How to Partner With an AMCConduct an Organization AuditIt is important for nonprofit leaders to periodically conduct an organization audit identifying areas that could be enhanced. For example:
Once you have completed an organization audit, your board should evaluate whether the existing staff has the skills, tools and time necessary to enhance these areas. If not, your organization can choose to go in one of two directions: hire additional staff, or partner with an AMC for specialized management services. Become Familiar with the AMC ModelFrom day-to-day operations to select management services, AMC Institute’s members are a valuable source of information and expertise to nonprofit organizations. Larger AMCs employ up to several hundred staff specialists, while smaller firms may have two or three professionals. What do they have in common? Across the board, AMC Institute AMCs provide a wealth of association management experience through proven best practices and shared resources. Because they manage more than one association, their skills and knowledge base are broad and substantial. Prepare an RFPAre you a consultant or association volunteer? If so, we have resources that will help you through the process of searching for a management firm. We know that you have the important responsibility to make prudent choices for your organization. Once you have read through the resources for consultants or association volunteers, you are ready to gather the information that is needed to fill out an online RFP. Utilizing our online RFP tool will enable you to reach our pool of members for proposals. The process of preparing a Request for Proposal (RFP) is a process that will help your organization focus on goals and strategies of your organization. After providing an overview of your organization, you'll be prompted to outline a scope of services including financial, meeting and membership details. Be as specific as possible, and avoid withholding financial information in the interest of trying to get a low-bid proposal. Common expectations are critical to a successful relationship between an association and an AMC. To elaborate on specific strategic issues, your organization should upload its own RFP document. When submitting your online RFP, make sure that you include:
Additionally, we suggest making sure that the deadline for initial submissions is at a minimum, 3-4 weeks. This is to ensure that you receive thorough proposals that are tailored directly to your organizations' needs. The more information you provide about your organization, the higher quality proposals you will receive and the less time you will spend vetting questions. Distribute Your RFPOnce you’ve prepared your RFP, the next step is to determine how best to distribute the information. Use AMC Institute’s online RFP service to solicit proposals from our highly qualified AMC members. You can also narrow your search by geographic location, size, accreditation status, client type or management specialization. Evaluate ProposalsWhen evaluating proposals and interviewing AMCs for your nonprofit organization, consider:
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