Why AORE Partners with Athletic Business

ALL of the work AORE does is in support of our mission - empowering leaders to connect people to the outdoors through recreation and education experiences. In order to do this work, it is imperative that:
  1. AORE is fiscally sustainable
  2. AORE invests in the programs and services that members need to fulfill this mission
AORE, while a non-profit, is still a business.  It has expenses required to do the work (think staff, technology & other general operating expenses) and it needs income to offset these expenses.  

AORE’s revenue comes from three main sources: membership dues, programming and development. Traditionally, AORE relies on its annual conference to bring in 75% of the revenue for the association - this means it needs to make a significant profit each year so that AORE can pay the operational expenses for the rest of the year to both literally and figuratively “keep the lights on”.

Enter COVID. Conferences, professional development and the outdoor industry have changed significantly over the past decade, but most notably amplified by the global pandemic. We are finding that employers are not covering conference registration & travel in the same way - these dollars have been reduced or eliminated altogether. 

Just like costs are rising to attend in-person events, so are the planning costs. The cost of room rentals, A/V equipment rental, food and beverage, insurance and union fees for labor & set up have been climbing (even more so since 2020). With these increased costs comes increased exposure and liability to the association. 
  
Even with all of these things in mind, we know the value of an in-person meeting for our members is crucial. This is why we made the intentional decision to partner with Athletic Business - while we may lose a bit of our space autonomy, we gain so much more from this partnership.  AORE’s financial exposure is significantly decreased (think not meeting minimums on contracts) and we are able to keep registration costs for our members lower - all while hosting an event with quality education and intentional networking opportunities. 

Ever have a question about AORE or what we're up to? Just ask! Reach out to us at nationaloffice@aore.org!