ASPA FAQs

Public Administration consists of federal, state, and local government agencies that administer, oversee, and manage public programs and have executive, legislative, or judicial authority over other institutions within a given area. Public administration is, broadly speaking, the implementation of policy within a state framework. Nonprofit and charitable organization are also considered part of the field.

The traditional, narrowly-defined meaning of a public servant is a civilian career public sector employee working for a government department or agency. However, this definition has broadened in scope over the years to include people who work in the nonprofit field.

ASPA ’ s mission is to advance the art, science, teaching and practice of public and nonprofit administration through its programs and services, and fosters core public service values including: accountability and performance, professionalism, social equity, and ethics at the local, national and international levels. Through its programs and services ASPA seeks to improve public service by helping members acquire the knowledge, technical skills and resources necessary to be excellent public servants. ASPA has a diverse membership of approximately 9,500 government and nonprofit administrators, scholars, educators, and students.

A) To advance your career through membership in one of ASPA’s more than 100 local chapters. B) To gain in-depth exposure to the issues that matter most in public service through ASPA’s 22 sections focusing on finance, budgeting, human resources, health and human services, ethics and more. C) To take advantage of the annual networking and professional development opportunities with more than 1,200 scholars, practitioners and students at the “public administration conference of the year”. D) To be recognized by your peers. Each year ASPA recognizes excellence in the fields of academia and practice through an extensive awards program.

There are approximately 9,500 ASPA members.

ASPA helps students and new professionals starting out in the field by providing networking and career advancement opportunities, offering reduced membership dues and conference registration fees, offering access to cutting-edge research that can’t be found anywhere else, and providing advice on advancing your career.