The Power of A

Q. What is “The Power of A”?

The Power of A is associations’ ability to help solve some of our nation’s most pressing problems through workforce education, expert points of view, enriched public policy, innovative business practices and a spirit of community service.  ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership launched an awareness campaign to introduce The Power of A and underscore the many ways in which national trade and professional groups and not-for-profit organizations assist U.S. employers, legislators, workers and the public at large every day.

Q. What is the campaign’s goal?

The campaign’s top priority is to create awareness for the role associations and their members play in helping resolve issues of national importance such as education, employment, healthcare and housing.   Of particular importance is educating our country’s leadership, including those on Capitol Hill who comprise the group of newest political gatekeepers to the American public.

Q. What is the value of associations to our country’s leadership?

According to President Obama, only by acting collectively can we solve the nation’s most pressing problems.   The association community has perfected the art of collaboration, a valuable skill when all of the country’s strength is needed to rebuild the economy.  Because associations are comprised of hundreds and even thousands of industry professionals, we uniquely offer perspectives that represent all sides of an issue.  The numerous, diverse points of view within each association can help result in policies that best reflect the people they are intended to impact and protect, as well as bold and innovative practices that enhance Americans’ safety, environment and quality of life.

Q. How will the campaign generate awareness?

The Power of A campaign, which officially launched on April 26, 2009, is an integrated effort that includes television and digital advertising, a Web site, member materials and more.  The Web site, www.ThePowerOfA.org, includes a collaborative “Economy to the Power of A” blog which is intended to spark collaborative conversation that helps solve problems and overcome challenges large and small.

The association community also has developed materials designed to be shared with constituents across the country and has reached out to industry trade media to help spread the word.

Q. Why did ASAE launch this campaign now?

Working collectively has seldom been more important than this moment in modern history.  Now is the time to showcase the association community’s collaborative nature, community service spirit and how every day we put our skills to use investigating, analyzing and helping resolve issues of national importance such as healthcare, education, employment and housing.