Direct Recruitment

Have members of the organization's staff serve as recruiters, or call on reliable, well-informed volunteers to help.

• Contact students who did not complete the ACE program. Encourage them to return to class.
• Pass-out flyers at grocery stores over the weekend, visit retirement homes, PTA meetings and school open houses and local stores.
• Consider setting up a table up at a local mall with organizational displays and program information.

Scholarships

Give a scholarship for free GED testing or other paid certification. This can be done in a number of ways:

• Award the top students in an ACE graduating class.
• Make sure to advertise the winners in newsletters and local newspapers.
• Award at least one scholarship each semester. This will motivate students, especially those who may have trouble paying for the GED test.

Giveaways

Giveaways are a budget consideration. However, if money is available to produce bumper stickers, refrigerator magnets, bookmarks, etc., they are an effective means for getting an organization's name out into the community.

Churches/Misc. Organizations

Many local churches or community groups permit other organizations to submit short articles about local programs (including contact information) for use in their newsletters or bulletins. This is a good method for reaching a large amount of people at one time. If asked, many organizations will accommodate a request to run the article for an extended period of time.

Interest cards

Many organizations mail postcards to gauge program interest.

• Consider using volunteers to distribute the cards by hand.
• If possible, use self-addressed postcards.
• Ask questions that will help build a potential student database (address, name, etc.)
• Ask recipients if they want to receive specific materials, and identify particular areas of interest.