Publications
2006-07 Chamber Operations on-line survey results
ACCE's Chamber Operations Survey builds on over a decade of collecting data from and about chambers of commerce. Financial, membership and staffing data have been calculated from 207 participating chambers. Each of the 35 results web pages includes an interactive graph, the raw data in a spreadsheet format, hyperlinks to glossary terms, analysis, and the formulas used to calculate the ratios. See sample: national membership statistics.
Pages 39
On-line only.
ACCE Members: $89.00
Non-members: $149.00
Participants at no-charge contact Lisa Sohn with this form.
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Accounting, Tax, and Reporting Requirements
Your complete reference for reporting requirements, this step-by-step guide covers public access to records, lobby issues, IRS audits, internal controls, unrelated business income tax, Form 990, Form 990-T, IRS reporting requirements, wholly-owned taxable subsidiaries, intermediate sanctions, required statement on membership forms, and the role of the independent CPA.
This completely revised and expanded edition includes three all-new chapters. Detailed appendices offer full explanations of the four accounting standards—SFAs #116, 117, 124 and 136—that primarily affect chambers of commerce.
Pages 173
Members $50.00
Non Members $75.00
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$156.50 for complete Chamber Financial Management Series
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Boards That Work, A Practical Guide to Building Effective Association Boards
Success in today's world demands strong board leadership, but most boards do not work well. Based on Doug Eadie's work with over 400 boards, Boards That Work offers detailed, practical guidance for developing the strategic and policy leadership capacity of the board, telling you how to: Clarify your board's leadership role and functions, strengthen your board's membership and self-management, design board committees that really do work, involve your board creatively and proactively in strategic management, operational oversight, and external relations, build a board-chief executive partnership that is close and positive and bring off productive and fun board-staff retreats.
Pages 163
ACCE Member: $32.00
Non-member: $65.00
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Budgeting and Financial Management
Is your budget an annual exercise in drudgery? Replace an obsolete or ineffective system with one that works!
Take control of your chamber’s short and long-term financial plan. Break down time-consuming annual budgeting processes into twelve easy-to-manage increments that produce more accurate and effective resource allocation. The Continuous Budgeting System is easy for CEOs, CFOs or anyone with budgeting responsibilities to adopt.
Also included in this bestseller are sample forms and financial statements, templates for preparing budget documents for boards and valuable tips on how to use footnotes to present and explain financial statements thoroughly and with confidence.
Pages 140
Price: $50.00
Non Members: $65.00
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Purchase the entire Chamber Financial Management Series
(all 3 books) for $156.75 .
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Career Building for the Chamber Professional
Career Building for the Chamber Professional: A Definitive Guide to Moving Up in the Chamber World provides insights into the job search process for chamber leaders, and, by doing so, limit your zigging and zagging to reach your goal. This book is designed to offer practical advice and wisdom, based in part on the author's own observations and experiences, as well as comments from others within the chamber profession. The advice and tips here are designed to help you overcome some of the obstacles you may face and help you secure your next chamber leadership position. Don’t let your chamber position be just a job, make it a career.
"Fantastic!A 'must have' for any executive contemplating their next step," says Kristofer T. Johnson, IOM, President & CEO, Tri-City (WA) Area Chamber of Commerce.
Pages 75
ACCE Members: $45.00
Non-members: $60.00
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Chamber Professionals Salary & Benefits Survey, 2007 Edition
The most comprehensive source of compensation and job descriptions developed specifically for the chamber industry. This report contains 2006-7 salary and benefits data, as well as sample job descriptions, for more than 25 different positions at chambers of commerce, from the top paid staff professional to the receptionist. Compare your compensation package with other chamber professionals!
Pages 146
$95 for ACCE members whose chambers participated in the survey
$135 for non-participating ACCE chamber members
$255 for non-members
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Chief Executive Succession Planning
How ready are you for a leadership transition? In Chief Executive Succession Planning, author Nancy R. Axelrod explains why it is important for your board to have a leadership transition plan whether or not you anticipate an upcoming executive search. Learn how to devise an ongoing chief executive officer succession plan that is linked to the strategic planning, mission, and vision of your organization. Help your board prepare for the future by tying the needs of the organization into the chief executive officer job description and chief executive officer evaluation.
Pages 68
ACCE Member: $45.00
Non-member: $90.00
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Compendium of Dues Formulas
Updated compilation of tiered and traditional dues structures are included in the most recent edition.
Dues structures are grouped by total annual dues volume for easier reference.
Pages 180
Member: $40.00
Non-Member: $65.00
Chairman's Circle: $28.00
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Edwards Disaster Recovery Directory (Book and CD)
The Disaster Recovery Directory is a business-to-business directory designed to help those responsible for getting their organization "back to normal" after a crisis locate crucial recovery services throughout the United States and Canada. The vendor listings are organized into categories such as drying and dehumidification, smoke odor counteracting services, trauma counselors, salvage, emergency rentals, storm damage restoration, disaster planning software and more.
This directory provides:
- Over 4,000 hard-to-find vendor listings arranged both by category and alphabetically
- Close to 400 targeted resource categories including categories most overlooked in disaster plans
- Articles on disaster planning to help develop or improve existing plans
Pages 350
Member: $169
Non Member: $199
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Edwards Disaster Recovery Directory (Book Only)
The Disaster Recovery Directory is a business-to-business directory designed to help those responsible for getting their organization "back to normal" after a crisis locate crucial recovery services throughout the United States and Canada. The vendor listings are organized into categories such as drying and dehumidification, smoke odor counteracting services, trauma counselors, salvage, emergency rentals, storm damage restoration, disaster planning software and more.
This directory provides:
Over 4,000 hard-to-find vendor listings arranged both by category and alphabetically
Close to 400 targeted resource categories including categories most overlooked in disaster plans
Articles on disaster planning to help develop or improve existing plans
The book is 350 pages and available in both a book and CD format ( $107 for members, $149 for non-members). Also available in a CD/book package ($136 for members, $189 for non-members). For complete details, visit our online marketplace.
Pages 350
Member: $119
Non Member: $169
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Enhancing Committee Effectiveness, Guidelines & Policies for Committee Administration
One of the most practical reference tools you can give your committee members, this handbook offers a quick how-to reference for carrying out committee responsibilities. The booklet provides checklists and sample job descriptions for both staff liaisons and committee chairs. Learn helpful tips for developing agendas, conducting orientation, writing reports, and presiding over meetings.
Pages 30
ACCE Member: $17.00
Non-member: $35.00
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Fraud & Embezzlement in Small Business
Any organization can fall prey to fraud and embezzlement schemes, particularly small businesses and nonprofits. Unfortunately, the embezzler is always the person you would least likely expect. That's why sound internal controls are essential in protecting your organization.
This eye-opening, easy-to-read guide is filled with sage advice, compelling stories and practical tools to protect your hard earned assets and reputation.
Pages 152
ACCE Member: $37.00
Non Member: $42.00
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Hiring the Chief Executive
Written exclusively for the board as a guide to the chief executive selection process, with directives for creating a search committee and deciding the qualifications of the ideal candidate. The accompanying diskette provides sample forms to help the chamber's board screen and interview candidates.
Pages 40
ACCE Members: $32.50
Non-members: $36.00
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Keeping Members: The Myths & Realities
Are you recruiting for retention or just one year? This is just one of the strategic questions raised in this must-have resource. Member retention is the core business of any membership organization. This book dispels the 12 popular myths about retention and details key strategies for CEOs, staff and volunteers in recruiting and keeping members.
Pages 126
ACCE Members: $28.00
Non-members: $31.00
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Learning at Work
For four years researchers at Project Zero worked closely with the leaders and over fifty office managers of a university as they sought to cultivate a culture of learning and understanding throughout their organization. This book shares the story of this project along with the key lessons and practical strategies that helped to enhance understanding, deepen inquiry, strengthen leadership, and improve communication.
Pages 60
ACCE Members: $20.00
Non-members: $25.00
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Making Your Chamber Make A Difference
Author Mick Fleming, president of ACCE, makes the case for why chambers need to be involved in shaping public policy, then offers a menu of options and suggestions for crafting a policy agenda, understanding the issues, lobbying basics, grassroots lobbying, coalitions, e-advocacy, and measuring success.
Pages 82
Free - DOWNLOAD NOW!
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Managing Conflicts of Interest, A Primer for Nonprofit Boards
The nonprofit sector depends on the spirit of volunteerism displayed by board members’ personal and professional knowledge, experience, and community engagement. These board members can also face challenges in carrying out their board responsibilities precisely because of the number and breadth of associations and connections they have. Making unbiased, independent decisions on behalf of the organization isn’t always easy. So, not only should nonprofit board members and executives be able to recognize potential conflicts of interest, but they must determine when these conflicts present areas of concern and what to do about them.
