18 membership drive ideas that actually work

Membership drives remain a valuable way to attract new members to your cause and generate consistent revenue, but they don’t look like they used to. Modern supporters want real value and personalized experiences—and they’re not afraid to walk away if they don’t receive them.

Don’t get stuck catering to an audience of the past. It’s time to reimagine membership drives. Here’s everything you need to plan campaigns that match your audience’s expectations for communication and engagement.

Key takeaways 

• Membership drives succeed when they deliver real value 💛 Today's supporters want meaningful benefits, easy signups, and authentic connections.
  
• Clear goals and strategy keep your campaign focused 🎯 A strong plan ensures that every action is intentional, measurable, and aligned with your mission.
  
• Creative tactics attract diverse audiences 👋 From events to referral programs, variety makes it easier to meet supporters where they are and inspire them to join.
  
• Avoiding common mistakes saves time and trust ⏰ Engaging current members, updating benefits, and streamlining signups help you keep momentum strong.
  
• Measuring both signups and engagement ensures long-term growth 🌱 Tracking who participates and how involved they are sets you up for stronger renewals and retention.
  
• The right tools simplify everything ✨ Platforms like Givebutter make it easy to promote your drive, manage recurring payments, and deliver a seamless member experience.

What is a membership drive & how does it work?

A membership drive is a campaign designed to increase signups for an organization’s membership program. Nonprofits use a mix of donor engagement and marketing tactics to attract potential members, introduce their program, and convert interest into fully paid members.

You can run a membership drive anytime, but they’re especially effective when:

• Launching a new project or initiative
• Celebrating a major milestone (e.g., your organization’s 10th anniversary)
• Running your year-end giving campaign
• Connected to an awareness day or community event

Member drives can take several forms—events, social media, email, direct mail, or all of the above. However you promote them, the goal is the same: inspire people to commit to a monthly, quarterly, or annual membership that supports your mission.

18 winning membership drive ideas

Today’s supporters—especially younger generations—expect creativity, connection, and convenience. The ideas below are designed to meet people where they are while keeping your mission front and center.

Membership drive event ideas 🎉

1. Meet the founders event 🤝 Invite supporters to an exclusive face-to-face with your founders or board members—an opportunity usually reserved for members.
2. Family picnic day 🍞 Host a picnic or day in the park for donors and their families, offering a more relaxed introduction to your organization.
3. Open house 🏠 Plan a special event for new members to take a tour of your headquarters or a project site.

Digital membership drive campaign ideas 📣

4. Influencer referral campaign 🤳 Work with local or relevant national influencers on a referral campaign to boost signups.
5. Notes from current members 📧 Send an email newsletter with notes and insights from existing members to encourage new ones to join the community.
6. Member spotlight ⭐ Feature a current member on your website and social media to promote the benefits of joining your organization. (Tip: Use Canva for nonprofits to create fun graphics to go with this.)

Mission-based membership drive strategies 💛

7. Friends and family referral program ♥️ Give members powerful resources to share with their network to encourage signups, and reward their efforts with a gift card or another small token of appreciation.
8. Charity sports event 🏃 Host a sports event to raise funds for your cause while promoting your membership as a cost-effective way to support you.
9. Donation matching campaign 💰 Partner with a local business willing to match the value of memberships created before a certain date.

PTA membership drive ideas 🏫

10. Wishlist from the students 📝 Share a list of activities, events, or items students would love to see at the school—along with how many active members it would take to fund them.
11. Swap a coffee campaign ☕ Encourage parents and caregivers to swap a coffee (or another treat) for a $5 monthly membership to the PTA instead. Highlight all the benefits and reasons why it matters.
12. School tour and lunch 📚 Host an exclusive school tour and luncheon for PTA members and their families.

Church membership drive ideas ⛪️

13. Guest speaker 🎤 Bring an inspirational figure to address your congregation on a meaningful topic, then make a call for people to join as monthly members afterward.
14. Community volunteering day 🏡 Organize a day of helping the community and share information about your affordable monthly giving options with those you meet along the way.
15. Seasonal giving campaign 🍇 Plan a membership drive around a significant season or event (like Easter), and encourage as many signups as possible before the day arrives.

Museum membership drive ideas 🖼️

16. New member welcome pack 🎁 Offer a fun new member welcome pack filled with digital or physical goodies and promote it as a perk to encourage signups. 
17. Behind-the-scenes tour 🔍 Host monthly or quarterly behind-the-scenes tours, and let prospective members know they can join the next one if they sign up by a specific date.
18. Exclusive talks 🗿 Invite experts to give a series of talks about your exhibits, with members receiving priority access or ticket discounts.

