APA Strategic Alliance Program guidelines

Through highly targeted and segmented touchpoints, APA’s Strategic Alliance Program provides companies that support and align with the mission and vision of APA an opportunity to develop a rich, customized, and meaningful engagement with APA members. Participants of the APA Strategic Alliance Program will be considered, and referenced, in this document as corporate supporters.

APA membership value is routinely assessed to ensure the delivery of quality offerings including thought leadership, resources, research, information, targeted products and services, and expertise across all disciplines to help APA members thrive throughout their work in the psychology field. In that regard, APA values its relationship with corporate supporters and thoughtfully collaborates with them to develop a comprehensive plan tailored to their budgets, marketing goals, key audience segment(s), and platform preferences for message delivery. The resulting value for corporate supporters is an unparalleled opportunity for brand awareness, recognition as a supporter of both APA and the psychology field, and unique, deep-level access to all and/or targeted segments of the APA membership.

Designed as an annual commitment, the APA Strategic Alliance Program includes the flexibility to select from varying levels of engagement opportunities to create fully integrated customized packages designed to deliver value for APA members and the highest possible return on the corporate supporter’s investment. Such options may include, but are not limited to: APA membership campaign marketing integration; paid social media marketing; paid topical content/thought leadership (content written and developed by the corporate supporter pending review and approval by APA); paid topical webinars (corporate supporter-generated content pending review and approval by APA); thought leadership and VIP opportunities as part of the APA convention (for example, opportunities to enhance the attendee experience through paid programming and solutions-based attendee engagement); the opportunity to meet with APA executive management when appropriate; APA-branded corporate supporter stand-alone emails; and APA-branded corporate supporter acknowledgment/recognition on the APA website, on signage at the APA annual convention, in APA membership communications, and more.

Mission

APA’s mission is to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives. APA aspires to create a strong, diverse, and unified psychology that enhances knowledge and improves the human condition. We do this by:

• Utilizing psychological science and knowledge to make a positive impact on critical societal issues.
• Preparing the field of psychology for current and future opportunities and challenges.
• Elevating the public’s understanding, appreciation, and utilization of psychology.
• Strengthening APA’s role as the leading voice for psychology.

Guiding principles

The beliefs that guide and inform all that APA does apply equally across all areas of psychology including science, professional practice, education and training, applied, and the public interest. They include:

• Engage, connect, and serve members.
• Build on a foundation of science.
• Respect and promote human rights.
• Advance psychology and support psychologists.

Corporate supporter qualifications and considerations

1. To qualify for the APA Strategic Alliance Program, prospective APA corporate supporters must secure (or have secured) an annual minimum of $85,000 in APA and APA Services, Inc. (APASI), the Section 501(c)(6) companion organization to APA, standard media channels to include advertising, APA annual convention exhibit space, and/or APA annual convention sponsorships, paid topical webinars, and paid topical content. Once that minimum commitment is reached, corporate supporters then have access to purchasing exclusive membership engagement channels to include paid social media, co-branded stand-alone email, APA membership campaign integration, as well as custom projects.
2. Prospective corporate supporters must identify/describe the primary reason for their interest in becoming an APA corporate supporter. The companies’ products and/or services must be compatible with and complement the mission and values of APA with the goal of reaching relevant audiences within the APA membership.
3. Prospective corporate supporters must maintain a high degree of integrity, promote ethical business practices, maintain a positive reputation, and demonstrate a history of providing quality products and services. Where appropriate, APA has the right to request evidence-based research, clinical tests/trials, or other ways to validate and substantiate product and content claims and/or the effectiveness and efficacy of specific products and/or services. Additionally, the prospective corporate supporter must conform to all federal, state, and local rules and regulations of relevant government agencies, regulatory entities, and certification bodies.
4. To be considered for the APA Strategic Alliance Program, prospective corporate supporters must not have a history of representing or advancing the interests of any organization or entity—including their own—that in any way conflicts with APA’s mission and strategic plan or compromises APA’s organizational reputation, integrity, credibility, social responsibility, ethical standards, and/or accountability.
5. APA will not establish a Strategic Alliance Program relationship with any organization that allows, permits, or knowingly supports discriminatory practices based on age, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital status, or the numbers and ages of dependent children in its own employment practices, treatment of clients or patients or prospective clients and patients, or in any other form.
6. APA corporate supporters must agree and adhere to the terms and conditions detailed in the APA Strategic Alliance Program guidelines, APA Guidelines for Advertisers, APA Recruitment Advertising Policy, APA Rules and Regulations for Exhibitors, APA Data Exchange Agreement, APA Mutual Nondisclosure Agreement, and any other current or future rules or regulations of APA.
7. APA Strategic Alliance Program Agreements and promotional campaigns must align with applicable elements of APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct ^©.

Strategic Alliance Program terms and agreements

1. APA maintains sole authority over marketing components available for inclusion in APA Strategic Alliance Program content, and determines whether the tone, content, or appearance of any content, graphics, or information meets the standards, style, and/or culture of the organization. This applies to all content for inclusion in or association with APA publications, events, and programs.
2. Based on the marketing strategies, goals, and budget identified by a prospective APA corporate supporter, APA will collaborate with each prospective supporter to develop a custom Strategic Alliance Program agreement that achieves value for APA, APA members, and the prospective corporate supporter to include ongoing collaborative communication and a summary of performance analytics.
3. At least quarterly, with respect to the APA Strategic Alliance Program, corporate supporters will report to APA on the performance measured as a result of the established APA marketing program efforts.
4. Before acceptance by APA (or APA Services, Inc.), APA Strategic Alliance Program agreements are subject to a full internal review within APA.
5. Each annual APA Strategic Alliance Program agreement is based on a mutually agreed upon marketing plan and signed insertion orders for all components of the plan.
6. Annual Strategic Alliance Programs will be fully executed, managed, controlled, and maintained by APA.
7. APA corporate supporters may not equate, define, or promote their APA Strategic Alliance Program agreement as an endorsement by APA of their company, products, services, and/or offers to APA members.
8. APA corporate supporters may not, at any time, include in their promotional campaign any APA copyrighted information, material, or references. All APA corporate supporter promotional messaging must be submitted in advance for approval by APA. APA retains full authority over corporate supporter provided content for dissemination to any segment of APA membership. Additionally, APA reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject, omit, or cancel content, events, programming, or other communications that it deems not to be in the best interests of the association.
9. APA retains ownership and total control of all APA events, programs, content, digital or print publications, and awards. The policies, programs, and content of APA must remain unaffected by any corporate supporter.
10. APA will not accept funds or royalties from corporate supporters if there is a potential conflict of interest, or that could create the perception of compromising the professional judgment of APA, including, members, programs, or employees, and APA Services, Inc.
11. APA retains control of its name, logo, or marks and their use by corporate supporters. Any use of the APA name, logo, or marks requires approval by APA in writing in advance of their use.
12. Unless otherwise prohibited by law and in accordance with the filing of IRS Form 990, APA will disclose the sources of financial support it receives from APA Strategic Alliance Program participants. In addition, any relationship with APA will be openly disclosed, reported on, and recognized in APA media, projects, and other appropriate venues.
13. Without cause or notice, APA retains the right to terminate any APA Strategic Alliance Program Agreement that APA deems to be potentially damaging to the association’s reputation or its members.
14. APA corporate supporters may, at any time, request to terminate their APA Strategic Alliance Program Agreement. All such requests must be submitted to APA in writing by the signee of the Agreement and include a detailed explanation.