While some associations hire staff to run the organization, others hire an Association Management Company (AMC) to handle operations. AMCs are for-profit businesses that provide professional management and administrative services to associations. The AMC provides a centralized office that serves as the client association’s headquarters. Any overhead costs are then shared between the AMC's various clients, increasing each association's resources and capabilities without major capital investment. Due to the shared resources, specialists are drawn from the personnel pool and are assigned on an as-needed basis.
More and more associations turn to AMC's to lower the costs of running an association. Having an AMC allows the association to turn their focus away from administrative headaches and on to the associations mission. Turning to an AMC also allows for associations to have access to services they may not have been able to afford as a stand alone group, such as professional accounting, technology, and membership services.