What’s stopping your members contributing to your activities might not be willingness. It could be employer support.
You can play a powerful role in helping members secure that support. And increase your contributor pool.
Here’s how:
Provide a “Business Case Template”
Give your contributors a short downloadable document outlining:
- Skills developed through involvement
- Leadership opportunities
- Visibility and brand alignment benefits
- Networking and market insight value
Make it easy for members to present a structured case internally.
Be Clear on Time Commitment
Provide realistic estimates of:
- Preparation time
- Meeting frequency
- Event attendance requirements
Clarity builds confidence with employers.
Position Contribution as Skill-Based Volunteering
Where relevant, frame involvement as professional volunteering. Many employers already support volunteering. This simply aligns contribution with existing policy.
Provide Recognition and Visibility
Offer:
- Formal letters confirming involvement
- LinkedIn-ready descriptions of the role
- Public acknowledgement of contributors
These make the reputational benefit tangible.
Emphasise the Employer Benefit
Associations should consistently communicate that contributors:
- Develop leadership capability
- Gain industry insight
- Strengthen professional networks
- Raise their organisation’s profile
When associations articulate this clearly, contributors don’t have to start from scratch.
By equipping members with the right language, more professionals will step forward.
And that benefits everyone.
Are you keen to support your contributors to add value to your Association’s activities? I can help. Take a look of my in-house training workshops to see how.
Thanks for reading and happy contributions!