Craven Management Associates

Recruitment and Retention | Member Surveys | Database Management | Customer Service
Clear, consistent and timely communication lies at the heart of our service to your association members. For each client, we have an Account Manager and a team of associates that are focused on serving your members. Effective membership management and responsive reporting result in improved membership recruitment and retention. State-of-the art software is used to provide comprehensive and timely membership information. The resultant management reports provide insight to the board regarding the dynamics of the Association. Membership surveys are also used as a tool to generate a higher level of membership engagement. It is our business to know your business.

Event Planning | Sponsor Development | Financial Management | On Demand Learning
The quality of the planning and organization of pre-meeting activities is an important determinant of an event’s success. Craven works in a collaborative manner with committee members and volunteers, and functions as the focal point or hub for effective and timely communication. Different users have different needs, and we have established systems for reporting to hotels, governing authorities for continuing education, committee members, presenters, vendors and officers. Meetings are vital to associations to provide members with a forum to network and to obtain required educational hours. Through effective planning, ongoing monitoring of expenses and sponsor development, we provide quality events while remaining within your approved budgetary guidelines. In today’s busy world, not everyone can obtain learning at your face to face events. We have the tools to enable your association to provide remote learning and for members to remain connected to each other.

Event Apps | Online Reporting | Webinars | Virtual Meetings
Craven understands the importance of having current technology to provide members with timely information in a convenient and accessible format by using event apps, remote meetings, webinars, payments, registrations, membership surveys, conference evaluations and continuing education submissions. Because these services become valuable resources to our clients, we have developed an array of technology solutions, eliminating the need to outsource these services. Each association can then satisfy their need for communicating with their members. We can help your association initiate live chats, create discussion boards, conduct webinars and offer multiple methods for conducting virtual meetings to help members and leaders stay connected.

Budget Development | Fiscal Policies | Monthly Reporting | Tax Filings
Providing quality fiscal management and ongoing professional guidance is a differentiating strength of our firm. We have been specializing in business management services for non-profit organizations and their directors since 1991. Craven’s ability to embrace fiduciary responsibility is unique within the association management community. We will provide assistance with both annual budgeting and long-term financial strategies to strengthen your association. Effective financial management allows for more successful strategic planning. Board members are provided with management reports that can be used for effective decision making. Required tax filings and year-end compliance reporting are also provided.

Publications | Websites | Social Media
Effective and frequent marketing and communications are essential to building a dynamic organization and keeping members engaged. For today’s members, multiple platforms are required for marketing. Every member has their own method of seeking information, including printed newsletters, Facebook, Twitter and email. Craven can utilize internal resources to connect members with printed and/or digital newsletters, websites, email communication and social media. Member alerts and notifications at times are crucial when immediate actions are required. For this reason our services are not outsourced but handled internally to ensure timely notifications. The frequency of such contact is also important to keep members engaged. Craven will work in a collaborative fashion to develop timelines for your association to ensure newsletters, email communications and social media posts are designed to keep your members engaged, up to date and to enhance the visibility of your association.

Board Structure | Orientation Programs | Policy Development
Great leadership makes a great association. Craven understands that a volunteer-governed association may be comprised of Board members who are experts in their own profession, but may not be experienced in association management. We lend our expertise to help prepare you for leadership, pinpoint goals and develop strategies to achieve those goals. In addition to having strong leadership, a strong association must have effective bylaws and clear policies and procedures to guide the association. Craven ensures that boards not only have those guidelines, but we also can facilitate periodic revisions of the guidelines when they no longer fit the needs of the association.

Hotel Contracts | Financial Planning | Strategic Planning | Governance Structures
For various reasons, associations may need guidance in selected areas of their day-to-day affairs. At Craven, we can apply our years of expertise to help an association craft a hotel contract to minimize exposure to attrition or restructure an event to address budgetary concerns. Developing financial policies to strengthen the long term viability of an association is a hallmark of our services. Craven can provide your association with guidance in developing an effective and attainable strategic plan. Often, with change in strategic direction or external changes within your profession, governance structures and documents no longer work effectively. We can help your association develop a new governance structure with bylaws that are more appropriate for your current environment.

Solutions