The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Awards program. If you’re thinking about creating an awards program at your association—or want to see if you’re on the right track with an existing program—the folks at OpenWater have your back. Their 4-step process for planning and managing an awards program will help you map out a plan for success.
Anti-social. “Americans are spending less time with other people than in any other period for which we have trustworthy data,” says Derek Thompson at The Atlantic. The blame, among other factors, lies with TV, phones, and socially stunted kids turning into reclusive adults who prefer takeout and delivery to dining with others. Remote work only exacerbates the desire for remote living. How can associations sell the benefits of community when membership prospects don’t see being social as a positive?
Here’s a quote from the article to think about today: “A fundamental paradox at the core of human life is that we are highly social and made better in every way by being around people… And yet over and over, we have opportunities to connect that we don’t take, or even actively reject, and it is a terrible mistake.”
Membership renewals. Impexium dives deep into proven strategies for membership renewals. They also cover the difference between retention and renewal, membership metrics, reasons members don’t renew, and, best of all, solutions for your association’s renewal challenges.
Membership course. Brain Food readers can earn up to 10 CAE credits by attending Association Academy’s popular Association Member Growth Certificate Course. Over 1,000 association exec alums have already learned how to conduct research, develop relevant benefits, establish member content gates, improve recruitment and retention campaigns, and grow membership. The course meets for ten weeks on Thursdays, 1-2pm ET starting January 30. Save $50 with promo code BRAINFOOD. I’ve heard great things about this program so I registered—be social and join me there!
Respect for volunteers. Cecilia Sepp of Rogue Tulips asks associations to recognize and acknowledge the efforts of all volunteers, including ad hoc volunteers, not just those in formal positions. This has long been a soapbox topic in my writing too. She also points out the insidious practice of barring entry to association opportunities for those who can’t afford to pay their way in. “Are we recognizing contributions to the profession and our colleagues? Or are we recognizing supporting the organization?”
Employee feedback. “Every time you say ‘looks good’ about work that isn’t actually good, your team’s standards drop a little,” says Wes Kao. She explains why managers default to “looks good” when giving feedback to employees, why you shouldn’t take that approach, and what to do next time.
Next-gen workplace challenges. The latest research report from Halmyre Strategies describes emerging challenges as a new generation enters the workforce: burnout, retention, customer demands, declining value of credentials, and changing roles. Halmyre explains how associations can address these issues and meet the changing needs of industry professionals.
Team messaging. Hailey Mensik at WorkLife writes about ping fatigue in the workplace and how it hurts productivity. When I read articles like this, I’m so glad I don’t get pinged by anyone. How do you all cope?
Content repurposing. Members rely on you for information and education, but limited resources prevent associations from being the content machines of members’ dreams. Karine Desbant at MCI describes how their client associations are generating new revenue streams and growing membership by repurposing content.
You never grow old at the table
I was away much of the past week, so for my one night of dinner duty I made chipotle salmon. On the side, roasted Brussels sprouts, carrots and rutabagas with broccoli stems, red onion, bacon and garlic powder.
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Note: Per ASAE, “any continuing professional education offered by any professional entity may be accepted toward the [CAE] professional development requirement as long as it is directly related to either association or nonprofit management as defined by the CAE exam content outline.”
Education providers: If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled. I’m happy to feature it as long as it’s not product-centric.
Fri 1/17 at 3 p.m.* – Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative Monthly Networking Meeting
The Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative meets monthly for camaraderie, connection, and knowledge sharing. This meeting is for full-time consultants who work with non-profits and associations. You don’t have to be an ASAE member to attend this consultant-organized event. This month’s agenda includes the usual sharing of good news, and topics and questions from the group. More info/register.
Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
*All events are online at Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Mon 1/20 at 8 a.m. – Inclusive Communications (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)
Every week, Rogue Tulips brings the nonprofit community intriguing guests discussing vital topics affecting nonprofit organizations around the world—and we have fun doing it! Episodes are published Monday mornings in both audio and video format, available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast (to name a few!).
Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
Guest: Jerrica Thurman, Elation Communications
Tue 1/21 at 12 p.m. – CRVM January 2025 Crunch and Munch
Crunch and Munch is your chance to come together once a month with peers for a casual conversation on hot topics relevant to the component relations and volunteer management community. Come prepared to share your successes, challenges and ideas. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Council
Tue 1/21 at 1 p.m. – How to Win: Be a Category of One (Leadership for SMBs and Entrepreneurs)
Learn how to become a Category of One where you win by not competing. Some of these principles you may already follow, others may surprise you and may provide new insight: Work on Yourself, Build Organizational Culture, Use Atomic Habits, Focus on a Niche, and Create a Compelling Saga. This session offers real-world examples, videos, and interactive discussions. Discover strategies to position your organization as a “category of one” and unlock new leadership potential. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Wade Tetsuka, CPA, President, UST
Tue 1/21 at 1 p.m. – Revolutionizing Sponsor Engagement: Emerging Tech for Association Marketplaces
Discover how innovative marketplace platforms are transforming the way associations connect with industry sponsors, from creating year-round engagement opportunities to showcasing sponsor content in new and meaningful ways. Learn how emerging technology, including AI-powered concierge tools, is shaping the future of association sponsorships by fostering deeper connections, driving value, and increasing ROI for all stakeholders. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Sandra Nam, CEO and Co-Founder, QiqoChat
Wed 1/22 at 11 a.m. – Bite-Sized Big Impact: How Microlearning Is Reshaping Education
In a world where people check their smartphones nine times an hour, and competition for attention is exceptionally fierce, it is no wonder that shorter digital learning content is becoming more necessary and popular. Learn why and how associations can create and curate microlearning: content that is mobile, media-rich, on-demand, and suited to the modern learner. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Andrew Chamberlain, Executive Director of the UK’s Institute of Association Leadership
- Elisa Pratt, Chief Executive and Founder of Brewer Pratt Solutions LLC
Wed 1/22 at 11 a.m. – 2025 Event Benchmarks: From Insights to Action
Get ready to elevate your event strategy with actionable insights from Bizzabo’s latest Event Benchmarking Report. This exclusive webinar is your chance to uncover the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the event landscape in 2025. From budgets and attendee expectations to innovative event strategies, we’ll break down the numbers and trends driving the future of in-person and virtual experiences. More info/register.
Host: Bizzabo
Speakers:
- Colleen Bisconti, Vice President, Events and Experiences, IBM
- Katie McIntyre, Director of Strategy and Event Technology, Opus
Wed 1/22 at 12 p.m. – Training & Orientation That Motivates: Creating a Successful Approach to Volunteer Development
Join a discussion about supporting volunteers and ensuring strategies for orientation, training, and support are effective. Explore key topics to address with volunteers, creating bite-sized orientation and training sessions, energizing leadership training, and boosting volunteer motivation to engage in learning. Share ideas for innovative approaches to 2025 orientation and training plans. More info/register.
Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management
Facilitator: Peggy Hoffman, FASAE, CAE, president and executive director, Mariner Management
Wed 1/22 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Meet & Greet
Connect with new faces in the association tech community. Join us for a 30-minute welcome event to forge fresh connections and discover our vibrant Slack community. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Wed 1/22 at 12 p.m. – Financial Reports Challenge: Test Your Knowledge!
This session is designed as a quiz game to challenge your knowledge of nonprofit accounting principles and best practices. Through questions posed, you’ll enhance your understanding of financial statement components, donor restrictions, and accounting compliance essentials. Whether you’re already a seasoned nonprofit professional or just getting started, this session will provide valuable insights and practical knowledge. More info/register.
Host: Your Part-Time Controller
Wed 1/22 at 1 p.m. – Ghosted by Sponsors? Why They’re Not Responding & How to Fix It
Are your emails and calls to potential sponsors going unanswered? You’re not alone. Learn why sponsors may be ignoring your outreach and how to break through the silence. From crafting compelling messages to timing your follow-ups just right, gain expert insights to boost your response rates and keep your sponsorship pipeline moving forward. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to turn “no response” into meaningful conversations. More info/register.
Host: Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE, founder/CEO, Growth Owl
Guest: Carrie McIntyre, principal, Navigate
Wed 1/22 at 1 p.m. – Small Staff Insights to Fuel Your Year: Breaking down the Small Staff Benchmark Report
The 2024 Small Staff Benchmark Report offers a comprehensive look at how small associations are performing across key areas like member engagement, technology adoption, and revenue growth. Hear about the findings of this report, including the top priorities and challenges small associations face, how small associations are leveraging technology to engage members and streamline operations, the role of AI and its potential to transform the future of small associations, and actionable strategies to close gaps in member value and prepare for technological advancements. More info/register.
Host: Momentive Software
Speaker: Jessica Lovell, Senior Product Marketer, Momentive Software
Wed 1/22 at 1 p.m. – The Future of Associations: 2025 and Beyond
AI, conscious inclusion, strategic leadership workforce development, hybrid and remote work, a new Administration, personalization, and work/life balance are just a few of the challenges facing the association community in 2025. ASAE and its Research Foundation tracks these trends and tools and provide guidance, research and data that enable associations to move into the future. Hear about the research, tools and trends that are set to influence associations in 2025 and beyond. More info/register.
