A report predicts populations in many regions will drop or stagnate within three decades.

The Maxim Institute's report said populations in about 44 of the country's 67 authorities would stagnate or decline within 30 years, compared to 11 areas now. That could place them under severe financial strain as they try to pay for infrastructure.

While centres such as Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury and Queenstown are set for growth, the report painted a bleak picture for most other regions.

These included Rotorua, Taupō, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Kaipara, Southland and the West Coast.

Maxim Institute chief executive Alex Penk said the government's regional development programmes focused solely on economic growth - but the population trends posed a big challenge on that front.

"In fact they mean that for some regions growth is not going to be the reality."

Some towns, including Kawerau and Matamata, were already working to manage decline in their areas.

"They created a wrap-around programme that relocated workers from one region to where the jobs were in the other region.

"That's the kind of response that we could actually have on the table, if we start talking about the reality that's facing us and I think that's actually a really positive opportunity for us. It isn't something we should be afraid of."

Massey University demographer Paul Spoonley, editor of the book Rebooting the Regions: Why low or zero growth needn't mean the end of prosperity, agreed decline was something that needed to be accepted, especially by politicians.

"There aren't many politicians around the country who are going to want to talk about decline.

"When you begin to talk about the demographic challenges and the economic challenges that are coming, there's some mayors who are really in denial, and that's going to be an issue."

The mayor of Gisborne, Meng Foon, disagreed with the paper's findings as far as his region was concerned.

He said given Gisborne's high population of youth, and the work underway to create jobs to keep them there, the region was set to grow.

Gisborne District mayor Meng FoonGisborne Mayor Meng Foon disagrees with the paper's findings. Photo: New Zealand Government

"Whatever report that has come out to predict the future and decline is all a myth.

"In my term, we started off with a population of 42,000 and we're now at 47,900 ... we will definitely grow sustainably."

Kaipara mayor Greg Gent was optimistic about his region's future and growth.

"In the eastern side, in Mangawhai, we're issuing 30 building permits a month, so that is growing fast.

"And actually managing that growth is one of our biggest challenges as Auckland gets closer.

The future of the western side was equally positive, he said.

It was important to acknowledge the ageing population, which his region might benefit from.

A town such as Dargaville, with a population of 5000, had all the facilities an older population needed, he said.

"Older people can keep driving, for example, as there's less congestion compared to a bigger city. They can park right outside a shop they need to go to.

"I think it's going to have more appeal to the elderly - and that's great."

New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters has rubbished the report, calling it an "apology for the government's neglect".

"It is an academic piece which is utterly remote from the facts, doesn't seem to grasp what's going on in regional and provincial New Zealand, and thinks it can write a prescription which means that small towns will go on being ghost towns and be deserted.

"They're utterly wrong of course."

He said while many regions were in decline, they had a real future.

But he said that was reliant on the government investing in their development.

"If there is no planned support base to help the rural infrastructure and help the rural export base, then it will go on doing what it's doing now and be in decline.

"If you look at, for example, broadband extension... for every dollar they spend in the provinces, they're spending almost twice that amount in the big cities."

Mr Peters said many of the provinces were big exporters and would turn around if the New Zealand dollar fell.

This article was originally sourced from Radio NZ. 

Kirsten Patterson has been named as the new chief executive for the Institute of Directors (IoD).

A qualified lawyer, she is currently the NZ head of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ).

"Good governance makes a difference to our businesses, our economy, and through to our communities," Patterson said.

"In these globally uncertain and changing times, strong governance and leadership is needed now more than ever. The IoD has a significant role to play in ensuring the New Zealand governance community is ready for the challenges ahead and that their voice is heard in the policy debates impacting New Zealand."

IoD president Michael Stiassny​ said her leadership would help drive the IoD's strategies.

"When we began our search for a new chief executive, we needed someone who could take the IoD to another level on its strategic journey with knowledge to drive excellence in corporate governance for directors. It was important to us that the new CEO had the acumen and the gravitas that you would expect from an organisation that stands for the professionalism of directors."

Previously Patterson was the general manager, corporate services at New Zealand Rugby Union where she was responsible for the stakeholder relationship between NZRU, the Government and Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd to host the Rugby World Cup 2011.

This article was originally sourced from Stuff.co.nz

The forestry and logging sector is worth $1.4 billion to GDP, making a substantially larger contribution than either the sheepmeat or beef sectors, says a new report released in Rotorua today.

