The Transforming Landscape of Associations

Welcome to 2021! With each new year brings opportunity for fresh starts, setting and achieving new goals, and the chance to write the first chapter of your 2021 book. There is no going back to normal so the question is, how can you spend your energy to move forward?

The Associations North team continually invests time in professional development, connecting with industry leaders and talking with members to uncover current needs. The past year brought necessary changes, new innovations, streamlined processes, procedures and operations, a new lens on the value of membership, reskilling of staff to meet current demands and changing work requirements - to name a small few. Organizations were not only in a continuous state of strategy and innovation but accelerated execution, transforming the landscape of associations forever.

Recently, as part of a mastermind group, Mary Byers suggested associations consider the following questions to guide our work in the future:

• What does this time make possible? • What can you do for members that they can’t do themselves? • What are you uniquely positioned to do? • What do members need now that they didn’t need before?

We’ve referred back to these questions throughout the pandemic and were reminded recently how important they are still today. As we navigate 2021, we will continue to ask ourselves what is possible today, this month, this year and in the future. The current moment commands we revisit and adapt priorities as needed to serve members in the best capacity possible.

One way we’re living this is through the creation of new programs to meet your changing needs. In January, Associations North launched CEOSync, bringing together 20 elite leaders invested in each other’s success to collaborate, share and innovate. We look forward to participating in this cohort and sharing valuable tips and resources with the full membership. Additionally, we hope to see you at Meetup Group Day coming in March and other exciting opportunities to engage in the near future.

We are grateful for the inclusion of PPP funding for 501c6 organizations. If your organization was negatively impacted by the pandemic, we encourage you to consider applying for PPP1 and PPP2 funding. Employee retention credits (2020 and 2021) are often another overlooked option for economic relief and something to consider. Learn more about PPP2 eligibility and forgiveness at our webinar on 2.23. Please reach out if you need additional resources, we’re happy to help.

As we continue to write the 2021 story of Associations North, it will be a continuation of our commitment to Move Professionals Forward and we will review Mary’s questions along the way. One other certainty, we will remain cautiously optimistic, cultivate new opportunities, embrace flexibility and create engagement.

What are you waiting for? 2021 is waiting to be written. Make this year structured enough for success and flexible enough for creativity and self-care.

Co-Directors, Associations North

Associations North kicked off the 2021 CEOSync cohort program in January. Participants come together for focused conversations on key leadership topics, to share resources and experiences, hear from industry experts and transform as leaders. Find out more at: associationsnorth.com/ceosync.