The resources below are available to help NAGC's Affiliate organizations as they work through the many challenges of association management.

If you would like to suggest a resource be added to this list, please use this online form. 

2024 NAGC State Affiliate Handbook

NAGC put together this helpful handbook for its state affiliates. Please download a copy here.

NAGC Staff Office Hours

An added feature of being an NAGC State Affiliate is the ability to connect with NAGC staff to discuss a wide range of organizational and strategic issues that affiliates might face.

To request a meeting with the appropriate NAGC staff member, please submit this online form. A staff member will get back to you in 2-3 business days to set-up a meeting. 

Association Governance

Effective governance is the foundation of any strong and resilient association. From establishing bylaws and policies, to fostering a productive and diverse board of directors, the resources below can help strengthen and grow your affiliate organization.

For reference and to use as an example, NAGC's Regulations (bylaws) and Policies can be found here. It is important to remember that state governments set bylaw requirements. The templates below may not include all the required information for proper bylaws in your state. 

Creating Effective Bylaws and Policies

• The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) has a wide variety of resources to help association's create or revise their bylaws. Download templates of sample bylaws as well as detailed bylaws from ASAE. 

• ASAE also has a wide variety of governance samples from some of nation's leading associations. 

• The National Council for Nonprofits provides a number of free governance resources for associations. Visit this page for helpful articles, documents, and guides to strengthening your organization's governance.

• The Internal Revenue Service offers a governance checklist for non-profit organizations. Download a copy for your affiliate to review. 

Strengthening Your Affiliate's Board of Directors 

• Nonprofit Hub offers a number of free guides to help your Board, including a guide to board management for executive directors, a guide to Robert's Rules of Order, and a non-profit lingo guide. 

• BoardSource offers a number of resources for working with your affiliate's board, including a helpful guide on developing a mission statement as well as a guide on board-staff interaction best practices. 
  
  
• Leading with Intent (2021) is a free report from BoardSource that explores the state of diversity on nonprofit boards.

Member Engagement

When it comes to running your affiliate, nothing is more important than effectively serving your members. Find helpful resources below to assist in your member recruitment, retention, and engagement.  

• ASAE offers a number of resources for members and non-members on how to increase your organization's membership. 

• The Association Resource Center put together this series of helpful tip-sheets for growing your membership: Part I, Part II, Part III. 

• 501 Commons put together this free volunteer management guide to explore different ways to engage your members through volunteerism. 

Finance and Accounting

 Keeping your affiliate's finances in order is a critical part of a healthy non-profit! Use the resources below to help guide your organization's finance and accounting practices.  

• Blue Avocado put together this helpful and free accounting procedures manual for non-profits. Download it here. 

• Social Impact Architects created this easy-to-use checklist for financial sustainability. Download a copy. 

• The Wallace Foundation created the Strong Nonprofits Toolkit that has many great financial management resources. 

• Nonprofit Quarterly issued this Executive Director's Guide to Financial Leadership as a free download. 

• The Nonprofit Finance Fund provides this online glossary of financial terms. 

Free or Discounted Tools for Non-Profit Organizations

There are a number of free or discounted resources that are available to non-profit organizations. Often, you only need to submit your organization's IRS non-profit designation letter to qualify for the free or discounted tools listed below. 

Graphic Design

• Canva is a web-based graphic design tool that can be used to create fliers, social media posts, and more. A special non-profit rate allows access to a premium account for free for registered 501(c)(3) organizations. Find more information here.

• Piktochart is a web-based infographic tool. A significantly discounted rate is available for 501(c)(3) organizations. Find more information here. 

• Pexels offers a wide selection of free stock images. Find more information here.

Social Media 

• Buffer is a web-based social media scheduling tool that allows users to connect major social media accounts and schedule posts ahead of time. Buffer also offers insights and analytics on your organization's social media posts. A 50% discount for 501(c)(3) organizations is available. Learn more. 

• Hootsuite is also a web-based social media scheduling and analytics tool. Non-profit organizations are eligible for a 75% discount. Learn more. 

• Later is a web-based social media scheduling tool. Non-profits are eligible for a 50% discount. Learn more. 

• LinkTree is a web-based tool that can serve as an outward facing reference landing page for all your social media accounts and important website links (see NAGC's LinkTree as an example). A free LinkTree account is available to nonprofits. Learn more. 

Marketing

• Google Ad Grants offers 501(c)(3) up to $10,000 a month in free Google Ads. Learn more. 

• Grammarly is a downloadable tool that can help perfect grammar and improve messaging. A free account is available for all users. Learn more.

Miscellaneous

• Asana is a project management tool that offers a free version as well as a 50% discount for nonprofits for their premium version. Learn more.