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The Decision to Give: What Motivates Individuals to Support Professional Associations
ASAE - American Society of Association Executives, April 2010, Pages: 62
The Decision to Give study addresses some central questions about member generosity in professional and occupational societies, including
these:
- Who currently donates charitable support to their association
beyond the obligatory dues?
- Why do members give? How important is association giving to
members compared to other philanthropic activity?
- How do members prefer to give? And how do they like to be
recognized?
- What can associations do to encourage greater philanthropic activity
by members?
In the United States each year, more than $250 billion is donated to charities, and more than 60 million individuals volunteer their time. This study
looks at how that generosity might be manifested through a donor's professional ties and interests. Studies abound on why people give in response to
disasters, to prevent disease, to help the disadvantaged, or to support causes important to them. Yet the relationship between association membership
and giving decisions has not been actively explored. In fact, many professional associations have established charitable organizations to support
education, research, and other needs not supported by membership dues.
This Decision to Give study surveyed 5,004 individuals from six participating associations to understand the motivations of members who make
optional financial contributions above and beyond dues and fees.
This is the third in a series of large-scale research studies sponsored by ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership to advance knowledge in
association management. In past years, ASAE & The Center have examined why people join associations (in The Decision to Join, authored by
James Dalton and Monica Dignam in 2007) and why they volunteer (in The Decision to Volunteer, authored by Beth Gazley and Monica Dignam in
2008). This third study probes and describes an equally important aspect of membership philanthropic activity: financial support for research, scholarships, charitable programs, and other related causes.
This report hopes to encourage more member support for missionrelated activities and also to improve the public's understanding of the
philanthropic activities that are regularly carried out through professional associations and societies. Since only some associations are registered as
charitable organizations and since most member services are provided through dues and fees, it is quite easy for observers to overlook the valuable
and extensive philanthropic activity within the association world.
This report emphasizes in particular the relationship between giving and member demographics, membership satisfaction, volunteer activities,
dues structure, and the ways members prefer to be solicited and make their donations. The study is about more than improving an association's
fundraising prowess. On a much more fundamental level, it addresses philanthropic activity as a member service. Members, like donors anywhere,
welcome opportunities to connect their charitable priorities to their professional world. Associations can profoundly increase the value of
a professional affiliation that allows members to serve not only themselves but others as well.
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