When and How to Invest
One of the distinct advantages of the association management company model is the opportunity to work with a wide range of nonprofit organizations across diverse industries. Ultimately, the organizations that actively listen to their members and innovate their programming are the ones that evolve and grow. Those that repeat the same activities year after year, however, often experience a gradual decline in both membership and revenue.
The Right Time to Invest: Keeping Your Organization Future-Ready
The most effective way to ensure sustained growth and long-term financial health is to truly understand what members value. Regularly conducting and analyzing membership surveys is essential, as they provide the insights needed to make informed, strategic decisions.
When members’ needs go unmet, engagement inevitably declines—and with it, the organization’s financial vitality. Too often, programming becomes stagnant and loses its relevance, making it imperative to routinely evaluate offerings and determine when to refresh, reinvent, or retire them.
Investing with Intent
Member survey feedback, combined with a thorough needs assessment, is essential for identifying meaningful opportunities to advance the organization. This process may involve forming task forces or engaging key stakeholders in thoughtful discussions to determine the most effective path ahead. Ultimately, programming should be designed to strengthen and expand the organization’s value proposition and may include introducing new events or networking opportunities, creating education and training for industry content, developing certification programs, or even developing public affairs or advocacy programs. Some programs may require an initial financial investment with the understanding a full return on investment may take a few years.
Creating a Pathway to Success
A strong foundation for long-term success begins with ensuring that new programming aligns with the organization’s strategic plan and is supported by leadership through the annual budgeting process, as well as appropriate financial and staff resources. An annual planning cycle should clearly outline the steps required to implement each program. To maintain visibility and accountability, organizations should also use dashboards or other tracking tools to monitor key performance indicators and adjust course as needed.