The report was commissioned by the New Zealand Forest Owners Association and Farm Forestry Association from NZIER.

Forest Owners Association chairman Peter Clark said the public had underestimated the forest sector's role and importance.

"Our sector is growing faster than horticulture," he said. "For the first time since 1882 ... the value of our forest product exports is now exceeding the total value of red meat exports. That represents a sea change in our primary export mix."

The Ministry of Primary Industries forecasts that New Zealand forest product export returns will reach $6.15 billion by 2020, from $5.14 billion in 2016. Increasing returns from sawn timber, wood panels, pulp and paper, would all contribute to the growth.

However, NZIER noted the fact that the significant environmental contribution of forestry was not usually factored into its economic value, and the lack of a ministry or department dedicated to forestry, were both constraints on the industry.

NZIER recommended the establishment of a "satellite account" to reflect the growing importance of this sector. Satellite accounts extend existing information on industries to include social and environmental values, and would assist in reflecting forestry's wider benefit to New Zealand, the report said.

Mr Clark said currently everybody, including NZIER, was making assumptions based on some studies in some regions.

"The Government's Biodiversity Action Plan 2016-20 set 2017 as the target date to investigate the need and potential to produce New Zealand environmental-economic accounts," he said.

"So in implementing this undertaking, we'd love to see the Government put the environmental ruler across our forest sector."

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said Rotorua Lakes Council was the first and so far only local body to promote a Wood First Policy.

She noted about 40 per cent of the country's wood was harvested within a 100km radius of the city. And she was fully supportive of NZIER's suggestion that a satellite account for forestry be established.

"The industry needs positive support from Government and for that to happen, the industry needs to be able to quantify its worth," she said.

Forest Owners Association chief executive David Rhodes said the report's release was timely, given the increasing interest in environmental issues, and the Government's focus on regional development.

"The contribution the forest sector is making in some regions is quite significant," he said. "We are hoping to get across through the report that there are a whole bunch of things that forestry delivers, which aren't being reflected in the market statistics and GDP figures."

According to the report, wood production has risen from 10 million cu m of timber in 1989, to 28.7 million cu m last year.

However, Bryce Heard, chairman of the Forest Wood Action Group, part of Bay of Connections, said wood supply was being forecast to diminish as a result of conversion to dairy and lack of replacement planting.

The wider Bay of Plenty region was cutting around 12 million cu m a year, which was expected to drop to around 10 million cu m by the year 2030 on current projections, he said.

"We're busily trying to get people to invest in processing, but they look at 10-15 years out and ask where the wood's going to come from," he said. "It's not a good scenario for increasing processing."

Economic contribution

Services such as carbon storage, erosion control, water quality, biodiversity and recreation could provide $9.6 billion of ecological and social value from plantation forestry to New Zealand every year, the report says.

This article was originally sourced from New Zealand Herald. 

Growing challenges and emerging opportunities ahead for NZ’s not-for-profit sector, says JBWere’s New Zealand Cause ReportGrowing challenges and emerging opportunities ahead for NZ’s not-for-profit sector, says JBWere’s New Zealand Cause Report.

New Zealand’s not-for-profit sector makes a significant contribution to this country’s economy and is vital to our quality of life. Yet there are growing challenges, and also emerging opportunities, to make the sector work more efficiently to maximise impact, says the JBWere New Zealand Cause Report published today.

The JBWere New Zealand Cause Report is the first major in-depth analysis of the state of New Zealand’s $20 billion a year not-for-profit (NFP) sector, tracking its growth over the decade from 2004 and providing a detailed sector analysis.

The Cause Report provides an overview of New Zealand’s NFP sector including its asset base, income and expenditure, philanthropy and innovation, the makeup of its workforce and volunteers, and how the sector compares internationally. It offers some predictions for the future of the sector. The second part of the report focusses on data and analysis on 18 sub-sectors ranging from arts, culture and heritage; education; health; care and protection of animals; and international activities. The Cause Report analysis was based on data from Statistics New Zealand and data collected and published by Charities Services from charities’ annual returns.

JBWere’s New Zealand head Craig Patrick says, “It’s very clear that New Zealand’s not-for-profit sector, which not only helps the most vulnerable and needy in our society, but also touches all of us almost every day in areas such as sport, education, arts and health, is crucial to our country’s future prosperity and wellbeing.

