Every year, associations face the same question: How do we stay relevant and grow?

A 2025 Annual Association Survey revealed the top challenges keeping leaders up at night. Three themes stood out:

1. Member Engagement and Retention Remain the #1 Challenge

It’s no surprise: keeping members engaged is the single biggest driver of renewals. The top reason for non-renewal in the survey was lack of engagement with the organization.

What you can do:

• Create more touchpoints. With an online community, members can connect daily—not just once a year at the conference.
• Nudge participation. Even small actions—like prompting new members to introduce themselves or highlighting weekly discussions—can spark involvement.
• Spot at-risk members. Engagement analytics help you see who’s slipping away so you can re-engage them before renewal season.

2. Attracting Younger Members Is Critical

Younger professionals are the future of every association, but they expect a modern, digital-first experience. They want meaningful career growth and networking opportunities—and they want it to be seamless.

What you can do:

• A digital home base. Give members a space built for them — where they can find peers, resources and opportunities without distraction.
• Offer career value. Younger members care deeply about networking, mentorship and career growth. Position your association as the bridge to opportunities.
• Make membership easy. Offer student or early-career pricing, monthly payment plans, or trial memberships.

3. Time and Resources Are Tight

“Never enough time” and “limited budget” came up again and again in the survey. Many associations want to grow but struggle with staff capacity and resources.

What you can do:

• Automate where possible. Use technology to handle routine tasks like renewals, event reminders, or onboarding.
• Empower members. A strong online community empowers members to help each other—reducing support tickets and staff time.
• Focus on what works. Don’t try to do everything. Invest in the programs that deliver the highest engagement and revenue impact.

The Takeaway

The biggest challenges associations face in 2025—engagement, attracting younger members, and limited time/resources—aren’t going away. But they are solvable.

By leaning on smart community software, you can:
Keep members active year-round
Provide real career value to younger professionals
Free your team’s time while growing impact.

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