Find Out What You Can Learn From The 2025 Association Survey Results

At the end of 2024, Association Universe surveyed 500 associations and membership organisations across the US and Canada to see how 2024 went for them and what their biggest challenges and learnings were. They have recently released the results of this survey, and I got my peepers on them. 

So, today, let’s talk about the biggest takeaways from this survey and how we can use that information to help plan out the best course of action for the rest of 2025. 

How Did Membership Change Over 2024?

For the most part, membership organisations saw their member numbers stay steady or grow over 2024, with only 14% of organisations reporting a decrease in total members. It was the same story for the number of new members that joined organisations, with 42% reporting an increase of new members in 2024, 48% reporting roughly the same amount of new members in 2024 as in 2023, and only 10% reporting a decrease in new members. 

Member retention rates were also quite high, with 57% of membership organisations having a membership retention rate between 90% and 100%. While only 9% of organisations had a retention rate of 70% or lower. 

The survey results also have a bit to say about why people didn’t renew their memberships. According to the survey, the five main reasons members did not renew their membership were: 

1. Lack of engagement with the organisation
2. Left the organisation’s relevant industry 
3. Lack of time
4. Membership too expensive 
5. Lack of perceived value in membership 

What Did Membership Organisations’ Revenue Look Like In 2024

The state of the club's and association’s revenue is crucial for their ongoing existence, so let’s examine what the survey results had to say about revenue in 2024.  

Membership fees made up the majority of the average association's revenue, though barely, with 58% of revenue coming from membership dues/fees and 42% from other sources. What this tells us is that membership fees and other sources of revenue are worth paying equal attention to as we look at ways to make money in the year to come. 

Revenue From Membership Dues/Fees

In 2024, membership fees accounted for an average of 58% of total revenue. During the year, 47% of clubs and associations increased their dues. A decent proportion of these organisations raised their fees by three to five percent, which was consistent with the general inflation rate and cost of living increases experienced in Australia, the US, and Canada over 2024.

The full stats on how much membership fees were increased can be seen in the below graph. 

 

 

From this, we can see that the vast majority of membership fee increases would have achieved little more than offsetting the cost of living and inflation rate increases over 2024. 

Now, if these organisations only increased their fees to cover these cost increases, then that is all good. However, if raising their prices by an additional 3% to 5% was an attempt to make extra profit, this likely would have been ineffective, as it would simply offset their rising expenses.

This also means that the 53% of organisations that didn’t raise their prices in 2024 may well have seen a decrease in overall revenue as their prices failed to keep pace with the cost of living increase. This alone would be a good case for making sure you are always increasing your prices by small amounts each year, as you need to stay in touch with the cost of living increases. Plus, if you want to increase your membership fee revenue, you will likely need to raise your prices by more than 5%. 

Revenue From Non-Membership Fee Sources 

In 2024, 42% of organisations' revenue was generated from sources other than membership fees. These sources, listed in order, included:

1. Event fees

2. Event sponsors

3. Course/training fees

4. Other sponsors

5. Grants

Unsurprisingly, events were the largest source of income outside of membership fees. The high revenue from courses and training also highlights their significance in the organisations' financial performance.

Biggest Challenges Membership Organisations Faced In 2024 

This survey explored the significant challenges encountered by membership organisations in 2024, categorised into two key areas: general operational challenges and obstacles hindering membership growth.

The top five general challenges that organisations cited, were: 

1. Member engagement 
2. Growing membership 
3. Not enough time 
4. Budget
5. Attracting younger members   

The top five obstacles to membership growth were: 

1. Trouble reaching potential members 
2. Trouble explaining the value of the membership 
3. No new member recruitment plan
4. Attracting younger members 
5. Not enough staff/volunteers 

It’s worth noting that trouble attracting younger members is the only challenge that appears on both lists, highlighting how important it is to reach younger members. An aging membership is not a healthy membership in the long term. 

I have previously written articles for Member Jungle addressing a lot of these challenges. I will link to those below so you can start looking into any that you think might be relevant to you. 

• How To Attract Younger Members To Your Club
• How Do I Keep My Members Engaged?
• How To Keep Your Club Running As Volunteer Rates Drop
• The 5 Best Ways To Recruit More Members To Your Club
• How to Save Time & Money With Membership Management Software

The 4 Biggest Lessons From The 2025 Association Survey Results 

I think there are several important takeaways from these survey results that will be very beneficial in helping guide you in the year to come, so let’s have a look at them.

1. Focus On Reducing Member Churn

Many clubs and associations enjoy strong membership renewal rates, often exceeding 90%. If your organisation's renewal rate falls below this benchmark, especially if it's at or below 70%, addressing member churn should be a priority.

Investigate strategies to demonstrate the value your organisation provides clearly. Focus on re-engaging current members and streamlining processes to make participation quicker, easier, and less time-consuming. This could involve simplifying administrative tasks, offering more flexible engagement options, or showcasing member success stories.

For more information about how your membership can grow with Member Jungle, read How Much Your Club Can Grow With Member Jungle.

2. Need To Increase Membership Dues/Fees

Let’s look at the facts. Budgeting was one of the biggest challenges organisations faced in 2024. Membership fees account for more than half of organisations’ revenue, making them a significant part of that budget. Yet less than half of organisations raised their membership fees in 2024, and of the ones who did raise their prices, most raised them barely enough to cover inflation. 

This means that raising your membership dues is key to the future success of your club or association. I realise that raising prices is a scary prospect, especially as we just talked about reducing member churn. However, the key to raising prices without increasing member churn is to focus on reinforcing the value your membership gives. 

For more on this, read Why Your Club Or Association Should Be Raising Its Prices In 2024.

3. Focus On Running More Events & Training in 2025

Events, courses and training were some of the biggest money spinners outside of memberships in 2024 and should be something that you aim to hold a lot more of over 2025. 

To really make the most out of events and courses, think about trying out different ways to make more money from them. One idea is to set up a tiered ticket system where people can choose from different levels of access and perks at various price points. For instance, you could have standard admission and VIP packages.

It’s also a good idea to offer different prices for members and non-members. Charge non-members a bit more to encourage them to sign up, which not only brings in extra cash from ticket sales but also helps grow your membership.

Plus, take a look at what worked well in past events. Check the data to see what topics and formats people liked the most so you can plan future events that really hit the mark for both current and potential members.

4. Recruiting New Members: Particularly Younger Members

Gaining new members is incredibly important to the long-term success of your organisation. It’s especially beneficial to focus on attracting younger members. Younger members can bring new ideas and energy into your organisation that can really breathe new life into what your group does. Their involvement can also motivate the existing members to see things from new angles, making your organisation more dynamic and open to change.

Plus, younger members can potentially stick around for a lot longer than their older counterparts. By getting them involved now, you'll build a loyal crew that will continue to engage as they move through their careers and lives. 

To bring in younger members, try out some targeted outreach strategies. Use social media, plan events that appeal to younger crowds, and create programs that align with their interests and values.

To find out more about recruiting younger members, check out How To Attract Younger Members To Your Club.

More Ways To Learn From Other’s Experiences

I hope that this little look at these survey results has been helpful to you and that they help you plan out what you need to do and how to do it, in the year to come.

For a very similar article, have a look at The 5 Lessons We Learnt From The 2024 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report.

For more tips on how to prepare your organisation for this year, have a look at Get Your Club’s Events Prepared For 2025.