As we prepare to launch large-scale research into membership for charities, this blog looks at membership trends across different sectors, and asks whether our collective desire to ‘be part of something’ really is on the way out.
At the turn of the century, Robert Putnam’s book Bowling Alone foretold of a troubling societal unravelling, a disintegration of the social fabric of American life. Putnam argued that over the preceding decades, Americans had become increasingly disconnected from one another and the structures of community which held them together, such as the PTA, church, and political parties. To illustrate his point, he used the metaphor of ‘bowling alone’: where once people had bowled in leagues, usually after work or at the weekends, participation in this time-honoured ritual of American camaraderie had dropped markedly. So too had membership records for almost every kind of adult organisation across the country. Putnam viewed this lack of civic involvement as a crisis, wreaking havoc with our physical and civic health.
Elements of Putnam’s book now feel dated, with some of the rituals of community belonging he identifies feeling a little old-fashioned (not accounting for more recent trends in new technology and the power of social media). Nonetheless, the health of civic and social institutions, as well as the degree to which we feel connected to each other, is very much an issue still unresolved in both the US and the UK contexts.
But is our collective desire to ‘be part of something’ really on the decline to the extent that Putnam, and others, have prophesied?
One might view the UK’s decision to relinquish its membership of the European Union as evidence of an ultimate kind of ‘anti-memberism’. Or the fact that both union and political party membership as well as churchgoing (religious participation) have seen a downward trend over a long-term period.
We’ve been tracking paid membership levels for various organisations for almost a decade and through this we have admittedly seen an overall decline. Membership levels for a hobby or special interest groups, professional associations and sports clubs have dropped from an average of 27% in September 2008 to 13% in October 2016. Charity membership levels displayed a similar pattern until last October, when the figure actually rose to 21% from an ultimate low of 16% in April 2015[1].
The generation game seems to be a factor, with those aged over 64 being more likely than average to pay for charity memberships. But this appears to have more to do with spending power than anything else; likelihood of paying membership decreases along income lines. Men are also more likely to be paying memberships of any kind than women.
Evidence from the commercial sector suggests there is still an appetite for membership clubs and loyalty schemes, especially when these take on less traditional forms. Increasingly, brands are using data to reward loyalty through predictive analytics which improve the customer experience. Supermarkets are a prime example of this, rewarding consumers for ‘good behaviour’ through discounts (think Nectar and Clubcard).
Charities can’t exactly offer a discount on ‘your next Direct Debit’, so how can they compete? Certainly our research shows that among younger audiences (16-44 year olds) member benefits such as free entry to sites are strong motivating factors when considering joining a charity. By contrast, older groups are more likely to be motivated by the fact they are supporting a worthwhile cause. Tailoring is key; making sure your membership package reflects the interests of your audience.
To delve deeper into the question of how charities can deliver a compelling membership offer and what that looks like in today’s society, we’ve decided to launch a sector-wide research project to explore membership in the third sector. Our aim will be to understand how different organisations use membership to engage supporters, what works and what doesn’t, and how charities have seen membership change over the last few years, in popularity and role.
There’s no doubt membership is still of huge value to the third sector. Despite claims that people have stopped engaging, consumer behaviour suggests that membership represents huge potential for building brand affinity. The question is, how to make sure charity membership keeps up with the times.
Want to take part? Got a question? Email projects@nfpsynergy.net to find out more information or leave a comment in the comments section located beneath the social sharing buttons.
You can also download our charity membership research proposal for more information. Please use the purple download form located beneath the social sharing buttons.
[1] Charity Awareness Monitor, Oct 16, nfpSynergy
I really hope that this
I really hope that this research goes beyond the paid membership and beyond the giant national charities. I realise that this would be more work and that it could be a lot harder but it would reflect much more the community links of the sort Putnam highlighted.
I can’t help but think that Bowling Alone should be seen as a historical text; a lot of it reminds me of stories my gran told me about how she never locked her front door, and all the children got a clip round the ear from the local policeman if they misbehaved. The world moves on. In the village I live in there is an active facebook group of over 4000 people, here you find out about events, get recommendations for local tradesmen, find lost pets, share pictures and much more. At the same time there are too many clubs, societies and interest groups to list. Some are formal, have constitutions and memberships, some are charities, some are informal groups of people with a shared interest. People in the village are connected, they are members, they are engaged, they are involved.
How people interact has changed, what people expect to pay for and receive for free has changed and how they identify with a group or organisation has changed. I wonder if a future piece of research might be about how this new community works and why it is stronger in some places than others. I realise that I am lucky that where I live has so much on offer, villages even in the same county don’t all have this. What I would be interested in is why? is it size, demographics, luck? What can be done to foster it where it is not happening so much? How do we sustain and support it?
People where I live might bowl alone but they garden together, they play football, tennis and run together, they learn about history together, they pick up litter together ……
I agree with you , Mark.
I agree with you , Mark. Interesting blog and a timely discussion on how people connect with charities and networks. I also hope the research goes beyond large charities. In fact, I would go as far as saying the 'charity' brand is becoming unattractive and is beginning to sound irrelevant What we are now seeing is what you have described, Mark. People coming together and finding a sense of belonging and identity with each other, and forming special interest groups, be it online/digital and in the physical sense. Many will probably not even describe their group or network as a 'charity'. The increasingly diverse society we live in has created diverse identities and interests, though the foundation of them could be shared values and principles e.g. doing good and innate desire to make a difference. Even Churches these days are becoming very diverse in terms of what brings them together, outside of the formal church e.g. Church of England structures. The notion of charity is becoming a contested concept, and people are beginning to form their own identities and networks outside of formal charity governance structures and systems.
Hi Mark! Thanks for your
Hi Mark! Thanks for your comment and your interest in this blog as well as our research. As part of our membership project, we're hoping to speak to a range of charities representing the diversity of the sector - not just the largest ones - in order to hopefully shed some light on this fascinating topic! Thanks again for your interest in the project.