The Global Association Research Initiative (GARI) is the most comprehensive research project undertaken globally, aimed at associations. This research project aims to identify how associations worldwide are adapting to rapid changes in their operating environment and member expectations.

Results from the research initiative will be shared in a free report that will help associations make better strategic decisions and provide key industry partners with valuable insights. Respondents who complete the survey will also receive an invitation to attend an online briefing session. By participating in this survey, respondents are contributing to a global knowledge base.

All respondents to the survey who provide a correct email address will receive:

• Complimentary Digital Report: Receive a detailed report with actionable insights and benchmarking data.

• Exclusive Online Briefing: An online briefing available only to those who have responded to the survey.

• Q&A Session: An interactive session (only available to those who have completed the survey) where you can ask specific questions. The facilitator will be able to search and comment on the data in real time.

GARI aims to provide data-driven insights that will help associations make informed decisions, adapt to change, and thrive in an evolving landscape. By creating stronger associations we are creating stronger communities.

This project is led by Belinda Moore of Strategic Membership Solutions (SMS) in collaboration with association networks and partners worldwide. Our current partners include leading organisations across Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, and beyond, all committed to advancing the association sector. A current list of partners is available on the Partners page.

The author and partners recognised the need for a modern, responsive centralised knowledge base for associations.

Belinda Moore from Strategic Membership Solutions is the GARI project lead. Belinda has driven this collaborative project as a first step to building a modern, responsive, centralised knowledge base of associations that can better inform their evolution. Belinda has designed the survey with input from stakeholders. SMS will have access to data provided by respondents for the purpose of analysis and producing the report. Learn more about Belinda Moore on SMS’ website.

We welcome organisations and individuals that share our commitment to strengthening the association sector and want to help amplify this initiative. The role of partners is to encourage their networks to participate in this survey. Those partners who refer sufficient respondents to the report are invited to an online Q&A session. If you're interested in partnering to support this global research effort or future projects, please contact the facilitator via the Contact page.

No, partners will not get a copy of the data. Your data will not be shared with anyone. We take privacy seriously. All responses will be anonymised and analysed in aggregate - no individual or organisation will be identified to anyone at anytime. All data will be handled in accordance with the SMS Privacy Policy, which ensures strict confidentiality and no unauthorised sharing of contact details.

This project is driven by a collaboration of people who are passionate about generating evidence to support association success. We'd love to hear from like-minded people. The survey is open from March 7 - April 7, 2025. We welcome anyone who can amplify the survey to their networks at some point during that time to reach out about becoming a partner.

We are seeking insight from board members, executives, staff, volunteers, suppliers and consultants—each bring valuable perspectives. The more respondents who participate, the strong the research results for all.

Associations of all sizes are welcome and encouraged to participate. Whether you’re a small volunteer-run association or a large, multi-million-dollar organisation, your experiences matter. The research aims to capture insights from a broad range of organisations across different sizes, industries and regions.

No.

We encourage you to share the survey link and report with your networks.

All respondents to the survey who provide a correct email address will receive:

• Complimentary Digital Report: Receive a detailed report with actionable insights and benchmarking data.

• Exclusive Online Briefing: An online briefing available only to those who have responded to the survey.

• Q&A Session: An interactive session (only available to those who have completed the survey) where you can ask specific questions. The facilitator will be able to search and comment on the data in real time.

No. The report will be provided to respondents who have provided a correct email address at no cost.

All data will be used for research purposes only and will provide valuable insights for the association sector. Individual free text responses may be incorporated into reports where the content is unlikely to identify the respondent or their organisation.

Your data will not be shared with anyone. We take privacy seriously. All responses will be anonymised and analysed in aggregate—no individual or organisation will be identified to anyone at anytime. All data will be handled in accordance with the SMS Privacy Policy, which ensures strict confidentiality and no unauthorised sharing of contact details.

Data is collected on the Survey Monkey platform. Please refer to Survey Monkey’s Privacy Policy for specific information on how they handle data.

You may have received a link to the survey from one of our project partners or from someone who has responded to the survey. If you have completed the survey and provided your contact details, your information is being held by SMS in accordance with its privacy policy and will be used to provide updates and information related to GARI only.

Raw data is collected on the Survey Monkey platform by SMS. If you have completed the survey and provided your contact details, your information is being held by SMS in accordance with its privacy policy. No identifying data will not be shared beyond the individual undertaking the analysis. All data will be handled in accordance with the SMS Privacy Policy, which ensures strict confidentiality and no unauthorised sharing of contact details.

At the end of the survey, you have the option to subscribe to communications from partners. If you choose to opt in, only your first name, last name, organisation, and email address will be shared with the partners you have selected.