What is the Diabetes Advocates program?

The Diabetes Advocates is a not-for-profit program that pools the resources of its members to do promotional activities that are too difficult or expensive to do independently. In many ways, it resembles a co-op or buying group that comes together to extend the reach of the members.

We are no longer accepting new members for 2010. Drop us a line at info@diabetesadvocates.org to stay informed about 2011 membership opportunities and benefits.

Founding Principles

• Pool financial resources to get exposure we can't get alone.
• Connect members and facilitate joint projects and diabetes awareness initiatives.
• Empower members to control future of the program.

What will DA do in 2010?

• Conduct media awareness campaigns.
  
• Purchase booths at diabetes/health trade shows for its members.
• Coordinate actions/campaigns between members.
• Hold a virtual Annual Meeting.
• Form a speaker's/writer's bureau.
  

Background

In 2009, several of us thought it was important to more formally organize the online diabetes community. We believe that by banding together, we can create a stronger presence in the online and offline world. We can do things that are not possible acting alone. As the end of 2009 approached, we (David Edelman from Diabetes Daily and Manny Hernandez from TuDiabetes), started brainstorming about how to make this possible. The Diabetes Advocates program is the result of this process along with the input from several diabetes bloggers and community leaders.

Membership Levels and Benefits

We have defined two types of membership: standard and professional. Non-profit organizations have the option to join at a discounted Professional rate.

All members (Standard and Professional):

• Media Outreach Campaign. We will be conducting a year-long media outreach campaign to promote all of the DA members. This will include substantial email and phone follow-up with individual reporters to introduce and make members available for interviews and stories. In addition, we will do one "story driven" campaign to get favorable coverage.
• AADE Promotion. We will showcase materials from all members of the DA. In addition, we will have take-aways that encourage diabetes educators to direct their patients to the DA to connect with the DA members.
• Website Promotion. The website will showcase the members and will be heavily promoted during our media outreach campaign and at AADE.
• Speakers/Writers Bureau. We were approached by Allison Blass who recently blogged about the idea of a Speakers/Writers Bureau, looking to incorporate it as part of the benefits that members could enjoy, to help improve our diabetes advocacy effectiveness.
• Virtual Annual Meeting: We are exploring platforms to be able to host a virtual annual meeting with all members. In addition, we will hold informal meetings at ADA, AADE, and Children with Diabetes Friends For Life.
  

Professional members:

• Personal table space at DA tradeshow booths
• Setup a laptop for demonstrations.
• Display signage (e.g. 8' vertical banners)

Annual Membership Fees:

• Standard Membership: $50
• Professional Membership:
• Nonprofit: $500 (this level is available only to organizations that have received a 501(c)3 determination letter from IRS or organizations that have a Fiscal Sponsor).
• All others: $900 (can be split into multiple payments).
  

Can't afford Standard Dues? That's okay! The program has a scholarship fund and can accept volunteering in exchange for dues.