity
 Respect
 Service
 Excellence

Toastmasters International Brand Promise

Empowering individuals through personal and professional development.
This is the promise Toastmasters International makes to club members. Once we have reached this goal consistently, through
all clubs across the globe, we will have achieved club excellence.

A Toastmaster’s Promise
As a member of Toastmasters International and my club, I promise
 To attend club meetings regularly

 To prepare all of my projects to the best of my ability, basing them on the Toastmasters education program
 To prepare for and fulfill meeting assignments
 To provide fellow members with helpful, constructive evaluations
 To help the club maintain the positive, friendly environment necessary for all members to learn and grow
 To serve my club as an officer when called upon to do so

 To treat my fellow club members and our guests with respect and courtesy
 To bring guests to club meetings so they can see the benefits Toastmasters membership offers
 To adhere to the guidelines and rules for all Toastmasters education and recognition programs
 To act within Toastmasters’ core values of integrity, respect, service, and excellence during the conduct of all
Toastmasters activities
CONTENTS
FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS IN THE DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM. . . . . . . . . 5
THE DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
How It Works. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Qualifying Requirement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Goals to Achieve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Recognition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Terminology and Program Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Membership Base. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Membership at Year-end. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Net Growth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Submitting Information to World Headquarters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Newly Chartered Clubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Club Success Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

DISTRICT RECOGNITION PROGRAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Area Director’s Club Visits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

CLUB SUCCESS PLAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Team Composition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Team Operating Principles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Potential Obstacles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Meeting Protocol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Team Interactions and Behavioral Norms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Starting Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Qualifying Requirement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Goals to Achieve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Education: Goals 1 through 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Situation Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Education Action Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Membership: Goals 7 and 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Situation Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Membership Action Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Training: Goal 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Situation Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Training Action Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Administration: Goal 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Situation Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Administration Action Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Signatures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM GOALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Qualifying Requirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Goals to Achieve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Recognition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

CLUB RESOURCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
 FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS IN THE
DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM

When your club possesses characteristics of quality, the member experience is enhanced. A high-quality club encourages and
celebrates member achievement, provides a supportive and fun environment, and offers a professionally organized meeting
with variety. In those clubs, officers are trained in all aspects of club quality to ensure that members have access to a formal men-
toring program, are provided evaluations that help them grow, and are motivated to achieve their goals.
A primary objective of clubs is to provide the best possible member experience so that existing members are retained and
new members join. How can you create the best possible member experience in your club? First impressions are crucial. Every
new and prospective member’s initial interaction with your club should be a positive one. Toastmasters defines these decisive
times when initial impressions are being created as Moments of Truth (Item 290).

Moments of Truth
Your club ensures that guests’ experiences and observations become first impressions
First Impressions 
that encourage them to return.
Your club acquaints new members with the Toastmasters education and
Membership Orientation 
recognition programs, their responsibility to your club and your club’s responsibility to
the member.
Fellowship, Variety, and Your club offers a warm, friendly, and supportive environment that encourages
Communication enjoyable learning.
Program Planning and Your club meetings are carefully planned, with well-prepared speakers,
Meeting Organization and useful evaluations.
Your club has a sufficient number of members to provide leadership and fill
Membership Strength 
meeting and committee assignments. Your club participates in membership-building
and retention practices.
Your club monitors members’ progress toward goals, submits completed award
Achievement Recognition 
applications immediately, and consistently recognizes member achievement.

When put into action, Moments of Truth forms the road map to realizing Toastmasters’ mission, envisioned future, and
core values. It highlights critical elements for success and distinction that transform successful clubs into Distinguished ones.
Distinguished Clubs, in turn, are the basis for Distinguished Areas, Divisions, and Districts.
Let Moments of Truth be your guide to delivering quality service and outstanding member experiences.
If looking for additional support, reach out to your District leaders for guidance. If your club has met the requirements, you may
be eligible for a club coach(es) that will work with the club to become a Distinguished Club or higher. The Distinguished Club
Program gives clubs the ability to shine and your District leaders are there to support your club on this journey.

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    5

 THE DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM

The Distinguished Club Program (DCP) includes 10 goals that your club should strive to achieve each year. When your club
incorporates Moments of Truth into every meeting, it is already well on its way to reaching these annual goals.
For your convenience, the 10 goals have been grouped into four areas:

Education: Members who have the opportunity to earn education awards are reaching their goals.

