Research for professional membership organisations
Independent quantitative and qualitative research to help membership organisations understand their members, strengthen their offer, and make decisions based on reliable evidence.
Trusted by
We have worked with Royal Colleges, professional bodies, institutes, and associations across a wide range of professions and sectors.
Insight and evidence for making better decisions
Membership organisations need to understand far more than whether members are satisfied. Research can show what people value, where expectations are changing, how different groups experience membership, which services matter most, and what may encourage people to join, stay, engage, or leave.
Enventure Research works with professional bodies, institutes, associations, Royal Colleges, and other membership organisations across the UK and internationally. We design research around the decisions you need to make, selecting the most appropriate approach to generate robust evidence and insight, and exploring how views and experiences may differ across the membership. This helps build a fuller picture of what members need, value, and expect.
Research that reflects the realities of membership
Every project is different, but these are some of the questions we regularly help membership organisations answer.
Member experience and satisfaction
How members experience the organisation, what is working well, where expectations are not being met, and how views vary across the membership.
Membership value and benefits
Which benefits and services members use and value, perceptions of fees and value for money, and what makes professional membership worthwhile.
Engagement and communications
How members want to hear from you, what encourages participation, and how engagement differs by career stage, grade, geography, or other characteristics.
Recruitment, retention, and non-members
Why people join, stay, or lapse, the barriers to membership, and how non-members and former members perceive the organisation and its offer.
Professional and workforce issues
Members' working lives, career challenges, workforce pressures, professional development needs, and the wider issues affecting the profession.
Strategy, policy, and change
Consultation and evidence to inform strategy, policy positions, service changes, new propositions, standards, networks, equality and inclusion work, and future priorities.
The right mix of breadth and depth
Large-scale surveys are often at the heart of membership research, but they are not always sufficient on their own. We often combine quantitative evidence with focus groups, depth interviews, workshops and consultation, and research with non-members, employers, or other stakeholders.
Our work also includes workforce censuses, event evaluation, employee research, consultation on Equity, Diversity and Belonging strategies, and testing new training courses, qualifications, benefits, services and membership propositions.
Our team can support the full process: questionnaire design, sampling and survey administration, response-rate planning, qualitative fieldwork, analysis, segmentation, benchmarking, reporting, and presentations to boards, councils, or senior teams.
See our research methods →Membership research in practice
A selection of projects showing the range of questions, audiences, and approaches involved in our work with membership organisations.
Exploring the value of professional membership with IOSH
Mixed-method research with current, lapsed, and non-members to understand membership value and strengthen attraction and retention.
View case study →Tracking member experience for RCS England
Repeat quantitative and qualitative research tracking members’ views, expectations, and experiences over time.
View case study →Tracking member engagement for CIOB
Annual global research giving CIOB current evidence on membership value, services, and engagement.
View case study →Understanding what Directors UK members need
A first whole-membership survey providing robust evidence on value, benefits, communications, and support.
View case study →Understanding non-members to support ARCA growth
Telephone and online research exploring perceptions, barriers to joining, and future membership opportunities.
View case study →Exploring development needs with CITMA senior paralegals
Focus groups identifying the subjects, skills, and formats senior paralegals wanted from future development.
View case study →Building a picture of the anaesthetic workforce
A major multi-audience workforce census supporting planning, policy, and advocacy.
View case study →Evaluating RCN Congress
Independent event evaluation turning attendee feedback into practical recommendations for future Congresses.
View case study →Combining market, member, and non-member insight for BASEM
Peer analysis, survey research, and interviews informing future membership strategy.
View case study →Bringing the volunteer voice into IOSH strategic planning
Independent focus groups and survey analysis informing development of IOSH’s Volunteer Strategic Plan.
View case study →Informing RCS England’s position on assisted dying
Independent member research that directly informed a major policy decision.
View case study →Combining workforce survey data with qualitative insight for CQI
Survey, focus groups and interviews exploring remuneration, progression, satisfaction, and skills gaps.
View case study →Understanding student member experiences for the RSC
Repeat research exploring student members’ experiences, career plans, communications, and engagement.
View case study →Benchmarking member and market experience for CIPP
Annual independent research with members, lapsed members, and the wider payroll profession.
View case study →Co-creating an Equity, Diversity and Belonging strategy with RCOT
Two-phase engagement and consultation involving members, staff, and wider stakeholders.
View case study →Refreshing member insight for the International Compliance Association
Global research on membership value, learning resources, satisfaction, and professional impact.
View case study →Understanding why RCS England members lapse
Survey and interview research identifying reasons for leaving and opportunities to improve retention.
View case study →Understanding the UK O&G workforce
UK-wide workforce research supporting future workforce action and advocacy.
View case study →Looking beyond current members for the British Pharmacological Society
Research with current, lapsed, and non-members giving BPS a wider view of membership and future opportunity.
View case study →Testing a new IOSH qualification with employers
Employer depth interviews providing market evidence before a new qualification was launched.
View case study →Using member insight to shape RCP strategy
A comprehensive membership survey grounding organisational strategy in robust member evidence.
View case study →Testing a proposed membership model with CIOB Company Members
Independent consultation combining quantitative measures and detailed member comments.
View case study →Testing a draft Equity, Diversity and Belonging strategy with CSP
Survey, focus groups, interviews, and written responses informing strategy development.
View case study →Tracking member attitudes for the Association of Anaesthetists
Repeat membership research providing up-to-date evidence while tracking change over time.
View case study →Re-establishing a benchmark for Intensive Care Society members
A full member survey refreshing the evidence base and creating a benchmark for future tracking.
View case study →Refreshing member insight for CITMA
A full member survey testing needs, new ideas, and demand for events, training, learning, and mentoring.
View case study →Using member insight to inform RCOG strategy
Large-scale member research helping shape the next College strategy.
View case study →Exploring differential attainment in surgical exams
Survey and interview research exploring barriers to exam success and targeted interventions.
View case study →Tracking employee engagement for IOSH
Annual staff research measuring engagement and feedback on changing ways of working.
View case study →What our clients say about working with us
Royal College of Surgeons of England
I cannot speak highly enough of Enventure Research. They were a dream to work with from start to finish. They listened carefully to the project brief and, using their extensive knowledge and expertise, helped ensure that we not only met, but exceeded our expectations for the project.
Recognised supplier status
Enventure Research is a recognised supplier with both MemberWise and Memcom, alongside our extensive track record of research for professional membership organisations.
Tell us what you need to understand.
Whether you are planning a full membership survey, exploring a specific issue, or need an independent view from members and non-members, we would be happy to talk it through.