Professional Association: Engaging Members in Budget Prioritization
A large professional membership association engaged its members in prioritizing annual budget programs using Catalyze and TransparentChoice. The process brought transparency, ease-of-use, and credibility to decisions that shaped investment in member services.
The Challenge
Engaging members in budget decisions was essential, but difficult.
The association had introduced program-oriented budgeting to improve clarity, but needed a fair way to assess programs, decide on criteria, and involve the right people. Volunteers were busy professionals spread across the U.S., making in-person workshops impractical. At the same time, the process had to meet strict governance requirements and be transparent to the membership.
Our Approach
Catalyze and TransparentChoice introduced a simple, web-based prioritization process that members could access anytime from any device.
Volunteers received personalized links, allowing them to complete evaluations at their own pace without login hassles. Catalyze worked closely with the association’s project manager, setting up prioritization models, coaching evaluators, and providing hotline support. The process design drew on years of experience, with improvements recommended for both current and future cycles, ensuring confidence and ease of participation.
The Results
The process delivered a clear, ranked list of programs aligned to strategic objectives.
Member input was directly incorporated, creating constructive debate and giving leaders confidence in their investment decisions—including when discontinuing lower-value programs. The transparent, collaborative approach reinforced trust and governance integrity, while opening the door for the association to innovate and adapt its services to evolving member needs.
"Catalyze and TransparentChoice both responded quickly to requests and gave the project top priority. Both firms showed strong commitment to the success of the project."
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