The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community
“Experience is the hardest kind of teacher. It gives you the test first and the lesson afterward.” —Oscar Wilde
Good reads for the association community
Professional development competition. LinkedIn Learning has 27 million users, AI-powered recommendations, and courses that show up directly on members’ LinkedIn profiles. Can your association compete with that? TopClass LMS says yes indeed. You have something LinkedIn Learning doesn’t: deep industry expertise, credentials employers recognize, and a real professional community. They describe five strategies for modernizing your learning programs and closing the competitive gap with LinkedIn Learning.
AI agents and your website. First, you had to optimize your website for search, then make it mobile-responsive, and soon you’ll have to make it agent-ready. I first read about Google Chrome’s WebMCP in a LinkedIn post from Gayathri Kher of fusionSpan, who gave the association context I needed before reading this article by Sam Witteveen at VentureBeat. Why the excitement? WebMCP could turn your association’s website from a destination members have to remember to visit into infrastructure woven into their daily work.
Online education. The old model of association education was transactional: the member pays, takes a course, and gets a certificate. GrowthZone argues that model no longer fits how members want to learn. Their report explains how to design programs that bring members back throughout the year with blended learning, social learning, and just-in-time content.
Need a redo on the CAE exam? CAE Exam Redux, a six-week intensive starting March 25 from Rogue Tulips, is designed specifically for candidates who’ve already seen the exam and need to go deeper, not just review the same material again. You’ll build Chief Staff Executive thinking and get a stronger grip on the CAE Body of Knowledge in six 90-minute sessions with a small group. Take $25 off by registering with promo code RTBRAINFOOD.
Membership value. The current benefits-as-a-package membership model assumes value flows from association to member. But James Young at Product Community says real membership value is in member-to-member connections: “from the knowledge they share with each other and the problems they solve together.” Associations leave value on the table and prevent it from being created in the first place when they treat membership as a benefits package rather than a participation system.
New member engagement. After conducting 477 member interviews, Amanda Kaiser learned what first sparks member engagement. The answer was almost never a program or benefit. Nearly always, it was a volunteer leader offering a warm welcome. She shares what she heard in those interviews and why those two-sentence exchanges at registration stick with members for 20 years or more.
Membership marketing for small associations. YourMembership shares ten membership marketing tactics for small-staff associations. They cover recruitment, onboarding, renewals, communications, feedback, and membership models—the whole member journey. Their advice works regardless of your AMS or tech stack.
Career centers. Most employed members never visit their association’s career center because the messaging essentially says “come back when you lose your job.” On Association Adviser, Naylor’s David Butler makes the case that career centers could be serving members at every stage, not just during transitions. He shows how reframing it around career growth—leadership pathways, mentorship, and reskilling—could turn it into something members use year-round.
Snacks
Three nutritious snacks this week from Wes Trochlil at Effective Database Management. If you have a tech project coming up, don’t forget this: Your staff have day jobs. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should: Beware the automated “How did we do?” trap. And the lowest bid or cheapest solution almost always costs more in the long run.
Americans have perfected the art of countertop (bar) cuisine. | Sean Thomas, The Spectator
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You never grow old at the table
Here’s a new recipe we loved: hot honey glazed salmon. I baked it instead of broiling it. This glaze would be great on shrimp too—it was wonderful on roasted sweet potatoes. On the side, leftover veggie pesto.
I was more ambitious than I should’ve been for a Friday night, but it was totally worth it. First I made Nantucket cranberry sauce, which I needed for pork chops with a cranberry herb pan sauce. On the side, steamed green beans tossed with sautéed onion, bacon, sundried tomatoes, and parmesan. I also roasted cubes of butternut squash with cinnamon, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. I’m enjoying the leftover squash with hummus in a wheat tortilla—for breakfast and for lunch.
Another old favorite: polenta with Italian sausages and roasted grapes. The link also includes an easy microwave method for cooking polenta. I know, nonne are rolling in their graves. On the side, a kale and cabbage sauté with bacon, onion, red bell pepper, carrots, garlic, and chicken broth.
About CAE credits: 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.