Membership: When new, dual, and reinstating members join, everyone’s experience is enhanced because your club has
enough members to provide leadership and fill meeting and committee assignments.

Training: Trained club officers are better able to serve and support your club because they know how best to fulfill
their roles.

Administration: Submission of the dues renewals and the club officer list on time, which will help your club run more
smoothly, benefiting your members.

HOW IT WORKS
The Distinguished Club Program is an annual program, running from July 1 through June 30. The program consists of 10 goals
for your club to obtain, using the Club Success Plan within this manual as your guide. To help keep track of your progress
toward these goals throughout the year, updated reports are posted daily on the Toastmasters International website at www.
toastmasters.org/DistinguishedPerformanceReports. At year-end, the number of goals the club achieved is calculated. Based
on the goals met and whether or not the qualifying requirement has been met, the club may be recognized as a Distinguished,
Select Distinguished, or President’s Distinguished Club.

Qualifying Requirement
A qualifying requirement is a prerequisite or prior condition for participation in the program. If either qualifying requirement is
not met, your club may not earn Distinguished recognition even if all of its goals are met.
To be eligible for recognition, a club must be in good standing according to Policy 2.0: Club and Membership Eligibility,
Section 4: Good Standing of Clubs and must meet the qualifying requirement of having either 20 members or a net growth
of at least five new, dual, or reinstating members as of June 30. Transfer and honorary members do not count toward the
qualifying requirement.
The Membership to Date number is reflective of the number of members that have paid dues to an individual club. This
number matches the number of members on the club roster with exception to when members transfer out of one club and
into another. If a member transfers to a different club, their original club will still retain credit for their membership until the next
renewal cycle.
Although your club may gain several new members throughout the year, if the amount of nonrenewing members is greater,
then your club may not be eligible for recognition. Using the two examples below as a reference, your club must have the
required number, or higher, on June 30.

Membership Membership
Base To Date Base To Date
13 9 20 19
Required Required
18 20
20 members or a 20 members or a
net growth of 5 new members net growth of 5 new members

6    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Goals to Achieve
Following are the goals your club should strive to achieve during the year:

Distinguished Club Program Goals

EDUCATION TRAINING
1. F our Level 1 awards achieved 9. A
 minimum of four club officer roles trained during each of
2. Two Level 2 awards achieved the two training periods

3. Two more Level 2 awards achieved ADMINISTRATION

4. Two Level 3 awards achieved 10. On-time payment of membership dues accompanied
by the names of eight members (at least three of whom
5. O
 ne Level 4, Level 5, or DTM award achieved
must be renewing members) for one period and on-time
6. O
 ne more Level 4, Level 5, or DTM award achieved submission of one club officer list
MEMBERSHIP
7. Four new, dual, or reinstating members
8. F our more new, dual, or reinstating members

A simple one-page summary of the program is at the end of this manual.

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    7

Following is detailed information about how your club can achieve the Distinguished Club Program goals.

EDUCATION
Goals 1 through 6 focus on education awards. When members have the opportunity to reach their education goals, they are
benefiting from the Toastmasters experience, and becoming better speakers and leaders.
1. Four Level 1 awards achieved
2. Two Level 2 awards achieved
3. Two more Level 2 awards achieved
4. Two Level 3 awards achieved
5. One Level 4, Level 5, or DTM award achieved
6. One more Level 4, Level 5, or DTM award achieved

Only members in good standing are eligible to earn education awards. A member in good standing is one whose dues have
been paid and received by World Headquarters for the current dues period (i.e., dues must be paid on or before April 1 for
the April–September period and October 1 for the October–March period). See Policy 2.0: Club and Membership Eligibility,
Section 5: Good Standing of Individual Members. All award applications must be complete and received by World Headquarters
on or before June 30.
Your club receives credit for only one type of education award per member, per year. This encourages all members
to progress in the education program, not just a few.

Example: Pat Smith receives a Level 1 award in Presentation Mastery in July. Their club receives credit toward a goal.
Later in the year, they earn Level 2 in Presentation Mastery. Their club receives credit toward a goal for this award,
too. However, in the same Toastmasters program year, Pat earns a second Level 1 but in Dynamic Leadership and a
second Level 2 but in Dynamic Leadership; for these awards, their club does not receive credit toward Distinguished
Club goals.

