Planning for Sustainability: Establishing and Maintaining a Membership Program
Learn how to decide whether a membership program makes sense for your organization, how to set one up, and how to keep it going.
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WHAT IS A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM?
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WHY MIGHT YOU WANT TO ESTABLISH A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM?
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WHEN IS A GOOD TIME TO ESTABLISH A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM?
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WHO ARE POTENTIAL MEMBERS, AND HOW DO YOU FIND THEM?
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HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM?
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HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM?
What if...
Your organization could count on a chunk of annual income that came with no strings attached?
You could mobilize hundreds of people to provide political support for your cause or your organization?
You could draw on a large pool of people to help with planning, fundraising, public speaking, and other organizational tasks?
These are some of the possibilities you might realize if your organization establishes a membership program.
You probably belong to one or more organizations, and pay for your membership. What kinds of organizations are you a member of? Perhaps some, like the YMCA, that you've joined so you can use their facilities. Perhaps a professional organization that advocates for your field and gives you the chance to network with like-minded colleagues. Perhaps one or more human service or charitable organizations that you contribute to every year -- Oxfam, say, or Boys' Town. How about public radio or TV? Or an advocacy group: the Sierra Club, or NOW?
Establishing and maintaining a similar membership program for your organization can help you toward institutionalization by building a base of financial, political, and moral support over the long term. When people join an organization, their membership signifies they've made a commitment to that organization, and implies that their commitment will continue. And that continuation will guarantee your organization their financial contribution and support every year.
This section will help you decide whether a membership program makes sense for your organization, and show you how to set one up and how to keep it going.
WHAT IS A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM?
In its simplest terms, a membership program is one which asks people to contribute something - money, time, their presence, their names, certain actions - to your organization, in return for which they become somehow affiliated with it for a set period of time -- usually a year. Members may or may not receive products, privileges, or other advantages over non-members. Depending on your organization, members may have to meet some standard or hold specific credentials in order to join (think of the American Medical Association, for instance). In any case, membership implies an "insider" status. Much of the purpose of a membership program is almost always to increase the financial, political, and/or operational stability of the organization.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS, AND MANY ORGANIZATIONS RUN PROGRAMS THAT FIT INTO SEVERAL DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
- Programs affording members something substantive. The "something" may vary greatly from organization to organization:
- The use of facilities or services, as with the YMCA or an art museum
- Networking and advocacy, as with the Chamber of Commerce or a professional organization
- Specific publications, such as those which come with membership in many professional and other organizations
- Group health insurance, legal help, and other services which some organizations, particularly professional organizations, can provide to members
- Programs supporting organizations that lobby or use the legal system on behalf of particular causes, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Friends of the Earth, or the National Rifle Association.
- Some memberships, like those in the American Bar Association or the American Psychological Association, help establish a professional credential or legitimacy.
- Programs that support national or international charitable, research, environmental, or other efforts. Some examples are Oxfam, the Heart Fund, Easter Seals, and the Nature Conservancy.
- Programs that support the work of local human service, health, environmental, or other community organizations. Many local programs, -- community land trusts and those serving developmentally delayed adults come immediately to mind -- make membership programs a standard practice.
There are, of course, many other kinds of membership programs. Some are for the direct spiritual or psychological benefit of members - Alcoholics Anonymous, for instance, or a church or prayer group. Others are primarily social, or centered around a particular activity: the Elks, model train clubs, bowling leagues, etc. Still others - the American Legion, for instance - are limited to members of certain groups or people with certain common experience. We're specifically concerned here with membership programs that can help to institutionalize an organization.
WHY MIGHT YOU WANT TO ESTABLISH A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM?
"Membership" in your organization may seem unnecessary. Why not simply ask for contributions? While this may be effective in obtaining funding, it may be less so in assuring long term support. For this reason, many organizations that have no basic need to offer membership do so anyway.
The National Geographic Society (NGS) is a prime example, since virtually all members join simply to subscribe to its magazine. The mystique of being a member, however -- of being part of something as romantic as the NGS, which sponsored the first successful expedition to the North Pole and the discovery of the Titanic -- appeals to many people, and keeps them coming back to the organization year after year.
Membership increases commitment to your organization by fostering the feeling of belonging. If members see the organization as theirs, they'll be more likely to support it and act on its behalf, whether that means giving money or advocating or attending events.
Besides making members feel part of your organization, membership can build support for it in a number of ways.
- It can broaden the knowledge and understanding in the community of your cause and the work of your organization.
- Membership builds a core of community support for the organization, and helps to establish the organization as a "given" in the minds of the community. ("Of course we need that service -- it's just as much a part of this community as the Fire Department.")
- It may be the first step toward involving members more deeply in the organization -- as volunteers, Board members, or even staff.
- Once firmly established -- a process that may take three years or more -- a membership program can afford you with predictable annual income that can be used however it 's needed.
Membership programs don't happen overnight. Building a membership list large enough to yield a fair number of members, smoothing the process of contact and maintaining membership, and learning to manage and expand the list all take time.
An adult literacy organization started a modest membership program (memberships were $25.00) with a mailing list of about 200 names. In the first year, there were fewer than 25 members, the next year about 40, most paying only the basic fee. After six years, the mailing list was up to over 3,000 names, and revenue from membership was over $12,000.00, with many members contributing $100.00 or more. Many on the list were now reliable members who had contributed for at least three years. But it took six years of work to get to that point.
- Membership and familiarity with the organization may motivate some people to contribute toward an endowment fund, or to make larger annual gifts.
- It can help to develop a sense of identification with the organization among members, thus strengthening their support and their advocacy in the community.
- A successful membership program can help to establish credibility with funders.
- Being able to point to a large constituency ("We have over 500 dues-paying community members.") can increase your clout with policy makers.
While a membership program brings with it many advantages, it carries a major drawback that needs to be examined as well. It is extremely important to be certain that you have the resources -- particularly the personnel, whether staff or volunteer -- to start and sustain it over time. Managing and continuing to build a member list and maintaining the program can be time-consuming and frustrating. Program management and maintenance need an organized mind, attention to detail, long-term commitment, and, ultimately, a reasonable amount of time each week. And a yearly membership drive takes careful coordination and a lot of labor. If your organization can't provide all that in some way, you might want to think carefully about whether a membership program is right for you.
This isn't to say that it can't be done without a professional membership director. Very few small organizations have one, and many are able to run very successful membership programs. It simply means that someone has to take the time and assume the responsibility either for getting things done or finding others to do them. That person can be a volunteer (although it's much more likely to be the director of a small organization), an interested staff member, or a Board member, but whoever it is, she has to be committed and to have the skills necessary to make the program happen.
WHEN IS A GOOD TIME TO ESTABLISH A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM?
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