Management Services
Associations have many moving parts, all of which must be monitored, well-maintained, and updated. We can help to ensure that all of the components work in harmony, so your association always runs smoothly.
The Pathfinder Group can provide stability to your organization in changing times through long-term planning, budget analysis, and access to professional investment advice.
Volunteer leadership requires accurate financial information about their organization and Pathfinder Group’s experienced staff can provide and maintain this information accurately.
Services Include:
- Maintaining a quality financial accounting system compliant with
- Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
- Preparation and distribution of invoices
- Collection of income from dues, workshops, meetings, etc.
- Placing collections calls as required
- Working with appropriate committee to develop budget
- Monitoring, obtaining approval, and payment of expenses
- Verification and payment of all reimbursement requests
- Preparation of regular monthly and annual financial statements
- Preparation of customized reports
- Preparation of bank reconciliation documents
- Preparation of working paper files for external audit
- Working with your association to file tax returns
- Ordering new cheques as needed
- Providing credit card payment options
- Monitoring investment options; investing reserves
- Maintaining signing authority documentation
- Payroll preparation and administration
In any not-for-profit organization it is important to have a consistent management presence. Board members come and go, but the executive or management liaison can provide consistency in operations and aid in a smooth governing transition. Pathfinder’s executive management serve as the chief staff executive for our client organizations and have extensive experience in association management.
Under the direction of our clients’ boards, Pathfinder executive leadership is responsible for the administrative and financial management functions of the organization.
Services Include:
- Strategic Planning
- Leadership Development
- Communication with industry partners
- Maintaining awareness of current association trends
- Researching issues and programs for Board review
- Assistance to develop and implement strategic plans
- Support of committees as required
- Development of annual planning and programming
- Project management and delivery
- Development and delivery of annual budget
- Administration of by-laws and board governance
- Membership Recruitment and Retention
The success of many professional and organizational initiatives depends on the level of credibility, importance, and respect that those initiatives command within the public sector. An association that can effectively work with government, both bureaucratic and political branches, can bring valuable benefit to its members. A government relations program can be effective in supporting your objectives when your organization’s interests need advancement or protection.
At Pathfinder Group our aim is to prepare organizations to work effectively with government and support our clients’ overall goals and strategies. We have experience in working with government at all levels and have successfully represented clients in the trade, healthcare, cultural, and business sectors.
A well functioning Board of Directors is critical to the growth and development of a not-for-profit organization. Pathfinder Group can provide your organization with a training session to ensure that the new Board remains a cohesive group providing strong leadership to the Association.
Services Include:
- Understanding association governance
- Understanding the rules under which you operate
- Board policies and procedures
- The proper way to run a meeting: Roberts Rules of Order
- Board planning and strategy
- Budget preparation
- Assistance with committee development
- Determining Board actions vs. staff actions
- Understanding the relationship between Board and staff
- Board and staff accountability
- Hiring Staff
Marketing is an essential, but often neglected, aspect of association management. It is essential for organizations to identify and promote their value proposition in order to gain new members. The essence of marketing is to understand your customers’ needs and develop a plan that meets those needs.
Services Include:
- Strategy development and implementation
- Prospect research
- Membership marketing
- Event marketing
- Graphic design services
- Development of promotional materials
Our team has experience in the development of strategic plans with both short and long-term horizons. We are available to facilitate and lead any strategic planning exercises you might have planned. As we share what we learned from other organizations, our additional perspective may also prove useful in your planning. Examples of our policies development work range from complex scope of practice to workplace conduct guidelines. Marketing is an essential, but often neglected, aspect of association management. It is essential for organizations to identify and promote their value proposition in order to gain new members. The essence of marketing is to understand your customers’ needs and develop a plan that meets those needs.
Our clients range from smaller associations with a dozen members, to regulated boards governing hundreds of members. The majority of boards that we work with are made up of volunteers, and this has given us a deep understanding of the constraints on a volunteer’s time as well as the enormous responsibility that they carry in ensuring proper governance of their organization.
