April, 2014
 

Our Mission

We will protect the rights of our members, provide services to improve each member's skills and opportunities, and uphold the integrity of the profession.

Our Vision

We will continually build an organization that provides avenues of opportunity for our members and the clients they serve.

Our Operating Goals

• We will maintain an organization that maximizes interaction and promotes communication.
• We will offer quality programs and services that benefit the majority of our members and the clients they serve.
• We will offer the best available business services and insurance plans to the membership.
• We will offer assistance to those members pursuing credentials in accounting or taxation.
• We will maximize members' networking opportunities.
• We will disseminate important and timely information to the membership.
• We will assist in marketing the professional accountant and tax practitioner.
• We will work in partnership with those organizations having common interests and goals.
• We will nurture proactive relationships with government and the private sector.
• We will actively pursue growth in membership.
• We will be fiscally responsible.

Our Guiding Principles

• We are committed to the highest level of ethical conduct.
• We will recognize, respect and utilize the unique capabilities of our members.

Our Strategic Plan

MTAP’s strategic plan is a tool designed to guide the state leadership in its governance and oversight of the organization. The plan should be continually reviewed and revised when necessary to insure it meets the constantly changing needs of our members and the profession.

Education

Overview: Continuing Professional Education is a foundational service of the organization and must keep members’ skills up-to-date in all important service areas they provide to clients. As technology changes quickly, the MTAP must continually adapt to insure members have access to the educational tools that provide them with every possible advantage in servicing client needs and maintaining a competitive edge in the marketplace.
 
Goal: Because Continuing Professional Education currently generates over half of the organization’s annual revenues, live programs must continue to appeal to the majority of the membership while electronically-delivered programs should target specialized service areas to insure members operating in those niche markets can consistently sharpen their skills.

Action: MTAP will seek to offer continuing education in the following service areas:

• Accounting
• Taxation
• Tax Representation
• Financial Services
• Estate Planning and Taxation
• Management Advisement
• Technology

Assessment: MTAP’s state board of directors will continually evaluate member needs in these important service areas and will sponsor those education programs that meet the needs of membership.

Legislative  and Government Representation

Overview: MTAP’s mission in this area is clear: “We will protect the rights of our members.” MTAP must also build a government representation program that builds upon its proactive relationship with federal and state tax agencies and related government agencies that regulate the clients we serve.
 
Action: MTAP will continue to nurture and expand proactive relationships with government, both at the federal and state level, by meeting and communicating on a continuous basis. MTAP will continue to promote and support member credentialing to insure its members have proven professional competence, and we will encourage member participation in those areas that can positively impact the government-private sector dynamic.
 
Assessment: MTAP’s state board of directors will continually monitor and evaluate MTAP’s government relations program, making proper changes and adjustments when warranted to insure all efforts are taken to protect the rights of our members and to promote fairness within the government entities that affect members and their clients.

Credentialing

Overview: The possibility of professional restriction is always looming as evidenced most recently in 2010 when the Internal Revenue Service unsuccessfully tried to regulate commercial tax preparers – an effort they continue to pursue even in the aftermath of losing several court battles.

Goal: MTAP believes that demonstrating competence is the best way to defeat or minimize these threats. Therefore, MTAP will always encourage and aid members in obtaining and maintaining those professional credentials that demonstrate professional competence.
 
Action: MTAP will continually and actively promote professional credentialing to its members, and will support member initiatives to earn those credentials that demonstrate professional competence in accounting, taxation, and related services areas.
 
Assessment: MTAP’s state board of directors will continually monitor and evaluate professional credentialing programs, and will promote securing those credentials that best demonstrate professional competence. The Association will also maintain active communication with members, government agencies, and the public-at-large to insure the credentials earned by members are accepted as possessing demonstrated competence in the profession.

Fiscal Responsibility

Overview: Since its origination in 1946, the MTAP has maintained the highest level of fiscal responsibility in delivering programs and services to its members. It continually strives to maintain a yearly budget that meets member needs, expands services, and grows participation. These practices have allowed MTAP to maintain a surplus that can be used to invest in the membership.
 
Goal: MTAP recognizes that it has a great responsibility to safeguard the assets of the Association. It has been entrusted to meet the needs of its members each year, but understands that monies need to also be appropriated to meet future demands.
 
Action: MTAP will define the rainy day fund by establishing and maintaining policies that determine how much money should be appropriated to the fund and when these monies should be used. Any monies in excess of the defined rainy day fund and the current budget should be spent to meet strategic planning goals.
 
Assessment: MTAP’s state board of directors will continually evaluate the Association’s financial standing and its financial policies to insure the needs of the membership are met. It will also continually evaluate its relationship with the executive director to assure the office is properly staffed and funded to meet strategic planning goals.

Web-based Services and Communications

Overview: MTAP has established viable web-based services that continue to insure members are informed and able to take advantage of many technology-based opportunities.
 
Goal: MTAP understands the Internet is a tool that will be increasingly used for communication and information. The possibilities are endless as its reach lengthens on society and the general business community. MTAP will establish and maintain a leading role in this arena.
Action: MTAP will maintain and grow its Internet presence, and will seek expansion of the member services and benefits that are available in this communications medium.
 
Assessment: MTAP’s state board of directors will continually evaluate MTAP’s technology services to insure members receive those services and innovations that help them service client needs and operate technologically efficient practices.

Member Services and Benefits

Overview: MTAP manages a portfolio of member programs and services that continues to grow in order to meet the changing needs of the membership.
 
Goal: Since the majority of members continue their association with MTAP because of the benefits they derive, MTAP will continue to build and maintain member services and benefits that maximize a dues investment.
 
Action: MTAP will continue to seek value-added services and benefits for members, and in cases where appropriate, their clients. Examples of these benefits include:

• Group-sponsored insurance programs
• Discounts on popular products and services
• Discounts on Internet-available products and services

Assessment: MTAP’s state board of directors will continually evaluate current and proposed membership service programs that can bring value-added benefits to the annual dues.

Association Partnerships

Overview: MTAP recognizes that shifts in accounting and growing opportunities in tax and financial services industry is compelling members to diversify. However, it is also apparent that trying to be all things to all people would create great stress on the Association and its effectiveness to serve members.

Goal: MTAP will continue to assess changes in the marketplace and will pursue and nurture organizational partnerships that best enhance the programs and services offered to the members.
 
Action: MTAP will seek, support and possibly partner with any non-profit or private sector organization that will assist and/or help members achieve a higher skill level in the financial services industry. MTAP will strive to provide information to its members on organizations of consistent quality available in these service areas.
 
Assessment: MTAP’s state board of directors will continually evaluate and assess its association partnerships to insure members are receiving maximum benefit from these relationships.

Promotion

Overview: MTAP understands that our members serve a growing and diverse clientele across the State of Michigan and it is vital that people know who we are and what we can offer to help them be successful.

Goal: The Association will continue in its efforts promote the membership by letting the public know who we are, what our members can do, and what our Association stands for.
 
Action: MTAP will pursue all reasonable means for promoting the Association and membership in it, using aggressive recruitment efforts, along with marketing and public relations efforts to achieve its goals.
 
Assessment: MTAP’s state board of directors will constantly evaluate MTAP’s recruitment and public awareness programs, looking for ways to actively promote the Association and its members whenever possible.
 

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