Credit for an award may be given to only one club. Members who belong to more than one club must choose which club
receives credit for any one of their awards prior to the award being submitted to World Headquarters.

MEMBERSHIP
Goals 7 and 8 deal with membership. Quality clubs have enough members to make meetings diverse and engaging.
When new members join, meetings have more variety and natural attrition is offset. This results in an enhanced experience
for all club members.

7. Four new, dual, or reinstating members

8. Four more new, dual, or reinstating members

When four new, dual, or reinstating members join the club during the Toastmasters year, your club achieves Goal 7. It achieves
Goal 8 when an additional four members join during the year.
Per the Club Constitution, Article II: Membership, Section 2. Admission to Membership, your club must submit a completed and
signed Membership Application to World Headquarters, along with corresponding membership dues for each new, dual, and
reinstated member who joins during the Toastmasters year. For your club to receive credit in the Distinguished Club Program for
the current Toastmasters year, Membership Applications and membership dues must be received by World Headquarters no later
than June 30. (Transfer and honorary members do not count toward your club’s membership goals.)

8    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

TRAINING
Goal 9 focuses on training. When club officers are well trained to perform their duties, club members are better served. This
makes the member experience more positive, which leads to increased member retention.

9. A minimum of four club officer roles trained during each of the two training periods
Your club achieves Goal 9 when at least four of its officer roles—President, Vice President Education, Vice President Membership,
Vice President Public Relations, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant at Arms—are trained in their responsibilities. Officers
must attend and fully participate in two District-sponsored training sessions. Credit is not given for non-officers attending in
place of elected officers, and credit is given only for one person per officer role. Officers must be trained for the position to
which they were elected.
The first training session occurs between June 1 and August 31, and the second is held between November 1 and February 28
(or February 29 in leap years). Districts are encouraged to submit training reports online through District Central no later than
September 30 and March 31, respectively.
For newly chartered clubs, the following training requirements apply for Goal 9:

CHARTER DATE Training Session 1 Training Session 2

(June 1--August 31) (November 1--February 28/29)
July 1–August 31 A minimum of four club officer roles A minimum of four club officer roles
must attend the first District-sponsored must attend the second District-
­training session sponsored training session
September 1–February 28/29 Refer to Training Session 2 column  When a minimum of four club offi-
cer roles attend the second District-
sponsored training session, the club
receives credit for the first and second
training sessions
March 1–June 30 Refer to Training Session 2 column  When a minimum of four club officer
roles attend a charter training session
by an authorized District representa-
tive between the charter date and June
30, the club will receive credit for the
first and second training sessions in the
­current program year

All charter training opportunities should be scheduled through and approved by the Program Quality Director.
Training reports submitted directly to World Headquarters by clubs will not be accepted. Club officers attending a training
session are responsible for giving the person conducting the training session their names, offices, and club numbers.
Officers must be trained by authorized District representatives in a live training session. Audiovisual aids may be used to enhance
training, but they may not be the sole method of training. Therefore, club officers who simply view a video that describes their
responsibilities are not considered trained, even if the video was provided by a District leader.

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    9

ADMINISTRATION
Goal 10 is administrative. When your club fulfills its administrative duties on time, members and your club as a whole receive
recognition for their accomplishments. Please refer to Policy 8.0: Dues and Fees for more information on the dues structure and
guidelines pertaining to payment.
10. On-time payment of membership dues accompanied by the names of eight members (at least three of whom must be
renewing members) for one period and on-time submission of one club officer list
For the membership dues portion of Goal 10, your club receives credit when:
4Your club’s October–March membership dues accompanied by the names of eight members (at least three of whom must
be renewing members) are received by World Headquarters on or before October 1
OR
4Your club’s April–September membership dues and names of eight members (at least three of whom must be renewing
members) are received by World Headquarters on or before April 1
For the portion of Goal 10 that addresses club officer lists, keep in mind that while some clubs elect officers annually, clubs that
meet at least weekly may hold semiannual elections. If your club holds annual elections, your club officer list must be received by
World Headquarters on or before June 30 to earn credit toward Goal 10 for the upcoming program year. If your club holds semi-
annual elections, your club officer list must be received by World Headquarters on or before June 30 of the previous Toastmasters
year and/or December 31 of the current Toastmasters year.
Annual terms are from July 1 through June 30. Semiannual terms run from July 1 through December 31 and January 1 through
June 30. Clubs that elect officers contrary to this schedule are operating in violation of the Club Constitution for Clubs of
Toastmasters International and are not eligible for credit in the Distinguished Club Program for submitting club officer lists.
New clubs that charter between July 1 and September 30 automatically receive full credit for an on-time officer list and have two
opportunities—October 1 and April 1—to submit renewal dues on time to fully achieve Goal 10. New clubs that charter between
October 1 and June 30 will receive full credit for this goal in the current program year. In either case, the charter submission fulfills
the DCP requirement for the on-time officer list.
For all recently chartered clubs, please be aware that separate from the DCP requirements, a club is considered paid and in good
standing when its dues have been received by World Headquarters. Dues are required for a minimum of eight members—at
least three of whom were members of the original club charter. The first renewals will be prorated for all charter members and
will be due on April 1 or October 1, depending on the month of charter. Club officers will receive an email reminder of the pro-
rated renewals, to help ensure that the club will submit the dues on time, and remain in good standing.

