The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) surveyed the Council of Academic Societies (CAS) organizations to obtain useful information to project SAEM goals into the year 2010. The objective of this work was to understand common and varying organizational operations and identify opportunities. The authors reviewed CAS organizations' mission statements, operating budgets, modes of communications, products, meeting formats, foundations, endowment funds, staff structures, headquarters, advocacy activities (services), top challenges, and most significant changes anticipated the next ten years. The survey methodology was used to gain insight into modes of operation of CAS organizations and enable SAEM to review its own operations and identify potential organizational changes based on the experiences of others. Individual CAS organizations might similarly benefit by reviewing the results of the survey and comparing themselves with others.