Mon 3/9 at 8 a.m.* – The Ethics of Star Wars (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)
Every week, Rogue Tulips brings the association community intriguing guests who discuss vital topics affecting associations around the world. Episodes are published Monday mornings in both audio and video format, available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, and other channels.
Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, ACNP, LPEC, Principal & Founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
Guest: Craig Polk
*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.
Mon 3/9 at 12 p.m. – Membership Mondays: Breaking Through the Noise
Learn best practices for breaking through the noise with your membership marketing campaigns and see real-life examples that were successful for your peers. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE
Mon 3/9 at 7 p.m. – Member Insights 2026: Key Findings from Membership Surveys & Benchmarks
Dive into key insights and trends impacting membership growth, retention, engagement, communication strategies, AI, event models, and technology from Associations Forums’ Association Membership & Services Survey 2026, and Higher Logic’s Email, Member Experience, and Community Benchmark Reports. More info/register.
Host: Associations Forum
Speaker: Kelly Whelan, Senior Content Marketing Manager, Higher Logic
Tue 3/10 at 8 a.m. – Stop Planning Events on Autopilot: Make Your Association Convenings Count (Nonprofit Mission: Impact)
Too many nonprofit and association conferences are built around logistics and tradition rather than purpose and participation. In this episode, Lee Gimpel shares practical ways to redesign events so they tap the collective wisdom in the room, strengthen meaningful connections, and deliver value that truly advances your mission. From rethinking keynotes to making networking intentional, this conversation offers simple shifts that can transform your next convening. More info.
Host: Carol Hamilton, Principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting
Guest: Lee Gimpel, Better Meetings
Tue 3/10 at 11 a.m. – Strategy: A Year-Round Process
Learn how a strategic framework can, when properly structured, serve as an organizational nexus and north star; approaches to incorporating strategic practices into regular organizational function; and the volunteer and staff frameworks needed to elevate the strategy potential of an organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Lowell Aplebaum, EdD, FASAE, CAE, CPF, CEO at Vista Cova
Tue 3/10 at 12 p.m. – Tech Tuesday: Protecting Your Tech Stack in an Unstable Vendor Landscape
Is your association ready if a vendor changes direction tomorrow? Join a discussion about building resilience in today’s rapidly changing software landscape. Hear about reducing risk when platforms merge or pivot, maintaining data ownership and portability, and identifying the right questions to ask vendors for true roadmap visibility. Learn practical steps to strengthen resilience across your entire tech stack and leave with a vendor health check framework you can use immediately. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE
Facilitators:
- Reggie Henry, Chief Information and Performance Excellence Officer, ASAE
- Dave Coriale, President, DelCor Technology Solutions
Tue 3/10 at 1 p.m. – Execution: You Can’t Scale Chaos
Learn how to develop strategies to grow effectively and efficiently with discipline and intention; design processes that scale as the business grows; identify execution gaps that erode effectiveness and profit margins; and apply communication techniques as a tool to enhance execution. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Jane-Scott Cantus, Principal Member at ILEX Leadership Associates LLC
- Michele Barry, Business Coach at Assured Strategy
Tue 3/10 at 2 p.m. – Event Contract Clauses Worth Negotiating in 2026
Hear tips for finding win-win solutions in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity)-proof contract. Learn how to approach negotiations and relationship-building with a constructive mindset, what is up for negotiation and what will be a harder lift, and what clauses can protect your program from surprises. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Speakers:
- Tyra Warner, CMP, associate professor and department chair of Hospitality and Tourism Management at College of Coastal Georgia
- Ginny Davito, founder and chief experience officer with Hotel Contracting Hub
Wed 3/11 at 11 a.m. – How to Define Requirements: What Do You Really Need…and Why? (Office Hours for LMS Buyers)
Learn how to capture and prioritize your functional, technical, and learning experience needs, and use our Adaptive LMS Requirements Survey to simplify stakeholder input and build a viable set of requirements that support your shortlist and RFP. More info/register.
Host: Talented Learning
Speaker: John Leh, CEO and Lead Analyst at Talented Learning
Wed 3/11 at 12 p.m. – Earning Attention: A Television Producer’s Take on Association Content (Association Amplified LIVE)
Associations create a lot of content—but not all of it earns attention. This conversation brings an outside lens to that problem, exploring what broadcast instincts can teach associations about deciding what actually deserves their members’ attention. More info/register.
