Running a small team doesn’t have to mean small results. In this episode, Tip Tucker Kendall, CAE, Executive Director of the National Grants Management Association (NGMA), shares how she tripled membership with just nine staff—all by focusing on community, efficiency, and technology.
Tip and Christine dig into why rethinking volunteer roles, empowering independent staff, and using tech to eliminate busywork are game-changers for associations. If you’re leading a lean operation, this is your blueprint for scaling big and staying nimble and profitable.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why you should consider shifting away from a committee-heavy structure.
- How to think smarter about delivering value to members.
- How to make tech work for your organization.
- How to achieve growth and visibility through the power of branding.
- Why small staff may have the edge on productivity.
About our guest:
Tip Tucker Kendall, CAE, is the executive director of the National Grants Management Association (NGMA), where she leads a team of nine staff members. Under her leadership, NGMA has experienced significant growth and change, including a 200% increase in membership, an expansion of its educational programs, and improvements to its certification, the Certified Grants Management Specialist (CGMS). Tip has worked for professional associations supporting arboriculture, basketball, equine veterinary medicine, and travel. She speaks regularly on nonprofit issues and currently serves as chair of the Stall Staff Professionals Advisory Committee of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).
Resources:
Recommended Reading: Fierce Conversations
Explore more on how to maximize resources with a small staff association.
Visit: AssociationAdviser.com
Connect with NGMA & Tip Tucker Kendall:
LinkedIn: @NGMA & @TipTuckerKendall
Facebook: @NGMA
Visit: https://www.ngma.org/
Connect with Us:
LinkedIn: @NaylorAssociationSolutions
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