EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
“It was once the case that each association owned a small monopoly, providing the single best resource to everyone in their field. No more. With the advent of 24/7 interconnectivity, anyone can set up shop and begin serving your members.” Fast Company
Yet despite these threats, more associations continue to report membership growth year over year than those that are seeing a decline in membership. For 2019, 45% of associations shared that their membership has grown over the past year compared to 26% that saw a decrease in membership counts. Indeed, contrary to the narrative that membership “no longer works,” for the past decade with the exception of the Great Recession, far more associations have reported experiencing an increase in members than those who have reported a decline in their membership counts. Everyone working for or engaging with associations can relate to the competitive challenges of today. In addition to 24/7 competition, associations are faced with scarce resources, talent shortages, and sometimes political or bureaucratic hurdles.
HOWHAS YOUR
INCREASED 45%
DECREASED 26%
REMAINED THE SAME 28%
IN THE PAST YEAR ? 823 ASSOCIATIONS SURVEYED
NOT SURE 1%
Please see page 12 for more detailed information. 1 Fast Company, Key Issues Facing Association Leaders, April 12, 2013.
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