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Nonprofit & Association Advisory
Our association consulting helps medical associations, public health associations and nonprofits understand what members, volunteers and donors actually do, then design engagement and programs that serve both the organization and the public good.
The problem behind the problem.
Associations and nonprofits depend on voluntary behavior. Members choose to renew, attend, volunteer and advocate. Donors choose to give again. Professionals choose to adopt the guidelines and education an association produces. Each of those choices competes with crowded calendars and other organizations asking for the same attention. Many associations see aging membership, uneven engagement among early-career professionals and programs that are well regarded but lightly used, without a clear picture of why.
For medical and public health associations, the stakes extend beyond the organization. When members adopt a new clinical guideline, complete continuing education or participate in public health advocacy, patients and communities benefit. When they do not, valuable knowledge stays on the shelf. Association consulting grounded in behavioral science helps leaders see membership as a set of behaviors with identifiable drivers, and design value, communication and programs that make the most important behaviors easier and more rewarding.
How we deliver nonprofit & association advisory.
- 01Observe
Understand member lives
We interview members at different career stages, lapsed members, volunteers, donors and staff, exploring what professional problems they face and where the association fits. We look for the moments when membership feels essential and the moments when it fades from view, as well as barriers such as time, cost and relevance.
- 02Signal
Read engagement data
We analyze membership, event, learning, giving and communication data to identify behavioral types and the engagement patterns that predict renewal, volunteering and continued giving. Many associations hold years of untapped data across separate systems. Integrating it often reveals early signals, such as first-year participation, that predict long-term commitment.
- 03Design
Design value and engagement
We design member journeys, onboarding, communications and program changes matched to each behavioral type. Techniques include social proof from respected peers, well-timed prompts, simplified renewal and participation paths, and framing the association's value in terms of members' real professional goals and the public benefit of their work.
- 04Test
Test engagement changes
We test communication variants, onboarding sequences, event formats and renewal approaches with controlled comparisons where possible. Tests focus on leading indicators such as first-year participation and volunteer activation, giving leadership timely evidence on what deepens engagement and what does not before committing broader resources. Results are shared with volunteer leaders as well as staff.
- 05Scale
Build engagement capability
We help staff adopt engagement dashboards, testing routines and member research practices, and we advise boards and executives on governance of member data and strategy. Coaching helps leaders sustain a culture of learning from member behavior rather than relying on annual surveys alone. Over time, engagement insight also informs advocacy, education and the association's public mission.
Deliverables.
What changes.
Who engages us.
We work with chief executives, membership and marketing directors, education leaders, development officers and boards of professional associations, medical and specialty societies, public health associations, academic medicine organizations and charitable nonprofits. Common triggers include declining renewal, low engagement among younger members, a new strategic plan, a membership model redesign, a new learning platform or a capital or donor campaign. Each engagement is scoped to fit the organization's resources.
Industries
Beyond the balance sheet.
Healthy associations translate professional knowledge into public good. When clinicians engage with their medical association, they keep their practice current, and patients benefit. When public health professionals participate actively, communities gain stronger advocates and better programs. Staff benefit from strategies that reduce guesswork, and volunteers from roles that respect their time. Our goal is engagement that serves members and society, not engagement metrics for their own sake.
Frequently asked questions.
What does association consulting from a behavioral firm look like?
It focuses on what members, volunteers and donors actually do and why. We combine member research with engagement data analysis to find the behaviors that predict renewal and participation, then design and test changes to journeys, communications and programs. The work is practical and measured, aimed at decisions staff can act on.
Can you help with declining membership among younger professionals?
Yes, this is a common concern. Early-career professionals often weigh membership differently, valuing practical career support, peer connection and flexible participation. We research their needs directly and test changes to value, pricing structure, onboarding and communication, rather than assuming what they want. Small tests let the association learn quickly without disrupting existing members who value the current model.
Do you work with medical and public health associations specifically?
Yes. Our roots in clinical and health psychology and behavioral medicine make us comfortable with clinical audiences, continuing education and guideline adoption. We understand the time pressures clinicians face and the importance of credible, evidence-based communication when engaging physicians and public health professionals. That experience helps associations turn clinical knowledge into better care for patients and stronger public health in the communities members serve.
How do you handle sensitive member data?
We work under your data governance policies and confidentiality agreements, use the minimum data needed for each analysis and prefer de-identified data wherever possible. We can also help associations strengthen their data practices so member trust is protected as analysis becomes more sophisticated. Members are more willing to engage when they trust how their information is used.
Often paired with.
Social Impact Strategy
Build a social impact strategy around the specific behaviors that connect your programs to better health, learning and community outcomes.
ExploreCustomer Retention Strategy
Identify the early behaviors that predict churn, then design and test interventions that help customers keep getting value and choose to stay.
ExploreResearch Translation & Knowledge Dissemination
Make scientific knowledge accessible and usable for clinicians, educators, policymakers and the public, through tested knowledge translation and dissemination strategies.
ExploreRelated insights.
Behavior Change at the Group Level
Why changing a group is different from changing an individual, and how norms, identity, networks and shared routines can be designed to make new behaviors spread and stick.
Read
Leading and Lagging Indicators
A practical guide to leading and lagging indicators: what each one is, how they work together, and how to confirm that a leading indicator truly predicts results.
ReadReady to talk about nonprofit & association advisory?
Every engagement begins with a conversation. Tell us what you are facing and we will tell you, candidly, how we would approach it.
Start a conversation