Creative Ideas for Generating Non-Dues Revenue in Associations
Members of an association almost always pay fees that enable them to benefit from its services and resources.
Yet, membership dues don’t have to be the only source of revenue for an association. In fact, it’s vital to diversify your association’s revenue streams to ensure a healthy, sustainable future for the organization as a whole.
Luckily, there are multiple creative ideas for generating non-dues revenue in associations. Today, we’ll discuss a few of them. So, let’s get to business.
10 Ideas for Generating Non-Dues Revenue in Associations
Associations need funding to afford the cost of operations, programs, services, etc. To generate revenue, they have to come up with creative ideas that also benefit their members. Check out some of the best ideas.
1. Virtual Events and Webinars: Hosting virtual conferences, webinars, and workshops can be a great source of revenue. You can organize the whole thing and charge registration fees for participation.
2. In-Person Events: Networking events, trade shows, expos, and other industry-specific events are also fantastic. During these events, companies can showcase their products and services for specific fees.
3. Brand Sponsorship: Find brands or companies that share the same values as your association. Partnering with such entities and providing them access to your members can be beneficial for both of you.
4. Online Courses: Whether training sessions, workshops, or certification programs, creating such types of education opportunities is a superb idea. That’s especially true when they’re related to your association’s field of expertise.
5. Assets Leveraging: Associations have tons of assets to take advantage of. This ranges from selling membership mailing lists and directories to renting out training spaces and offices.
6. Affinity Programs: Try to partner with third-party businesses that can offer your members exclusive advantages in exchange for a part of their revenue. As long as you choose your partner wisely, it should be a win-win situation.
7. Branded Merchandise: Branded items such as mugs, t-shirts, and bags can be fantastic for promoting your association and generating non-dues revenue. You just need to consider the type of merchandise that appeals to your members and leverage that.
8. Online Ads: You can charge fees for posting ads on your association’s online platforms or website. Such types of ads can also work greatly as a part of your regular newsletter sent out to members.
9. Premium Membership: If you have some upgraded experiences to offer, you can charge extra money for premium advantages. Such types of add-on services can generate greater revenue and benefit special members as well.
10. Content Sponsorship: If your association performs studies and research, finding sponsorship for such content is highly recommended. In exchange for funding, published content can have the sponsor’s logo and link on it.
Final Thoughts
For associations to thrive, they need more than just membership fees. That’s why finding creative ideas for generating non-dues revenue in associations is necessary.
Not only does non-dues revenue ensure that associations have enough funds to run smoothly, but it also enables them to offer valuable services to their members.
Such sources can include things like hosting virtual events, forming partnerships, and creating online courses, among many other ideas. You just need to think out of the box and consider innovative approaches.
In no time, your non-dues ideas can generate revenue for your association to grow more successful over the years.