American Associations Day

IFIRST wrote about public policy advocacy for associations in my March 19, 2021, column where I described “grassroots and grasstops” campaign tools. These are used by the American Society of Association Executives (Asae) to voice out issues its members care about and to reach out to elected officials and policymakers in Capitol Hill, i.e., the United States Congress in Washington, D.C.

Another tool the Asae uses is the holding of the “American Associations Day.” This event is usually a multi-day legislative “fly-in” designed to facilitate communication between association executives and lawmakers. Its goal is to raise the elected officials’ awareness of issues in association work and desired policy changes.

Due to the pandemic, this year’s event on March 25 to 26 was held virtually where attendees got two days of content, focusing on the issues affecting associations in 2021, the associations’ role in civil discourse, and the importance of grasstops programs and digital advocacy.

This was the second consecutive year the Asae has held the event virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The participants used the event to showcase to policymakers why associations are an important part of the policymaking process, and to prepare for virtual meetings with congressional offices to discuss specific issues important to the association community.

The American Associations Day 2021 was packed with educational content to help prepare association leaders in effectively advocating for the community. Over 300 attendees—association executives, association advocates, association vendors and those with vested interest in the association community—joined the Asae’s Policy Advocacy Team. The virtual congressional meetings were held to demonstrate their association’s impact and promote the “Power of Associations,” Asae’s platform to highlight the accomplishments of associations.

One bill the Asae and other associations support is the “Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act” that two legislators reintroduced. Last year, the Asae and its grassroots supporters successfully swayed Congress to expand the “Paycheck Protection Program” to include deserving organizations, including associations, financially impacted by the pandemic.

Attendees participated in a virtual congressional town hall with two senators who championed the PPP expansion for associations last year. They also participated in another town hall with two congressmen. Attendees also had the opportunity to sign up for virtual Capitol Hill meetings with their respective members of Congress during the weeks to follow.

“That’s why American Associations Day is so meaningful,” Asae President Susan robertson said. “You have the opportunity to leave an impression on the lawmakers’ offices you visit—to create a better understanding of who we are as a community and how we can help in the development of informed public policy.”

The Asae’s “Power of Associations” campaign, including the American Associations Day, is intended to provide an objective snapshot of the US association community—a diverse, vibrant sector and powerful contributor to the country’s economy and quality of life.

While Asae’s public policy advocacy work remains aspirational in the context of the PCAAE, we hope to someday follow in the footsteps of the 100-year old Asae.

The column contributor, Octavio ‘Bobby’ Peralta, is concurrently the secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific, Founder & CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives and President of the Asia-pacific Federation of Association Organizations. The purpose of PCAAE— the “association of associations”—is to advance the association management profession and to make associations well-governed and sustainable. PCAAE enjoys the support of Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the Philippine International Convention Center. E-mail: