• Covid-19: An Update from Tracy Folkes Hanson, President & CEO

    It has been quite a week for everyone – no individual or organization has been left unaffected by the current pandemic and its myriad impacts.

    CSAE is working hard to stay on top of the developing situation, to advocate on behalf of our membership, and to keep you informed and supported. 

    I want to commend the outstanding efforts of the CSAE team. In the face of uncertainty, they have aptly addressed present and emerging needs while putting efforts into developing initiatives that will be of value to the sector in the days and weeks to come.

    Over the past week, I’ve heard from many of you as we navigate new challenges and unpredictable futures. During this immensely turbulent time, it is encouraging to be part of such a resilient and dedicated community of association professionals in Canada. I fully believe that we are stronger together.

    With this in mind, I encourage you to stay in touch with CSAE and each other. I hope members will join me in our new video drop-in, called Talk Tuesdays. This informal, weekly video chat will start on Tuesday, March 24 at 2pm EDT. We plan to host it every week for the foreseeable future. See the bulletin below for more details. I encourage the entire association sector to join the discussion on Associations Connect’s new COVID-19 thread. Our collective wisdom and spirit of collaboration are tremendous assets.

    Thank you, all, for your trust in CSAE.

    Stay well.


    COVID-19 Bulletin: March 20, 2020

    The following provides a round up of key CSAE activities and offerings. 

    Advocacy

    CSAE will ramp up its advocacy efforts early next week, with meetings and discussions with government. We will continue to press upon decision makers the critical role associations play in our society, stressing the far-reaching impact of COVID-19 in terms of loss and the assistance required to sustain our sector. Only then will we be able to make plans to rebuild. 

    CSAE has sent a letter to Corporations Canada asking they consider exercising flexibility for extensions of annual general meetings (AGM) – Section 160(2) of the Canadian Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (CNCA). In addition, CSAE has encouraged Corporations Canada to consider a related extension to the filing of the annual return. This action will provide associations time to make alternative arrangements, where necessary, in this time of physical distancing.

    Survey – Please participate

    The help of senior-level association members is needed to build the case for support with the government and other stakeholders by completing the short survey being sent to you today, to gauge the impact of COVID-19 on associations. This information is critical as CSAE continues to advocate for government support and to deliver programming and services in new, meaningful ways. We value your input, which will remain anonymous and will be presented as aggregate data.

    Staying Connected

    • NEW for Members! Talk Tuesdays
      Tuesday March 24, 2020 at 2 p.m. EDT
      See and speak with other CSAE members via videochat, while practicing physical distancing. Facilitated by Tracy Folkes Hanson, CSAE’s president & CEO. Hosted on the Zoom platform.
    • Associations Connect – Everyone is welcome to join in the discussion on COVID-19: share resources, challenges and knowledge in this virtual meeting place.  

    Virtual Learning Opportunities  

    March 26
    WTF?! Where to Focus: Your Business Continuity Planning – Panel Discussion

    Bring your questions to this panel of experts to support planning for people, processes and technology in challenging times. Moderated by strategy and governance consultant Meredith Low, MBA, CAE, C. Dir., this session will cover business continuity planning and give you tools and templates to develop a plan for your organization’s enduring success. From operational tactics that will allow you to maintain a safe workplace, to leveraging technology to work in virtual environments whether temporarily or over the longer-term, explore the many ways you can support your team and sustain your organization through difficult circumstances. Panelists include professionals from the association sector and cyber-security space, as well as HR and employment law.

    To learn more and to register, click here.

    April 1
    Association Efficiencies Using Virtual Strategies

    How do you optimize your governance framework and set strategic direction using virtual strategies? Can you deliver educational and advocacy value to members virtually or is face to face still an imperative? Managing people and operations gain efficiencies through virtual strategies, but what are the drawbacks? Explore these questions with a panel of association leaders and gain practical tools and knowledge that are more relevant now than ever.

    For information and registration, click here.

    April 22, 27 & 30

    Governance Forum: Now Virtual

    The program, normally delivered in one full-day session, has now been moved to a virtual format – divided into three interactive webinars throughout April. You will still receive the same in-depth workshop, delivered by Dr. David Weiss, and will have an opportunity to work with your board.

    NEW: CSAE’s flexible cancellation policy

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