Resources
AMC Institute provides a variety of resources for association and nonprofit leaders to advance mission-critical objectives and exceed their goals.
How do I partner with an AMC?
- AMC 101: What is an AMC? Why is an AMC the Best Option for Your Association?
By: Bill Hakanson - There are basically three ways to "staff" an association: volunteers, hired staff or, often the ideal way, by hiring an Association Management Company (AMC). These professionals are hired for their skill sets and experience, and are driven to excel in their respective fields.
- Your Association May Be Ready for Professional Management
By: Conni Ingallina - Oftentimes a non-profit needs more than a "friend" of the industry, they need "professional management" — and the best place to look for professional, skilled and experienced management is an Association Management Company (AMC).
- Managing Not-for-Profits series: What to Consider When Partnering with an AMC
AMC Institute Publication; November 2008
A guide for board members and executives - This guide offers answers to common (and uncommon) questions from
leaders of associations and not-for-profit organizations considering
partnering with an AMC.
- Hiring Your First AMC: Five Tips for a Successful Search
Associations Now Supplement; Suzanne C. Pine; July 2008 - Selecting an AMC isn't a decision to be made lightly. But a few simple
steps can put you on the path to choosing the AMC that's best for your
association.
- Secrets to receiving superior association management
proposals
by: Steve Drake; 2007 - Just as those
organizations seek a management firm that fits its needs, AMCs seek association clients that
meet their expertise, and most AMCs have a profile of their "ideal" client.
Certain key factors
make the RFP process more successful for both parties.
- How to plan for and execute a flawless transition
by: Suzanne C. Pine; 2002 - The decision to transition from an independent office to an experienced association management company (AMC) can be based on several factors. A good percentage of the time the decision is based on the Board of Director's fiduciary responsibility to the membership. The objective of a board is to offer members expanded services and to facilitate future growth in a cost-effective environment. Entering into a partnership with an experienced AMC can provide these elements.
- Sample Management Transition Checklist
- Transitioning to an Association Management Company (AMC)? Here's a list of things to think about and walk-through with your new AMC partner, from permanent files to financial documents and meetings information.
How do AMCs help associations succeed?
- AMC Managed and Standalone Organizations — A Sibling
Study
by: Michael T. LoBue, CAE; May 2009 - This (white) paper examines the similarities and
differences between organizations managed by
association management companies (AMC-managed) and
those that hire their own staff, lease or own their office
space, and spend their scarce revenues on capital goods
(standalone). This paper doesn't take a position on the question: "Which
management model is better?"; it lets the data tell the story.
- The AMC Advantage: Proven Professional Management for Nonprofits
by: John Francis; September 2008 - According to the 2008 Nonprofit Almanac, America's nonprofit sector is outpacing the for-profit
sector. A little known industry of Association Management Companies (AMCs) is helping to drive this
record growth. Increasingly, executive directors and volunteer leaders of nonprofits are turning to AMCs
for effective professional management to help raise their organization to the next level.
- Is There an AMC Behind That $5 Million Association?
by: Jonathan Lurie -
Picture this. A successful association with an operating budget of $5 million known as "the" source for industry knowledge with a board of directors that is strategically focused. The organization is humming on leading-edge technology, providing for efficient operations and supporting a solid financial foundation. Question: Is this association outsourcing all or part of its functions to an Association Management Company (AMC)? Answer: Absolutely.
- Outsource It!
Associations Bisnow; February 24, 2009 - If outsourcing can work for Hollywood then why not for association jobs? Associations Bisnow spoke with Rick Cristol, President of Kellen Company, the world's 2nd largest association management company, who says requests for their services have increased dramatically.
Case Studies — Examples of AMCs helping Associations
- See the Difference Accreditation Makes
AMC Institute Publication; January 2009 - Proven standards. Proven accountability. Proven commitment. If your nonprofit or association is considering contracting with an AMC, start your search with companies that have completed the AMC Institute Accreditation process.
- Voluntary National Standards and Accreditation: Why you should only select Accredited Association Management Companies
By: Rick Church -
We are all familiar with certain kinds of accreditation. Your doctor may be "Board Certified" to a particular discipline. The back of your refrigerator probably has a sticker that says, "UL Listed". Both are forms of accreditation. What does this have to do with Association Management Companies? AMC Institute decided that a standard should be created for Association Management Companies (AMCs) to use as a benchmark for providing quality services.
Governance & Finance Solutions
- Scenario-Planning Power for Unsettled Times
Associations Now, February 2010
by: Bruce E. Balfe and Barton G. Tretheway, CAE - Your association may have done SWOT analysis or scenario-planning exercises in the past. But are you ready to take your scenarios to the next level? A more advanced approach offers greater value in unsettled times.
- Managing Not-for-Profits series: Redesigned IRS Form 990: What Tax-Exempt Organizations Need to Know
AMC Institute Publication; August 2008 - The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued a redesigned Form 990, the annual return required to be filed by tax-exempt organizations to report information about their operations. This is the first time the form has been overhauled since 1979. As a result, exempt organizations must provide much more information about their organizations beginning with the 2008 tax year (the form that is filed in 2009). This brochures explains these changes and why they are important to volunteer leaders.
- Associations ramping up education for new Form 990
CEO Update; August 29, 2008 -
Now that IRS has finalized the form and instructions, 501(c) organizations
must implement systems to comply with new disclosures. ... The AMC Institute, the trade group for association management companies,
launched a new publication, Managing Not-for-Profits, and the premier issue
addresses the redesigned 990.