How to run a membership drive for a nonprofit

If you plan it well, a membership drive can attract a wave of new supporters. Here’s a simple step-by-step process for turning your idea into results.

1. Set a goal 🎯

It’s tempting to skip this step, but your goal needs to be more specific than just “increase members.” Look at your current membership numbers and annual revenue goals, then set a clear target that feels realistic but still stretches you to grow. 

💡 Example: Attract 50 new sign-ups during a holiday drive, or 250 by the end of your seasonal campaign.

2. Define your value 💰

You need the right offer to encourage donors to commit—especially if they’ll be giving every month. Clarify what your current offer is, where your value lies, and how you can build a membership program that provides meaningful benefits and clear value.

⭐ Tip: Ask current members why they joined and why they’ve stayed. Use their answers to shape your campaign messaging.

3. Create a membership drive strategy or plan 👥

Once you’ve set your goal, devise a short strategy document to align your team. Include a summary, scope of activities, budget, resource needs, volunteer management plan, and timeline.

💡 Example: A two-page Google Doc outlining your goal, key dates, budget, and who’s responsible for each task.

4. Design a membership marketing plan 📣

Next, build a marketing and promotion plan that explains what you plan to do and when, along with the resources you’ll need. Prep your fundraising flyers, email campaigns, and social media posts in advance and schedule them so you’re ready to launch.

⭐ Tip: Use Givebutter’s nonprofit marketing software to excite your membership base with texts, emails, and direct mail.

5. Launch your membership drive ✨

Create buildup for your campaign by teasing a launch date, then go live with your offer. Update your website, donation forms, and social media channels to promote your membership and make it easy for donors to spread the word.

💡 Example: Add a “Join today” button to your homepage and pin your membership drive post to the top of your social feeds.

Dive deeper

15 membership website examples & how to create one →

6. Measure your success 🏆

Every membership drive is a learning opportunity. Take time to reflect on what went well and what didn’t. 

Identify the types of events or campaigns that resonated with your audience, fix any roadblocks in the member journey, and follow up with new members to learn what motivated them to sign up.

⭐ Tip: Track both signups and engagement—someone who joins and immediately attends an event is more likely to renew.

Common membership drive mistakes to avoid

Even with a strong plan, there are some pitfalls that can derail your membership drive. From overlooking current members to broken signup processes, here’s what to avoid:

• Skipping goal-setting and strategy 🎯 Clearly define your goal and outline how you’ll get there, so every action feels intentional and mission-aligned.
• Only focusing on new signups 🔁 Engage your existing members to recruit new ones, and get their feedback to create better experiences. Don’t forget to re-engage with lapsed members, too.
• Relying on outdated or unclear benefits 🧩 Review your current offer, gather insights from existing members, and update your benefits to reflect what today’s donors value.
• Not defining a budget and resources 💰 Assess your budget and allocate the right resources so you can launch your drive confidently.
• Relying on intuition rather than feedback 💬 Base campaign decisions around supporter input and data, not your own inferences.
• Creating unintentional barriers 🛑 Make it as easy as possible to go from passive supporter to active member. Offer multiple payment options like Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App (all available with Givebutter). 
• Not measuring outcomes 📊 Ask the hard questions and find out what is and isn’t working, so you can deliver better outcomes with each campaign.

Deliver a better membership drive experience with Givebutter

There’s nothing your donors want more than to see you succeed. Many are eager to get involved and become part of your journey. With Givebutter, you can develop a membership program and promotional campaigns that excite supporters and simplify signups.

Givebutter’s customizable donation forms make joining quick and intuitive, while recurring payment options handle monthly or annual dues automatically—no chasing payments or manual renewals. Plus, built-in marketing tools like email, text, and direct mail help you promote your drive, welcome new members, and encourage referrals—all in one place. 

👉 Sign up for free today and make your next membership drive your most successful yet.

Additional resources

Your journey to better membership drives might start here, but there’s even more you can dive into:

• How to build a membership application form →
• Everything you need to know about creating a membership program → 
• 8 nonprofit membership rules to know →

FAQs about membership drives

Have a burning question about membership drives? We’ve got the answers here.

Where should we recruit new members?

To recruit new members, start by evaluating what has worked before, then branch out to new opportunities. This might include in-person events, livestreams, direct mail campaigns, text campaigns, social media challenges, and more. 

What’s the best time of year for a membership drive?

Many nonprofits hold membership drives at year-end, but you can run one successfully at any time. Try aligning your campaign with a seasonal event, awareness day, or milestone for your nonprofit or local community.

How do we get current members involved in recruiting?

Encourage existing members to help by creating a referral campaign with an attractive reward. Provide ready-made scripts, promotional materials, and links so they can easily spread the word to their networks. And don’t forget to ask for their feedback, so you can use it to improve future campaigns.