Help promote a culture of disclosure in your nonprofit by exploring the meaning of conflicts of interest and understanding the legal rules relating to them. Managing Conflicts of Interest: A Primer for Nonprofit Boards, by Daniel L. Kurtz and Sarah E. Paul, acknowledges the difficulty in identifying problematic conflicts of interest, and gives recommendations for practice. This new edition discusses
- The most recent state and federal laws governing conflicts of interest
- Important legal concepts, including private inurement, private benefit, and intermediate sanctions
- Situations that give rise to conflicts of interest
- Creation of a conflict-of-interest policy and the need for proper disclosure
- Establishing a procedure for responding to existing conflicts
- Organizational code of ethics and maintaining an overall culture of integrity
- Special considerations for private foundations in dealing with conflicts of interest
The key for nonprofit boards is not to try to avoid all possible conflict-of-interest situations, but to identify and follow a process for handling them effectively. How an organization manages conflicts of interest and assures open and honest deliberation affects all aspects of its operations and is critical to making good decisions, avoiding legal problems and public scandals, and remaining focused on the organization’s mission.
Don’t miss the helpful Q&As and sample policies included in the appendix!
Pages 57
ACCE Member: $30.00
Non-member: $60.00
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Member Retention Kit - 2008 Edition
The kit will help you:
- Understand how retention rates impact your bottom line.
- Explore the common reasons why members leave and why they stay.
- Discover the Member Experience Cycle and how these stages link to recruitment and retention.
- Identify your members' expectations and how to meet them better.
- Conduct a Member Retention Study to collect member feedback.
- Follow a step-by-step process to create a retention plan to build your membership base.
The Member Retention Kit includes:
- The Member Retention Guide: An Overview of Why Members Leave and How to Keep Them
- The Guide for Conducting a Member Retention Study—A Precursor to a Retention Plan
- The Retention Plan Template—A step-by-step process for creating your own plan
- Samples of Retention Implementation Ideas
See Inside the Kit!
Pages 250
ACCE Members: $450.00
Non-members: $650.00
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Merging Chambers and EDOs
Thinking of initiating – or completing – a merger between your chamber and an economic development organization?
In the past, much of economic development was driven by “I and I”, inventory and incentives. And nowadays, it seems it is either employees and environment, “E and E”, or people and place, “P and P” driving economic development – and chambers have an important role to play in this new environment.
Listen to this 45-minute discussion (or read the transcript) about why chamber executives in three different communities felt that a merger between their organizations and the economic development organization in their communities was a necessary move, and the lessons that they learned along the way.
- Jim Fram, CCE, CEcD, President and CEO, Bartlesville (OK) Area Chamber of Commerce
- Bob Quick, CCE, President and CEO, Commerce Lexington (KY)
- Wendy Northcross, CCE, Chief Executive Officer, Cape Cod (MA) Chamber Of Commerce
Moderated by ACCE President Mick Fleming.
Free - Download Audio file
Free - Download Transcript
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Model Policies and Procedures
Chamber executives and board members are held accountable for virtually every aspect of their organization's activities, including finance, reporting requirements, accounting, administration, tax, internal controls, conflicts of interest, personnel, public disclosure of records among many others.
Strengthen your organization's financial procedures and assure board members that they are meeting fiduciary responsibilities. In addition, well-thought-out and thorough policies that comply with current tax law and accounting regulations will prove to be invaluable in the event of an IRS audit.
The book includes over 250 policies and 80 forms that you can easily customize for your chamber by simply downloading and customizing the information for your organization from an associated Web site.
Pages 274
ACCE Members: $65.00
Non-members: $80.00
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Purchase the Chamber Financial Management Series
(all 3 books) for $156.75.
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Preventing Fraud in Nonprofit Organizations
IS YOUR NONPROFIT VULNERABLE TO FRAUD?
Fraud or embezzlement discovered within a major corporation ultimately leads to front-page scandals and a few raised eyebrows. But the mere suggestion or evidence of fraud within a nonprofit can cause irreversible damage to its reputation, its support base, and, eventually, its very existence. Preventing Fraud in Nonprofit Organizations is the proactive manual your organization needs to detect fraud and prevent it from affecting your organization's bottom line and name. Brimming with details of hundreds of actual fraud and embezzlement schemes, it provides specific, practical advice on strengthening the areas in which your nonprofit may be most vulnerable.
This hands-on guide shows nonprofit accountants, CFOs, financial consultants, board members, and managers how to:
- Know the four consistent areas of high risk
- Thoroughly evaluate their organization's system of internal controls
- Assemble a fraud examination team
- Document a fraud action plan
- Expose weaknesses that could lead to fraud
- Take corrective action to reduce the possibility of victimization
Fraud deterrence is not exclusive to large corporations. Recommended reading for nonprofit professionals, Preventing Fraud in Nonprofit Organizations will motivate executives to take a fresh and intensive look at their organization's practices and act to protect from financial dishonesty.
