An association management company (AMC) is a firm of professionals who have expertise and specialized training in providing administrative services to trade associations, professional societies and educational foundations.

An association management company provides a centralized office that serves as the client association’s headquarters. Based on the concept of shared resources, an AMC provides volunteer organizations with the expertise they need when they need it. The AMC typically assigns executives and administrators to conduct the association’s day-to-day operations.

Specialists are drawn from the pool of personnel resources and are assigned on an as-needed basis to special projects. For example, a publications editor coordinates a monthly newsletter or annual report, a meeting planner oversees the annual meeting or trade show, an accountant oversees the financial reports, support staff members are utilized to answer phones, distribute communications and handle the myriad of day-to-day functions which keep the association responsive to its membership needs.

Above all, the identity of the association is maintained with most members never recognizing that the association does not have its own full-time staff.