Founded in 1956, the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) is a dynamic organization of writers, editors, publishers, broadcasters, authors, lecturers, photographers, artists, electronic media specialists, outdoors industry representatives, and tourism professionals, working together to promote the conservation and responsible use of our outdoor resources. As individual outdoor communicators, we educate and inform the masses through the written and spoken word. As an organization, we foster an unmatched fellowship among our members and provide amazing networking, educational and craft improvement opportunities.

5 Great Reasons to Join AGLOW Today

1. Industry Connections: With over 500 members, we connect media members who are looking for stories to corporate members that are looking to have their stories told!
2. Networking: Our annual conference is the best time to meet other outdoor communicators as well as other professionals in the outdoor industry. The people that you meet could open doors, present opportunities and present win-win relationships.
3. Improve Your Craft: Become better as an outdoor communicator. In addition to informative sessions at our fall conference, we have craft improvement articles and tips throughout the year. And with our vast network, you can always ask colleagues for their advice, and you’ll get it!
4. Travel: Our annual events are held at some awesome outdoor destinations every year. But thanks to our incredible tourism partners, our media members have some amazing opportunities to visit other destinations throughout the country.
5. Family and Fun: We hear it over and over- AGLOW is like a Family. Through our association and conference, lifelong friendships and relationships are born every year. We are one of the tightest-knit associations in the country. And we know how to have a good time.

If this sounds good to you, you’re halfway there. Next step is to qualify for membership. Choose one of the membership categories below, then if you meet the requirements, fill out and submit a Membership application. Our Board reviews all applicants and will notify you in a timely manner.

Here are the types of membership we offer, as well as the application requirements:

Corporate Member 

A Corporate Member shall be one that is engaged in commercial or public relations efforts directly related to the outdoors, including manufacturers of outdoor goods or providers of outdoor services, outdoors destination marketing, their representatives, distributors, advertising or public relations agents, etc.

Active Member 

An Active Member shall be one who is duly paid to produce, disseminate or edit outdoor information regularly to the public by means of newspapers, electronic media, magazines, books, journals, lectures, photography (film/video/still), art or other suitable media.

1. In determining eligibility for Active membership, the Membership Screening Committee and Board of Directors shall be broadly guided, but not inflexibly bound, by the following criteria pertaining to the prescribed regularity of dissemination:
2. Newspapers: 40 columns or articles during the previous 12 months. A syndicated writer must have more than one publication carrying the same article; material appearing every two weeks.
3. Radio/Television: 13 programs of 30-minute format or 40 programs of 2-5 minute format during the previous 12 months.
4. Magazines: Six articles in general circulation magazines during the previous 12 months.
5. Books: One published book during the previous 24 months.
6. Book Editor: Full-time or freelance Submit letter from immediate supervisor.
7. Digital Media Specialist: Communicators engaged in producing blog/vlog or other online-only media content will qualify for Active Membership if he or she provide documentation of the following: 500 average unique views per month over a 12-month period and meet three of four of the following qualifications: 1) Maintained a digital media site on outdoor-related activities in any format that allows response feedback for a minimum of one year; 2) Proof of income from communicating about outdoor-related subjects; 3) Average at least two editorial postings per month over a 12-month period (redistribution of press releases does not qualify, all material must be generated by the applicant); 4) Must reveal source for all outside support contributing to content of postings.
8. Still Photography: 36 published outdoor-related photos during the previous 12 months.
9. Videography: Produce, photograph or write script for one complete production of at least 30 minutes during the previous 24 months. Shorter features may be combined for total.
10. Video: Produce one every 12 months of at least 50 minutes or a number of shorter videos equaling 50 minutes in total length. All must be produced in quantities of 500 or more for commercial sale.
11. Lectures: 18 during the previous 12 months.
12. Cartoonist/Artist/Illustrator: 12 published works during the previous 12 months.
13. Public Relations: Must devote at least 50 percent of time to servicing accounts of clients engaged in outdoor activities or subjects, and whose activities involve outdoor information other than product publicity.
14. Website Content Director, Writer, Editor, Photographer, Artist or Designer: A website content director, writer, editor, photographer, artist or designer will qualify for Active Membership if he or she provide documentation of the following:  24 URLs of website content or design work published and compensated in the past 12 months.  This may include web features or actual web pages developed in which they personally generated the content.  Applicants should submit supporting pages demonstrating regular content updates. The same piece appearing on multiple websites counts as one submission.
15. Any combination of the above that satisfies the Membership Screening Committee and Board of Directors.

Associate Member 

An Associate Member shall be one who satisfies at least 50 percent of the requirements for Active status is eligible if they have a strong, direct professional or commercial interest in outdoors communications and has the potential for becoming an Active member within three (3) years. This does not apply to Associate members who joined prior to Sept. 27, 1989.

Student Member 

A Student Member shall be one who is a full-time student who has an active interest in outdoors communications.

Conservation Non-Profit Member

Conservation Non-profit membership applies to any not-for-profit organization or governmental entity that has an interest in conservation or outdoor preservation.

What Our Members Are Saying

Tourism Member

Tourism memberships are for Tourism Bureaus, Chamber of Commerces, CVB’s and other organizations dedicated to attracting people to their area.

Don’t just take it from us, let our Members do the talking!

MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS?

Still have membership questions? Drop us a line.