Future of Membership project

The RSA has been working with NCVO and a coalition of leading membership organisations to undertake new research into what membership means and what motivates people to become members. This project has now ended but Matthew Taylor will be writing and speaking on this topic following on from some of the research findings in the autumn.

About The Future of Membership Project

The Future of Membership project aimed to understand the different challenges, strengths, purposes and models of membership and to understand why people become and remain members. The project also mapped the most important drivers for membership and membership organisations over the next decade, and developed scenarios and strategies for membership organisations in 2020.

The project was conducted through a combination of desk research, focus groups and consortium workshops. The full research findings have been shared amongst those organisations participating in the project. The project findings are broadly accessible to other organisations and individuals through the content on the Third Sector Foresight website and the Future Focus guide (PDF,3.20 MB), published in March 2010.

The project grew out of the Membership Project, which sought to examine implications of developments in social media for membership organisations (access the discussion) and was also informed by the NESTA-funded RSA Networks project, which explored new ways of engaging with Fellows (members).

Partners
Action for ME ,Amnesty, National Autistic Society, RNLI,Royal Academy of Arts,The Scout Association , Supporters Direct ,National Children's Bureau ,  National Trust
Workers' Educational Association ,Ramblers,National Council for Voluntary Youth Services,

Find out more and get involved

  • Read the Future Focus guide to membership, analysing key challenges and opportunities over the next five years and details potential strategic responses.
  • Read and comment on the blog posts summarising implications of news stories, research and other developments relevant to membership.You can read these in full on Katherine's page on the Third Sector Foresight website.
  • Take part in the discussion on the Third Sector Foresight website on where to take the project next.
  • Read, save and annotate the drivers that are particularly relevant to membership organisations (such as Changing attitudes to participation and The commodification of membership) on the Third Sector Foresight membership page (this list will be expanded over the summer of 2010).
  • Follow Third Sector Foresight or Katherine on Twitter for updates and news. Spread the word by using the hash tag #3s4FoM.
  • Take part in the discussion on the NCVO website around '21st century membership'. This group for all those involved in developing a membership or supporter scheme in the voluntary sector allows you to view and respond to what your colleagues are struggling with and their tips for success- as well as giving you access to presentations from the most recent NCVO membership conference.