Pages 220
Members: $50.00
Non-Members: $65.00
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Regional Strategies Monographs
ARS publishes a monograph series on topics of interest to regional stewards, such as community decision-making, leadership development, regional governance, and more. The monographs are free, but are available to members only.
The following Monographs are available to members only.
Regional Stewardship: A Commitment to Place
This monograph defines the concept of regional stewardship; explains why the region is the scale at which we need to address the complex issues that connect our economic, environmental and social well-being; and describes the roles that regional stewards play in crossing boundaries of jurisdiction, sector, and discipline to build coalitions for action. Monograph #1 (October 2000)
Empowering Regions: Strategies and Tools for Community Decision Making
This monograph provides a user’s guide to tools for community decision making. It examines the challenges of contemporary regional governance, provides insight into how to democratize the planning process, describes the tools available to support civic engagement, and gives examples of successful regional engagement efforts. Monograph #2 (April 2001)
The Downtowns of the Future: Opportunities for Regional Stewards
This monograph summarizes the lessons from regions across the U.S. that are working in new partnerships to build creative downtowns for living and working. It examines demographic, cultural and business trends; describes how downtowns are evolving into centers of retail services, entertainment, and creative activity; and provides a framework for choosing your downtown’s future. Monograph #3 (August 2001)
The Triumph of the Regional Commons: Governing 21st Century Regional Communities
Garrett Hardin’s seminal 1968 publication “The Tragedy of the Commons” illustrated the collective disaster that can occur when each member of a commons is allowed to pursue his or her individual interests without regard to their impact on the whole. This monograph examines the current state of regional governance and presents a vision and strategy for navigating future challenges. Monograph #4 (October 2001)
The Practice of Regional Stewardship: Developing Leaders for Regional Action
This monograph examines how more than two dozen regions have developed the capability over time to lead themselves into the future. It describes the common stages of regional change—initiation, mobilization, collaborative action, and sustaining success—and provides insight into why some regions continually innovate while others become stagnant. Monograph #5 (March 2002)
Metropolitan Regional Grantmaking: Promising Practices and the Stewardship of Place
How can foundations advance the smart growth and livable communities agenda that is emerging in communities led by regional collaboratives? This monograph suggests that metropolitan regional grantmaking is a distinct style of philanthropy, one that is strategic, proactive, values-based, collaborative, cross-disciplinary, pragmatic, innovative, durable and accountable. It describes strategies and practices among metropolitan regional grantmakers, and offers lessons learned by their experiences. Monograph #6 (October 2003)
Inclusive Stewardship: Emerging Collaborations Between Neighborhoods and Regions
This monograph describes the concept of inclusive stewardship, an emerging form of collaboration connecting neighborhoods, communities and regions. It distinguishes this kind of collaboration from other approaches, provides examples of it in action, and offers a diagnostic roadmap for assessing a region’s readiness and initial focus for inclusive stewardship. Monograph #7(November 2003)
Toward a Vision of the Livable Community
What do people seek in the communities they choose to live? This monograph suggests that the concept of livability has many dimensions and exists along a continuum. Although some characteristics of livability are shared by all communities, many are subjective. This publication considers the experiences of numerous communities in promoting livability in equitable and inclusive ways. Monograph #8 (October 2004)
Regional Business Civic Organizations: Creating New Agendas for Metropolitan Competitiveness
This monographs gauges the extent to which business-led civic organizations are embracing social and economic development issues to promote overall regional economic competitiveness. A new breed of business organizations is enlisting unconventional partners in a climate of collaboration. This publication includes a diagnostic tool to assist regions in assessing their readiness for cross-sector regional action. Monograph #9 (October 2004)
Regional Indicators: Telling Stories, Measuring Trends, Inspiring Action
This monograph examines how indicators are being used at the regional level for a variety of purposes. In 2004, ARS conducted a regional indicators survey; this monograph includes feedback received from 21 regions regarding their own experience with regional indicators. Also included is an indicators "matrix," outlining which indicators are used by the majority of indicator initiatives. Monograph #10 (November 2005)
Regional Stewardship and Collaborative Governance
Regional collaborative governance is a web of expectations, interactions, and ultimately responsibilities that provide the only realistic hope for meeting the complex economic, social, and environmental challenges facing regions today. In short, it is about how regional stewards find practical ways to solve problems by transcending traditional jurisdictions, sectors, and issues, and creating a new framework for collaborative action. Monograph #11 (March 2006)
These Monographs are FREE to our members.
