Growing your association: What is the next stage?

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#ACIE15 ORGANISED BY
Research & Business Development Manager
Growing a small Association from new funding to new
members
CARLOS RAMOS
European Food Information Resource
Network
© Associations Network 2015

Growing a small Association from new funding to new
members
Carlos Ramos (EuroFIR AISBL) & Paul Finglas (EuroFIR AISBL, IFR)
Associations Congress
Lausanne, May 2015

Outline
 Introduction to EuroFIR
 External review (2013/14)
 Membership benefits & getting things done
 Income streams & new offerings
 Building relationships with key stakeholders
 Conclusions
12.05.2015 EuroFIR AISBL - www.eurofir.org 3

 January 2005, €13M for 8 years
 Coordinated by IFR (UK)
 48 centres from 27 countries
- 25 National Database Compilers
- Strategic alliances with other compilers and
- Organizations (Capnutra, Latinfoods,
FAO INFOODS, EFAD, EFSA, UEAPME)
- More than 500 users and stakeholders
Main Objectives:
 Strengthen scientific and technological excellence in food composition research, expertise and tools
 To establish and deliver sustainable and durable food databank systems and tools to support food and health
research in Europe
EuroFIR NoE & NEXUS
EuroFIR AISBL - www.eurofir.org

EuroFIR AISBL: 2005-2015
 EU Funded: EuroFIR NoE (2005-10) & EuroFIR NEXUS (2011-2013)
 International non-profit association based in Brussels
 Best available & comprehensive food information & expertise for Europe
 Engaged in EU-funded RTD and other projects
Academia
Regulators
Food Industry
National Food
Compiler
Organisations
Analysis Laboratories
Members

Structure and management team
EuroFIR AISBL - www.eurofir.org12.05.2015 7

Vision and mission
 Delivery of high quality, validated food composition data (FCD) & information to support food quality,
nutrition and public health research challenges in Europe;
 Increase awareness and understanding of the value of FCD and its importance for consumers in make
healthier dietary choices;
 Establish & develop the European Food Data Platform and associated tools for food and health for pan-
EU research, supporting innovation in industry as well as enabling consumers make healthier choices.

EuroFIR AISBL: What we provide
 A flexible, cost-effective range of benefits including
access to food composition information (nutrients,
bioactives, food allergens, etc.)
 Bespoke training and consultancy, directly or via
membership
 Research and development opportunities through the
European Commission’s FP7 and Horizon 2020
Programmes, and others
 Access to a European network of food composition data
compilers, food industry and other stakeholders
worldwide

Business Model
 Members’ subscriptions are maintained at the lowest possible level in order to maximise value for members and minimise
any barriers for prospective new members
 All members receive benefits and services and generally free of charge: additional specialised services and benefits are
restricted - may require additional fees
 All EuroFIR activities are set out in the Operations Plan and approved by the Board through the Office and various
technical working and user groups

External Review (2013)
 Why an External review?
- Timely with staff changes and need to benchmark the
association with other similar & stakeholders
- Experienced international association working across different
sectors
 Process
- Online questionnaires to members (38 replies) & telephone
calls
- Workshop with EB & selected members for initial feedback
- Final report with recommendations

Key Strategic Recommendations (1)
 Main findings and recommendations (made available to all Members)
- Refocus and increase membership service offering and benefits towards non-compiler members
- Reformulate and strengthen its value proposition
- Enhance the involvement of entire membership in development of EuroFIR’s strategy and business plan
 Additional services for new and exiting members:
- Develop improved communications strategy including website/social media
- Enhance training offer (more courses available in 2014/2015)
- Provide more networking opportunities and for members to participate in consulting services
- Continuous update of food data systems & tools (FoodComp/Tech WGs)
- Create value for compiler accreditation

Key strategic recommendations
• What did we do with recommendations?
- Discussed with EB and agreed to incorporate as many as possible into the BP14 + get buy-in from members
 Additional revenue streams:
- Membership development
- Enhanced training, seminar and conference offerings
- Offering ad hoc/on demand services to non-members
- Continual development of EU RTD funding & sponsorship programme
 Potential restructuring of membership and membership fee structure

Membership benefits & getting things
done

Who uses food composition data & expertise?