“Kiwis care very much about causes, and want to start and be involved in good works. There’s one NFP organisation per 170 New Zealanders – 27,380 in total. This is substantially lower than Australia with 422 NFPs per head and the US with 339. Since 2010, there have been 2.5 charities established each business day in New Zealand. Considering the governance obligations from board members and the sheer number of people required, we’re concerned that this very large number of organisations will create a burden on their supporters and volunteers. Looking ahead, we think that more collaboration and mergers could be part of the solution.”

Funding growth for the sector has been reasonably strong, almost 6% annually since 2004. “This growth has often been at the expense of margins which are squeezed. This has impacted on the ability for organisations to fund innovation and think more creatively. Where, for example, are the Googles in the NFP sector?”

With $60 billion in assets, the NFP sector has a strong base. “However, we ask if these organisations are using their assets for maximum impact and return? For example, in 25 years’ time will universities need their highly valuable bricks-and-mortar campuses, or will the cream of academia be available to all online? On a smaller scale, is there any reason why, say, local rugby and football clubs can’t share their administration – and some of them already are doing this. We would encourage organisations to re-examine the suitability of their assets,” says Mr Patrick.

Looking ahead, JBWere sees a trend of new sources of funding emerging. “Impact investments are becoming more popular where a project seeks to deliver both a financial profit as well as a social return. An example of this would be a fund which buys water rights, selling to farmers when demand is high, and later returning to the environment when rainfall is good. Another example is a profitable catering business employing and training vulnerable youth.”

“As well, we’re seeing new methods of corporate support through partnerships that offer shared-value opportunities. A corporate and a charity will form a partnership – with mutual benefits. This is happening with, say, the development of a financial literacy programme where banks then experience a drop in loan defaults, and charities see fewer clients having to deal with financial pressures,” says Mr Patrick.

Cure Kids CEO Frances Benge has welcomed the findings in the JBWere New Zealand Cause Report. “The Cause Report initiates an important discussion on a vital sector in the wellbeing of our society. It’s an important analysis for not-for-profit organisations as we grapple with the need to demonstrate its tangible contribution to our people. The New Zealand picture emphases this need further with the reliance on philanthropy rather than government funding driving the importance of mutual interest collaborations, astute management of expenses and a greater appreciation of the value of volunteers.”

Graeme Dingle, co-founder of the Graeme Dingle Foundation, says the JBWere New Zealand Cause Report encourages the sector to have innovative win/win discussions with the corporate sector. “The Report identifies the need to move from well-meaning philanthropy to shared-value partnerships with New Zealand businesses. These will create more value and mutual benefits to both parties.”

Craig Patrick concludes, “The NFP sector is the glue that holds much of New Zealand society together. The JBWere New Zealand Cause Report 2017 highlights the breadth and depth that NFPs contribute to not only our country’s economy, but also how it touches all our lives. We look forward to engaging more with the NFP sector in working through the challenges ahead and the opportunities available to make it work better for all New Zealanders.”

The next edition of the JBWere Cause Report for New Zealand will be published in early 2019.

This media release was sourced directly from Business Scoop NZ and was written by JBWere. 

AuSAE has welcomed new members from the following organisations this month. Is your organisation on this list? If your organisation is on this list as an AuSAE organisational member but you are unsure if you are part of the membership bundle, please contact the friendly AuSAE team at info@ausae.org.au.

Not on this list? To join AuSAE today please visit our membership information page here.

AuSAE have now released dates and speakers for the second round of Networking Luncheons for 2017. The topic for this round of Networking Luncheons is "Member Engagement: Remaining Relevant in a Society of Choice". 

AuSAE's networking luncheons are a great way to connect with others in the industry to discuss high level topics of real importance, develop new relationships and gain critical information. This is a rare opportunity to network with other CEOs and senior management professionals from charities, associations and other non-profit organisations. Ample opportunity will be given for you to discuss issues and network with others.

See dates below for the second round of Networking Luncheons for 2017:

• Brisbane Tuesday 11 July - Richard Stokes, Executive Director, Australian Boarding Schools Association
• Sydney Wednesday 12 July - Martin Thomas, Operations Manager - Training & Development, St John Ambulance Australia NSW 
• Perth Thursday 13 July - Steve Moir, Chief Executive Officer, Motor Trade Association of Western Australia
• Melbourne Tuesday 25 July - Allan Crosthwaite, Director, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia
• Adelaide Thursday 27 July - Kerrie Akkermans, National Membership Strategist & SA State Manager, Australian Water Association
• Canberra Monday 31 July - Martin Thomas, Operations Manager - Training & Development, St John Ambulance Australia NSW

Perspective is critical. I have been reminded of this several times recently.