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Step-by-Step: A Chief Executive's Toolkit
Five great books on governance and strategic planning help chamber executives lead their organizations to extraordinary results. Learn how to build an empowered board that is a strategic asset to be leveraged, not a legal requirement to be managed. Includes:
• The Nonprofit Chief Executive’s Ten Basic Responsibilities
• Leadership Roles in Nonprofit Governance
• Getting the Best from Your Board: An Executive’s Guide to a Successful Partnership
• Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards
• Meet Smarter: A Guide to Better Nonprofit Board Meetings
ACCE Members: $112.00 per 5-book series
Non-members: $120.00 per 5-book series
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Taming the Troublesome Board Member
Addressing troubling behavior in a timely manner can make the difference between troubling and troublesome. Organized as a reference guide, Taming the Troublesome Board Member lays out a blueprint for avoiding and resolving the challenge of disruptive board members. It explores the root of troublesome behaviors and helps identify and address problems quickly and with as much grace as possible. Real-life case study examples illustrate specific behaviors with analysis and recommendations on the best next steps, in any boardroom. Board chairs will find this book empowering and accessible as the board leaders who need to take action. Chief executives and consultants will also benefit from this resource in an effort to understand what might be causing trouble in the boardroom. From micromanaging and undermining the board chair to silence in board meetings and founder syndrome, Taming the Troublesome Board Member addresses more than 25 different types of troublesome behavior.
Pages 105
ACCE Member: $30.00
Non-Member: $60.00
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The 7 Irrefutable Rules of Small Business Growth
Starting a small business and making it a success isn’t easy. In fact, most small business owners don’t get rich and many fail. This book presents the straight truth on small business success. It doesn’t offer cure-alls for every small business. Instead, it outlines real, effective principles for continued small business growth and success. Written by business growth expert Steven Little, The 7 Irrefutable Rules of Small Business Growth skips empty small business positivism in exchange for real-world, practical solutions. If you’re a small business owner or an entrepreneur just starting out, you’ll find answers to all your most important questions on topics such as technology, business plans, hiring, and much more.
Pages 236
ACCE Members: $12.00
Non-members: $14.00
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The Essentials of Membership Development
An "insider's view" at what membership development means in a chamber of commerce today, this book offers tips and tools you can use to create a successful membership development operation. In addition, you will learn the necessary personal effectiveness skills and self-knowledge necessary for successful membership development.
Here are just some of the included samples, models, and advice:
- dozens of model membership policies & procedures
- membership professional & chamber board interactions
- legal implications of membership sales
- sample tiered dues structures
- definitions and formulas to calculate retention, cost of membership sales, and more
- inside sales telephone scripts
- answers to common sales objections
About the Author
Dawn A. Moliterno is the President & CEO of the Walton County (FL) Chamber of Commerce. Prior to joining this chamber, she shared her expertise in marketing, communication, and strategic development with chambers of commerce throughout the nation through her company, Introspect Associates LTD. Dawn has won a number of national and regional awards for her efforts, and has served on the Board of Directors for the former National Alliance for Membership Development (NAMD).
Pages 295
ACCE Member Price: $65.00
Non-Members: $85.00
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The Nonprofit Mergers Workbook
Mergers can help you accomplish more mission, more effectively. Discover why a merger is not a last ditch survival move but an important strategic tool for organizations focused on doing their best for their community. This practical guide by David La Piana walks you through the entire merger process from assessing your reasons and readiness, to finding a partner, negotiating the deal, and completing the merger.
Pages 232
ACCE Members: $30.00
Non-members: $60.00
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The One-Hour Activist
No matter what your political persuasion, The One-Hour Activist is your guide to influencing lawmakers, candidates, and reporters. The One-Hour Activist reveals fifteen powerful, proven grassroots actions that persuade lawmakers and candidates to see things your way.
Each action is designed to grab the attention of your representatives and build relationships that serve your issues over the long run. And each action takes less than an hour to complete, so you can make a difference without giving up your life!
The One-Hour Activist is packed with insider advice from elected officials, professional organizers, lobbyists, and journalists who share state-of-the-art tips for getting your message across. Real-life examples of effective letters, e-mail, phone calls, public testimony, and news story pitches from concerned citizens just like you illustrate the actions.
Tactics you will learn:
- How to distinguish your letters and e-mail in the flood of correspondence elected officials receive
- Why lawmakers crave your personal stories, local information, and opinions
- Powerful ways to influence candidates so you represent more than a single vote on Election Day
- Strategies for identifying, tracking, and analyzing current legislation
- Ways to neutralize the efforts of your opposition
- Political organizations than can coordinate your efforts with others who share your views
- What local newspaper editors seek to publish in letters from readers like you
- Advanced grassroots actions that include meeting withelected officials, delivering public testimony, and pitching news stories
Pages 211
ACCE Member: $12.00
Non-member: $18.00
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