Center for Association Resources

The Center for Association Resources supports mission-oriented organizations, assisting them in increasing relevance and accomplishing goals.

Non-Profit

5 systemic guidelines to put in place

Another in a series of articles related to association management selected from our reading list by:
Robert O. Patterson, JD
CEO/ Principal
The Center for Association Resources, Inc.

From The NonProfit Times:

Problems are best handled if they are prevented from ever becoming problems. That’s easy to say, but trying to install system-wide quality can be a better approach than dealing with each disaster as it arises, even if it looks like more work.
That’s the idea put forward by David Peter Stroh in his book “Systems Thinking for Social Change.” Maintaining or improving a system is better than patchwork fixes, Stroh writes, and he suggests using systems thinking to inform an evaluation process in five ways. They are: Read More

Think Of Your Nonprofit As A Magazine

Another in a series of articles related to association management selected from our reading list by:
Robert O. Patterson, JD
CEO/ Principal
The Center for Association Resources, Inc.

From The NonProfit Times:

Your organization might not share a lot of similarities with the magazine industry upon first glance, but common ground is likely there. A reliance on direct mail and email to solicit an audience, dependence on renewals and shared special interest or common concerns often serves as a base for both.
The difference is that magazines, and other for-profits, are boasting sizable leads compared to nonprofits in such metrics. Magazines beat nonprofits in average direct-mail response rate (4% to 1.5%), according to Anne and Josef Kottler of Sage Communications in Framingham, Mass., and hold a 70% to 40% advantage in average retention rate. The Kottlers, citing an Association of Fundraising Professionals survey, stated that less than 3% of organizations claim a retention rate of 70% or better. Read More

5 Strategic Planning Pitfalls and their Antidote

Another in a series of articles related to association management selected from our reading list by:
Robert O. Patterson, JD
CEO/ Principal
The Center for Association Resources, Inc.

From Momemtum:

Some people really need a plan in order to move forward. They want it in writing, in black and white, and they want to know exactly what their part of the plan is in order to feel successful. Others have very little need for the plan – they believe that what must be done, will be done, and are confident in their ability to push forward without much clarity or documentation. Read More

Tackling the Trends in Nonprofit Communications

Another in a series of articles related to association management selected from our reading list by:
Robert O. Patterson, JD
CEO/ Principal
The Center for Association Resources, Inc.

From MC Talks:

With so many different communication channels out there – websites, newsletters, emails, and more – communicating with your association’s stakeholders can often seem overwhelming. What channels are the most effective? How often should you be sending out messages? What types of messages should you be communicating in the first place? The list of questions goes on and on. Read More

A New Way to Think About Why Members Join

Another in a series of articles related to association management selected from our reading list by:
Robert O. Patterson, JD
CEO/ Principal
The Center for Association Resources, Inc.

From Smooth the Path:

Over and over we hear that professional development and networking are the top reasons members join any association. Here’s another way to think about why members join. They are searching. Here are some of the things they are searching for: Read More

Are Members Getting Value or are They Satisfied?

Another in a series of articles related to association management selected from our reading list by:
Robert O. Patterson, JD
CEO/ Principal
The Center for Association Resources, Inc.

From Smooth the Path:

Our members get value from different offerings the association has at different times in their career. Our members may get value from benefits or from experiences or from ideas or conversations. Value is fluid. And members tend to get more value the more involved they are. If we were to field a survey to the membership a new member may say I’m satisfied and a long time engaged member may also say I’m satisfied. But those two answers do not mean the same thing.How Can a Nonprofit Define Campaign Success that Donors and Advocates will Understand? Read More