Member Benefits
Sister Cities International members have access to many resources to help their communities complete world class exchanges. The Member Area section of the website gives exclusive access to online toolkits and guides on fundraising, communications, program assessment and more. Members also receive special access to online discussion forums and news feeds to meet people from around the world.
Expert Resources
Administrative and operations support: Sister Cities International provides its members with resources and guidelines for starting and operating a successful sister program. Resources include:
- Templates for important external documents and communications materials
- Organizational guidelines and standards
- Policy documents for organizing and running a program
Staff support: As a member, you have access to the knowledge and support of Sister Cities International’s staff, who have worked with hundreds of programs in all regions of the world on activities in almost any field.
State Coordinators/Honorary Board: Former board members and volunteer state coordinators, who have extensive experience developing local sister city programs and building successful exchange models, serve as an important resource for institutional knowledge and networking.
Visa Services: Sister Cities International provides up-to-date information to members on the visa application process, along with resources and contacts to make the visa process simpler. We regularly provide letters of invitation for foreign visitors participating in sister cities exchanges.
Training
Best Practice Toolkits: Sister Cities International provides best practice toolkits for exchanges, fundraising, advocacy and other topics relevant to sister city development.
Monthly Webinars: Sister Cities International hosts monthly webinars for members to help develop skills and knowledge in areas such as advocacy, communications, online fundraising, organizing trade delegations, and accounting, among others.
Volunteer Leadership Training- In order to help our volunteers grow as individual leaders, Sister Cities International offers guidance on a variety of topics essential to building a successful sister program. Areas of expertise include:
- Finance/accounting/budgeting
- Fundraising, grant writing, and improving individual giving
- Nonprofit management/ Volunteer management
- Monitoring and evaluation of program success
- Engaging elected officials
- Communications and Public Relations
Promoting Members’ Work
Advocacy: Sister Cities International provides a voice for members in Washington, D.C. by meeting regularly with Congressional offices and federal bodies, and assisting members by setting up their own meetings for them on Capitol Hill with elected representatives and providing advocacy materials and strategy to help members show the value of their programs.
Certification: Sister Cities International provides certification to members in good standing to verify they are part of our network of communities.
Shares Your Stories: Sister Cities International advertises the work of local programs to its own extensive network of sister city programs, global twinning organizations, and volunteers, through active use of Social Media platforms.
Media Outreach: We disseminate press releases to local and national media to highlight the accomplishments of our members. Connecting with the media both in Washington, D.C. and in local communities on behalf of our members provides great exposure for the work of our members
Annual Awards Program: Each year outstanding programs from small, medium, and large cities are recognized for their excellence in number of categories and programmatic areas.
Grants and Programs
Sister Cities International often receives grants to implement programs with its members, whether from foundations or the U.S. government. Current grants and programs include:
African Urban Poverty Alleviation Program (AUPAP): Provides 25 members with flights to sister cities, administrative funds, and budget of $115,000 to implement water, sanitation, and health projects.
Leading Asia: Renewing the U.S.-Japan Sister Cities Network: Provides flights and funding to support U.S.-Japan exchanges in the areas of business development, sustainable development, youth development, and creative economies.
Sino-African Initiative (SAI): Provides flights and pilot project funding for select partnerships working with African and Chinese partners in areas such as business, corporate responsibility, and municipal capacity building to complement research on trilateral partnerships.
Youth Ambassador Program: Trilateral North America: Provides over 100 flights, in addition to funding for implementation, for exchanges between U.S., Canadian, and Mexican sister cities.
Young Artists and Young Authors award program: The Young Artists and Authors Showcase is an art and writing competition among all U.S. and foreign sister cities. Winners are promoted throughout the network and the top selections travel the country for display in various U.S. cities.
Networking
Annual and Regional Conferences: Conferences allow members from across the United States and the world to network with hundreds of local government leaders, business executives, educators, and community activists who will be on hand to discuss sister city partnerships and programs.
Institutional Partnerships: Sister Cities International has developed a number of key institutional partners to help us serve our members. Along with our traditional relationship with the U.S. Department of State, in recent years Sister Cities International has developed a working relationship with: U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Export-Import Bank, and Small Business Administration.
For more information or to join Sister Cities International please contact membership1@sister-cities.org or 202.347.8630.
