Solutions

Association Options: Comprehensive Organizational Assessments

Our Commitment:

Association Options is dedicated to offering thorough assessments of your organization and its future management requirements. We collaborate closely with your professional staff to gather essential data and insights, ensuring a holistic understanding of your needs.

Our Mission:

To equip your organization with a clear understanding of various management models, their budgetary implications, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Areas of Review:

• Management Model Analysis
• Staffing Evaluation
• Vendor Agreement Overview
• Full-time Equivalent (FTE) Analysis
• Hourly Rate Benchmarking
• Operating Ratio Insights
• Comparative Structure Analysis of Similar Organizations
• Budgetary Comparisons
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Independent Management
• Association Management Company (AMC) Fee Assessment

Understanding AMC Relationships:

For organizations managed by an AMC, it’s crucial to periodically assess the relationship and associated fees. Conducting a management fee review every three years helps organizations refine their current management dynamics and align fees with industry standards.

Our assessments encompass:

• Detailed evaluation of management fees and staffing structures.
• Management model comparisons.
• Comprehensive volunteer and staff interviews.

Key Services:

• Hourly Rate Benchmarking: We benchmark your AMC’s average hourly rate against industry standards.
• Operating Ratio Analysis: We utilize the American Society of Association Executives’ Operating Ratios report to compare AMC fees with independently managed organizations.
• Salary Benchmarking: Leveraging industry-standard data and our expertise, we compare management fees against expected salaries for similar roles.

Board Responsibility:

It’s the board’s fiduciary duty to ensure AMC fees align with industry benchmarks, fortifying the association-AMC relationship.

Management Models Overview:

• Self-Managed: Your organization employs all staff and infrastructure.
• AMC-Managed: An AMC provides all essential operational services.
• Hybrid-Managed: A blend of self-managed and AMC-managed models, often involving a core team supported by an AMC or other vendors.

Our Approach:

We offer a detailed review of each model, from full-service AMC management to self-managed and hybrid options. Our findings are then presented to your board for an informed decision-making process.

Our Integrity:

At Association Options, our recommendations are based on facts and insights, not biases towards any particular model. We empower your organization with the information needed to make fiduciary decisions confidently.