TOPIC:

Currently, my understanding of the new member onboarding payment process is that a new member must pay with a check or cash upfront and once that person is registered as a member, only then can they use the electronic payment portal to renew membership. Is there a way for prospective members to make payments electronically to join Toastmasters?

Mimi R.
Brooklyn Heights Toastmasters 4545

I think you are co-mingling several things together here.

1.) We are not Toastmasters Int'l. We are FreeToastHost. While our website system enables clubs to integrate Paypal payments with their websites, we do not establish any club or TI policies.

2.) Some clubs will allow new members to use Paypal (or similar, such as Square) to make a payment to the club itself, and then the club makes the payment to TI on behalf of the new member. However, this typically requires a member have a device with them that they can use to walk the new member through the payment to be effective, assuming the club has a Paypal page set up. For example, look at the dues payment page for my home club: mindful.toastmastersclubs.org/paydues.html Notice that it does have a new members payment option, but typically an existing member will sit down at the meeting and walk the new member through this page using a device they have with them to take the payment on the spot.

Different clubs vary in their technical sophistication. Setting up Paypal correctly (and effectively) does require some technical know-how.