A National Campaign to Reaffirm Trust in Associations
Trust Associations is a national campaign from ASAE designed to reinforce the vital role associations play in industries, communities, and the economy, and to equip association professionals with clear, shareable messages that build trust with policymakers and the public. At a time when confidence in institutions is eroding, the campaign reminds policymakers and the public that associations unite people around shared purpose, elevate professional standards, and strengthen our democracy.
Why this Campaign Matters:
Public polling shows declining trust in institutions, and the rise of AI and social media has created new channels for misinformation that can further erode confidence in expertise and factual information. Associations are a trusted counterweight to that trend. Through targeted messaging, storytelling, and media outreach, Trust Associations highlights the sector as a trusted force that drives progress, innovation, and civic engagement, speaking first to policymakers while also reaching the broader public.
Six Themes that Tell the Association Story:
The campaign organizes its message around six themes that capture how associations earn and sustain trust:
- Trusted Conveners: Associations build community across a profession, convening members to exchange trusted information and strengthen relationships.
- Trusted Innovators: Associations anticipate disruption and bring their communities together to solve emerging challenges and lay the groundwork for breakthroughs.
- Trusted Standard Setters: Associations develop consensus-based standards that keep products and services safe, interoperable, and accessible.
- Trusted Educators: Associations set rigorous, field-owned certifications that ensure qualified practice and professionalize their industries.
- Trusted Advocates: Associations aggregate member expertise into data-driven input that shapes better-informed public policy.
- Trusted Neighbors: Associations serve beyond their membership through volunteering, charitable work, and community impact.
Why Participate?
With your involvement, the Trust Associations campaign will continue to:
- Reinforce the value of associations with policymakers and the public through a unified message.
- Equip association professionals with ready-to-use prompts, graphics, and storytelling tools.
- Build a shared platform for the entire association community to demonstrate its impact.
For more information, email Kyle Hayes, ASAE’s Senior Director of Public Policy at khayes@asaecenter.org.
Be a Part of the Trust Associations Campaign
Join associations across the country in telling our shared story. Together, using the #TrustAssociations hashtag, we can show policymakers and the public that associations are trusted conveners, innovators, standard setters, educators, advocates, and neighbors who strengthen the communities they serve.
