Associations spend big in Florida, new study shows

Association spending adds up in Florida — to the tune of more than $3.7 billion.

A recent study broke down the annual spending of Florida’s 1,000 largest associations. Total budget expenditures came in at $1.53 billion, meeting expenses totaled $1.65 billion and travel costs racked up another $529 million.

Vicki Long, chair of the Florida Society of Association Executives, said these numbers show the not-for-profit sector has a major impact on local businesses.

Associations should be recognized as a “major component in the state’s economic engine,” Long said. “The economic impact of Florida’s associations is real and it’s powerful.”

Associations spent $778 million on employee payroll while contributing over $75 million in taxes.

In 2016, more than 4.1 million Florida association members traveled, the study shows, purchasing more than 850,000 airline tickets and more than 1.2 million car rental reservations. In Florida cities and counties alone, associations host more than 40,500 meetings each year.

Tallahassee-based Partners in Association Management, who helped sponsor the study, commended Florida associations, saying the state is a major national player. 

“The state has the third largest concentration of not-for-profit associations behind Washington, D.C., and Chicago,” said Partners in Association Management President and CEO Bennett Napier.

IRS reports show 2,865 associations in Florida. Downs & St. Germain Research conducted the study.