Improve member recruitment at your association through scholarships

Offering scholarships to students and early careerists can help attract your association’s next generation of members. Here are top ideas and tips on how to make the most of scholarships for member recruitment.

Kickstart your association's growth with 7 quick & easy tips!

There’s no substitute for a long-term membership recruitment plan. But there are also simple things you can do today – even with a small staff and limited time – for some quick wins. Discover our seven top tips for membership recruitment now.

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To keep your small association going strong for years to come, it’s important to continually attract new members. A great way to draw in new members – especially young members and those early in their careers – is to offer scholarships.

How scholarships can improve member recruitment for your association

Association industry research from Momentive Software indicates that most members join a professional organization early on – as a student, after graduating but before starting a job, or within the first five years of employment. The 2023 Association Trends Study shows that members, especially those who are in the early and middle stages of their careers place high value on benefits that impact their careers, such as job opportunities and help with career advancement.

Offering scholarships to students and those just getting started in your industry is a simple, yet powerful, way to provide a valuable benefit that attracts younger members. It can help them to:

• Complete their college education so they can begin working in your industry
• Gain training, continuing education, and certifications they need to jump-start their careers
• Pay for other education that can help them to move their careers forward

Keep in mind that offering scholarships isn’t attractive only to young members. Those who have just made a career move to your association’s industry can benefit from scholarships, too. Scholarships can also help those who are mid-career and need more education and training to take their careers to the next level. Scholarships also allow you to contribute toward growing your association’s industry by helping to promote education in the industry.

Three tips for making the most of scholarships for member recruitment

Here are three simple and effective ways to get the most out of your scholarship offerings for member recruitment:

1. Get the word out.

Publicize your scholarship opportunities in multiple ways. For example, post about them in your social media channels. Highlight them on your association’s website. Promote them via member email communications and in your online member community. Provide information about them for attendees at your annual conference. Ask your board of directors to spread the word about them.

2. Publicly announce your scholarship winners.

Give scholarship recipients exposure in your industry by spotlighting them in multiple ways. For example, announce scholarship winners:

• In a press release
• Through your social media channels
• On your website and online member community
• In your member newsletter
• At your annual event

3. Give scholarship winners a path to find their next job.

Strengthen the benefits of the scholarship by offering an online job board. Doing so will allow you to offer an enticing benefit that makes it even easier to attract new members who are looking for job opportunities and career development. It can also help to solidify your relationship with new members as they look to your organization as THE go-to resource for help in growing their career.

Get the funds you need to offer scholarships

Offering scholarships can help you attract and retain members. It can also help you to support your association’s industry. But, of course, to offer scholarships, you need funds.

You can find tips on how to get companies in your industry to sponsor your association’s scholarship opportunities in the tip sheet: How to Secure Sponsors for a Thriving Scholarship Program.