Survey Says: More Associations and Nonprofits Turning to Association Management Companies

PHILADELPHIA, July 20, 2009 — According to a new survey of companies that manage associations and nonprofit organizations, more associations are turning to Association Management Companies (AMCs) for management expertise, finding added value in the flexibility of the AMC model. Demand for management services is up in 2009, and two thirds of AMCs forecast a greater number of clients in 2009 than 2008. AMC Institute, the trade association that represents the association management industry, today released results from a new survey of its members.

“AMC-managed associations are thriving, even in difficult economic times,” said Steve Drake, president of AMC Institute. “The AMC model provides scalable service and senior leadership, designed to help associations manage day-to-day activities and plan for the future, while being mindful of their ROI. As the survey results show, demand for management services is increasing in 2009, and as a result, AMCs are growing and hiring.”

More New Business Leads: According to the survey, 50 percent of Association Management Companies have seen an increase in Requests for Proposals (RFPs) in the last six months. An additional 23 percent are on pace for RFPs to date in 2009, as compared to the second half of 2008.

More Clients: With the jump in RFPs comes a growing client base. Approximately two thirds of responding AMCs forecast a greater number of clients in 2009 versus 2008.

More Programs and Services: While a growing number of associations are contracting management services in response to economic challenges, existing AMC-managed associations are expanding their reach and adding programs and services. Nearly 45 percent of AMCs are already seeing – or expect to see – an increased level of activity with existing clients in 2009 over 2008.

Staffing Up: In an economy rampant with layoffs and furloughs, one third of AMCs have added staff in the last six months (not including replacing existing staff). Among those AMCs that are hiring, 50 percent say it’s to staff new clients; another 25 percent are adding professionals to both serve new clients and staff increased activities of current clients.

Association Management Companies are a vast resource for volunteer leaders and nonprofit executives. Many AMCs serve as association headquarters, managing day-to-day operations and providing staff members who are experts in various management functions. For associations that already have a staff in place, or do not require full-time staff 12 months of the year, AMCs provide a range of specialized consulting services – from strategic planning to membership development, meetings management, marketing and more – that can be tapped as needed.

For more information on the many benefits of partnering with an AMC, visit www.AMCInstitute.org.