APPA Board of Directors Approves Business Plan

The American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Board of Directors last week approved a business plan for APPA.

The business plan is the result of a partnership between APPA and McKinley Advisors to create a comprehensive and forward-focused plan that aligns with and maximizes the association’s strategic and financial plans. The timeline for the plan is 2022 to 2026.

“This plan establishes a clear pathway driven by a set of guiding principles, specific priorities and a robust business framework that will take APPA from the successful association it is today toward the thriving association articulated in the organization’s vision statement: To shape the future of public power to drive a new era of community-owned electric service,” the plan’s executive summary notes.

McKinley Advisors worked with APPA staff and volunteer leaders throughout a nine-month process that included, among other things, creation of a business planning committee comprised of members that met several times and provided valuable feedback, qualitative interviews with additional members as well as APPA staff, Board of Directors working sessions, staff working sessions and analysis of recent membership surveys and third-party analyses of membership engagement performed previously.

The recommendations detailed in the plan reflect these various inputs as well as a broad understanding of past and emerging association best practices.

To inform the business planning project, McKinley engaged in a data-driven approach that included multiple research phases to inform the direction of the business plan.

The executive summary notes that APPA is operating from a position of strength with healthy reserves, strong member retention and a unique value proposition.

However, three primary drivers have accelerated the association’s need to establish sustainable revenue sources and reinforce the value of membership: the COVID-19 pandemic, aging and retiring membership and industry disruptors.

Recommendations

The business plan’s recommendations are categorized into three areas of focus designed to provide APPA a forward-focused road map to provide strong member and constituent value that aligns with the strategic plan and ensures a secure financial position for the organization.

In some cases, the recommendations are a continuation and expansion of existing work. In other cases, the recommendations move APPA in a new direction. All recommendations were based on data collected throughout the project and take into consideration association best practices.

Further details on the plan will be rolled out to members in the coming months and members can view the executive summary here.