Host: TaleWind Digital
Guest: Carolyn Shomali, television producer with 20+ years of experience in live sports, studio programming, and long-form storytelling, and former Director of Content at Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR)
Wed 3/11 at 12 p.m. – Convince Leadership of the Importance of Cybersecurity
Association leaders are under increasing pressure to protect member data, maintain trust, and navigate an escalating cyber threat landscape, yet many organizations still struggle to get cybersecurity prioritized at the executive and board level. Learn why cybercrime has become industrialized — and why associations are prime targets; how ransomware-as-a-service, affiliate networks, and AI-powered attacks are lowering the barrier for criminals; new attack vectors, including AI prompt injection and risky browser extensions; the real financial and reputational consequences of a breach; how to frame cybersecurity as a leadership and governance responsibility; what a right-sized cybersecurity assessment should deliver; and examples of high-value, low-cost controls that dramatically reduce risk. More info/register.
Host: Brian Scott, President / CTO / CISO, ClearTone Consulting LLC
Wed 3/11 at 12:30 p.m. – Credentialing in the 2020s and Beyond | Modernization, Globalization, and Legalization
Learn about recent changes to NCCA / ISO accreditation standards, challenges that credentialing programs are facing today, and how to smartly grow your credentialing brand internationally. More info/register.
Host: Element AMS
Speakers:
- Sheetal Tiwari, founder of Global Certification Partners
- Mark Franco, nonprofit legal expert at Rimon Law
Wed 3/11 at 1 p.m. – More Than “Meh”: How Web Governance Turns Website Management Into a Strategic Win
Learn how to transform your website into a strategic asset, rather than a catch-all repository, and how the shift from reactive management to a strategic web management delivers measurable value for members and stakeholders. Hear how to implement a web governance framework empowers leadership, aligns competing priorities, advances your mission, and increases member engagement. Take away actionable tools, including a RACI Matrix, practical governance frameworks, and standards and policies that achieve buy-in from your team so everyone is heading in the same direction. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Ray van Hilst, CAE, Vice President of Strategy at Yoko Consulting
Wed 3/11 at 1 p.m. – Project Management for Association Professionals
Learn how to identify the roles and responsibilities of clients and stakeholders to activate engagement throughout the project lifecycle; develop a project plan to manage tasks and meet deadlines, utilizing a no- or low-cost project management tool; activate team commitment through setting expectations and accountability; and create a communication plan to leverage communication among the organization and mitigate barriers to project execution. More info/register.
Hosts: Career Compliance Solutions and Evolve Solutions
Wed 3/11 at 1 p.m. – The Email & Content Engagement Booster Workshop
Hear about the email tactics and content tests that actually move the needle right now. Learn what to update, what to experiment with, and how small subject-line tweaks, segmentation shifts, and content optimizations can turn into big results for your campaigns. More info/register.
Host: Content Marketing Institute
Speaker: Jay Schwedelson, Founder, Subjectline.com
Wed 3/11 at 2 p.m. – Fresh Ideas for Incorporating Wellness Into Meetings
Learn how small shifts can create big impacts, helping participants feel more grounded, engaged and supported. Explore fresh, practical wellness ideas for in‑person events; how to build wellness into the flow of a meeting without disrupting the agenda; and ways to support diverse needs, energy levels and accessibility considerations. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Northstar Meetings Group
Speakers:
- Ashley Brooke James, wellness strategist and co-founder, Triluna
- Johanna Roodt, founder & CEO, Leladijo Consulting BV
- Sarah J.F. Braley (moderator), Managing Editor, Northstar Meetings Group
Wed 3/11 at 3 p.m. – We Cannot Flee the Future: Preparing for the 2030s
Learn why association contributors must choose to stand up for their successors’ futures today through intentional learning, short-term sacrifice, and long-term action, and how all stakeholders can work together to navigate sustained turbulence while preparing for the challenges and opportunities of the 2030s. More info/register.
Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC
Thu 3/12 at 1 p.m. – From Content to Intelligence: How Associations Can Turn Member Voices into Actionable Insight
Associations are rich with member stories—from conferences, advocacy efforts, volunteer leadership, and professional practice—but most of that insight never makes it beyond isolated videos or anecdotal feedback. Explore how associations can systematically capture member voices and use AI to transform those stories into usable intelligence. Learn how to scale story collection without adding staff burden, extract themes and insights efficiently, and turn authentic member voices into strategic assets that inform marketing, education, advocacy, and leadership decision-making. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Michael Hoffman, Co-Founder and CEO, Gather Voices
Thu 3/12 at 1 p.m. – From Badge to Business Value: Making Digital Credentials Work for Learners, Issuers, & Employers
Drawing on research from over 500 employers and lessons from renowned credentialing programs in higher education, workforce development, and professional training, hear how to design credentials that are not just earned, but also explained, shared, verified, and valued. Learn how effective programs distribute credentials that are clear and explainable to learners and external audiences; easy to share, discover, and verify; consistent and scalable through strong frameworks and governance; and aligned to outcomes learners and employers care about. More info/register.
Host: Learning Guild
Speaker: Evan Noyes, Account Executive, Accredible
Thu 3/12 at 2:30 p.m. – Reducing Member Attrition with Proactive Strategies
Hear about approaches associations are using to better retain members-what’s working, what hasn’t, and lessons learned along the way. More info/register.
Host: Tradewing
Thu 3/12 at 2:30 p.m. – What Board Members Think Association Community Survey Information Sessions
The What Board Members Think Association Community Survey, presented by Foresight First LLC, is an invitation to association board directors/officers to share their perspectives on board service and help elevate board performance in 2026 and beyond. Please join one of our March 2026 information sessions to learn more about this project, including how your association can benefit from your board’s participation. More info/register.
Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC
Tue 3/16 at 10:30 a.m. – Meditation Skills for Busy Lives
Take a pause from busyness and learn simple mindfulness practices to ease stress and reduce the feelings of burnout. These monthly sessions, designed to help you create space in your day, include: 5 minutes to arrive and settle in, 10 minutes of guided meditation practice, and 5 minutes for questions and reflection. Every month, we explore a new area of meditation and introduce a practical skill you can carry with you. Open to everyone, no prior meditation experience required. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Meditation leader: Moira Edwards, Owner & President, Ellipsis Partners
Tue 3/17 at 12 p.m. – Partnership Professionals Network Idea Exchange: Strategies for Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships
If you manage sponsorships, you know that your association wants more non-dues revenue; companies are demanding more sponsorship value; and you’re supposed to make that work! Join this webinar discussion with sponsorship experts Bruce Rosenthal and Dan Kowitz to find out what drives companies to sponsor associations and what associations are doing differently to expand their sponsorship programs. More info/register.
Host: Partnership Professionals Network
Speakers:
- Bruce Rosenthal, author of the book “Mastering Association Corporate Sponsorships
- Dan Kowitz, Founder & CEO of JSB Partnership Consultants
Tue 3/17 at 1 p.m. – A Check-In on the Current Political Landscape’s Impact on Associations
Join a discussion about the ongoing impact of executive orders, impact of funding legislation on association operations and the agencies they work with, impact of recent policy shifts on membership and event registrations, broader impact on specific industries and professions, how members are responding as policies take hold, where associations are finding clarity, where they are still navigating gray areas, when they are choosing to engage publicly, when they are opting for a quieter approach, how they are adjusting their advocacy to achieve wins for their sectors, and short-term adjustments vs. long-term shifts. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Joanna M. Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker, Matrix Group International, Inc.
