Resources for Creating a State Society
The Coalition of State Rheumatology Organizations is pleased to provide aspiring physician leaders with resources to support the development of state and regional societies.
Please note, these resources are not designed to replace legal counsel, accounting advice or a management plan.
The process of forming a rheumatology association simply requires motivation, a small amount of startup funding (available from CSRO), and a little bit of time and patience. For support and mentorship with the following steps, or to apply for startup funding, email us at info@csro.info.
Step One: Establish the Legal Framework
Step Two: Establish the Organization's Mission, Activities, and Leadership
- Recruit a Board of Directors from among the active rheumatologists in your state.
- With the Board, outline activities, objectives, and a mission statement for your society.
- Plan an organizational meeting of the new society and invite the state's rheumatologists to participate.
- Draft Bylaws to be voted on during that meeting, alongside the formal election of the organization’s board and officers.
Step Three: Generate Funds
- Share the mission and planned activities of your new society with your local pharmaceutical representatives and ask for unrestricted grants from their company to support your work. These unrestricted grants will cover costs related to meeting planning, administrative costs, CME filing, and related activities.
Step Four: Become a Member of CSRO
- Join our network of state and regional societies dedicated to promoting our subspecialty and access of care for our patients with rheumatic diseases.
