Association education and knowledge management missions can encompass a number of different activities, including professional education and training for the industry or profession, the maintenance of professional standards, and public communications and education. But which activities do members see as most important?

The ASAE Research Foundation’s Impact Every Day study explored the role of associations in society—and their members’ perceptions of their work. As part of the research, association members were asked to think about the future of their field and rate the importance of different association activities to that future. The highest-rated activities included education and knowledge-related programs, along with initiatives that helped associations and members respond to societal shifts.

Case studies from the research highlighted ways that associations are fulfilling these roles in a changing world.

Fortify Your Position as a Trusted Source

Association members identified a critical need for their organization to be seen as a trusted source of information in the years to come. More than 93 percent of professional association members and more than 89 percent of trade association members felt that their association’s role as a trusted source will be very or extremely important in the future, making it the top-rated activity. This opinion among survey participants could be a response to challenges to traditional expertise and declining trust in established institutions in recent years.

Associations featured in the case studies frequently provided evidence to support the recommendations derived from the research, including the benefits of reinforcing public trust. In one case study, when a communications campaign didn’t gain the traction the organization hoped for, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers gathered data from a series of relevant studies; the data improved responses to the campaign and supported AHAM’s advocacy efforts. Similarly, the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement is working with academic and governmental partners on a series of studies—the outcomes will improve forest management for wood-producing industries while protecting forest biodiversity.  

Advance Understanding of New Standards

In the survey, setting and distributing standards of practice was the second-highest rated education-related activity among members of both professional and trade associations. More than 89 percent of professional association members and more than 84 percent of trade association members said standard-setting would be very or extremely important for the future of their field.

This recognition comes at a time when standard-setting organizations face numerous challenges. The ASAE ForesightWorks action brief “Standards Under Pressure” predicts that the future of standard-setting will be volatile, as standards may be politicized in some arenas and under pressure to keep up with technological advancements and other changes. Association leaders will need to keep an eye on evolving standards and fill gaps in understanding among members.

In some cases, the standards you help your members understand may not be your own. When the Building Owners and Managers Association International recognized a gap between new green-building standards and the capabilities present in the building industry to support increased energy efficiency, the organization developed several programs to support data collection and train their field.

Promote Your Industry

Perhaps with challenges to expertise and standards in mind, members rated the role of associations in promoting the value of their field third highest among education and knowledge-related activities. Among professional association members, 86.8 percent thought that promoting the field will be a very or extremely important role in the future, while 80.4 percent of trade association members agreed.

Impact Every Day case studies show how associations already embrace this role. After their research showed that Black business owners’ potential for success is undermined by gaps in wealth, credit, and trust, the Association for Enterprise Opportunity committed to supporting and raising the visibility of Black business owners. Through the Tapestry Project, AEO provides Black entrepreneurs with training and resources and helps forge connections between Black business owners and philanthropists and investors.

In another example, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce analyzed the data they routinely collected from members and found they could provide remarkable insight into the importance of the LGBT economy. They used that data to advocate successfully for policy and business changes in numerous metropolitan areas.