Overcoming membership and growth challenges

Associations play a pivotal role in fostering community, professional development and advocacy. Yet, they are increasingly confronted with complex challenges, particularly in their efforts to grow and retain memberships.  The insights drawn from the 2025 Annual Association Survey Results highlight the most pressing organizational hurdles and key strategies for overcoming them. 

From engaging members to implementing effective recruitment strategies, here’s a closer look at the biggest obstacles organizations are facing and how to overcome them.

Top five organizational challenges for organizations

When reflecting on the major hurdles their organizations face, organizations leaders identified five primary challenges. These core issues impact their ability to grow and create long-term sustainability.

1. Member engagement and retention: 

   Keeping current members engaged while ensuring they renew their memberships is one of the most significant challenges. With increasing demands for personalized experiences and value-driven engagement, organizations need to focus on innovative ways to retain their community.

2. Membership growth: 

   Recruitment remains a key focus for organizations, but many find it difficult to expand their membership base steadily. Identifying effective strategies to attract new members involves creativity and adaptability.

3. Insufficient time and resources: 

   Resources are stretched thin for most organizations. Teams often grapple with limited bandwidth to execute strategies, which impacts their ability to focus on high-level objectives like strategic growth and member satisfaction.

4. Budget constraints:

   Financial constraints can hinder everything from programming to marketing efforts. Organizations face mounting pressure to diversify revenue streams while remaining affordable and competitive.

5. Difficulty attracting younger members:

   Engaging a new generation of members is one of the most persistent issues for organizations. Younger professionals often have different priorities and expect a dynamic, innovative experience from the organizations they choose to engage with.

Unique challenges in membership growth

Membership growth is a core focus, but organizations face distinct difficulties in this area. The survey results underscore common obstacles that leaders encounter when attempting to expand their member base.

1. Reaching prospective members:

   Identifying and connecting with potential members is no small task. Narrowing the gap between audiences who may benefit from membership and those actively engaging with the organizations is critical to growth.

2. Communicating organization value:

   Prospective members need to clearly understand why joining an organization is worth their investment. Organizations often struggle to articulate their unique value propositions in a way that resonates with target audiences.

3. Lack of a recruitment strategy or plan: 

   Many organizations don’t have a structured or long-term recruitment plan, which makes it harder to build momentum when growing membership numbers. Having a well-defined roadmap is essential for success. It is said that 76% of associations don’t have a written plan in place for increasing member engagement.

4. Attracting younger members: 

   This challenge is twofold—not only does it involve crafting messages that appeal to younger demographics, but it also requires adapting communication channels and methods to reach these audiences effectively. 77% of associations currently don’t have a defined strategy for recruiting and retaining young professionals.

5. Lack of employees or staff: 

   A smaller team often means limited capacity to meet growing demands. Recruiting and onboarding new staff to focus on membership growth can improve an organization’s efficiency and results.

How organizations can overcome these challenges

While the survey results present a candid look at the struggles organizations face, they also provide a clear path forward for tackling these challenges. Here are actionable strategies to move in the right direction.

1. Invest in digital communication channels

   With many organizations struggling to reach prospective members, leveraging modern communication tools can make a difference. From targeted email campaigns to interactive social media posts, meeting potential members where they are will help draw them into your community.

2. Build strong value propositions

   Clearly articulating the benefits of membership is key to closing the gap between interest and commitment. Highlight unique resources, opportunities and experiences that only your organization can offer. Using member testimonials can also reinforce your value from a personalized lens.

3. Create a scalable recruitment plan

   Developing a strategic recruitment plan helps ensure long-term success. Outline key performance metrics (KPIs), identify target demographics and set actionable goals for your team to execute consistently.

4. Focus on multigenerational engagement

   Attracting younger members doesn’t mean neglecting your existing community. Instead, foster a sense of inclusivity by providing offerings that appeal to members of different age groups. Whether it’s career development opportunities or networking events, ensure there’s value for everyone.

5. Leverage technology to maximize efficiency

   With limited time and resources, using automation and tools for engagement, email marketing and data analytics can boost productivity without overextending your team. These tools also provide insights to fine-tune your approach over time.

Looking ahead

The world of organizations is continuously evolving, and these survey insights highlight the critical areas of focus to drive growth.  By addressing these issues with deliberate, data-driven strategies, organizations not only overcome their current obstacles but also lay the groundwork for sustainable growth. Organizations that prioritize member engagement, adapt to shifting demographics, and invest in innovative technologies stand poised to thrive in their missions.

Need help tackling membership challenges? Reach out to AOE today for expert guidance tailored to your organization’s unique needs. With proven strategies and deep expertise, we’ll help you grow and sustain a thriving membership base. Don’t wait—transform your membership game with AOE now!