Leaders Blog

Reminder that Dec. 30 is the last day to overnight check and credit card contributions to 2901 Telestar Ct., 6th Floor, Falls Church, VA 22042. Dec. 31 is the last day to make online credit card contributions at the Advocacy Action Center (one-time contributions, enroll for monthly recurring or annual recurring contributions.) 

Please save the dates for Regional Zoom meetings. All will be held via Zoom in January, February, March, April, June, August, October, and December. November 15-17 is the NAIFA Leadership Conference. Calendar invitations are sent out quarterly, but feel free to save these dates on your calendar now.

2020 was a year that no one expected. As 2020 comes to a close, it's a good time for leaders to look at lessons worth hanging on to. Mark Athitakis, a contributing editor for Associations Now, outlines four leadership lessons that came out of 2020 that he hopes leaders will hang on to in the years to come. 

With almost a year of virtual meetings under our belt, attendee expectations for virtual meetings are evolving. Attendees now have an idea for what they like and don't like, and associations need to take both into account when planning virtual meetings and conferences in 2021.

The need for hosting programs virtually significantly increased during 2020. If you are looking to host your first virtual chapter program, or improve upon the last one your chapter hosted, we've added a section to the Chapter Playbook highlighting virtual, hybrid and watch party style programs! 

As hosting virtual events continues to be the norm, it can be difficult to keep attendees engaged. Shameka Jennings, MTA, CMP, director of meetings and partnership development at the National Coalition of STD Directors, provides five tips for creating a virtual event agenda that will boost engagement.

Still looking for the perfect Christmas gift? Making the decision to become a leader is the greatest gift you can give yourself. Leadership opens up opportunities. Opportunities to own fear, uncertainty and doubt. There is also an opportunity to remove any fear from others. 

The NAIFA 2025 Strategic Planning Committee has released an exposure draft of the plan and seeks feedback from NAIFA volunteers, members, staff, partners, and anyone who is interested in NAIFA's continued success over the next five years and beyond.

With the combined efforts of NAIFA’s dedicated field leaders, staff, and Board of Trustees, NAIFA’s new and returning member totals have exceeded the recent record posted in 2019. Individually and combined, the new and returning numbers exceeded 100%. Together the yearend total will be between 110% and 115% of 2019.

All chapters are expected to have an independent review of the chapter’s Annual Financial Reports (financial statements) at the end of the chapter year. The independent review requires prudent testing of a sample of underlying transactions and testing the accuracy of the Annual Financial Report.