Pillar Nonprofit Network is moving forward with plans to restructure its membership program to create more equitable access, enhance long-term sustainability, and boost valuable service benefits. Our recent Information for Action survey received robust responses, showing nearly unanimous agreement with our principles. We recognize the need for continued dialogue, especially with large nonprofit members (those with budgets over $5M) and granting organizations, to ensure a smooth transition.
Survey respondents were asked to review and comment on the proposed Membership changes:
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Eliminate Membership Dues: Grassroots organizations and small nonprofits will no longer pay membership dues.
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New Granting Opportunities: Nonprofit granting organizations will see membership as a sector-wide support opportunity.
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Equitable Dues Structure: A differentiated dues structure will be introduced, respecting the capacity and ability to pay among medium and larger nonprofits.
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Phase Out Business Memberships: We will transition business memberships introduced in 2019, focusing on developing preferred network connections and business opportunities.
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Phase Out Individual Memberships: Except for board members required to vote at our AGM, individual memberships will be transitioned to programs offering benefits that are better aligned.
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Innovation Works Changes: Co-tenant leases will no longer include complimentary Pillar membership, but nonprofit co-tenants will be encouraged to join Pillar on the same terms as other nonprofit organizations in the region.
The health and sustainability of the nonprofit sector depend on reducing barriers to programs and services that support nonprofit operations, including those offered by Pillar. However, we think membership is not a service in and of itself. Membership represents a commitment to be part of a community. With our proposed changes, it will be clearer that Pillar membership is much more than a fee; it's an investment in a powerful and sustainable local nonprofit sector.
Here’s what the data and insights tell us:
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High Participation: Dues-paying members from all categories participated actively in the survey.
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Support for Free Membership: Small nonprofits, predominantly with budgets under $75K, support the proposed free membership. The majority also agreed with our research in defining a “small nonprofit as one that has a $100K budget or less.
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Stability in Medium Nonprofits: Medium nonprofits (budgets $100K-$1M) show stable growth expectations that project to some stability in the category, and show a high level of support for the proposed changes.
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Some Concern from Large Nonprofits: Large nonprofits (budgets $1M+) expressed concerns about increased dues but indicated strong support for supporting the sector and an interest in additional member benefits to support any increase.
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Business and Individual Members: Both groups seek engagement but prefer pathways outside of traditional membership.
We plan to proceed with all parts of our proposal, subject to further input from members. Continued conversations will ensure we address the needs of those with less flexible budgets, business and individual supporters, granting organizations, and Innovation Works co-tenants seeking alternative engagement methods.
If you are part of any of these groups and want to talk more about the Pillar membership restructuring or if there is anything you'd like us to hear on this subject, please contact membership@pillarnonprofit.ca. We are working on a more in-depth summary of the data, and will be sharing that with all of you in the coming weeks.
To all who participated in the Information for Action survey, and to all members of Pillar and our network, thank you. As always, we do this work together.