04 Mar 2025 2025 Association and Nonprofit Trends
With the new year comes a fresh crop of trends and predictions for associations and nonprofits. Here are five key movements to watch for as we head into the next 12 months.
Increased Revenue from Non-Dues Streams
The digitalization of information has made it easier than ever for organizations to diversify their revenue sources. While of course it’s important to maintain a full- court press on membership, it’s wise to consider other ways to bolster income.
Has your association explored these possibilities?
● Online courses
● Certification assistance
● E-commerce
● Books and manuals
● Gated website content
For example, you might make your blog posts free to all who visit your website, but offer longer form content, like ebooks or industry data reports, for an attractive price as instant downloads. This not only generates revenue, it also helps your group build its email list for future membership drives and events.
Greater Focus on Leadership Development
Between 2024 and 2027, over four million Americans will turn 65 each year. This is the biggest “silver tsunami” in history, and it will no doubt affect leadership roles in associations and nonprofits as many people elect to retire.
Therefore, proactive organizations are choosing to think about leadership development. This means creating pipelines for the next generation as well as educational programs so new leaders have a foundation to build on.
How can your association get ahead of any retirements on the horizon? One way is to elect new leadership well before the previous officers leave. Then, those in the on-deck circle can shadow leaders while they’re still in action. Another method is to assemble a manual or video series into which goes advice on from meeting facilitation and protocols to event planning and board member recruitment.
More Emphasis on Sustainability
The aforementioned boomer wave won’t only affect leadership; organizations are bound to lose members too. When you replace those members with younger ones, be ready for greater demands regarding sustainability and environmentally friendly processes.
Some ways you can embrace this ongoing trend include:
● Host more online, hybrid, and small regional events, versus large national or international ones.
● Go paperless, including fundraising appeals, agendas, announcements, and dues collection.
● Buy reusable, nontoxic, locally made items, including swag for trade shows and conventions.
● Conduct an energy audit of your office, or consider eliminating a physical office altogether.
Virtual offices are another growing phenomenon. A big bonus is expanding your hiring pool to the entire globe once the local office commute is moot.
Better Data-Driven Decision Making
With issues like the potential for economic turbulence and continuing supply chain delays on the table, associations and nonprofits want to make vital decisions with as much confidence as possible. Backing choices with data analytics is an essential step in this quest.
A few ways to start the data analysis process are:
● Using CRMs (customer relationship management programs) to store and sort member information like corporations do for their clients and prospects
● Employing Google Analytics to tweak marketing campaigns and refine your online strategies in order to reach and convert your desired audience
● Trying A/B testing to see which membership or donor campaigns are most successful and then adjusting your tactics accordingly.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning have made these types of processes faster and more user-friendly. The key to success is understanding why you’re using them first and setting metrics for future evaluation. It’s not enough, for instance, to simply collect haphazard data about membership. It’s more helpful to quantify things like cost per acquisition, retention, and average donation.
Continued Preparations for Economic Uncertainty
Without a crystal ball, we obviously don’t know where the markets, the Fed, the GDP, or the general consumer economy is going in 2025. But we do know there will be continued political conflict around the globe, as well as likely wildcards such as logistics snags, severe weather events, tariffs, shortages, public health concerns, and fluctuating fuel prices.
It’s smart to prepare for any events that could cause upheaval for your unique association. This preparation could include:
● Beefing up savings
● Reducing debt
● Postponing major purchases
● Changing investment strategies
● Increasing stock of foreign-made merchandise
● Waiting to plan events
● Holding membership drives earlier in the year
No matter what your association has planned for 2025, Jaffe Management is here to help. Whether your organization needs assistance with membership administration, leadership development, or a headquarters office, call on us for expertise and resources. We can be reached at 212-496-3155 or info@jaffemanagement.com.