Spark Consulting

JUNE 11, 2025

Earlier this week, Associations Now profiled a recent report from McKinley Advisors, Business Model Innovation , in which they identify five innovation elements that can provide the revenue that fuels your association’s ability to achieve your mission: Value – rethink your value proposition Revenue – pursue new pricing strategies Community – provide opportunities for relationship-building, both online and in-person Reach – expand your thinking beyond just your memb

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The Big Picture

JUNE 3, 2025

I’m on the road visiting our new office in Chicago and then heading to meet clients in San Francisco. However, after hearing some misinformation on TV from the usual suspects, I felt compelled to remind people of some key facts about the US debt and deficits. For a period of ~20 years, beginning after the September 11th attack, accelerating after the GFC, and running up until the 2022 rate hikes, the United States enjoyed incredibly low interest rates.

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Ungated

JUNE 9, 2025

Contributed by Gar Liebler, CMCA International Community Association Managers Day is June 13th, a day to celebrate the hard work and dedication of community managers around the world and recognize the value of the profession. Whether you chose community management or it chose you, you are part of a mission with profound significance. This profession offers the rare opportunity to blend practical skills with meaningful purpose, creating spaces where life’s most important moments unfold.

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A2Z Events

JUNE 6, 2025

Leading our largest city-wide event for several years opened the door to serve on another organization’s board young in my career. I am sure the executive director had little interest in the opinions or fiduciary experience of a late 20-something in his first board role. Like many leadership roles, it leads to others. From arts and events to academics, each board has come with unique opportunities and challenges – from tough decisions to the evolving needs of each organization.

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Is your current AMS is creating more problems than it solves? You can lead the change. This eBook shares a customizable letter designed to help you clearly communicate your organization’s challenges, highlight the benefits of a modern system, and make a strong case for exploring a new AMS. Whether it’s outdated reporting, clunky workflows, or member frustration, this resource will help you start the conversation with clarity and position yourself as the advocate your organization needs.

How To

AMR Management Services

JUNE 11, 2025

Relying on membership dues alone is limited and risky. Economic shifts, changing member behaviors, and unexpected disruptions can all strain the traditional dues-based model. When too much depends on a single revenue stream, even well-established associations can scramble to stay afloat. Forward-thinking associations aren’t abandoning dues. Instead, they’re building diverse, resilient financial practices that help… The post 4 Non-Dues Revenue Ideas for Innovative Associations first appeare

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Spark Consulting

JUNE 4, 2025

This is IT. You’ve just come up with THE game-changing idea for your organization. It’s going to transform your profession or industry, bring in more members, or dramatically increase your non-dues revenue. Upside: potential HUGE reward. Downside: equally HUGE risk. But we’re associations. We’re risk-averse. So don’t do it, right?

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Associations Now

JUNE 11, 2025

Even in lean times, well-executed events can boost revenue and engagement. When budgets tighten, many organizations are forced to make tough decisions about where to invest. But for associations that rely on engagement, exposure, and growth, one investment continues to deliver measurable returns: hosting successful trade shows and conferences. At eShow , we’ve seen how organizations turn events into essential revenue streams to offset cuts and drive long-term value.

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Achurch

JUNE 9, 2025

Is your event budget staying flat (or maybe it’s even decreased)? How do you continue to deliver member value, especially if some of your audience is not in-person? Hybrid events are a great solution to help support members whose travel dollars or permission might risk drying up. But how do you ensure value for all attendees? How can you facilitate connection, demonstrate member value, and reinforce your organization’s value (especially if your annual meeting is the main benefit)?

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.orgSource

JUNE 10, 2025

When a new piece of technology enters the association ecosystem—whether it’s a CRM, AMS, AI tool, or collaboration platform—the organization’s success doesn’t rest solely on features, functionality, or even budget. The true determinant of adoption? Leadership. In any digital initiative, it’s the behaviors, mindset, and presence of leaders that set the tone for how the organization will respond.