Recognition
When your club meets the qualifying requirement and also does the following, it is eligible for Distinguished Club recognition
at year-end:

Achievement Recognition Earned

Achieve five of 10 goals Distinguished Club
Achieve seven of 10 goals Select Distinguished Club
Achieve nine of 10 goals President’s Distinguished Club

If your club earns recognition as a Distinguished, Select Distinguished, or President’s Distinguished Club, World Headquarters will
send your club an award ribbon for display and a congratulatory letter.
Some Toastmasters clubs do not belong to Districts. If that is the case for your club, recognition may be earned by achieving one
goal less than listed above for each of the three recognition levels.

10    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

TERMINOLOGY AND PROGRAM SPECIFICATIONS
Membership Base
Your club’s membership base is calculated at the beginning of the Toastmasters year (July 1). The membership base equals
the number of paid members the club had on June 30 of the previous Toastmasters year. These payments may come from
renewing, new, charter, dual, and reinstated members.
Payment of membership-renewal dues received by World Headquarters after July 1 of the previous Toastmasters year counts
toward the membership base. Therefore, the membership base may be revised at any time during the year to reflect late
membership payments for the previous Toastmasters year.
The following is an example of how a club’s membership base may be affected throughout the year:

Example: In April, your club submits payment of membership-renewal dues for 17 members. In June, it submits two
Membership Applications and new membership dues to World Headquarters. This brings your club’s total member-
ship to 19 on June 30 and your club then begins the new Toastmasters year with 19 members. In August, your club
submits membership-renewal dues for three members for the April–September period. These people had been
members for several years, but did not pay their membership-renewal dues on time. Your club’s membership base is
adjusted for these late-paying members. The three additional members raise your club’s membership base to 22.

Membership at Year-end
The total number of members (renewing, dual, new, charter, and reinstated) in your club whose membership dues payments
were received by World Headquarters is your club’s membership at year-end. Year-end membership counts may not be adjusted.
April membership dues payments received after June 30 are not added to the membership at year-end. However, these late
membership dues payments do increase the membership base for the current Toastmasters year.

Net Growth
Net growth occurs when the total members at year-end (June 30) exceeds the membership base.

Following are examples illustrating how a club’s accomplishments and membership affect its eligibility for recognition:

Example 1: A club had 14 members on July 1. Four members earned Level 1 awards, three earned Level 2
awards, and two earned Level 3 awards. Five new members joined. Four club officers were trained in each period.
Membership-renewal dues with the names of renewing members were submitted on time twice, but no club officer
list. The club had 19 members on June 30. It achieved goals 1, 3, 4, 7 and 9—a total of five goals. Since it had 19
members on June 30 (a net growth of five members), it is recognized as a Distinguished Club.

Example 2: A club had 24 members on July 1. Five members earned Level 1 awards, four members earned Level 2
awards, and one member earned the DTM award. Eight new members joined. Four club officers were trained in each
period. Membership-renewal dues with the names of renewing members and a club officer list were submitted on time.
The club had 18 members on June 30. It achieved goals 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10—a total of eight goals. However, since it did
not have 20 members at year-end or a net growth of five new members, it is not eligible for recognition.

