The IRS Form 990, the non-profit organization’s tax filing form, is undergoing a major overhaul this year. The last significant revisions to the form were made in 1979, so all people involved with tax-exempt organizations need to take a good long look at the changes and become familiar with them.

A crisis at a meeting or event can mean everything from an accident to foodborne illness to a terrorist attack. Crisis preparedness should include measures that minimize loss and ensure continuity of business processes in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Has your association/society ever experienced a crisis situation at a meeting or event? What do you believe is the most important thing to consider when creating a crisis plan for a meeting or event?

Many organizations are utilizing podcasts, a series of digital-media files which are distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and computers, as a means to communicate to their audience.

While podcasts can certainly provide an intimate communication venue between nonprofit associations/societies and their members, is it worth precious staff time and equipment investment? Has your nonprofit association/society had success with podcasting?

You can’t watch the news or peruse the Internet without seeing a mention about “going green.” Many organizations are recognized in the media for their eco-attitudes and efforts. There has also been much buzz about it in the nonprofit world as well. While going eco-friendly may be the right thing to do, there also seems to be another side to going green that is now emerging – up front costs.

Do we like the idea of permanent board committees?

Some believe permanent committees add little value and are difficult to maintain. Also, is there an element of micro-management within ongoing committees? The alternative is to have revolving committee team members – would this hurt or help a committee’s objectives? What about if a nonprofit board is in its infancy? Is this a scenario that may require permanent committees to reach objectives?

With today’s business uncertainties, there seems to be a lot of chatter about developing a long-term employment branding strategies within nonprofit associations/societies. Does your association/society have plans to develop or currently have a staff employment branding strategy in place? If so, what are the main elements and has it been successful? Do you think an employment branding strategy is critical to association growth and success?

Research shows increasingly marked differences between three generations in American Society; Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Baby boomers values are idealistic, individualistic, and they were present during civil rights movements and the broadcast era of television. Generation X is described as pragmatic, independent, and distrustful of traditional hierarchy. Generation Y, or millennials, are described as civic-minded, team oriented, and can work within the system.

Since the onset of a generation who views technology and social media as essential in conducting their personal and professional business, trade associations and professional societies seem to be caught between fulfilling its mission and serving the individual needs of its members. Historically, associations were all about benefiting a specific profession or industry - specifically “the good of the mission.” Nowadays and more noticeably, it seems that members are saying “what’s in it for me.”

In today’s business environment, social media is a popular tool for communicating and making relationships. Tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace provide an instant community with networking resources and cost-effective communication. While these tools can make it easier to bring association members together, is social media missing the collaborative personal touch that has been the core of nonprofit associations in the past? In a world that is seeking “on-demand” information, is direct or face-to-face personal contact becoming less important?