The most recent was at the Asia Pacific Great Ideas in Association Management conference in Korea where one of the US speakers talked about his near-death experience. While dying (multiple times) on his hospital bed he quizzed the nurse if she belonged to the Nurses Association and when the stunned nurse replied “No”, he told her to go away and send someone who did. I applaud his unwavering commitment to receiving the best possible health case and commend his support of the Association sector. His message to the attendees in Korea was that associations matter! That associations can mean the difference between life and death. That we should all be incredibly proud of the work we do each and every day to serve our associations and the industries or sectors they represent.

I was privileged to attend the conference and honoured to co-present one session titled from ‘Start Up to Sustainable – Negotiating the S Curve’ and assist in the conference closing session by presenting a 5 minute Ignite session on volunteering.

Two of the key themes from the conference for me were around engagement and diversity.

A former VP of Kodak, Don Strickland, emphasised the lack of diversity on the staff, management and board which lead to the downfall of the photographic giant. It raised the question of what we are doing to ensure diversity of thinking, experiences and knowledge within our organisations to forecast disruption, assess opportunities and stay relevant.

Another presenter, entrepreneur So-Young Kang, a USA Korean woman living in Singapore (now there’s some diversity) talked about mechanisms and tools for engaging with members and clients. From gamification to instant feedback on-line, she showcased innovative options for associations to consider like Gnowbe.

If you want more information from the APGI conference just let me know. An remember early bird registrations for ACE close on Friday 7 April.  Register now for what will be an amazing conference!

The internet has made world-class content front, center, mobile and affordable—often free.

Anyone can hear the best experts for free (or nearly free) on almost any device they own. Anyone can get thought leadership at their fingertips.

And your conference audience does. They have access to the same information you do. They can hear, watch and read the greatest speakers anytime.

Technology Disrupts Traditional Content-Driven Conferences

So why should someone pay a registration fee, book a flight and hotel rooms, and take a couple of days off from their normal work to attend your conference?

The conferences of the 80s, 90s and 2000s built their attendance by offering excellent speakers, slick productions, amazing networking and access to professional tribes. They often had fantastic closing parties with great entertainment and music as well. Content, entertainment and production ruled!

The challenge today is that the internet, technology and mobile devices have disrupted that model. What conferences had that were exclusive and something to be experienced, is now portable, affordable and everywhere.

Conference Experience Trumps Delivery Of Content

Ultimately, your conference experience will have to trump content.

So we need to use curated content to attract the right target market. We need to leverage the best thought leadership to appeal to conference customers. We should secure the best professional speakers that entice the right registrant.

However, don’t stop there. Content will attract. But your experience will keep them coming back for more…or not. You’ve got to focus on designing great participant experiences!

You can no longer afford to just deliver content at your event. You can no longer afford to distribute content in two or three days and expect it to turn a profit.

Why?

More people are asking, “If I can watch and listen to this on my phone or tablet, why would I attend?”

If you don’t have a good answer to this question as a conference professional, you lose!

Conferences that cultivate great experiences win.

Great Conference Experiences

So what makes for a great experience?

Using content as a tool for active peer to peer and small group discussions. (Not large audience discussions!)

Focusing on audiences as learners and asking speakers to facilitate learning experiences not listening sponges.

Allowing audiences the chance to share and contribute what the content means to them and their work.

Leveraging content to serve as a catalyst where audiences co-create knowledge, solutions and new ideas.

Community experiences with like-minded tribes and outside influencers all discussing the same content and topics.

Sifting Through Online And Face To Face Experiences

Conference organizers will have to sift through what can happen in person and what can be duplicated online.

Those that focus on designing conference experience will continue to grow. Those who continue to follow the old model of spray and pray, sit and get, schedule and deliver, secure and distribute won’t.

You’ve got to offer something in person that you can never get online.

The future belongs to the innovative conference professionals who get better at uncovering and leveraging the differences between online content, online experiences and face to face conference experiences.

This article was originally sourced from Velvet Chainsaw. 

Many associations are slow to change.

Often association leadership views change as something that disrupts the peace. They want to maintain the status quo.

When beliefs that we lean on and build programming around change, we flinch. We deny. We fight and scream to maintain the past. Yet, sometimes, these changes proceed forward like waves on the beach. Nothing will stop them.

Six Disruptive Issues Associations Must Face

Here are six disruptive 21st Century issues that associations are having great difficulty responding and adapting to.

