The Role of Treasurer: The Most Unpopular Role on Any Board of Directors

In any organisation the Treasurer bears the responsibility of managing its finances and overseeing all financial decisions. In a not-for-profit (NFP) association, much of the success of the organisation rests in its ability to acquire and appropriately utilise funds and thus the Treasurer plays an essential role in the NFP achieving its goals.

Planning Your Conference: Devising a Theme and Speaker Topics

If you're planning on hosting a conference in 2022, choosing a theme is an essential first step. Devising a theme that is exciting, relevant and thought-provoking is vital. Your theme will guide panel discussions and inform the topics presented on by keynote speakers.

In this article, we delve into why setting your conference theme should be an essential part of planning a conference. We also run through some tips on how to devise a theme that will help you build an engaging program

How to Deal with Member Complaints

How can you promote a positive culture within your association while dealing with a member complaint? Here are 7 points to consider before responding.

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How to Use Key Performance Indicators in your Strategic Plan

Does your strategic plan utilise Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)? KPIs are an important and useful planning tool that can be used in a strategic plan to provide a greater sense of purpose and to demonstrate tangible results. A successful strategic plan will include several KPIs to manage and track progress and success. When creating your Association’s strategic plan, it can be helpful to begin with the goals you want to achieve and considering them in terms of outcomes with quantifiable results.

Why Associations Need a Strategic Plan and the 5 Steps to Developing One

Why is it crucial that Associations have – and stick to – a strategic plan? A comprehensive strategic plan is the key to your Association’s ability to thrive and grow in a competitive, complex landscape. A strategic plan needs to clearly articulate your Association’s strategic priorities and how you are going to achieve them.

How to Successfully Allocate Tasks to Board Members

The Board of an association exists to guide the vision and strategic direction of the organisation. All Board members, along with the management team, are working towards this shared goal, which can sometimes make it challenging to decide who is responsibility for individual tasks. However, allocating specific roles and tasks to Board members helps to delineate between the responsibilities of the Board and those of the executive. 

Understanding the Diversity of Skills Needed for an Effective Board

Creating a successful and high-functioning association Board is one of the most challenging aspects of association governance, but it is also one of the most important. A great Board will create a clear vision for the association, strategise for a successful future, mentor the executive of the association, advocate in external circles, identify opportunities and clear the path of obstacles.

Advocating to Government During a Pandemic and Beyond

Last month, Association Executive Services hosted a webinar focussed on advocacy to government, both during the COVID-19 pandemic and afterwards. The objective of the webinar was to explore traditional methods of influencing government policy, how those have changed in the last two years, and how associations can build strong working relationships as we move into a post-pandemic recovery.

AES 2021 Technology in Associations Survey: Results Revealed

Association Executive Services recently distributed a survey to Australian associations seeking information on the technology they are using, including the costs of this technology, the challenges they have encountered, and any solutions they have found. The survey also focused on how they are thinking about technology into the future, and which platforms or software they are prioritising.

How to Make Sure Your Members Renew

At this time of year, many associations are busy sending out renewal notices to members. Retaining membership numbers year to year is a vital part of keeping an association sustainable and relevant. In fact, as much effort should go into your member retention strategy as does to your efforts for member acquisition.

Association Events in 2022

After two years of cancellations, postponements, and numerous challenges when it comes to hosting and attending live events, many of us are keen to get back into “business as usual”. But although associations are planning to resume live member events in 2022, the general feeling amongst association leaders about planning events and conferences for next year is “steady as it goes.”

Association Management is Changing

Working within a COVID-19 world has forced many association leaders to rethink how they will manage their organisation in the future. With changes to the way associations can run events, engage with members, and continue to offer value, it is important that all organisations are able to be flexible and adapt.

How to Attract & Retain Board Members

Associations rely on their Board members to ensure proper Governance and to develop and implement strategies and policy. Many associations in Australia are fortunate enough to have their members seeking positions as Board members, but at the same time other associations can struggle to attract members.

Dealing with Theft by an Association Employee

Have you had to deal with internal theft in your Association? Theft can be extremely damaging to an association of any size. To prevent it, safeguards must be put in place and managers need to be aware of potentially problematic behaviour.

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?

An interim CEO can be a valuable tool in ensuring continuity of operations and effective change management when an association loses their CEO. This crucial role within the management team requires an experienced and skilful person, and the Board should not rush the recruitment of a new CEO. Instead, an interim CEO can be used to handle operations and maintain the association’s objectives.

Members Who Suffer in Silence: The Importance of Supporting and Engaging Members for Better Retention

Associations offer a multitude of benefits to members, but sometimes members can be forgotten. When this happens, it’s important that contact is reinstated and members are made to feel valued by the association. This way, they’ll be more likely to continue to renew their membership and be more involved in the association’s events and activities.

Should networking be part of your member value proposition?

Every association needs to have a clear value proposition to encourage new members to join and existing members to continue being involved. As revealed in recent research, networking rates as one of the greatest benefits valued by professionals, who appreciate associations that facilitate this activity. 

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. 

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

One of the major differences between not-for-profit organisations and other entities is the reliance on volunteers. Volunteers can play an important role to support some or all of the administration activities, approve membership applications or facilitate the combined learning of the members.

Value of Associations when Society is in Turmoil

Associations offer advantages to members throughout their careers and regardless of external factors, but their value is best realised when society is in turmoil. The past eighteen months have posed unprecedented challenges for people all over the world. While Australians have been relatively lucky in respect of the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, our economy has inevitably been shaken by these global events. Being a part of an association offers members a myriad of benefits, especially during times of great uncertainty. 

How to Grow and Retain Membership in Lockdown

Ongoing lockdowns have presented an unprecedented challenge for industry associations that typically rely on in-person events and conferences to engage members and grow their membership base. With the majority of the Australian workforce now working from home, the opportunities to connect are more limited.

How To Recruit Your New Association CEO: Industry Experience Versus Association Experience

One of the services that AES has offered to associations for a number of years is the provision of an interim CEO. Often, this service is utilised by association boards that are in a transition phase, defined by the recruitment of a new CEO.

Did you miss the AES Webinar on Cyber Criminals? This is a must read

As we move into an increasingly digitised world, the threat of cyber-attack is growing. Regardless of the size of an organisation, cyber-criminals can infiltrate your systems and target you for payment. Payments made to cyber criminals typically cannot be recovered, so it is vital that associations understand the risks and take action to strengthen their cyber security.

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

Many associations rely on events as a major source of revenue. With business events cancelled and postponed over the last 18 months due to COVID-19, this has significantly impacted association revenue.

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.

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.