ASAE Research Foundation Announces Recipient of Inaugural Sal Martino Legacy Grant for DEI Research

October 5, 2020

WASHINGTON— The ASAE Research Foundation announced today the recipient of the inaugural Sal Martino Legacy Grant for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Research: Jennifer Wade-Berg, Ph.D., CNP, Associate Professor & Campus Executive Director of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, Kennesaw State University.

The grant proposal is titled: “Building Diverse Association Memberships Through Pipeline Programs: An Evaluation of the Association of Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action’s (ARNOVA) Diversity Scholars Professional Development Program.”

Part of the Foundation’s Scholarly Research in Association Management Grants Program (SRGP), the Sal Martino Legacy Grant supports research exploring diversity, equity, and inclusion in association management. The grant provides awards to meritorious proposal addressing DEI in nonprofit membership and member-based association management and is intended to support the research activities of those working or matriculating in an academic community, association management professionals, and consultants/private contractors in association management.

The $7,500 grant is for a 12-month cycle, beginning today, and is supported by Webster, Chamberlain & Bean, LLP. The grant is named for Sal Martino, FASAE, CAE, CEO and executive director of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists and past chair of ASAE and the ASAE Research Foundation, in recognition of his passion and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion practices in association management.

“ASAE congratulates Dr. Jennifer Wade-Berg and Kennesaw State University as the recipient of the inaugural Sal Martino Legacy Grant for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Research,” said Sharon Moss, PhD, CRA, CAE, president and chief research officer for the ASAE Research Foundation. “This grant represents another example of the ASAE Research Foundation’s ongoing effort to highlight collaborations between associations and the academic community to help advance knowledge in association management. As part of a group of efforts by ASAE to advance DEI in the association community, we recognize the timeliness of this grant and are thankful for the support from Webster, Chamberlain & Bean, LLC, to honor Sal Martino and his continued dedication to DEI. As a former chair of ASAE and ASAE Research Foundation, we hope this grant extends Sal’s legacy in ASAE and in the association community.”

Proposals for the Sal Martino Legacy Grant for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Research must address DEI in a variety of ways: as the primary research question(s); within subsequent questions of a larger theme (i.e. membership development, volunteer management, board governance, advocacy, etc.); or, explicitly addressed in the review criteria (e.g. theoretical application, approach, significance, impact, innovation, organizational commitment, and dissemination).

“The selection committee is grateful for the tremendous response to and support of this grant,” said Gary Roebuck, Grant Selection Committee Chair and Associate Executive Director for Finance and Administration, Association of Research Libraries. “We are encouraged, excited, and motivated for the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion research in association management. We greatly appreciate the amount of time, thought, and energy all applicants put into their application. Dr. Wade-Berg’s research will provide valuable insights about program evaluation and impact to diverse and inclusive representation in an association’s trade, profession, and discipline. We look forward to sharing the results of Dr. Wade-Berg’s work over the course of the next several months.”

To learn more about the Scholarly Research Grant program and additional opportunities to apply, visit https://foundation.asaecenter.org/research/scholarly-research-grants.

MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Vest, CAE, 202-626-2798, cvest@asaecenter.org

 

About ASAE
ASAE is a membership organization of more than 48,000 association executives and industry partners representing 7,400 organizations. Since it was established 100 years ago, its members have and continue to lead, manage, and work in or partner with organizations in more than a dozen association management disciplines, from executive management to finance to technology. With the support of the ASAE Research Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession and provides resources, education, ideas, and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. Visit ASAE at asaecenter.org.