Example 3: A club had 19 members on July 1. Two members earned Level 3 awards and one member earned a Level 4
award. Membership-renewal dues with the names of renewing members and a club officer list were submitted on time.
The club had 23 members on June 30. It achieved goals 2, 5, 7 and 10—a total of four goals. Even though it had more
than 20 members at year-end, the club did not achieve enough goals to earn recognition.

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    11

Submitting Information to World Headquarters
Documents must be received by World Headquarters no later than 11:59 p.m., Mountain Time, on the deadline date even if the
deadline falls on a weekend or holiday. As true for all deadlines throughout the year, club officers should be careful to submit
accurate information since no changes may be made after documents are received, such as corrections to join dates, officer elec-
tion dates, and award submissions.
Be aware that it is your responsibility as the sender to ensure the successful transmission of any document. Toastmasters
International is not responsible for any illegible or incomplete documents it receives, for fax machine failures, lost or delayed mail,
or website downtime. If your club is having difficulty submitting documents on a deadline date, there are alternate submission
methods such as email or phone. Please use the Contact Us page for the appropriate contact details and our hours of operation.

Newly Chartered Clubs

In the current Distinguished Club Program year, newly chartered clubs will be assigned a minimum membership base of 20 for
reporting purposes. For clubs that charter with more than 20 members, reports will reflect the actual paid membership count as
the base—please note: transfer memberships will not be counted.

REPORTS
Regular feedback is an important part of any recognition program. When you are working toward recognition, you need to
know your current progress. An online report shows your club’s membership base, current membership, and progress toward
the 10 goals. Updates are available daily on the Toastmasters International website at www.toastmasters.org/Distinguished
PerformanceReports. At the beginning of each month while World Headquarters completes processing of the previous month,
the Dashboards will reflect business from the prior month. Our month-end closing dates can be found www.toastmasters.org/
Leadership-Central/Month-End-Closing-Dates.

CLUB SUCCESS PLAN

The Club Executive Committee—which includes all seven officers and the Immediate Past President—develops a Club Success
Plan based on the needs and goals of club members. First, club officers determine how they will communicate, address
conflict, and hold themselves accountable. Secondly, club officers evaluate current situations, establish specific goals, and
develop strategies that can be used to achieve success. To help club officers in that effort, the plan identifies helpful resources
that can be used. Finally, the plan calls for club officers to identify assignments, develop a timetable, and track accomplishments.
Earning recognition for a club is not something anyone accomplishes alone. It takes a team of people who are dedicated to a
common goal, have a plan, and execute it well. They share responsibility for their tasks and depend on one another to achieve
them. These teams do not only include club officers; clubs may also form other committees to help carry out specific aspects of
the Club Success Plan.
The Club Executive Committee determines what the club will accomplish this year and in years to come. The vision should be
both attainable and inspiring so that other club members are motivated to get involved and help the committee’s efforts.
Once the vision is recorded, club officers determine who will take which roles and the responsibilities of each member. Are the
skills and talents of some members a great fit for certain tasks? By assessing questions like these, club officers can assign tasks to
the best-suited members.
The Club Success Plan includes all elements necessary to achieve your club’s goals: what, how, who, and when. Determining
in advance what should be done, when and how it will be accomplished, and who is responsible for doing it, makes achieving
success much easier. To that end, the Club Executive Committee should begin the term with the following agenda:

12    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

 1. Set specific goals.
2. Establish strategies to achieve the goals.
3. Develop a framework to help carry out the plan and produce results.

Club officers review online reports and meet regularly to evaluate progress in the Club Success Plan; they then make
adjustments as needed. The Club Success Plan can be uploaded in Club Central so that all of the officers can access it at any
time. Good communication among the Club Executive Committee is important. Club officers should
follow up as often as necessary and offer assistance to resolve any conflicts and challenges that arise.
In order to reach goals outside the scope of one year, outgoing club officers should upload the Club Success Plan in Club Central
so that it can be shared with incoming officers toward year-end. This way, each new team of club officers can build on the suc-
cesses achieved in preceding terms.

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    13

 DISTRICT RECOGNITION PROGRAM

The Distinguished Club Program serves as the starting point for the District Recognition Program, which encompasses the
Distinguished Area, Division, and District programs. The goals of these programs are based on Distinguished Clubs. This means
that clubs’ success is critical to the success of Areas, Divisions, and Districts. The chart below illustrates the relationship between
club, Area, Division, and District:

14    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

AREA DIRECTOR’S CLUB VISITS
The Area Director, in particular, serves as a liaison between your club and the District. Twice each year, the Area Director visits
your club. During these visits, they may ask to review your Club Success Plan. You should be prepared to show and discuss the
plan and your club’s progress in it. The Area Director may be able to assist your club with District support or have valuable tips
for incorporating Moments of Truth into your meetings.

