Studies show that the top three goals for associations in 2026 are to:
- Increase engagement
- Increase member retention
- Increase new member acquisitions
To engage members, retain their support, and grow your community, you need to improve your current association strategy—and that often means changing the way your organization operates.
Although these are often positive changes, such as new software, more efficient processes, or additional engagement opportunities, they may cause skepticism among members who may be satisfied with the way your organization currently works.
That’s why it’s important to prepare your team to lead your organization through change, reassuring and supporting members every step of the way. This guide will explore how best to navigate and share changes with your member base.
1. Modernize your governance.
Many associations have outdated bylaws that make change nearly impossible. While making major changes to your organization’s structure and operations shouldn’t necessarily be easy, you also don’t want your current policies to prevent innovation.
- Auditing your bylaws. Review your bylaws annually to ensure they still support your mission and goals.
- Proposing amendments. If you notice any gaps in your bylaws, work with your team to propose and create relevant amendments that empower forward-moving change.
Let’s say you run a healthcare association, and your voting rights have historically been limited only to members with an MD or DO degree. To include the growing number of nurse practitioner and physician assistant members, you may propose an amendment that removes the MD or DO degree requirement.
2. Empower change champions.
While your association’s leaders should guide the organization through change, it will be difficult to do so without support from your member base. When you have influential members in your community to vouch for your strategic decisions, you can put the rest of your members at ease. Plus, fellow members might trust a peer’s explanation of the change more than a staff member’s who may be directly involved in implementing it.
Let’s walk through an example of what this might look like for a food and nutrition association introducing a rebrand:
- Identify a small group of respected members. Depending on the size of your association, create a group of five to 10 members whom other members deeply respect. These may be committee chairs, active forum participants, established mentors, or founding members.
- Strategically introduce the change to the group. Since this might be the first time you’re presenting the change to external stakeholders, practice the language and framing you’d like to use to properly communicate the change. For example, the food and nutrition association might explain that the rebrand will more clearly portray the organization’s mission, making it easier to grow membership and advocate for mission-aligned policies on a national scale.
- Have them test the change. If there are any materials to review or early engagement opportunities, have group members test them. In this case, you may have group members peruse your new brand guide and investigate your new website before it launches.
- Collect their feedback. Ask group members for their honest feedback. As members of your association, they may provide insights that represent the broader member base, which internal staff members can’t always anticipate. Perhaps your new logo is too similar to that of a company many of your members work for, which may be worth tweaking to avoid confusion.
At the end of the testing process, brainstorm ways for change champions to advocate for this new initiative. Provide them with the language they need to communicate the change, compile a list of potential frequently asked questions, and check in with these members as they begin to share this information with the rest of your member base.
3. Lead with your reasoning.
Communication is key when your organization experiences change. The more members know about the upcoming change, the more comfortable they’ll feel.
However, this doesn’t mean you should offload everything members need to know about the change at once. Instead of jumping straight into the logistics, start with what’s driving the change. When members understand why a change is happening, they’ll be more likely to accept it.
For instance, let’s say you’re changing your membership model, which will affect members’ dues and benefits. Rather than sharing the entire new model right away, explain why this change came to be. Perhaps you want to offer new perks to increase membership value that don’t fit neatly within the old model or eliminate less popular tiers that don’t drive revenue. Set the foundation for the change so members won’t jump to their own conclusions before even knowing the finer details.
Additionally, instead of a mass email, record a video of leadership discussing the change. This format makes the communication more personal and easier to process. For example, if you’re adjusting the way you run board elections, you may have your board chair film a quick video explaining the strategic vision behind the change.
4. Be transparent.
Naturally, change may temporarily decrease efficiency or member satisfaction. Instead of ignoring these negative side effects, be transparent about the fact that the current transition may come with some challenges. Members will appreciate your honesty and will feel more supported by your leadership or transition leads.
For example, many associations merge with other associations, fundamentally changing the structure and presentation of their organizations. Strategic Association Solutions’ accounting for nonprofits guide explains that, in addition to changing the member experience, association mergers and acquisitions “complicate financial management, necessitating asset allocation, fund consolidation, and alignment of both organizations’ financial goals and accounting methods.” Understanding these internal challenges helps members consider not only how the change affects them but also how it impacts the internal staff members working diligently to ensure a smooth transition.
To encourage open communication, set up a feedback channel for the transition period. That way, members have a designated place to voice their concerns, and your staff can adjust your strategy based on this input. For instance, iMIS’ association software guide explains that you may adopt a new association management system (AMS) to improve member onboarding. In this case, you may send new members a survey to solicit their feedback about how well the software facilitated their onboarding.
Throughout the transition process, celebrate even the small wins. Demonstrate that your new initiatives are working to build trust with members during this time. Share statistics and positive feedback via email to get members excited about the change.
Along the way, keep the process collaborative. Constantly check in with members to ensure you’re considering their perspectives as you continue to implement the change.