1. Digital transformation is not easy and is required!

Digital transformation is more than a buzzword says technology guru Scott Klososky. It is the historic era we are currently experiencing. And it’s transforming associations, business, industry, and daily life.

“We are only beginning to understand how our society and our species will appear at the end of this transformation. What we do know is that technology is impacting every component of our civilization; from the way we communicate, to the way we conduct commerce, and ultimately the way we experience the world around us,” says Klososky.

Our association’s success or failure hinges on digital tools and ultimately becoming digitally mature organizations.

Klososky says digitally mature organizations offer a wealth of advantages including profit amplification, a technology halo, and long term viability. Long term viability–relevancy–alone should make every association board member jump for digital transformation.

And organizations that embrace digital transformation and become digitally mature have a two-year lead on their competitors says Klososky. Now that’s relevancy!

2. Connectivity is replacing knowledge.

Connectivity—the measure at which people are connected to each other, networks and the internet, and the ease or speed at which they converse—is replacing knowing.

Connectivity offers associations, businesses, institutions, and people access and visibility. We all want the ability to survey business landscapes, identify trends, adopt and adapt innovations, stay abreast of new endeavors, and create new products and services.

Here’s the rub: What do I know, and what should I do with what I know? How does always-on access to Google, digital communities, and vast multimedia libraries credit or discredit the idea of knowing something? How can I use those things I am connected to, and with, to my business advantage? (Hat tips educator Terry Heick.)

Now think of it like this: How can I use my association to my business advantage?

Sure knowledge will matter. In a world where information is commoditized and is boundless associations can’t compete with just dispensing information. What’s scarce is feedback, understanding and application.

3. Members don’t understand learning.

Our association members don’t understand learning.

Our Board of Directors speak about learning and education in of terms and attendance at workshops, number of butts in seats, compliance, certification and standards. Why? Because that’s how we speak to them.

They understand lecturing, speaking, passing a test, subject matter experts, success, and failure.

What if they understood how people learn even half as well as many educators, cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists? What if they understood the pros and cons of dispensing content through a lecture versus collaborative co-creative methods of knowledge creation and understanding? What if they understood the need for higher order critical thinking versus telling an audience what to do?

You association customers are the sleeping giants when it comes to learning. Think of them as students with 25+ years of life experience. If they had any clue how poorly association education efforts create attitude, behavior and skill change, regardless the evaluation satisfaction rates, they would stop attending your education. And they would leave your association.

4. Most certification academic standards have limited value.

There! I said it. It doesn’t mean those standards are not worth knowing. It does mean that understanding, application and wise use of specific standards represents a certification priority. Knowing is not enough! Too many certified individuals can pass a test of industry standards and can’t apply it to save their business!

5. Members have real options.

We have a large variety of learning options today. We also have a plethora of curated content to help us keep our edge. MOOCS, elearning, digital events, blended learning, curated feeds, are brazen to association offerings. Associations have to compete with other possibilities that are frankly more compelling, creative, and social than marching through a passive, one-way webinar, outdated newsfeed, lecture or recording.

6. Mobile changes everything, and true mobility makes associations nervous.

Mobile technology is changing everything we do as a culture. It’s not going to stop at shopping, communication, and entertainment. Mobile isn’t a buzzword. It’s the future.

This article was originally sourced from Velvet Chainsaw.

You’ve probably heard of grants in the context of academia or community building: An organization offers a sum of money to any individual or group that promises to pursue a project, an idea or a program within certain parameters. Receiving a grant has traditionally meant spending hours researching details that justify your need for the grant, writing a detailed proposal that outlines how you would use the grant money and then waiting and hoping you’re chosen to receive the grant.

But, grants aren’t just for academics or community planners. Did you know that associations are using grants to encourage seasoned professionals to continue their professional development or to help young people interested in their industry find internships?

During our session at the 2017 Great Ideas Conference, we presented three ways your association can leverage grants funded by industry or vendor partners to strengthen your membership: use them to draw in new members, to encourage professional development, and to support the sponsors who fund them.

Use grants to bring in new members

It can be financially difficult for professionals in your industry to become dedicated members if they cannot experience firsthand the value of being a member due to the financial cost. With many companies operating on lean budgets, money for association dues is not always available. If it is available, some professionals may have a hard time convincing their supervisor or accounting department that association dues are a wise investment in their professional skill set.