- David Jackson, Executive Officer at ASPET
- Christopher Glen, Vice President of Public Affairs at The Fertilizer Institute
- Mark Franco, Partner at Rimon PC
Wed 3/18 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Workforce Trends That Will Impact Your Candidate Demand in the Next 5 Years (Washington DC)
Hear about workforce trends over the next 5 years and how your program can continue to attract new candidates. Panelists will discuss a variety of factors that impact your future candidates, including education, state and federal legislative initiatives, legal influences, economic factors, and changing demographic and geographic trends. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: Certification Network Group
Speakers:
- Sandy Hogg (moderator), Director or Business Development, ITS
- Andre T. Allen, Chief Business Officer, Human Resource Certification Institute
- Isabelle Gonthier, Chief Assessment Officer, ETS & PSI
- Angela Macauley, President & CEO, National Board for Occupational Therapy
- Roy Swift, Recently Retired, Former Executive Director, Workcred
Wed 3/18 at 1 p.m. – From Transactional Sponsorships to Year-Round Partnerships: A Marketing Agency Approach
Learn how to replace the generic prospectus with a consultative discovery process that uncovers sponsor goals, constraints, and budget, so you can propose what they’ll actually buy. Hear about a simple framework for building value-based, customized partnership proposals that move beyond logo placements and one-off event transactions. Discover ways to turn sponsorship into a “team sport” internally by breaking down silos so education, marketing, membership, and leadership all support sponsor success and member value. Explore a blueprint for expanding beyond conference-only sponsorships into year-round partnership opportunities that improve ROI for sponsors and stabilize non-dues revenue. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Fonteva
Speaker: Bruce Rosenthal, Strategist, Consultant, and Author, Bruce Rosenthal Associates, LLC
Thu 3/19 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – AWS Imagine for Nonprofits (Oxon Hill, MD)
Hear from nonprofit leaders who are building robust data strategies, and ethical AI frameworks to transform their organizations, while keeping people and purpose at the center of every solution. Learn how modern technology foundations and human-centered AI capabilities are redefining how organizations evaluate their impact, accelerate time to insight, and broaden their reach. Location: Oxon Hill, MD. More info/register.
Host: Amazon Web Services
Thu 3/19 at 11 a.m. – Why Cookie Compliance Is No Longer “Just a European Issue”
Learn why cookie compliance matters for US association websites—particularly those serving multi-state or international audiences—and where many current consent implementations fall down. Hear about practical examples of common issues, modern best practices, and tactics to improve consent in a way that builds user trust and reduces unnecessary risk, without adding complexity. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers: Rob Kaighn, Director, US & Global Partnerships, and Chris Menez, Senior Data Analyst, Cantarus
Thu 3/19 at 1 p.m. – B2B Distribution: How Learning Businesses Can Capitalize on Their Catalog
Explore how learning businesses are approaching B2B sales and multitenant learning distribution in practice—offering education to organizations, partners, or employers rather than only to individual learners. Examine how organizations, like the National Restaurant Association, are using existing catalog assets to support B2B distribution and what it takes to make those efforts pay off. More info/register.
Host: Leading Learning
Speakers:
- Tommy Fagan, National Restaurant Association
- Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders of Tagoras and Leading Learning Tamer Ali of Authentic Learning Labs
Thu 3/19 at 1:30 p.m. – From Hidden Strengths to Team Success: Neurodiversity in Association Leadership and Events
Hear real-world strategies for identifying and coaching staff toward their strengths, designing events that work for every attendee, hiring and retaining talent with diverse work styles, and creating accommodations that strengthen—not complicate—your team. Neurodiversity isn’t a niche issue. It’s about recognizing that autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, and neurodiverse professionals often bring exceptional focus, creativity, and attention to detail—exactly what great associations and their events require. More info/register.
Hosts: Insight Guide and BJA Solutions for Associations
Speakers:
- Lindsay Currie, CAE, Executive Officer, Council on Undergraduate Research
- Sharon Heiges Kneebone, IOM, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director American Academy of Pain Medicine
- Laurie Kulikosky, CAE, CEO at CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD)
- Brian Haney CLTC, CFS, CFBA, CIS, LACP, LUTCF, RFC, CAESVP, Association & Non-Profit Specialist, Relation Insurance Services
- Barbara Armentrout, CAE (moderator), BJA Solutions for Associations
- Teri Carden (hostess), COO, Insight Guide
Thu 3/19 at 4 p.m. – Reframing Association Strategy for the 2030s
Strategic planning is association management orthodoxy that our organizations can and must discard. Learn why strategic planning undermines associations operating in a BANI world, what “strategy as capacity building” is and what it requires of associations, and how association decision-makers can shift to a “strategy as capacity” building” approach. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Reston Loudoun Swap
Speaker: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC
Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If you offer free professional development to the association community, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon.
Creative Commons licensed photo by Hunter Masters via Unsplash
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