Uncover key trends from the Membership Performance Benchmark Report and explore member retention strategies for your association, union, or non-profit.
Every year, we survey membership professionals worldwide for our Membership Performance Benchmark Report. It always reveals the latest member retention insights for associations, unions, and non-profits. This year's respondents shared the top three reasons members don't renew, as well as key 2026 retention trends.
The good news is things are looking up for membership organizations! 76% of respondents increased or maintained member retention rates.
It's no surprise that increasing member retention is a top goal for membership organizations this year (source: page 16 of the Membership Performance Benchmark Report). Member retention is vital for the long-term health of any organization. Keeping existing members:
Page 13 of the 2025 Membership Performance Benchmark Report
Budgetary constraints tops the list for the fourth year in a row. 50% of this year's respondents cited this as a top reason they lose members. This similar to last year, when 55% of respondents reported budgetary constraints as a top reason.
Lowering membership fees may not always be feasible, so let's explore some different ideas.
Tip 1: Is your annual conference essential for those in your industry? If so, make the non-member registration higher than the membership fees. Then it's a no-brainer for members to renew.
Tip 2: For those with financial hardships, consider offering monthly or quarterly payments instead of annual dues.
Tip 3: Consider a “membership lite” option that offers limited resources (such as online only) at a reduced rate. But you’ll need to ensure that this “lite” version isn’t so good it replaces your full membership level. Learn how to offer various membership levels without adding endless manual work to your staff. Download our guide, "Smarter Billing: Leveraging Native Accounting for Membership Success"
Almost half (46%) of survey respondents reported "lack of engagement" as a top reason members don't renew. Why would they renew if they aren't interacting with your association, non-profit, or union?
We're hopeful about engagement though, with 81% reporting increased or unchanged engagement rates (page 15). Even with that encouraging statistic, the #1 reported goal for membership professionals is increasing engagement. If your association, non-profit, or union wants to boost your engagement rates, here are our tips:
Tip 1: Engage members early with a strong member onboarding process. Your onboarding should help members:
Extra points if you create a visual map so you can find any gaps! Not sure where to start? See our article, Create a Magical Member Onboarding Journey.
Tip 2: Personalize content for members. Your members feel seen and heard with personalized content. Members will renew year after year because they know you value them and their needs. This loyalty drives steady retention rates and financials.
Tip 3: Effectively track your member engagement so you can create goals to work toward. Use an Engagement Management System that's purpose-built for associations, non-profits, and unions. Learn more in our article, What is an Engagement Management System (EMS)? A Quick Guide
Find more tips in our article, Member Engagement: A Guide + 12 Strategies to Win Loyalty.
You need to make the value of membership clear. If members and prospects see you as necessary to their careers, they're much more likely to join and renew.
Tip 1: Assess your members' and prospects' needs. You can do this with surveys, industry forum posts, polls in your member mobile app, and social media.
Tip 2: Determine the benefits of membership that your members find most valuable. This will help you promote your organization to new and current members. You can use the same platforms from Tip 1 to gather this information.
Tip 3: Write a strong member value proposition. This isn't the same as your mission statement. The member value proposition demonstrates the benefits of membership and clearly communicates why members will want to join. See our blog article, How To Craft Your Association's Value Proposition for the 6-step process.
Tip 4: Showcase your member value proposition in lots of places, including:
Tip 4: Revisit your member value proposition once a year, or more often if you significantly change your resources and benefits. This is an excellent exercise for your Membership Committee. Let them take responsibility for reviewing the statement each year and adjusting it according to changing member needs.
See how iMIS® helps you learn from every member interaction. You'll be ready to streamline processes, automate mundane tasks, and unlock new opportunities.
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