Host: Association Xchange
Speaker: Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, CEO, ASAE
Wed 1/22 at 2 p.m. – How Associations Use Data to Drive Revenue
Learn how to use data insights to increase member engagement and generate new revenue streams. Hear how NAPA used data to address member needs and operational gaps, achieving measurable results. Find out how to interpret benchmarking data to uncover trends and improve decision-making, and conduct a gap analysis to identify opportunities and address strategic challenges. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Naylor Association Solutions
Speakers:
- John Brandt, Chief Executive Officer, MPI Research
- Bill Rowan, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, National Asphalt Pavement Association
- Chad Lloyd, Chief Data Officer, Naylor Association Solutions
Wed 1/22 at 2 p.m. – Embracing AI Safely: Practical Strategies for Associations
Learn practical strategies to help make the use of AI at your association safe and exciting. Find out how to ask the right questions when evaluating vendors and tools that use AI, incorporate AI discussions in staff meetings to assess current usage, tools and potential risks, work together to set guidelines for what data is safe to use with different AI tools, and ensure staff are using AI responsibly through consistent education about the benefits and risks. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Speakers: Amanda DeLuke, Senior Privacy Analyst, and Kelly Whelan, Content Marketing Manager, Higher Logic
Thu 1/23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – How to Design a Product Portfolio
Learn how to analyze and map your current offerings, organize them into a high-level product portfolio, identify interdependencies and find new value for your membership, use your portfolio as a strategy, planning, or budget tool, and keep it updated and timeless. More info/register.
Host: James Young, Product Community
Thu 1/23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – The Event Tech Dating Game: Are You Ready to Find Your Perfect Tech Partner?
At this one-of-a-kind virtual experience designed exclusively for event planners and marketing professionals, watch as bold tech contenders compete to become THE ultimate solution to real-world event planning challenges. More info/register.
Hosts: Vinnu Deshetty of Event ROI Coach and Dahlia El Gazzar of Dahlia+ Agency
Thu 1/23 at 11 a.m. – Revolutionizing Event Badges: What’s Next in 2025 and Beyond
Discover how event badges are evolving with innovations like E-ink, smart badges, advanced integrations and more. Learn how to adopt eco-friendly badge solutions without compromising attendee experience. Uncover strategies to enhance networking with smart, data-driven badge technology. Find out how to use badges to get rich insights, like heat maps, showing which booths and sessions are proving popular. Hear insights from industry experts on where event badge technology is heading, like augmented reality which may remove the need for badges entirely. More info/register.
Host: Grip
Speakers:
- Kerem Baran, Co-founder & COO, Eventpack
- Claudia Braun, CEO & Co-founder, Choose 2 Rent
- Oliver Smart, SVP of Onsite Solutions, Grip
Thu 1/23 at 12 p.m. – What’s in Store for Associations in 2025?
Learn what you need to know to plan for 2025 as an association executive. More info/register.
Host: Zzeem Consulting
Thu 1/23 at 12 p.m. – Improve Member Loyalty with the Perfect AMS Fit
Learn how to spot the pain points in your current technology that might be holding your association back. Understand the key factors to consider when selecting a new AMS that aligns with your goals. Weigh the pros and cons of different AMS types to find the best fit for your needs. Take practical steps to build your shortlist of vendors, considering factors like industry expertise, customer support, and long-term innovation. More info/register.
Host: Community Brands
Thu 1/23 at 12 p.m. – Intro to AI Webinar for Associations and Nonprofits
Learn the basics and importance of generative AI and Large Language Models. Witness the power of AI tools through live demonstrations, showcasing their impact on real-world scenarios. Learn to create targeted personas in ChatGPT for personalized content and interactions. Find out which settings to adjust for privacy and security, and understand what information is safe to input into AI tools. More info/register.
