Associations Matter

• ASAE has recently published a new report titled Associations Matter: Associations by the Numbers that quantifies many of the economic and social contributions made by U.S. associations.

• The report relies on government data and tax-exempt returns filed with the IRS to provide a statistically-precise overview.

Size & Scope of U.S. AssociationsSize & Scope of U.S. Associations

• There are roughly 92,000 trade and professional associations in the U.S.

• There are nearly 1.3 million charities, foundations, and similar organizations.

• Other types of tax-exempt entities in the U.S. include social welfare organizations, labor unions, colleges and universities, churches, veterans’ groups, and more.

Associations Matter

• The 2012 Associations Matter report shows that U.S.-based associations employ more than 1.2 million people and generate a payroll of nearly $47 billion.

• Membership associations had $130 billion in revenue and held an estimated $245 billion in assets in 2010.

Associations Matter

• More than 18 million Americans volunteered through a membership association in 2010.

• U.S. associations spend far more on education and professional development than on lobbying (The average trade association spent $1.2 million on program activity and about $66,000 on lobbying).

The Power of A

• ASAE created The Power of A (or Power of Associations) campaign in 2010 to promote better awareness and understanding of associations to outside audiences such as Congress, the media, and the general public.

• The campaign website is www.ThePowerOfA.org and the Twitter handle is @Power_of_A

The Power of A

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• Tweet about your associations stories using #PWRA or Tweeting @Power_Of_A

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