July 2025 Leader Letter

Looking to Livestream Convention? — You can now register for an online 2025 International Convention experience, featuring select livestreamed sessions and highlights. Tickets are $100 USD and include unlimited On Demand access, beginning in late August. Don't miss this opportunity to watch, learn, and be thrilled by the next best thing to being there!

Envision It: There's Still Time for Convention! — Don’t miss the thrills, the wisdom, and the memories to be made at the main event of the year. Sign up to join the visionaries at the 2025 International Convention before two fast-approaching deadlines: the special hotel rate ends July 23; advance registration ends July 27.

Start the Year with High Club Morale — Recognizing your new club officers with a ceremony is a fun way to kickstart your club's success this program year. Adapt the Club Officer Installation Script to make it unique to your club and invite a club mentor or District leader to conduct the club officer installation. You can even present token items to club officers as thanks for their service!

Speech Contest Semifinalists — Results from quarterfinals are in! Discover who is proceeding to the 2025 International Speech Contest Semifinals. These 28 semifinalists will compete for the chance to advance to the World Championship of Public Speaking® at the Toastmasters International Convention on August 23.

2025 Accredited Speaker Program — The Accredited Speaker Program recognizes Toastmasters members who have reached professional-level status in their careers. In May, Level 1 applications and video presentations were reviewed by a panel of expert Accredited Speaker judges. We are excited to announce that two candidates will present at Level 2, taking place as part of the International Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Learn more about the Accredited Speaker Program and register to see the 2025 candidates live in Philadelphia.

Forgot to Submit Your Officer List? — Outgoing club officers lost access to Club Central 30 days after their term end date. It is not too late to submit your updated club officer list for the 2025–2026 program year. Email the Club Officer Information Form to membership@toastmasters.org to regain access to Club Central. Your club must provide at least a President, one Vice President, and a Secretary or Secretary/Treasurer, and these offices must be held by three different individuals.

New Club Officers: Plan for Success — Congratulations on your new role! This is a fulfilling opportunity to grow as a leader and help your members achieve their goals. Prepare for your term by referring to the Club Officer Resources, the Club Officer Kit, and the Club Officer Tutorials. Your Club Executive Committee should also meet to discuss the club budget and Club Success Plan.

The Membership Management Page — Accessible through Club Central, this page includes your paid club members' names and contact details, when they joined the club, if they have selected a path, their dues payment status, and more! Take a moment to familiarize yourself with this vital resource.

Revitalize Your Club's Growth with 4 Easy Steps — 1) Keep your club’s information up to date in Club Central. 2) Check the Prospective Member Management (PMM) page frequently. 3) Reply to all emails from prospective members within 48 hours. 4) Speed up the joining process with the online Membership Application (accessed on the person’s record of the PMM page). For more helpful tips, read Find a Club Best Practices.

Recognition Program Updates — As you prepare club goals for the new program year, be sure to check out the updated FAQs for questions you may have on changes to the Distinguished Club Program.

Spice Meetings Up — If your club meetings could use a little variety, the Master Your Meetings handbook is full of fun themes and event ideas. Members will welcome the creativity and guests will be more likely to become your newest members!

Ways to Bond With Your New Team — Learn how team-building activities create connection with your fellow club officers, encourage collaboration, and lead to a stronger team. Start the program year strong by trying some fun and engaging games that have a deeper purpose.

Make Everyone Feel Welcome in Your Club — Learn five tips you can implement throughout the year to help your members feel comfortable and part of the group.

Help New Members Find Their Place — Establishing a new member orientation program benefits the individuals, but did you know it strengthens the club as well?

Make Your Club a Resource for Job Seekers — Discover a variety of ways that clubs can support members or people in their community who are interviewing or networking.

Membership Applications Reminder — All new, dual, and reinstated members who join a club are required to fill out the Membership Application. Your club is also required to keep copies of all PDF applications. For a simpler process, use the online Membership Application, sent from the top of the applicant’s record on the Prospective Member Management page. Transfer applications must be sent to membership@toastmasters.org for processing, as transfers cannot be completed in Club Central.

Make Your Club’s Voice Heard — Your club will soon vote on International Officer and Director candidates and the eight proposals for amendments to the Bylaws and Club Constitution. Voting will take place next month during the Annual Business Meeting. More information on the club proxy assignment process will be emailed to Club Presidents, Secretaries, and liaisons this month.

Celebrate Your Club Members — Use the Membership Recognition Certificate to acknowledge members who helped your club become Distinguished for the 2024–2025 program year.

Get Ready for the 2025-2026 Speech Contest — The Speech Contest Rulebook for the 2025–2026 program year is ready! To see what changed in the new rulebook, view the Explanation of Changes document for line-by-line updates.

Month-End Closing — Clubs that qualified to receive the Beat the Clock Award or become Distinguished will be notified in August. Clubs that achieved Beat the Clock will appear on the Membership Building Programs For Clubs page under the 2025 archive, and the Distinguished Performance Reports will then be finalized.

Club Coach to the Rescue — Club coach is one of the most fulfilling, yet challenging, roles in Toastmasters. Consider these suggestions to help make the coaching experience a success, for both coach and club.

Don’t Miss Out on the Latest — Members who opted out of World Headquarters email can opt back in with this form.

Retiring: Video Speech Contest — The 2024–2025 program year is the last to include the Video Speech Contest. In recent years, the number of clubs participating in this contest has steadily declined. As a result, the Board of Directors determined not to continue the contest. For more information, please refer to the minutes of the January 30, 2025, Board of Directors meeting.

Third-Party Accounts Not Available — Platforms such as Google Workspace, Canva, and Monday require a host verification step to create a non-profit account; this is not feasible with 14,000+ clubs. You may still create paid accounts within the third-party platforms using your own club or District information. The Brand Portal also has several helpful resources available for your club materials.