Association Management Models
Four basic options are available to associations and societies for association management:
- Member volunteers
- Employed staff (i.e. Standalone)
- AMC-managed
- AMC-supported (i.e. Outsourced)
The following table provides a brief overview of the relative strengths and considerations of each option. Of these, only select AMCs can deliver an
accredited association management solution.
| Option |
Strengths |
Considerations |
| Member volunteers |
- High commitment to and understanding of the organization's mission
- Low direct cost (initially)
|
- Time conflicts with volunteers
- Not experts at running associations
- Turnover creates inconsistencies
- No neutral parties; open to conflicts of interest
|
| Employed staff (i.e. Standalone) |
- Dedicated staff
- Specialized knowledge about the association
- Continuity
|
- High overhead (e.g., office space, equipment, etc.)
- May be a problem staffing key positions or areas of expertise given competitive compensation costs for fulltime staff
- Higher burden and risk associated with being an employer
|
| AMC-Managed |
- Experts in association management and operations
- Lower overhead
- Expertise in multiple disciplines
- Eliminates many typical legal risks associated with operations
- Continuity
|
- Possible mismatch between the association's needs and their specific AMC's expertise
|
| AMC-Supported (i.e. Outsourced) |
- Understand the nonprofit environment
- Serve as an extension of staff
- Work efficiently and within budget
- Frees you to focus on mission critical projects
- Depth and breadth of staff experience allows AMCs to plug in quickly to a project
|
- Make sure scope of work is clearly defined and expectations stated
|
Resources