- AMCs and International Opportunities
by: David Camacho -
The benefits of an international presence for a North American-based association are many:
Increased stature and influence, a knowledge base enriched by new approaches to familiar
problems, and a potentially limitless pool of members and clients for products and services.
But before rushing to add an "I" to your association’s acronym, take a moment to review
strategies for successful positioning - including the facilitating role that an international AMC
can play.
Meetings & Education Solutions
- Outsourcing: Using an AMC to Run Your Meetings, Conferences & Trade Shows
by: Clifford M. Brownstein -
For many years, AMCs have managed trade and professional associations with budgets running into the multimillions. They could not have accomplished that without offering a wide, comprehensive array of services necessary to successfully manage full-service, growing associations. Quite prominent among these services have been conference and trade show management. Clearly, AMCs possess the knowledge, expertise, and experience to not only manage meetings and trade shows, but to promote and sell them as well.
- Green Meetings on the Rise, Despite Down Economy
AMC Connection — June 2009
by: Greg Schultz
Reprinted with permission, copyright 2009, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC -
In a tightening economy where for-profit and not-for-profit companies alike are cutting back on
resources and programming, associations are seeing green, increasing meeting budgets in the name
of sustainability.
Marketing Resources
- Marketing Your Association in a Social Media Age
Presented by: A panel of Association Management Company principals, facilitated by Steve Drake, Drake & Company, at 2011 ASAE The Center for Association Leadership's Annual Meeting.
- Getting to Know AMCs to Earn Business
Presented by: Paul Wehking, Omnipress, at 2011 AMC Institute AMC Community Conference
- Getting to Know AMCs to Earn Business
Weathering the Economic Storm
- Membership Maintenance in a Challenging Economy
By: CMA Association Management; January 2011 - With the effects of the economy continuing into 2011, the role of association membership continues to change. In fact, in late 2009, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Center for Association Leadership conducted an online survey to determine the role of association membership in the current economic climate. The survey found that while association members see associations as valuable for networking, they are less confident in what associations can provide in an economic downturn. Respondents disagreed that associations do not provide the resources necessary to cope with a down economy.
- Selecting the Right Association Management Software for Your Customer
By: YourMembership.com Inc; January 2011 - Selecting association management software can be daunting due to vendors' variable pricing structures and features. Yet navigating your way through vendor offerings is essential to choosing a system that works best for you and your clients. Selecting suitable software is one of the most important, and possibly cost-saving, technology opportunities you'll be charged with. Ensure you have the necessary information and knowledge required to make a decision prior to beginning your search.
- Are AMC-Managed Organizations Recession Resistant?
By: Michael T. LoBue, CAE; July 2010 - The current economic climate is having an impact on associations, just as it is on virtually all business sectors. This report on a recent study shows that standalone organizations employing their own staff, leasing their own office space and incurring their own capital expenses were nearly twice as likely to have ended 2008 with deficits than organizations managed by Association Management Companies (AMCs). Therefore, the answer to the question posed in the title would seem to be a resounding "yes."
- Survey Reveals More Organizations Turning to AMCs
AMC Connection; December 2009
By: Steve Drake
Reprinted with permission, copyright 2009, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC.
- According to a recent AMC Institute survey of member AMCs, more associations and nonprofits are turning to AMCs for management expertise, finding added value in the flexibility of the AMC model. Demand for management services is up in 2009, client bases are expanding, and as a result, AMCs are growing and hiring. Read more about the success of AMCs, even during a rocky economy.
- Managing Not-for-Profit series: Managing Your Not-for-Profit
in a Tight Economy
AMC Institute Publication; April 2009
- AMC Institute is a vast resource for volunteer leaders and association executives navigating the new economy and broaching the transition to outsourced management. Surviving the economic downturn doesn’t have to mean scaling back on programs and member initiatives. This issue of Managing Not-for-Profits offers guiding principles to overcome economic challenges, complete with best practice scenarios drawn from AMC-managed not-for-profits.
- AMC Institute Makes the Case for AMC Value in an Economic
Downturn
AMC Connection; March 2009
Reprinted with permission, copyright 2009, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC.
-
In difficult economic times, members of not-for-profits often turn to their organizations for increased
support and guidance. At the same time, the staff and board of directors may feel pressed for
solutions to stay on course and on budget. AMC Institute, the independent international trade
association that represents the association management industry, recently devoted an issue of its
Managing Not-for-Profits series to providing guidelines for board members and not-for-profit
executives to effectively manage the economic downturn and maximize opportunities for their
organization, offering best practice scenarios drawn from AMC-managed not-for-profits.
- Managing the Economic Downturn and Maximizing
Opportunities
AMC Connection; June 2009
by: Steve Drake
Reprinted with permission, copyright 2009, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, Washington, DC. - The President of AMC Institute, Steve Drake, discusses key decisions
regarding AMC Institute's direction for the future.
- In a Weak Economy, ASAE's Graham & Others Say Get Focused
by: Marlane Bundock; Convention South Magazine; January 2009
- To get a better picture of the current impact of the U.S. economy on associations and what the future will look like, Convention South turned to the president/CEO of the American Society of Association Executives and The Center for Association Leadership, and national Association Management Company owners who represent multiple association clients. Their advice? Get focused.
- Shaky economy propels outsourcing
CEOUpdate; November 21, 2008
-
In a precarious economy, a growing number of associations of all sizes that are trying to keep paying
rent and their full-time employees are following the path of for-profit companies who have for years used
outsourcing as a means to save money. The idea that a nonprofit organization would outsource any of its
operations to a for-profit association management company (AMC) is not new, but statistics show it is a
rapidly expanding trend and experts agree it will continue.
Press Releases and News Stories
• Media Resource Center