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AES provides support services to not-for-profit organisations.


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How to Attract & Retain Board Members
Dealing with Theft by an Association Employee

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What is the Best Practice in Association Board Meetings?
Published October 21, 2021

What is the Best Practice in Association Board Meetings?

Throughout Australia, many not for profit organisations are in the process of conducting their Annual General Meeting (AGM) of members. This is a legal requirement where the Board must organise an annual meeting of members.




Is There Value in Employing an Interim Association CEO?
Members Who Suffer in Silence: The Importance of Supporting and Engaging Members for Better Retention
Should networking be part of your member value proposition?

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How to Define the Role of Your Association's Board
Published September 23, 2021

How to Define the Role of Your Association's Board

Boards and management of associations have very different roles, and it’s important that these are clearly defined to ensure that everyone is completing their own responsibilities. Blurred lines when it comes to the roles of governance and of management can cause delays and frustrations on all sides, leading to a less successful organisation and negatively affecting the ability to achieve the overarching goals of the association. 




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How to Induct Your Next Board Member
Published September 16, 2021

How to Induct Your Next Board Member

Any association with newly elected Board members must ensure their Board members are fully aware of their responsibilities before they are appointed. A thorough induction process with key senior figures ensures individuals are able to start meaningful work on the Board from the outset.




The Role of Volunteers in Associations
Value of Associations when Society is in Turmoil
How to Grow and Retain Membership in Lockdown
How To Recruit Your New Association CEO: Industry Experience Versus Association Experience
Did you miss the AES Webinar on Cyber Criminals? This is a must read

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Your Association And Managing Copyright
Published July 29, 2021

Your Association And Managing Copyright

I recently spoke to AES Legal Advisor John Crosby about how Copyright can apply to associations and some things to watch out for.




How to Create New Revenue Streams Through Association Partnerships

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Upgrading Your Website? Essential Tips to Consider Before You Start
Published June 30, 2021

Upgrading Your Website? Essential Tips to Consider Before You Start

One of the biggest challenges facing many associations today is the rapidly changing pace of technology. Today, new and improved technology is enabling associations to provide services, manage the organisation's day-to-day functions, and communicate with members in a way not previously possible.




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5 Powerful Actions to Make Sure Your Strategic Plan Works
Published June 24, 2021

5 Powerful Actions to Make Sure Your Strategic Plan Works

Associations can be very dynamic organisations. They can bring together like minded members to share information, ideas, and best practice processes within their industry or area of interest.




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Key Tips for Association Compliance (that are often overlooked by Boards)
Published June 16, 2021

Key Tips for Association Compliance (that are often overlooked by Boards)

Each year, association and not-for-profit Boards need to ensure that their organisation is compliant with all requirements imposed by the relevant regulators and government departments, particularly the Australian Tax Office.




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A Snapshot Of The Changing Nature Of  Association Leadership
Published May 26, 2021

A Snapshot Of The Changing Nature Of Association Leadership

Association Executive Services (AES) hosted its first face-to-face event since COVID-19 yesterday: a breakfast attended by over 20 association leaders in Melbourne. The theme for the event was Refreshed Recharged and Ready for 2021.




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Four Tips To Getting Your Membership Subscriptions Right
Published May 11, 2021

Four Tips To Getting Your Membership Subscriptions Right

Most associations send out a membership invoice subscription to their members either once a year or on the anniversary of their joining. Membership subscriptions can present a range of issues for associations. In particular, pricing can be a dilemma each year. Is your pricing structure right? Are your members going to be pleased with the subscription price? Do you need to increase the price? These are all questions your Board of Directors should review (and answer) each year. 




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How Benchmarking Can Benefit Your Association
Published March 24, 2021

How Benchmarking Can Benefit Your Association

Associations (and their members) come together to represent a specific purpose and to forward the interests of a specific group of people. More and more, members’ expectations of the services, support, advice and benefits delivered by their association are on the rise. As such, association leaders must be able to demonstrate to their members that they are meeting industry best practice, and that the needs of members are being met.




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Member Engagement: What’s Changed for 2021?
Published March 24, 2021

Member Engagement: What’s Changed for 2021?

It’s now over 12 months since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and yet, its influence on associations throughout Australia is still being felt. Many association leaders have had to revisit their membership engagement and marketing strategies to ensure that their existing members renew and new members are attracted. 