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    15

 CLUB SUCCESS PLAN

Club Number ���������������

TEAM COMPOSITION
Name the members of the Club Executive Committee (all seven officers and the Immediate Past President):

CORE VALUES
Toastmasters International’s core values are integrity, respect, service, and excellence. These values should be incorporated as
anchor points in every decision made at all levels within the organization. Toastmasters’ core values provide a means of guiding
and evaluating the organization’s operations, planning, and envisioned future.

What are the Club Executive Committee’s values?

TEAM OPERATING PRINCIPLES

What principles does the Club Executive Committee hold? (These principles might include trust, safe learning, collaboration, etc.)

16    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

POTENTIAL OBSTACLES
What obstacles will the Club Executive Committee have to consider when strategizing? (These obstacles might include
conflicting personal commitments, for example.)

MEETING PROTOCOL
In general, how will the Club Executive Committee process tasks? (For example, consider how often to meet or call, what the
meeting practices will be, etc.)

TEAM INTERACTIONS AND BEHAVIORAL NORMS

How will decisions be made?

What will be the Club Executive Committee’s method of communication? Determine the first preference, second preference,
and so on.

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    17

What will the communication parameters be? (Parameters might include whether the Club Executive Committee communicates
by phone or email.) How long will meetings last? How often will the committee members communicate with each other and
with the Area Director?

How will the Club Executive Committee resolve differences of opinion?

How will the Club Executive Committee members support one another?

How will the Club Executive Committee be held accountable for its responsibilities?

How will the Club Executive Committee and supporting members be recognized for their efforts?

18    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

STARTING POINT
What is your club’s membership base? ___________________

Qualifying Requirement
To be considered for recognition, your club must have either 20 members or a net growth of at least five new members as
of June 30.

How many members does your club aim to have as of June 30? _______________

How much net growth does your club aim to have as of June 30? ______________

Goals to Achieve

Achievement Recognition Earned

Achieve five of 10 goals Distinguished Club

Achieve seven of 10 goals Select Distinguished Club

Achieve nine of 10 goals President’s Distinguished Club

How many of the 10 goals does your club aim to achieve? ____________________

EDUCATION: GOALS 1 THROUGH 6

1. Four Level 1 awards achieved

2. Two Level 2 awards achieved

3. Two more Level 2 awards achieved

4. Two Level 3 awards achieved

5. One Level 4, Level 5, or DTM award achieved

6. One more Level 4, Level 5, or DTM award achieved

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    19

Situation Analysis
The purpose of a situation analysis is to assess the state of your club right now. Only once your club identifies where it is can you
plan where it is going.

Review the current situation in your club regarding educational goals.

What is the current status of club members in the education program? Who is due to earn an education award?

How motivated are members to progress through the education program?

What obstacles keep members from completing projects?

How familiar are members with the education program?

How does your club promote the education program?

Additional notes:

20    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Education Action Plan
Identify the actions your club will take to meet the needs identified in the situation analysis.

Education Action 1
Describe how to help members complete Levels 1 and 2 in Pathways. Specifically, what action will be taken? Refer to this action
as Education Action 1.

Resources for Education Action 1

Your club has many resources at its disposal—equipment, materials, people, and potential funding. Committees can be formed
to carry out specific goals, especially when certain members are interested or have skills in a given field.

What equipment, materials, funding, or people—individuals or committees—can be used to help accomplish Education Action 1?

Assignment for Education Action 1

In creating a plan, it is important to assign an individual or a group to each action. This way, the responsible party is held
accountable for the completion of the assigned action.

Who is responsible for Education Action 1? If it is a committee, who are the members of the committee and what is each person’s
specific responsibility?

Timetable for Education Action 1

Determining a timetable allows the Club Executive Committee to track progress toward each goal. Once the timetable is
defined, the committee should review it periodically to determine whether your club is on track to complete each action or if
adjustments must be made to reach the goal.

When will Education Action 1 begin?

When will Education Action 1 be complete?

How will progress be tracked?