Members’ Benefits (web tools)
FoodEXplorer FoodBasket eBasis
ePlantLIBRA eLearning modules
EuroFIR repository services, EuroFIR thesauri, …

Lessons learned from 2009-13
 New Members
 Trial access are frequent, but unproductive
 Overall satisfaction about our tools (before FoodEXplorer)
 EuroFIR AISBL seen as trusted association
 Potential new Member enquiries are frequent/high but conversion is low
Total requests for 2014

Gaps identified
Loss of
Potential
membersInexistent
SOP
Long trial
access (30
days)
Inexistent/rare
follow up
during trial
period
Slow response
dealing with
eventual issues
Lack of
informative
materials
Difficulties
tracking PM in
existing
systems (CRM)
Absence of
contact after
trial period

Main updates
 Update of website (Member’s area)
 Restructuration of membership benefits to better meet the needs of members (“one sizes does
not fit all”)
 Reduction of membership fees (based on conversion rate)
 Marketing campaigns to previous potential members
 Creation of closed groups for discussion among members on LinkedIn
 Communication with members more frequent

Membership status (2012- Jan2015)

EU RTD projects and tenders
Advantages:
 New RTD funding for existing or new staff Income
generation in the area of food information, diet and
health (H2020: 125%)
 Members can be included as 3rd Parties (under
EuroFIR AISBL)
 Supports development and testing of infrastructure and
tools, relieves staff salaries and Office costs
 Provides access to new/ different partner organisations/
stakeholders/ networking, consolidate established
relationships as well as increasing consultancy
opportunities – potential for new members
Disadvantages:
 Highly competitive so choice of consortia & calls
are key
 Adds to workload & distracts from membership
and other Association tasks
 Increased reporting
 Interim payments so pre-financing is needed
Code of Business Practice to set out how
EuroFIR operates with regard to acquisition of new
EU-funding is required & member involvement

Science Publishing
 Food Chemistry Journal Office for 10 European and
global Editors
 Funded by Elsevier, serves as interface between Editors
and Publisher and authors
 Funds 2xFTEs & new office
 Benefits for EuroFIR and its members:
- Advice & support for publishing in FOCH
- Added value/ functionality for food composition papers – online
datasets
- Possibility of Special Issues
(e.g 9th & 10th IFDC Proceedings)
- Potentially reduced journal / Open Access fees

Commercial license agreements
Company Name Country Main objective Countries
requested
2013
Byron Bay B .V. The Netherlands Development of an
application that uses
FCDB
BE, IT NL, UK
Klappo limited The UK Building nutrition and
recipe-based apps
24 European
countries ,
Canada, USA
2014
Apilinx Singapore An innovative mobile and
web based platform to
educate people about
wellness and healthy living
with fun and rewards
24 European
countries
Axxya Systems USA Leader in food analysis
and nutrition labeling.
Update of the Nutritionist
Pro™ software's
22 European
countries
 Examples for the commercial use of FCD:
 Development of software for implementation into mobile
devices or Smart phones, video games.
 Implementation in systems (e.g. webportals)
 Provision of Food Composition Data
 Tailor-made data packages can be composed
according to users’ needs
 Databases delivered in XML format
 Tools are authenticated through LDAP
 Technical support available
Examples of current clients:

Building relationships with key
stakeholders

EU institutions
European Parliament (transparency
register)
 Committee on Environment, Public Health and
Food Safety (ENVI)
 Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
(AGRI)
 Committee on Research, Industry and Energy
(ITRE)
European Commission
(DG SANCO / DG RTD)
European Safety Authority
How members can benefit:
 Dedicated section on member’s area (website)
 EU News
 Calls & Public consultations opportunities
 European Union's Legislation
 Conferences Reports

Future Plans
Technical Working Group (RIVM [NL]/ JSI [SI]) – 74 members
• Maintain, upgrade and integrate existing tools
• Recommendations for new tools
• Contribute to new standards for harmonisation
• Support ongoing & new projects
• Technical support
• New technologies
EuroFIR Food Forum
• Annual Event (5 days)
•Different workshops (free for members)
•Scientific Symposium
•General Assembly
•Excellent networking
opportunities
Communications and Social Media

Concluding Remarks
 Major restructuring after external review with focus on membership benefits, income and
stronger stakeholder interactions – leading to new members and other funding
 Refocus of BP in 2014 & 2015 to target:
 Continued assessment, development and dissemination of benefits for members
 Enhanced demonstrable added value with a business mindset
 Improved leadership and provision of high performing secretariat
 Increased visibility through delivery of an integrated communications strategy
 Proactive insight and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Involve EB and members in aspects of the Association to deliver longer term, sustainable and
financial viable organisation

12.05.2015 EuroFIR AISBL - www.eurofir.org
Free trial membership
31
www.eurofir.org
Contact us:
secretariat@eurofir.org
Tel: +32 26 26 29 01

Thank you for your attention!
Carlos Ramos
Research and Business development Manager
cr@eurofir.org
Annual Report 2014 available
on www.eurofir.org

www.associationscongress.com
www.associationsnetwork.org

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