Associations are engaging with their members more today than they have in years— sending emails and newsletters, posting on social media and hosting meetings and events at increasing frequency. Yet many of those same associations say they struggle to truly connect with members and clearly communicate the value they provide.
This paradox sits at the heart of Association Adviser's recently released "2025 Association Benchmarking Report," which reveals how associations are caught between doing more and achieving more. The data paints a picture of associations racing to keep pace with member expectations while grappling with persistent revenue challenges and the threat of information overload.
For the third consecutive year, "generating non-dues revenue" topped the list of challenges faced by associations—a concern shared by 61 percent of respondents followed by "communicating member benefits effectively" and "combating information overload/cutting through the clutter." A new concern also broke into the top five challenges: "members being hesitant to make financial commitments," signaling heightened economic uncertainty.
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