05/14/2025

Staying Mission-driven and Financially Sustainable amid an Economic Stall

Associations seek to adopt AI faster as recession talk grows

Recent board meetings across the association sector are echoing a common concern: how to stay mission-driven and financially sustainable amid an economic stall. Fresh data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows U.S. GDP slipping 0.3 percent in Q1 2025—the first contraction in 18 months. Just days after the end of that quarter, a sweeping 10 percent tariff took effect, with additional surcharges imposed on top trading partners.

This dual hit—shrinking economic activity and rising operational costs—has catalyzed a wave of strategic rethinking among association leaders.

For associations, which rely on member dues, conference revenue and non-dues programs to support their missions, the current economic turbulence underscores the urgency of doing more with less. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative lever, enabling associations to drive productivity, streamline volunteer and chapter coordination and enhance member service—without slashing staff or compromising quality.

Please select this link to read the complete blog post from Disaster Avoidance Experts.