Commerce associations noticed a resurgence in perceived effectiveness in 2024 — bouncing again after two years of decline — and the International Franchise Association (IFA) was among the many standout performers. It gained recognition for its efforts in member mobilization, bipartisanship and coalition-building, based on a survey from APCO Perception.
The findings are a part of APCO’s 10th annual TradeMarks study, which surveyed greater than 330 congressional staffers, officers from the Biden administration and enterprise leaders throughout June, July and August. The survey measured the effectiveness of commerce associations throughout 15 crucial standards, together with lobbying efforts, fame administration and coalition-building capabilities.
The IFA was named the highest affiliation in three of the 15 main classes: membership mobilization, bipartisanship and coalition-building, edging out heavyweights just like the Nationwide Retail Federation and the American Bankers Affiliation.
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The IFA’s recognition for its member mobilization and coalition-building efforts displays its energetic function in advocating for the pursuits of franchisors, franchisees and suppliers. This yr, its efforts to stop the revised Joint Employer Rule and different advocacy tasks considerably raised the group’s profile. This recognition highlights the affiliation’s capability to unify diverse voices throughout the franchise trade, particularly in a difficult legislative setting.
2024’s rankings marked a shift from the earlier dominance of producing associations, which benefited in 2023 from federal infrastructure investments. As the main focus shifted to monetary companies and retail, associations just like the IFA tailored by emphasizing coalition-building and cross-party collaboration to advance their members’ pursuits.
The 2024 TradeMarks examine factors to a yr of strategic engagement and advocacy throughout key sectors. The IFA’s member mobilization and coalition-building achievements illustrate commerce associations’ crucial function in shaping coverage and representing their industries’ pursuits, even amidst advanced legislative debates.
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