At the Florida Society of Association Executives, membership dues grants specifically for professionals in the field of association management grew out of a recognized need to help people who still need financial assistance diving in to the association community. Some might have changed careers mid-life and deserve some support as they learn about their new field and strive to network and become more comfortable in it. Others may be looking to get more involved in their professional association and to further their own development. FSAE takes funds from one industry partner and applies them toward a new member grant that covers membership dues for one year plus one registration to their annual conference. This new member grant has opened the door to greater association involvement for many eager association professionals.

“After experiencing FSAE for myself, I eagerly volunteered to serve on the marketing committee to help plan and promote the 2017 conference and am happily paying to renew my membership. I am thrilled to be a part of this truly inspiring group of creative and innovative individuals!” Lonnie Parizek, MHCA

Another membership grant that helps draw in more members is a young professionals-only grant that grew out of a need voiced by a task force made up of these professionals. They vocalized to the association board that many young professionals want to join and become involved an association but don’t have the funds from their company or individually to cover conference fees and associated travel expenses. Having the chance to apply for conference attendance funds would encourage more of their peers to actually become engaged members of FSAE. The association created an application for this type of foundation-funded grant and saw young professional involvement at the conference, through year-round committees, and on the Young Professionals task force grow. Encouraging more young professional involvement early on in their careers helps ensure that FSAE’s future leadership will be strong and sustainable.

“I am grateful to the Foundation for allowing this opportunity for our young leaders to be seen in a more professional way.” Amanda Bowen, 2016-17 FSAE Young Professionals Task Force Chair

Use grants to encourage professional development

Another way to apply industry partner funding through grants is to designate it for professional development programs. After a few years of not distributing all the donations given to its foundation because of lack of interest in traditional professional development certificate programs and seminars, the Georgia Society of Association Executives researched what its members really wanted when it came to financial help. The answer? Assistance funding internship positions. Its member organizations, who are associations and association management companies, really wanted to attract more college students and young professionals to the field but couldn’t compete with the handsomely paid internships other industries offered.

GSAE quickly reorganized its member grant program to focus on funding paid internships among its members. Organizations that had at least one GSAE member on staff could apply for money to be used to pay for an intern for a summer, a semester, or a year. A job description for the internship must be submitted with the application and must show that the intern would do work integral to the organization’s mission and vision, and not just make coffee or file paperwork. The organization must share in the cost of the intern as well, so that the organization would be just as invested in the intern and their potential future as a full-time association professional as GSAE.

During the 16 years GSAE’s internship program has been around, dozens of interns have thrived at association management companies and associations, and many have chosen to continue working full time in the association field after their internship ended. At the same time, the program has helped out the very same members who fund it by returning their donation to them in the form of extra help for organizations that want to grow their staff but must do so in small financial increments. GSAE’s internship grant program has become a way to introduce students to the field of association management while grooming future members.

Use grants to support the sponsors who fund them

Members and member organizations aren’t the only ones who belong to associations. Industry partners and sponsors who belong to associations for access to potential customers and to give back to the professionals who patronize their business deserve to benefit from the money they routinely give to bolster the industry on the local, regional, or even national level.

When businesses donate money for grants, they often expect recognition and certain benefits in return. They want brand exposure, access to your members as potential clients, the chance to build goodwill with the association and its members, the opportunity to give back their industry, and the chance to nurture existing client-member relationships. Donating to an association’s grant fund is a tangible way for businesses to give back and show support for members. It’s up to your association to fill in the other benefits. Recognize your grant sponsors every chance you can. Bring them up on stage at your events. Thank them for their support in your publications and on your website. Consult with them about new grants you could create aimed at specific audiences they want to meet and nurture.

Consider taking some of the money they invest in your association and invest it right back in them. The Georgia Association of Convenience Stores did just that when it learned that many of its members, who own and operate convenience stores across the state, wanted to upgrade the outdoor lighting at their stores but couldn’t easily bear the cost. GACS secured a $450,000 block grant from the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority and redistributed this money to members who applied for their newly created lighting retrofit grant project. Having this extra cash allowed many c-store owners to enhance the lighting (and thus the level of safety) at their gas stations, which boosted their business and their profits by encouraging more motorists to stop at their stores at night.

Grants can potentially add a lot of value to your membership offerings by making membership benefits more accessible to more people. Use grants to invest in all segments of your membership. By doing so, your association will open doors for more fulfilling careers in association management, build a stronger membership value proposition, retain more members, and turn existing members into brand ambassadors for your causes.

This article was originally sourced from Association Adviser.