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$50 Million Federal Business Events Grants – Most Association Events Lose Out
Published February 24, 2021

$50 Million Federal Business Events Grants – Most Association Events Lose Out

In September 2020, the Federal Government announced that they would commit $50 million in grants to support business events.




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Funding Available for Association and Business Events
Published February 23, 2021

Funding Available for Association and Business Events

With the Federal Government's $50 million business grants program largely excluding associations from the initiative, some of the State Government funding initiatives may be more beneficial for Australian associations.




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Considering Registering as a Charity Under the ACNC? Think Again
Published February 23, 2021

Considering Registering as a Charity Under the ACNC? Think Again

Registering as a charity under the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC) might seem like a good idea. It certainly affords charitable not-for-profit organisations the opportunity to gain exemptions from income tax, and enables them to apply for certain categories of deductible gift recipient (DGR) status.




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Running an AGM: Top Questions Answered
Published November 15, 2020

Running an AGM: Top Questions Answered

The AES team has recently facilitated several virtual Annual General Meetings (AGMs) for its clients and members. During each of these AGMs, we noticed some similar behaviours that we feel need to be addressed. 




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Recovery and Beyond: What Does Association Leadership Look Like in the Next 12 Months?
Published November 15, 2020

Recovery and Beyond: What Does Association Leadership Look Like in the Next 12 Months?

Professional Advantage and AES have come together to facilitate a series of webinars that will be rolled out over the next six months or so. The purpose of the series is to bring association leaders and professionals together, and have them share their strategies and experience to help one another recover from the impacts that COVID-19 has had on Australian associations.




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The Art of Member Discipline
Published November 15, 2020

The Art of Member Discipline

In the course of their careers, all association leaders would have experienced a situation in which a member has acted inappropriately, requiring disciplinary action by the association. This disciplinary action may have required expulsion of the member from the association, society, or club.




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Tips for Managing Your AGM Online
Published September 9, 2020

Tips for Managing Your AGM Online

It is highly likely that your association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) has been, or will be, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. With restrictions on large gatherings, as well as travel bans and self-isolation measures, holding an AGM in-person in 2020 is highly unlikely, particularly if you are located in Victoria.




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Practical Tips on Running a Zoom Meeting for Your Members
Published September 9, 2020

Practical Tips on Running a Zoom Meeting for Your Members

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our daily operations, and impacted our abilities to plan face-to-face events. But it has also allowed us to think of creative ways to meet virtually.




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Resources to Help with Stage Four COVID-19 Restrictions
Published August 5, 2020

Resources to Help with Stage Four COVID-19 Restrictions

As everyone is aware, Melbourne is now subject to Stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions, which impose significant responsibilities on businesses and, therefore, associations.




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Membership Innovation Strategies
Published August 4, 2020

Membership Innovation Strategies

In a COVID-19 environment, many associations are struggling to engage with their members, resulting in a decline of membership renewals and an inability to attract new members.




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Practical Approaches to Managing Events
Published August 4, 2020

Practical Approaches to Managing Events

Of the many ramifications that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on associations, its impact on events and conferences has been one of the most significant.




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AES Survey Results - The Impact of COVID-19 on Associations
Published June 4, 2020

AES Survey Results - The Impact of COVID-19 on Associations




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The Future of Association Events and Conferences
Published June 2, 2020

The Future of Association Events and Conferences

Association Executive Services recently hosted a webinar that discussed the future of association events and conferences in Australia in a COVID-19 world, featuring a panel of legal, insurance, health and association events experts. 




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Is it Time to Review Your Membership Offering?
Published June 2, 2020

Is it Time to Review Your Membership Offering?

If your association’s revenue is reliant on income streams from membership subscriptions, an annual conference and events, now is the time to rethink your membership offering. In the post-COVID-19 environment, many associations will be facing a severe impact on their financial position, particularly when the JobKeeper payments cease at the end of September. 




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4 Ideas to Ensure Your Association Remains Viable through COVID-19 and Beyond
Published June 2, 2020

4 Ideas to Ensure Your Association Remains Viable through COVID-19 and Beyond

It was early 2008, and I had just taken over as CEO of Materials Australia, an association with a membership base comprised of materials engineers and scientists. Around three months into the job, I discovered that the accountant has been stealing from the association for about 10 years. The balance sheet was not as it seemed and this was the beginning of three years of recovery. 




