10/25/2024

ASAE Urges Presidential Campaigns to Prioritize Associations in Policy Agendas

The organization wants them to prioritize the contributions of trade, professional associations

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) delivered a letter to both presidential campaigns this week urging them to recognize and prioritize the essential contributions of trade and professional associations in their policy agendas.

"We welcome the opportunity to engage in further discussions with both campaigns to explore how associations can contribute to the economic, social and workforce priorities of the next administration," said ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE.

In the letter, ASAE highlights the pivotal role associations play in strengthening the nation's workforce and economy. According to research conducted for ASAE by Oxford Economics earlier this year, associations account for over 1 million jobs, generating more than $71 billion in wages, and hold more than 272,000 events every year that attract nearly 52 million participants and generate $42 billion in spending. Associations also pay almost $28 billion in federal, state and local taxes each year, and events generate an additional $7.5 billion in taxes.

“Beyond economic contributions, associations provide indispensable services to millions of Americans, offering professional development, industry guidelines and standards and innovative research that fuel growth in virtually every sector," Mason said in the letter. "These organizations empower small businesses, advance workforce skills and advocate for the well-being of the communities they serve."

The letter also addresses the uncertainty surrounding future tax policies, given that sweeping tax breaks established in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire in 2025. ASAE is sounding the alarm that the tax-exempt sector could be targeted by lawmakers to help offset the cost of tax legislation. ASAE warned both campaigns this week that changes to the tax treatment of association revenue streams would severely impact associations' missions and the public benefits derived from their activities. Examples of how associations go above and beyond their missions to provide public benefit can be found in ASAE's Power of Associations Awards program.

"Any alteration of the tax-exempt status of nonprofit associations could disrupt the critical work of these organizations, diverting valuable resources away from mission-focused activities and forcing associations to reduce services that benefit the industries, professions and communities [in which] they serve," Mason said in the letter. "Thousands of associations go above and beyond their everyday missions, positively impacting society. Impeding their work with burdensome new taxes would have a cascading negative effect on them and the millions of members who rely on them."

ASAE remains committed to advocating for the role of associations as key drivers of economic and workforce development and ensuring they remain well-positioned to support the diverse industries and communities they serve.

For more information about ASAE's advocacy work, please email the ASAE Public Policy team.