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    21

Education Action 2
Consider how to address the needs of members so they can complete Levels 2 and 3 in Pathways. Specifically, what action will
be taken? Refer to this action as Education Action 2.

Resources for Education Action 2

What equipment, materials, funding, or people—individuals or committees—can be used to help accomplish Education Action 2?

Assignment for Education Action 2

Who is responsible for Education Action 2? If it is a committee, who are the members of the committee and what is each person’s
specific responsibility?

Timetable for Education Action 2

When will Education Action 2 begin?

When will Education Action 2 be complete?

How will progress be tracked?

22    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Education Action 3
Describe your approach to helping members earn DTM awards or complete Levels 4 and 5 in Pathways. Specifically, what action
will be taken? Refer to this action as Education Action 3.

Resources for Education Action 3

What equipment, materials, funding, or people—individuals or committees—can be used to help accomplish Education Action 3?

Assignment for Education Action 3

Who is responsible for Education Action 3? If it is a committee, who are the members of the committee and what is each person’s
specific responsibility?

Timetable for Education Action 3

When will Education Action 3 begin?

When will Education Action 3 be complete?

How will progress be tracked?

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    23

MEMBERSHIP: GOALS 7 AND 8
7. Four new, dual, or reinstating members

8. Four more new, dual, or reinstating members

Situation Analysis
Review the current situation in your club regarding membership.

What is the current membership situation? On average, how many new members join your club each year?

What are your club’s current obstacles in achieving its membership goals?

Additional notes:

Membership Action Plan

Membership Action 1
Describe how your club will gain four new, dual, or reinstating members. Specifically, what action will be taken? Refer to this
action as Membership Action 1.

Resources for Membership Action 1

What equipment, materials, funding, or people—individuals or committees—can be used to help accomplish Membership Action 1?

24    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Assignment for Membership Action 1
Who is responsible for Membership Action 1? If it is a committee, who are the members of the committee and what is each
person’s specific responsibility?

Timetable for Membership Action 1

When will Membership Action 1 begin?

When will Membership Action 1 be complete?

How will progress be tracked?

Membership Action 2
Describe how your club will gain four more new, dual, or reinstating members. Specifically, what action will be taken? Refer to
this action as Membership Action 2.

Resources for Membership Action 2

What equipment, materials, funding, or people—individuals or committees—can be used to help accomplish Membership Action 2?

Assignment for Membership Action 2

Who is responsible for Membership Action 2? If it is a committee, who are the members of the committee and what is each
person’s specific responsibility?

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    25

Timetable for Membership Action 2
When will Membership Action 2 begin?

When will Membership Action 2 be complete?

How will progress be tracked?

26    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

TRAINING: GOAL 9
9. A minimum of four club officer roles trained during each of the two training periods

Situation Analysis
Review the current situation in your club regarding training.

What is the current training situation? On average, how many club officer roles are trained each year?

What are your club’s current obstacles in achieving its training goals?

Additional notes:

Training Action Plan

Training Action 1
Describe how your club will ensure that four club officer roles are trained between June 1 and August 31. For newly chartered clubs,
view the Goal 9 chart that appears on page 9 of this manual for training requirement guidelines. Specifically, what action will be
taken? Refer to this action as Training Action 1.

Resources for Training Action 1

What equipment, materials, funding, or people—individuals or committees—can be used to help accomplish Training Action 1?

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    27

Assignment for Training Action 1
Who is responsible for Training Action 1? If it is a committee, who are the members of the committee and what is each person’s
specific responsibility?

Timetable for Training Action 1

When will Training Action 1 begin?

When will Training Action 1 be complete?

How will progress be tracked?

Training Action 2
Describe how your club will ensure that four club officer roles are trained between November 1 and February 28 (or February 29 in
leap years). For newly chartered clubs, view the Goal 9 chart that appears on page 9 of this manual for training requirement guide-
lines. Specifically, what action will be taken? Refer to this action as Training Action 2.

Resources for Training Action 2

What equipment, materials, funding, or people—individuals or committees—can be used to help accomplish Training Action 2?

Assignment for Training Action 2

Who is responsible for Training Action 2? If it is a committee, who are the members of the committee and what is each person’s
specific responsibility?

28    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Timetable for Training Action 2
When will Training Action 2 begin?

When will Training Action 2 be complete?

How will progress be tracked?