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Unlock the Power of Historical Data A Data Revolution: Why Your AMS/CRM Needs a Native Data Warehouse Today’s association leaders need more than real-time snapshots—they need the full story. MemberSuite: A Data Revolution reveals how a native data warehouse transforms your AMS into a strategic decision-making engine. In this free eBook, you’ll discover: The difference between a database and a data warehouse—and why it matters How to gain historical visibility into membership, engagement, events,

Leadership

Forj

JUNE 10, 2025

For decades, associations have leaned heavily on the same predictable revenue streams—membership dues, monthly journals, and annual conferences—to fund their work. But the status quo doesn't guarantee success: in 2024, 21% of associations reported declines , underscoring the urgent need to diversify revenue and evolve membership offerings to deliver greater member value.

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Event Industry News

JUNE 3, 2025

Welcome to the Summer Event Guide from Event Industry News – your essential companion for the busiest season in the live events calendar. Packed with insight, innovation, and inspiration, this guide highlights the standout suppliers, venues, and services shaping summer activations across the UK and beyond.

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AMR Management Services

JUNE 4, 2025

When you think about an away game you might flash to your kids hectic soccer schedule or a team sport you played back in your glory days. For my association, NASCIO (National Association of State Chief Information Officers), it means meeting our members (in all 50 states and six territories) and our association strategic partners… The post The Importance of Playing Away Games first appeared on AMR Management Services.

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Associations Now

JUNE 4, 2025

MGM Resorts is transforming business meetings by putting wellness at the forefront. Discover how a holistic approach can lead to more productive events. As the nature of work and travel continues to evolve, wellness has emerged as a cornerstone of the modern meeting experience. Attendees are no longer just looking for high-tech spaces and seamless logistics theyre also seeking environments that support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

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Speaker: Gareth Webb & Phil Selley, Founding Partners at Intouch Business

For many nonprofit organizations and NGOs, managing grants and monitoring projects with spreadsheets and manual processes feels familiar—but is it holding your organization back? As funding requirements become more complex and stakeholder expectations for transparency grow, relying on outdated methods can lead to inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and compliance risks.

System

The Big Picture

JUNE 9, 2025

I grew up in the generation of latchkey kids: Both parents worked; you came home from school, fixed yourself a quick bite, then ran off to the playground for some stick- or b-ball. We weren’t wildly overscheduled; we didn’t have 20 hours a week of school events, after-school activities, and projects.  We were (mostly) on our own. This led to a generation of parents who recognized the risks all this unsupervised play created.

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.orgSource

JUNE 3, 2025

When your association invests in new technologybe it a CRM, AMS, learning management system, or AI-driven toolsthe expectation is often that improved efficiency, deeper member engagement, and smarter operations will naturally follow. But as any seasoned leader knows, digital transformation isnt just about softwareits about people. The most advanced tools in the world wont yield results if your team doesnt use them with confidence and purpose.

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Forj

JUNE 5, 2025

Delafield, WI June 5th 2025] Forj , the leading learning and community solution for associations and professional networks is excited to announce the addition of Jena Cummiskey as Vice President of Product Management. Cummiskey brings over 10 years of visionary product leadership experience, with a proven track record of driving growth, improving user adoption, and delivering award-winning SaaS solutions.

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Event Industry News

JUNE 6, 2025

Red Event Production is excited to announce the acquisition of Alexander Media & Production Services (AMPS), a highly respected production company with a legacy of personal service and technical excellence. This strategic move marks a significant milestone in Red’s continued growth, enhancing its operational strength, technical capabilities, and creative ability.

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Struggling to generate revenue beyond membership dues? You're not alone. Our free guide, The Ultimate Guide to Non-Dues Revenue for Associations , offers practical strategies to help your organization boost financial health. Inside, you'll explore creative ways to generate income, including: Educational offerings tailored to your audience Event-based revenue opportunities Job boards that drive engagement and income Corporate sponsorship ideas A checklist to evaluate and strengthen your current a

Revenue

AMG

JUNE 11, 2025

This article was originally published on June 6, 2025 by Jennifer Miller for Community Association Institute as a contribution. In this era of unpredictability and high stress, effective communication — paired with its thoughtful planning and execution — is a core skill that can help smooth the path for community association board members, managers, and residents.

