Membership research and strategy – VODG

The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) is a membership body representing leading not-for-profit providers of disability services across the UK. As the organisation looked to strengthen its impact and sustainability, it wanted to ensure its membership offer remained closely aligned with the needs of a diverse and evolving sector.

Membership challenge

VODG wanted a clearer understanding of how well it was meeting the needs of its members, as well as insight into why some organisations had disengaged or left. Demonstrating value across a diverse membership base was a key priority, particularly as member needs varied between those focused on advocacy and those seeking more operational support.

At the same time, VODG was exploring opportunities to diversify its income through a more strategic and values-led approach to corporate partnerships. The challenge was to develop a membership strategy and partnership model that were both aligned with member expectations and supportive of long-term sustainability.

Member research and strategy development – what we did

We designed a mixed-methods research programme combining interviews, focus groups, and stakeholder workshops to explore the needs and perceptions of members, non-members, and partners.

This included in-depth interviews with current, lapsed, and prospective members to understand value drivers and barriers to engagement. In parallel, we ran focus groups with members to explore attitudes towards corporate partnerships, including acceptable boundaries and areas of potential value.

Using these insights, we developed clear member segments and worked collaboratively with VODG to shape a refreshed membership strategy. We also designed and tested a range of corporate partnership models, refining them through workshops to ensure alignment with VODG’s values and member expectations.

Impact

This research helped VODG to:

With these insights, VODG is now better positioned to strengthen member engagement, expand its impact, and build a more sustainable and aligned approach to membership and partnerships.

 

“Working with Membership Matters gave us the clarity and confidence to successfully launch a new corporate partnership model that was both commercially credible and aligned to our values.

Their insight helped us better understand member expectations, strengthen engagement, and create a partnership offer that is already helping support the organisation’s future growth.”

Kerry Hamilton

Director of Membership and Operations

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Want to understand your members better and boost engagement? Our research can help you unlock deeper insights and deliver a more personalised experience. Get in touch to see how we can support your membership strategy. Contact us today on 0345 955 5155 or email us at 

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