'Purpose Under Pressure: global association trends in 2025' - Review

In 2025, associations are standing at a crossroads. As the Purpose Under Pressure report reveals, the challenges they face—from financial strain and disengaged members to fragmented technology and volunteer burnout—are not just operational hurdles; they’re existential threats.

For software providers serving associations, the opportunity has never been clearer or more urgent: deliver tools that don’t just digitise old processes but actively solve the problems threatening the sector’s sustainability.

Strategy Is a Priority—Execution Is the Problem

83% of associations say long-term strategy is a significant challenge, but it’s not for lack of vision—it’s lack of bandwidth, systems, and integration. Strategic intent often dies in a swamp of spreadsheets, siloed tools, and manual processes.

This is where an all-in-one management system must step up. From membership management to event management, software needs to enable agile strategy execution. Platforms should link plans to real-time data, give visibility to board and staff alike, and embed tracking mechanisms that ensure accountability. Associations don’t need more planning tools—they need execution engines.

Financial Sustainability Starts with Operational Intelligence

With 84% of associations citing financial sustainability as a major concern, it's no longer enough for software to support financial transactions—it must support financial strategy. This means helping associations understand the ROI of every program, event, and service.

Modern management software must integrate finance, member management, and activity data into a single view. That’s the key to uncovering which initiatives drive value—and which quietly drain resources.

Member Engagement: From Broadcasting to Belonging

Gone are the days when newsletters and a few member benefits were enough. In today’s environment, 85% of associations say member engagement is a top concern. Members expect personalised, relevant, and immediate value.

Software solutions must go beyond CRMs and become full engagement platforms. That means delivering intelligent segmentation, personalised journeys, real-time content, and intuitive self-service portals. These tools boost both satisfaction and retention rates.

Volunteers Need Support, Not Just Praise

Volunteers still give generously—many contributing over 40 hours a month. But without onboarding, role clarity, or recognition, burnout is inevitable. Associations need to provide volunteer lifecycle management: clear role assignment, time tracking, recognition, and member communication tools that keep them connected and supported.

People Are at Capacity—Your Platform Shouldn’t Be

The report shows teams are overstretched, and burnout is stalling strategic execution. The right software must reduce, not increase, the admin load. That means automating routine tasks, simplifying data entry, and providing dashboards that make decision-making easier, not harder.

From membership management to event management, association teams need systems that work as hard as they do.

Tech Is Not the Problem—Integration Is

A staggering 72% of associations struggle with adopting and integrating technology. The average organisation runs on a patchwork of outdated systems that don’t talk to each other.

Modern association platforms must be built on integration-first architecture. APIs, plug-and-play modules, and interoperability with other tools—these are not nice-to-haves; they are survival tools for overstretched teams.

AI Is Here—But Guidance Is Missing

While 92% of associations see AI as a net positive, most are dabbling without policies or plans. Software providers have a responsibility to go beyond feature launches. They must educate, support ethical use, and provide out-of-the-box templates for tasks like content generation, meeting summaries, and predictive engagement analysis.

Events Still Matter—But They Must Evolve

Events remain a top engagement driver and revenue source, but delivery is increasingly complex. Associations need platforms that support hybrid experiences, simplify logistics, and enable year-round engagement—not just one-off conferences.

Your event management tools must also connect to your membership management system, ensuring that attendance drives deeper involvement and supports long-term member retention.

Monetising Value with Online Tools

Associations need diverse revenue streams. An integrated online store gives members easy access to merchandise, publications, or educational resources. Seamless checkout, tracked purchases, and integration with member profiles ensure this is both profitable and personalised.

In Conclusion

The Purpose Under Pressure report makes one thing clear: the sector is not short on passion or purpose—it’s short on infrastructure, insight, and execution capability.

Association software providers are uniquely positioned to meet this moment. It’s time to stop building digital replicas of outdated systems. Let’s create platforms that help associations thrive, grow, and lead with purpose—no matter how volatile the world gets.

From member management and event management to real-time insights and seamless member communication, the future belongs to solutions that support strategy, enable action, and foster real connection.

Because better data, better tools, and better decisions drive stronger member engagement and higher retention rates—and that’s what keeps associations alive.