The Top 100

Association Management's Top 100 list is back, and this year we're highlighting associations with the most members, the largest staffs, and the biggest budgets. (Top 100 list omitted)

Just as nonprofit organizations are important sources of information about particular industries, professions, and areas of interest--associations are second only to the government as providers of statistics of all types--lists such as "The Top 100" provide an important overview of numerous facets of the association community.

But what about the vital statistics of those associations? How many types of associations are there, and which categories tend to be the largest? How does your association compare to other associations of similar membership and staff size? The Top 100" invites you to compare and contrast some of the nation's largest associations and explore the diversity of the association community.

Our information comes from the 1991 Encyclopedia of Associations, published by Gale Research Company, Detroit, and is based on data collected between August 1990 and March 1991.

Gale Research employs a broad definition of associations, including national nonprofit membership associations; international associations that are North American in scope or binational, representing a direct link between the United States and another country; local and regional associations with national objectives; nonmembership organizations that provide information to the public as well as the researcher; and for-profit organizations if their names suggest that they are nonprofit organizations. Subsidiaries of associations may also appear in the lists. Only data reported to Gale Research by associations are included in the list, and participation is voluntary.

As in previous editions of "The Top 100," we have attempted to screen out associations categorized as primarily labor, fraternal, or religious organizations, because each of these categories by itself would dominate a top 100 list. Organizations with religious connections that have primarily social welfare, professional, or consumer purposes are included in Gale's ranking.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS, WASHINGTON, D.C.

AARP is a membership organization for people 50 years of age or older that strives to improve every aspect of living for older people. AARP serves the needs and interest of 32 million members through legislative advocacy, research, education, and community services provided by a network of local chapters and volunteers across the United States.

RECRUITMENT RATE: AARP membership...