Innovation is not about perfection. It’s about movement.

By Deanna Varga, Mayvin Global – Insights from Mission and Margin: Volume Three: Innovating for Growth in Associations

For many associations, the challenge they face is not a lack of ideas. It is working out how to grow while protecting purpose, managing complexity and relying on only a few key income streams. That tension sits at the heart of Mayvin Global’s Mission and Margin white paper series, with Volume Three focusing on one of the sector’s most important questions: how do associations innovate for growth in a way that is practical, sustainable, cost effective and aligned to mission?

Innovation is not about change for the sake of it. It is about staying alert, asking hard questions, testing ideas and acting before change is forced upon you. For associations and not-for-profits, that is not a luxury – it is a core part of their longevity.

One of the strongest examples of innovation is the work done by the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB), an international federation representing five multinational ultrasound societies and more than 47,000 members across 70 countries. Its challenge will feel familiar to many: how do you stay financially sustainable, globally relevant and true to purpose when your operating model is complex, volunteer-led and dependent on a small number of revenue streams?

For WFUMB, the issue was clear. Its journal, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (UMB), accounted for 89 per cent of operating support and revenue. That made it a major strength, but also a clear concentration risk. At the same time, the federation was operating across different countries, health systems and economic conditions, with uneven member capacity and limited direct control over engagement and delivery. Instead of standing still, WFUMB responded with thoughtful, mission-led innovation.

A key part of that response was evolving its publishing strategy. As open access publishing grew and author expectations shifted, WFUMB introduced an open access journal alongside its long-standing UMB title. This was not about abandoning what was already working, it was about extending it - broadening access, staying relevant and positioning the federation for the future, while continuing to protect the quality and performance of its flagship journal.

WFUMB also used its biennial congress to strengthen future growth. That included young investigator opportunities, student-focused congress concepts, cross-promotion across regional events, and new ideas for WFUMB-branded regional meetings to engage the next generation and expand global visibility.

Just as importantly, the federation strengthened governance along the way. It updated bylaws, clarified standard operating procedures, introduced more structured nominations and committee processes, and advanced a strategic plan to support publishing evolution, education delivery and federation-wide growth.

What makes this case study so valuable is that it is not a flashy transformation story. It is a practical example of how an international federation can protect core revenue, modernise thoughtfully, strengthen succession pathways, admit and discuss openly what clearly needs improving, and continue delivering on mission in a changing environment.

From our research and experience we know that financial sustainability is often supported by continuity - sustaining what is already working while selectively innovating for what comes next.

That is one of the central messages in Mission and Margin: Volume Three – Innovating for Growth in Associations: innovation is not about perfection. It is about ceasing opportunities, intent and leadership.

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Explore the full WFUMB case study and other practical examples of how associations are innovating for growth.