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The Biggest Challenge For The Association Sector Is Yet To Come
Published April 7, 2020

The Biggest Challenge For The Association Sector Is Yet To Come

As many of you may know, Association Executive Services provides secretariat services to a number of associations representing a range of members. As such, the AES team members responsible for supporting these associations are at the frontline of the Australian association sector. They are witnessing, first-hand, the impact that COVID-19 is having on associations.




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Rethinking Your Association's AGM Against Coronavirus Backdrop
Published April 7, 2020

Rethinking Your Association's AGM Against Coronavirus Backdrop

Has your association’s AGM meeting been affected by coronavirus (COVID-19)? If your association’s balance date is December 31, then you may be wondering how you will meet the May 31 deadline to hold your AGM—particularly against the backdrop of COVID-19.




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How to Engage With and Look After Remote Association Teams
Published April 7, 2020

How to Engage With and Look After Remote Association Teams

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many associations’ teams to work remotely from home. This new way of working can have a huge impact on individuals’ mental health. In certain instances, it might make your team members feel disconnected from others, and it can certainly disorient their daily routines.




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The Impact Of COVID-19 On Your Association's Financial Statements
Published April 7, 2020

The Impact Of COVID-19 On Your Association's Financial Statements

The coronavirus (COVID-19) is having a significant health and economic impact globally.




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Regulatory and Legal Protections for Associations
Published March 24, 2020

Regulatory and Legal Protections for Associations

On 23 March, the Government introduced the Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus Bill 2020, which was fast-tracked through parliament in response to growing concerns around COVID-19.




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How the Government Stimulus Package Applies to Associations
Published March 24, 2020

How the Government Stimulus Package Applies to Associations

Amid mounting concerns over the economic fall-out that will be caused by COVID-19, the Federal Government has announced several measures to help Australian businesses.




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Conference and Event Cancellations Call for Cashflow Evaluation
Published March 24, 2020

Conference and Event Cancellations Call for Cashflow Evaluation

In the wake of COVID-19, many events across the world have been cancelled or postponed in an attempt to mitigate the spread of the virus. If your association or not-for-profit had its annual conference, member events, or training courses coming up, you have likely cancelled these events by now.




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Coronavirus: The Impact on Association Events
Published March 11, 2020

Coronavirus: The Impact on Association Events

In the wake of COVID-19, many events across the world are being cancelled or postponed in an attempt to mitigate the spread of the virus. If your association has an event coming up, you might be thinking about cancelling it or postponing it.




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Risk Management & Business Continuity in the Face of Coronavirus
Published March 11, 2020

Risk Management & Business Continuity in the Face of Coronavirus

As the novel coronavirus – COVID-19 – situation continues to develop and emerge, it is becoming increasingly apparent that it would be wise for businesses and associations to implement risk management plans in order to reduce business losses, minimise recovery time and generally improve business continuity.




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Coronavirus Human Resources Considerations
Published March 11, 2020

Coronavirus Human Resources Considerations

The spread of a novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) is already proving to have huge global implications. As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve and develop, it is imperative that associations—as employers—take into careful consideration the legal obligations they have for their employees regarding work, health and safety, and risk mitigation.




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Back To Basics: How To Grow Your Membership Numbers
Published February 17, 2020

Back To Basics: How To Grow Your Membership Numbers

The rise of social media has ushered in a change in what members expect of their organisations. There have been undeniable benefits, including increased communication between members. However, a heavy reliance on social media has also resulted in some negatives, particularly around creating a real sense of belonging and making members feel special and engaged (and therefore more likely to remain association members long-term).




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AES Launches 10 Areas Of Best Practice For Associations Model
Published February 17, 2020

AES Launches 10 Areas Of Best Practice For Associations Model

Association Executive Services (AES) is pleased to announce the launch of its 10 Areas of Best Practice for Associations Model. This Model will help associations attain the level of excellence they need to thrive.




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Maximising Your Worth in a Disruptive World
Published January 21, 2020

Maximising Your Worth in a Disruptive World

Over the last 12 months, we have seen a high turnover of association leaders throughout Australia. While some of this turnover may have been planned, in many cases, association leaders have resigned from their positions, suffering from high levels of anxiety. This anxiety often results in a number of personal issues.




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What are the Main Weaknesses in Association Governance in Australia?
Published January 21, 2020

What are the Main Weaknesses in Association Governance in Australia?

Over the nine last years, Association Executive Services (AES) has captured information about the performance of associations in Australia. Using the AES Association Best Practice Self-Assessment tool, we have gathered data from over 450 association leaders. All these association leaders have self-assessed their organisation against 10 key areas:




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