1. Best Practices for Growing and Sustaining Your Association and Non-Profit
John H. Graham IV, CAE
President & CEO
ASAE
DC Economic Partnership
May 12, 2011

2. ASAE
Our Value Proposition: ASAE connects great ideas and great people to inspire leadership and achievement within the association community.

3. ASAE Yesterday & Today
Founded in 1920 as the American Trade Association Executives
Today ASAE has 23,000 + (individual) members – 32% CEOs
Served by a professional staff of 135
Annual budget of $35 million

4. Nonprofits – A Vast U.S. Business Sector
The 2009 IRS Data Book shows:
90,908 Section 501(c)(6) trade associations, professional societies and business leagues.
1,238,201 Section 501(c)(3) charities, foundations and other donor-based organizations.

6. The Inspiration Matched-Pair Methodology
Common to social sciences, applied by Collins and Porras to companies
Compare two companies
Created in same era
Facing same market challenges and opportunities
Same demographics
Same technology shifts
Same socioeconomic experience

7. Methodology
Jurying process to identify candidates for “great” associations
Survey of 1,000 association executives
CEOs and senior leaders from trade, professional, and philanthropic non-profits
32% response rate; 95% confidence level for sampling error
Initial list of 104 associations
Any association with close ties to research project team excluded
Initial data provided by 51 of these associations
15 year study period

8. Eligibility Criteria In operation minimum of 20 years
Finished more years in black than red
Exhibited the ability to retain
Members
Donors
Market share
More than one CEO during the study period
Willingness and ability to fully cooperate in the research process

9. The Study Group AARP American College of Cardiology
American Dental Association
Associated General Contractors of America
Girl Scouts of the USA
National Associations of Counties
Ohio Society of CPAs
Radiological Society of North America
Society for Human Resource Management

10. The Control Group
Each association in the Study Group paired with an association as similar to it as possible
Budget and staff size
Type (individual membership, trade, philanthropic)
Geographic scope
Similarity in mission and/or membership

11. 11 Areas of Comparison Vision Core values, mission, purpose, goals
Markets, Competitors and Environment
Organizational Arrangements
Structure, policies, systems
Use of Technology
Business Strategy
Products and Services
Leadership
Staff
Elected
Community and Culture
Financial Health
Physical Setting and Location
Public Policy

12. Research Questions What are the similarities?
What are the obvious differences between the two members of the matched-pair?
What are the similarities?
What data calls in to question the prevailing “conventional wisdom” within the association management field?
What is the essence of the pairing?
Why is one great and the other merely good?

13. Commitment to Analysis & Feedback
Commitment to Purpose
Commitment to Action
1. A Customer Service Culture
2. Alignment of Products & Services With Mission
Commitment to Analysis & Feedback
3. Data-Driven Strategies
4. Dialogue & Engagement
5. CEO as a Broker of Ideas
Remarkable
6. Organizational Adaptability
7. Alliance Building

14. Commitment to Purpose Mission subdivided into needs
Products, services, activities developed to address those needs
Driven by mission not money
“We’re here to serve you”
Individual encounters with members
Organizational structure and process
An association of members, for members, by members
1. A Customer Service Culture
2. Alignment of Products & Services With Mission

15. Commitment to Analysis & Feedback
Capacity and culture to gather, share, analyze information
Data, Data, Data
3. Data-Driven Strategies
4. Dialogue & Engagement
5. CEO as a Broker of Ideas
Continuous conversation on direction and priorities
Staff and Volunteers
Facilitates visionary thinking throughout the organization
“The Great Go-Between”

16. Commitment to Action
Secure and confident enough to seek partners and projects that complement their mission and purpose
Partnering for the right purpose
Learn from and respond to change
Know what not to change
The will to act
6. Organizational Adaptability
7. Alliance Building

18. Mega-Trends Impacting Associations
Mass customization
Social networking
Changing demographics

19. Mass Customization
Association members are expecting custom-tailored products and services to meet their diverse and ever-changing needs.
Increased competition is pressuring organizations to offer their products and services a la carte rather than as an organized package.

20. Social Networking & Mobile Technology
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and mobile technologies are transforming the way communities are forming and, thus, challenging the association model.
To maintain their traditional strength as community builders, associations must offer virtual connections while continuing to offer personal experiences.

21. Social Networking & Mobile Technology
If your organization doesn’t establish a social media presence, you may find that these communities will form “unofficially” without you.
Social networking can be a good tool for strengthening and extending the life of other association content, such as a meeting or symposium.

22. Changing Demographics
Three generations in the workforce (Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials).
Decreasing pool of senior managers over next years.
With changing demographics, managing diversity is key to future relevance and success.

23. Speaker Contact Info: John H. Graham IV, CAE President & CEO ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership Phone: