I’ve always loved the practice of digging into data and research to see what I could learn and take away from some of my favorite experts. And as we approach the second half of 2026, I figured there is no better time to dig through some of the latest research to see how the association industry is sitting and how we can best tweak our plans going into Q3 and Q4.
The best part? It’s been a busy 12 months for association industry research. ASAE released its first-ever State of Associations report. MGI, Naylor, and GrowthZone each published updated benchmarking studies. The Association Forum dropped its FIRE Report. And MCI Group’s Engagement Loop framework continues to shape how leaders think about member engagement.
What’s striking is how much these reports agree with each other. Different methodologies, different sample sizes, different organizations behind them, but the story they’re telling is remarkably consistent: while associations are holding steady, the operating model is under real structural pressure. Four challenges keep surfacing, and they’re worth paying attention to whether you’re running an association today or partnering with one.
Membership Is Stable, But Growth Is Stalling
If you only look at renewal rates, things look fine. MGI puts the average at 84%, and that number has held steady. But renewal rates measure loyalty among people who already said yes. The acquisition side of the equation is where things get uncomfortable.
Only 45% of associations reported membership growth in 2025, down from 49% just two years earlier. That’s a slow but real slide. And here’s the stat that should be on every association leader’s whiteboard: only 11% of associations describe their value proposition as “very compelling.” Meanwhile, 63% of failed sign-ups are attributed to prospects simply not understanding the value of membership.
That’s not a pricing problem. It’s a clarity problem. When a prospective member looks at your association and can’t answer the question “what will this actually develop in me?”, no amount of marketing spend fixes it.
A well-built competency framework paired with meaningful assessments can change that equation. When members can see what skills and competencies their membership develops, the value proposition stops being abstract. It becomes something measurable and personal.
Non-Dues Revenue Has Been the #1 Financial Pressure for Three Straight Years
According to Naylor, non-dues revenue has topped the list of financial challenges for three consecutive years, with 61% of respondents naming it. The biggest barriers? Understaffing (52%) and limited resources (50%). GrowthZone found that 63% of leaders expect non-dues revenue to increase, but the report itself flags this as optimism running ahead of capability.
At the same time, events (the revenue stream associations have historically relied on most) are under pressure too. ASAE’s Insight Updates found that 50% of associations saw meeting attendance decline, with professional associations and international attendance hit hardest.
The Association Forum’s FIRE Report puts it most directly: associations need to move from event-dependent revenue models to year-round learning ecosystems. Certifications, microcredentials, and structured education programs generate revenue that doesn’t depend on who shows up to an annual conference. They produce income 365 days a year.
That reframe matters. The conversation isn’t really about “building courses.” It’s about building sustainable revenue streams that survive when attendance dips.
AI Has Gone from “Someday” to “Already Behind” in Twelve Months
A year ago, nearly two-thirds of associations weren’t using AI at all. That number has dropped to 42%, per Naylor. Most are now at least experimenting, but the gap between organizations moving from pilot to production and those still forming committees is widening fast.
ASAE has signaled how seriously it takes this through its partnership with Sidecar on AI readiness. MGI added a dedicated AI section to its benchmarking report for the first time. The FIRE Report frames AI adoption as a competence-and-capacity issue, not a nice-to-have.
For associations, there are two opportunities worth watching. AI-augmented tools like adaptive learning paths, personalized content recommendations, and AI-driven gap analysis can make existing education and assessment programs dramatically more effective. When an assessment captures a member’s strengths, gaps, role, and goals, that data becomes the foundation for personalization that actually works.
Then there’s the content side. Members across nearly every industry need to upskill on AI in their own professional context, and associations are well positioned to deliver that education.
Workforce Is the Quiet Crisis
This theme doesn’t get the same headline attention, but it might be the most actionable. The FIRE Report found that 71% of association leaders name workforce as their primary operational risk. Naylor identifies understaffing as the single biggest barrier to growing non-dues revenue. And MGI added a workforce development section to its report this year because member organizations are increasingly being asked to deliver more on career advancement, not just continuing education credits.
Internally, associations are stretched thin. The ambition to launch new programs, build new revenue streams, and adopt new technology runs headlong into the reality that most teams don’t have the capacity to execute. This is a perfect opportunity to turn to outside resources, to ensure you’re cultivating the best possible solutions and outcomes for your members. On the member-facing side, people are asking their associations to do more for their careers. They want progression pathways, role-based learning, and development that maps to where they’re trying to go professionally. The associations that deliver on this will deepen engagement and retention in ways that a better newsletter never could.
What It All Adds Up To
Looking at this research side by side makes one thing clear: these challenges don’t exist in isolation. A weak value proposition makes it harder to grow membership. Flat membership growth puts more pressure on non-dues revenue. Limited staff capacity makes it harder to build the education programs that would generate that revenue. And falling behind on AI means missing the personalization that today’s members increasingly expect.
The organizations pulling ahead aren’t tackling these one at a time. They’re building connected systems: competency frameworks that clarify value, assessments that capture data, education programs that generate revenue, and technology that ties it all together.
That’s the work we do every day at Holmes Corporation. In fact, we’re speaking about what we call the “Learning Revenue Ladder” at ASAE’s upcoming virtual Revenue Summit. Our team will be joined by Rachael DeLeon of AFCPE and Reno Deschaine of CFRE International to discuss how associations can make the most of their learning assets by building a framework for building revenue at each step between “I’m interested in this profession” and “I’m certified.” If any of this resonates with where your association is right now, we’d love to have you join us virtually for our session or reach out to continue the conversation.
Sources: ASAE State of Associations (2026), ASAE Insight Update Series (2025), GrowthZone 11th Annual Association Survey (2025), Naylor Association Benchmarking Report, 14th Ed. (2025), MGI Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, 17th Ed. (2025), MCI Group Engagement Loop (2024), Association Forum FIRE Report (2025).
