If ASHRAE faced a budget shortfall, where would you cut first? Where would you never cut?

• A. Marginally effective programs first; never cut standards/guidelines development/maintenance
• B. Cut all marketing and outreach first
• C. Cut research funding first
• D. Reduce staff salaries first

Answer: (A)

When a professional society faces a budget shortfall, the priority is to protect activities that sustain its core value to members and the profession, while trimming efforts that deliver only marginal impact. For ASHRAE, standards and guidelines development and maintenance are central to the organization's purpose. They provide the essential tools, codes, and best practices that members rely on to do their work safely and efficiently, and they underpin the society’s credibility and long-term relevance. Because these standards are the primary product and a key driver of member value and future revenue, they should be preserved even in tight times.

Cutting marginally effective programs first makes sense because these programs yield limited value relative to their cost, so reducing or eliminating them frees resources without compromising essential capabilities.

Other options pose greater risks: cutting research funding would slow knowledge advancement and the evolution of standards; reducing staff salaries could impair operations and morale; and eliminating marketing and outreach would threaten future membership growth and funding.