The William E. Smith Institute for Association Research released the Institute's first research project report, which concludes that - contrary to commonly held assumptions - Generation X and Y workers (adults born after 1965) show every indication of joining associations at even higher rates than Baby Boomers (adults born between 1946 and 1964).

Titled Generations and the Future of Association Participation, the report also includes an analysis of U.S. Census data that shows birthrate differences between the Baby Boom generation and later decades have not translated into dramatically different sized pools of adult workers.

In addition, the report concludes that more workers, as well as a higher percentage of workers, are expected to join associations during the next 10 years. The most meaningful difference between Generation X and Y workers and Baby Boomers is not in their propensity to join associations, but in their expectations about what membership means and the returns such membership should provide.

Led by Dr. Arthur C. Brooks, associate professor of public administration and director of the Nonprofit Studies Program at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, the study was intended to question whether Generation X and Y workers truly present a serious danger for the future membership ranks of trade associations, professional societies and other business volunteer-governed organizations.

Brooks noted that much has been written over the past 20 years about the low participation level of younger generations in civic and voluntary organizations. The two reasons usually cited for this phenomenon are the low birthrates in the years following the Baby Boom and a supposed tendency of adults born in the 1960s and later not to participate civically.

"As a result of these assumptions, which never considered trade and professional associations specifically, many people have concluded that younger generations will be less likely to join these organizations, and that population trends will make the problem even worse," said Brooks.

"These conclusions, however, clearly don't hold up under examination and the future for associations in terms of membership indeed looks bright."

Copies of the final research report are currently available to all members of the association community free of charge. The report, as well as additional information on The William E. Smith Institute for Association Research, can be found online at http://www.smithinstitute.org.

"What intrigued The William E. Smith Institute so much about this study is that it speaks directly to a concern shared today by associations of all types - the desire to maintain and grow association-membership levels, in part by attracting and engaging new and younger workers," said Henry S. Givray, Chairman and CEO of SmithBucklin.

"While delivering very positive news, the study also provides important insights that will help associations build and sustain growth for their organizations."

Detailed Findings

Using the largest and most comprehensive data sets available on civic life in the United States, the study compared the membership rates of several different generations, predicted membership from 2005 to 2015 using population projections from the U.S. Census, and suggested approaches to enhance the attractiveness of associations to younger and older workers.

Key findings from the report include:

• There are fewer Generation X and Y workers in the workforce than Baby Boomers (adults born between 1946 and 1964), but the differences are not large. In fact, if the Baby Boom and Generation X were the same length, the net difference in 2005 in the percentage of workers from each group would be just one point.
• In terms of their tendency to join associations, the difference between Baby Boomers and Generation X and Y workers is largely a function of age, not generation.  Furthermore, correcting for race, gender, education, political views, religious beliefs, marital status and family size, Generation X and Y workers show every indication of joining associations at higher rates than the Baby Boomers, more than making up for their slightly smaller numbers.
• By itself, an extra 10 years of age increases the probability of belonging to an association by nine percentage points for the average worker.
• Generation X and Y workers are also expected to join associations at much higher rates than those of the Silent generation (people born between 1926 and 1945), whom they are also replacing in the workforce.
• Assuming that the social and employment conditions do not change for younger workers over the coming decade and that the average retirement age does not drop, the number of association members can reasonably be expected to rise over the next ten years from about 51 million members at present to about 55 million in 2015.

Attracting Younger Members

By taking cues from other types of civic activities, the report also included conclusions that will help associations work proactively to attract younger members. For example, the benefits sought by Generation X and Y workers are different than those of other generations:

• Based on fundraising research, younger donors require more of a "return" on their charitable "investments."  They want specific knowledge on the impact their donations are having and demand evidence that their donations are "making a difference."
• There is also a huge difference between Generation X and Baby Boomers with respect to the interest younger people show in being involved only by way of paying a fee -- that is, in joining organizations that don't feature any tangible returns or real participation for the member. For example, Generation Xers were only about half as likely to belong to organizations such as the Sierra Club or National Rifle Association.

Brooks noted that some associations already offer services that provide the benefits and returns younger members are seeking. "The key is figuring out the right scale and combination of services that are needed to satisfy the demands of younger members," Brooks said.