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    29

ADMINISTRATION: GOAL 10
10. On-time payment of membership dues accompanied by the names of eight members (at least three of whom must be
renewing members) for one period and on-time submission of one club officer list

Situation Analysis
Review the current situation in your club regarding administration.

What are your club’s current obstacles in achieving its administration goals?

Additional notes:

Administration Action Plan

Administration Action 1
Describe how your club will ensure that membership dues accompanied by the names of eight members (at least three of whom
must be renewing members) are received by World Headquarters for the current dues period (on or before October 1 or April 1).
Specifically, what action will be taken? Refer to this action as Administration Action 1.

Resources for Administration Action 1

What equipment, materials, funding, or people—individuals or committees—can be used to help accomplish Administration
Action 1?

30    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Assignment for Administration Action 1
Who is responsible for Administration Action 1? If it is a committee, who are the members of the committee and what is each
person’s specific responsibility?

Timetable for Administration Action 1

When will Administration Action 1 begin?

When will Administration Action 1 be complete?

How will progress be tracked?

Administration Action 2
Describe how your club will ensure a club officer list is received by World Headquarters on or before June 30 and/or
December 31 (if the club elects semiannually). Specifically, what action will be taken? Refer to this action as Administration
Action 2.

Resources for Administration Action 2

What equipment, materials, funding, or people—individuals or committees—can be used to help accomplish Administration
Action 2?

Assignment for Administration Action 2

Who is responsible for Administration Action 2? If it is a committee, who are the members of the committee and what is each
person’s specific responsibility?

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    31

Timetable for Administration Action 2
When will Administration Action 2 begin?

When will Administration Action 2 be complete?

How will progress be tracked?

32    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

SIGNATURES

President Date

Vice President Education Date

Vice President Membership Date

Vice President Public Relations Date

Secretary Date

Treasurer Date

Sergeant at Arms Date

Immediate Past President Date

Club member and role Date

Club member and role Date

Club member and role Date

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    33

 DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM GOALS
34    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Toastmasters Year: ����������������������������

QUALIFYING REQUIREMENT
To be considered for recognition, your club must either have 20 members or a net growth of at least five new members as of June 30. Transfer members do not count
toward this total until their membership has been paid and is current in their new club at which point they will be considered a renewing member.

GOALS TO ACHIEVE
Following are the goals your club should strive to achieve during the year:

Distinguished Club Program Goals

EDUCATION TRAINING
1. F our Level 1 awards achieved 9. A
 minimum of four club officer roles trained during each of the two
2. T wo Level 2 awards achieved training periods
3. Two more Level 2 awards achieved ADMINISTRATION
4. Two Level 3 awards achieved 10. On-time payment of membership dues accompanied by the names of
5. O ne Level 4, Level 5, or DTM award achieved eight members (at least three of whom must be renewing members) for
one period and on-time submission of one club officer list
6. One more Level 4, Level 5, or DTM award achieved

MEMBERSHIP
7. Four new, dual, or reinstating members
8. F our more new, dual, or reinstating members

RECOGNITION
When your club meets the qualifying requirement and also does the following, it is eligible for Distinguished Club recognition at year-end:

Achievement Recognition Earned

Achieve five of 10 goals Distinguished Club
Achieve seven of 10 goals Select Distinguished Club
Achieve nine of 10 goals President’s Distinguished Club
Check your progress at www.toastmasters.org/DistinguishedPerformanceReports.
CLUB RESOURCES

Membership Applications www.toastmasters.org/MembershipApps

www.toastmasters.org/MomentsOfTruth
Moments of Truth (Item 290)
www.toastmasters.org/Success-101
Success 101 (Item 1622)
Brand Portal www.toastmasters.org/BrandPortal
Master Your Meetings (Item 1312) www.toastmasters.org/1312
Membership Growth (Item 1159) www.toastmasters.org/1159
www.toastmasters.org/220
Put on a Good Show (Item 220)
Finding New Members for Your Club (Item 291) www.toastmasters.org/291
Questions about the Distinguished
Club Program [email protected]
[email protected]
Questions about club officers
Finding District contacts, your club’s Area www.toastmasters.org/DistrictWebsites
Director and a listing of District websites
www.toastmasters.org/Magazine
Toastmaster magazine

DISTINGUISHED CLUB PROGRAM AND CLUB SUCCESS PLAN    35

NOTES

36    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

www.toastmasters.org