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Associations Now

JUNE 3, 2025

A survey from Freeman found that attendees are looking for demos tailored to their needs, but the old-school booth remains the standard. Conference attendees are seeking more personalized and hands-on experiences when visiting tradeshow booths, according to a new report. Unpacking XLNC: The Future of Commerce for Trade Shows and Conferences , a report released in late April by the events production firm Freeman, is based on a survey of approximately 1,000 conference and tradeshow attendees and a

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Achurch

JUNE 9, 2025

Webinars are popular. Case in point: Someone searches for a webinar every second of the day. And from the attendee perspective, it’s easy to understand their popularity. You can attend from anywhere, the subjects are seemingly infinite, and you can attend or view at your convenience. It’s no wonder webinars are the go-to learning method: 91% prefer webinars to articles (60%), whitepapers (48%), and blogs (42%).

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Blue Avocado

JUNE 10, 2025

In the five years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, nonprofits have faced new challenges and, in many cases, changed the way they operate. While some organizations have benefited from increased flexible funding and adapted to more efficient virtual work models, others continue to grapple with financial instability, increased demand for services, and difficulties in volunteer recruitment and staff retention.

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Speaker: Dave Sackett

Traditional budgeting and forecasting methods can no longer keep pace with today’s rapidly evolving business environment. Static budgets, rigid annual forecasts, and outdated financial models limit an organization’s ability to adapt to market shifts and economic uncertainty. To stay ahead, finance leaders must leverage a future-forward approach—one that leverages real-time data, predictive analytics, and continuous planning to drive smarter financial decisions.

Cost

Forj

JUNE 12, 2025

Team Forj is thrilled to introduce six exceptionally talented individuals who have recently joined our company across client success, product, data science and sales. Each of them brings deep expertise, bold ideas, and a passion for partnering with association clients to help them realize their mission.

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Event Industry News

JUNE 9, 2025

By Lee Dalton, Roder UK Many businesses across the events industry are finally waking up to the need for sustainability to be a basic cornerstone of day-to-day operations. However, there are still some who only pay lip service without meaningful or genuine action.

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MemberClicks

JUNE 9, 2025

As a member-based organization or association , member satisfaction is one of the most important indicators of your continued success. While many types of businesses acknowledge the importance of customer satisfaction scores (CSAT), this guide focuses on more specific member satisfaction scores. Thankfully, you can apply similar principles utilized in CSAT metrics to make the right decisions for your organization.

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Associations Now

JUNE 10, 2025

The study from McKinley Advisors encourages leaders to look beyond small tweaks and think about holistic changes in terms of audience and revenue. A new report challenges association leaders to expand beyond member-focused adjustments and think more broadly about their potential customer base. Business Model Innovation: Fuel for an Association’s Mission was published last month by the consultancy McKinley Advisors.

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Speaker: Tim Sarrantonio, Director of Corporate Brand

Do you really know your donors? Not just what they give, but who they are? 👥 In this interactive session, we’ll break down how nonprofits can use behavioral indicators (affinity, recency, frequency, and monetary value) to build prospecting segments that go beyond wealth screening and actually align with donor identity. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to move beyond basic demographics and cultivate supporters based on how they already engage with you!

Analysis

Candid

JUNE 11, 2025

Recent federal funding cuts have had a deep and widespread impact on the nonprofit sector. An analysis by Candid found that over 14,000 nonprofits would deplete their reserves within three months without government grants, putting an estimated 2.8 million jobs at risk and impacting nearly every U.S. county. As government support dwindles—for free school lunches, community health clinics, housing initiatives, etc.

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MatrixG

JUNE 5, 2025

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. Summary What are the best association management systems for small and medium trade associations in 2025? The top AMS platforms for small and medium trade associations in 2025 include MatrixMaxx, MemberClicks, Novi AMS, GrowthZone, Cobalt, Wild Apricot, and StarChapter. These systems are built to support organization-based memberships, complex dues structures, company directories, industry-specific data, and advocacy tools.

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Forj

JUNE 10, 2025

Today’s professionals have more choices than ever, with commercial platforms, specialized micro-learning apps, and niche online communities. All compete to meet distinct learner needs, but associations hold a unique advantage as experts in their fields and industries.

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