Host: Sidecar
Speaker: Thomas Altman, Co-Founder, Tasio
Thu 1/23 at 1 p.m. – Get Ready to Move…Your Data
The ideal time to think about preparing your existing data for a move to a new CRM or AMS is well before you choose a solution and start implementation. Cleaning, sorting, and organizing your data well prior to a data migration can save you time and money. Learn how to prepare your data for migration, including deduplication, address verification, code table cleanup, and name parsing. Find out which common tools you may already have to help automate some of the process. Hear about common pitfalls in the data cleanup process and how to avoid them. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Jenifer Alonzo, Association Practice Lead, Fíonta
Thu 1/23 at 1 p.m. – Beyond the Buzz: Integrating AI Solutions into Human-Centric Strategic Planning
Learn about strategies for using AI to sharpen member insights, enrich planning processes, and drive actionable, member-centered strategies and operational plans. Hear real-world case studies showing how associations harness AI to create plans that resonate with members while retaining critical human connections and interactions that foster deeper engagement. More info/register.
Hosts: Halmyre and Event Garde
Speakers:
- Christine Saunders, Founder and President, Halmyre
- Aaron Wolowiec, Founder and President, Event Garde
Thu 1/23 at 2 p.m. – Future of Association Boards (FAB) Community Dialogue
Please join us for the first Future of Association Boards (FAB) Community Dialogue Zoom Meeting of 2025. More info/register.
Host: Jeff De Cagna, Executive Advisor, Foresight First LLC
Thu 1/23 at 3 p.m. – Association Chat Insider Weekly Recap
Come together with the association community to chat about the hot topics that matter most. Our meetings are a safe space: no recordings, no live streams—just real, raw conversations. Want to explore what’s buzzing in the association world? This is your weekly chance to connect, share, and learn from one another. More info/register.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, Editor-in-Chief, Association Chat, and VP of Marketing and Community Engagement, Big Red M
Wed 1/29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – EventTech Demo Day
Join us for this just-in-time EventTech Platforms demo day featuring presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer EventTech Platforms. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Participants: Momentive Software, Fourwaves, eShow, Personify A2Z Events, Conexiant DXP, eventPower, Cadmium, Swapcard, Matchbox, Snapsight
Wed 1/29 at 11 a.m. – Content Governance: Ensuring Sustainable Content Success
Content governance is defining the “rules of the road” for creating better content sustainably. This session will cover what should be included in content governance, as well as some governance models. Through conversation and breakouts, we will help participants identify their current state and opportunities to adopt governance in their organizations. More info/register.
Host: Hilary Marsh, President & Chief Strategist, Content Company, Inc.
Wed 1/29 at 11 a.m. – Understanding Standard Monthly Financial Statements
Learn about the standard set of monthly financial statements you should be receiving from your finance team and what you should be looking for. We’ll break down the financial statements into “human speak” and equip you with more knowledge so that you can properly interact with your financial statements – and hopefully your finance team – going forward. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Yevgeniy Sukhenko, Partner at Outsourced Accounting & Advisory Services
Wed 1/29 at 12 p.m. – New Year, New Data: Let’s Make Every Goal Count!
Whether you’re looking to refine your data strategy, tackle new initiatives, or just level up your data game, this is the perfect place to start. In this interactive, round table-style event, you’ll have the chance to share your goals and plans, tap into the collective wisdom of fellow data enthusiasts, hold each other accountable, and learn from each other’s experiences by diving into the wins, the lessons, and the “oops” moments. Plus, we’re all about motivating each other, so we’ll do a mid-year and end-of-year check-in to see how everyone’s doing. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Wed 1/29 at 1 p.m. – Top 5 Credentialing Trends for Associations to Consider in 2025
The professional credentialing landscape is undergoing a radical transformation. Learn about the five most critical trends that will define professional certification in the coming year giving association leaders the strategic insights they need to stay ahead of the curve. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Chris Capistran, President, Cobalt
- Pam Weber, M.P.A., CAE, Vice President of the National Apartment Association Education Institute
Wed 1/29 at 3 p.m. – The Data-Informed Association, Part 1: Leading With Analytics
Every day, associations are inundated with valuable data, and often don’t realize the full potential of what they collect. Learn how to tap into the data you collect to make great decisions. Find out how volunteer leaders and boards of directors should have access to the data, and what key points to deliver. More info/register.
Host: Association Analytics
Speakers: Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, and Merritt Rohlfing, Sr. Marketing Manager, Association Analytics
Thu 1/30 at 3 p.m. – Association Chat Insider Weekly Recap
Come together with the association community to chat about the hot topics that matter most. Our meetings are a safe space: no recordings, no live streams—just real, raw conversations. Want to explore what’s buzzing in the association world? This is your weekly chance to connect, share, and learn from one another. More info/register.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, Editor-in-Chief, Association Chat, and VP of Marketing and Community Engagement, Big Red M
Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If you’re offering free professional development to the association community, please send me the link via email by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.
Creative Commons licensed photo by Judy Beth Morris via Unsplash
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