An Independent Sector study finds that the level of trust people place in nonprofits correlates with their economic status, location, and other factors. The report offers four steps to strengthen this valuable asset. To a significant degree, people trust nonprofit organizations. But when you look more closely at different communities, the picture gets more complicated. This is a key finding of Independent Sector’s latest report, Trust in Civil Society, which examines the level of public trust in nonprofits and [...]

A lot has changed in the events industry, particularly in the past few months due to the impact of COVID-19. As the industry evolves, so will the skills and job roles required. A look at some possibilities. A few weeks ago, I came across a blog post I wrote seven years ago about new staff roles for meetings and events. In it, I called out three that I thought could benefit association meetings at that time: an attendee concierge [...]

Start by setting clear guidelines, boundaries, and expectations. Also: What is drawing users to subscribe to email newsletters? Working productively with your organization’s board is not always easy. But there are a few strategies that, over time, can change the way you work with board members, says Callie Walker on MemberClicks. “To set both you and your board members up for success (and minimize tension and frustrations between the two), start by creating a guide that clearly outlines the role [...]

A recent conversation on diversity, equity, and inclusion put a spotlight on the hard work associations are doing. The next step should address how leadership mirrors those ambitions. Last week, leaders from 11 associations convened over Zoom to talk about the work that they’re doing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). It’s a conversation that’s been stoked, of course, by the protests following the murder of George Floyd. And though most of the participants’ organizations have been doing [...]

When it comes to reopening, a lot of workplaces may not know where to start to ensure cleanliness. Fortunately, the American Cleaning Institute created Healthy Returns, a new digital toolkit for small businesses that offers cleaning and disinfecting best practices for offices. Based on public health recommendations, the guidelines are aimed at helping ensure successful reopenings and to reassure consumers. Beyond the digital toolkit, the program offers printable posters, checklists, handouts, and decals that highlight that a given office [...]

MANUFACTURERS FOR MASKS Over the weekend, Vice President Mike Pence urged Americans to wear masks to limit the spread of COVID-19, as public health experts have been advising for weeks. Also speaking up on the issue in recent days is the National Association of Manufacturers, which launched a campaign linking mask-wearing to jobs and economic recovery. In a public service announcement, NAM notes that the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the U.S. so far—nearly 126,000—exceeds a sold-out crowd at a large [...]

COVID-19 has pressed associations to build boards with people who are flexible and eager to lead, and who bring new perspectives to the table. Diversity initiatives offer a path to get there. Among the many things that COVID-19 has revealed about associations is the need to rethink what they need in their boards. Of course, associations often struggle to build and support effective boards outside of crisis mode, but now matters are more urgent. One example of that [...]

As associations welcome an increasingly diverse membership into the fold, the way they communicate is crucial. This is why many organizations are adopting more inclusive language that better reflects the whole community. As the world’s population becomes more diverse across every demographic category, so do the people who belong to your association. To ensure that all members feel included, associations have been making adjustments to the language they use. While some view language changes as superficial or go so [...]

Running an association like a business, not a nonprofit, requires a good understanding of the financial viability of all your partners. That means asking some smart questions about how your members are faring in the current climate. As the economic uncertainty caused by COVID-19 has unfolded in recent months, most associations have hunkered down and gone into preservation mode, assessed what they had in reserves, and then decided how to best move forward. Gary Oster, founder and strategic [...]

Associations that are reopening are implementing new rules to prevent the spread of disease. But what if an employee refuses to follow them? An HR expert shares some ideas on getting staff to comply with new safety protocols. Anyone who has worked in an office knows there’s always that one person who just won’t follow the rules. And while pre-pandemic the fallout from someone flouting office policies was typically not severe, in today’s environment, the consequences could be [...]