Executive Orders outlining cuts to federal grant funding for organizations supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), climate change, public health, international aid, and immigrant assistance initiatives could impact workers spanning a multitude of industries and fields of expertise. As federal policy changes and funding freezes impact layoffs, your members may be turning to your association now more than ever to earn certifications or further their professional development.
Those individuals will be looking to trusted associations to help them bolster the skills they will need to navigate a potentially tricky path forward in their careers. Organizations that use learning management software (LMS) to provide online learning, certifications, and credentialling will be uniquely positioned to effectively support impacted members during these uncertain times.
Ways an LMS can benefit members
An LMS enables your organization to create impactful learning programs for your members and empowers them to accelerate their professional development goals and advance their careers. These programs can provide significant member value during turbulent times.
Certification and credentialing
As job security is threatened by the loss of federal funding and return to office mandates, your members may want to add new skills or credentials to make them more marketable to new employers. Association certifications and credentialing programs require members to fulfill industry qualifications by meeting continuing educational requirements, demonstrating practical experience through skill assessments, and staying current with the latest industry changes and advancements. Providing these programs meets their ongoing education needs and provides the certifications and credentials that will set your members up for success.
Personalized learning paths
Federal policy changes will affect a vast spectrum of your membership. Having personalized learning paths for all different types of learners will help your association meet the needs of anyone impacted by federal policy changes. While facing difficult layoffs, customized learning paths offer flexibility to your members, allowing them to choose the next step in their learning journey that best aligns with their career goals.
Providing content in different ways (video, written content, podcasts), options for assessment types (written assignments, presentations, creative projects), and even utilizing adaptive learning technologies that adjust the difficulty and style of content based on individual progress and understanding all help to tailor your members’ learning experiences.
Dynamic webinars and on-demand content
Changes to federal policies are happening rapidly and with some Executive Orders being challenged in court or paused by judges, it can be difficult for members to keep up with current information. Having the ability to host live sessions, facilitate real-time conversations, and deliver interactive content will help keep your members up-to-date and engaged with your organization.
Offer wellness courses
While continuous learning and professional development are the typical ways to put your LMS to good use, don’t forget that you can use your LMS to support your members’ mental health and personal well-being as well. Offering courses about stress management, cognitive fitness, healthy eating, and exercising is a great way to show you care about your members’ mental and physical health during times of change. It also presents more opportunities for your members to engage with your learning program.
How to drive non-dues revenue so you can continue to support your members
As more and more members are impacted by policy changes or funding freezes, it’s possible that your membership renewals may take a hit this year or that your association will need to explore different programs and incur new costs in order to keep supporting your members in this ever-changing environment. So, it could be wise to look for ways to leverage your learning program to drive non-dues revenue so that you can continue to advance your mission.
1. Repurpose your content
Before you return to the “content drawing board,” inventory what courses, webinars, and content your association has already created. Consider what learning formats are popular within your industry and begin reworking the content to share across your networks.
For example, you can reuse your webinars, turning the material into blogs or whitepapers to share across social media. Additionally, you can break up existing course content into shorter courses called microlearning or nano courses.
2. Market your courses to non-members
Positioning your association as the industry voice of authority in professional development will help you attract a bigger audience to your learning program. You can expand your network to non-members and drive non-dues revenue by promoting your learning content through free downloads with specific materials. Be sure to include a call-to-action with downloads or free resources, prompting non-members to share the resource with others on social media or to learn more about your association.
Consider restricting most of your learning materials to your paying members. Try advertising the excellent on-demand library of learning content and amazing upcoming webinars to entice new members to take additional courses. You can advertise a member rate for courses versus a non-member rate to drive additional non-dues revenue.
2. Sell sponsorships
Increase sponsorship opportunities in your continuing education program by offering different formats and options for an organization to sponsor a webinar or learning event. A great opportunity that both promotes your sponsors and offers courses for your members impacted by layoffs is to encourage potential sponsors to host upcoming learning events at no cost.
Here are a couple of ways you can enhance your sponsorship program:
- Post a media kit so sponsors can get to know your organization and members.
- Display your contact information and details about partnering with your organization. For example, post information about the cost of a social post, banner ad, or dedicated email.
Highlight the benefits of joining your sponsorship program and consider including success quotes from existing sponsors.
Stay educated and support your members
With unplanned policy changes, don’t underestimate the value of your LMS system and how it can support your members throughout these unprecedented times.
To explore other ways your organization can keep driving revenue and supporting members, read our other blogs on 3 Fundraising tips to help nonprofits fill the gap caused by federal funding freezes and How your association can weather federal policy changes: Career center best practices.