How to Add Educational Componnents to Your Membership Program

 Diana Otero, Guest Blogger

This guest article was written and submitted by Diana Otero, Senior Product Marketng Manager at Bloomerang. Please see the end of this article for Diana's bio. 

By: Diana Otero

Membership programs are key to financial stability and continued growth for nonprofit museums, zoos, nature centers, and other cultural organizations. They are especially essential for helping these organizations recover from recent attendance challenges. 

After a few difficult years during the pandemic, museum visitation is picking back up again. In 2024, 33% of U.S. adults reported visiting museums, which is actually slightly above pre-pandemic norms.

Your membership program should offer more than perks and discounts to boost your institution's visitation. It should actively convert casual visitors into engaged ambassadors for your mission.

Specifically, offering educational opportunities as part of your membership program can inspire your constituents to feel more connected to your organization and invest further in your mission. Take these steps to ensure your educational events and programs are a success:

1. Identify your members’ learning needs and wants.

Start by understanding what your members are most excited about learning from your organization. Use existing data, member surveys, or past program participation to identify common interests among your members. For example, a nature center might find that members are eager to learn about local ecosystems, while an art museum might see a strong interest in preservation techniques or curator Q&As.

As part of this step, segment your audience using membership management software. Segmentation will help you identify patterns in members’ learning preferences based on factors like membership tier or demographics (such as age or occupation). Later, this information will be valuable for marketing your educational programs to the right audience, resulting in more successful events and other learning initiatives.

Designing educational events tailored to your members’ needs and interests increases the likelihood that they’ll register for your opportunities and continue participating in the future. 

2. Define learning objectives.

Once you’ve identified key interests, outline clear learning goals for your educational program. For example, do you want members to:

• Gain a deeper appreciation for your exhibits?
• Develop skills related to your mission (e.g., wildlife identification or art restoration techniques)?
• Advocate for your cause within their communities?

Mapping out where your event or program fits within your larger organization enables you to communicate to your members exactly what your educational programs will entail. From there, members can determine whether your offering aligns with their skills, interests, and availability.

3. Choose the right educational format.

Once you’ve determined how your educational programs will benefit members, consider what form your content will take.

Select formats that match members’ learning goals and accommodate different member preferences. For example:

• Webinars are excellent for timely, mission-focused discussions and expert Q&As.
• Online courses offer structured lessons and are great for in-depth exploration on complex topics like eco-tourism or animal rehabilitation.
• eBooks and downloadable guides provide convenient, on-demand learning for members who prefer flexibility.
• Certifications or digital badges gamify the learning experience and encourage continued participation.
• On-site workshops or guided tours offer hands-on learning and deeper engagement with exhibits or natural environments.
• Family activity days or educational festivals can combine learning with social connection, particularly when designed around a thematic experience (e.g., Pollinator Week or Water Conservation Day).

Additionally, consider the structure of each learning opportunity:

• Will it be in-person or online? In-person events (like workshops or lectures) allow members to meet your organization’s staff and interact with one another, while online experiences (like online courses or webinars) make your learning opportunities available to a broader audience. 
• Will it be guided or self-directed? Some members may prefer experiences guided by an expert, such as a guided art museum tour. Other members may gravitate toward self-led opportunities, such as listening to an audio recording with facts about different exhibits. 
• Will it be hands-on or passive? Hands-on activities allow participants to engage their sense of touch in the learning process, while passive activities enable attendees to absorb the information through sight and sound. 

Offering a mix of formats ensures inclusivity and allows members to engage in meaningful and accessible ways. 

4. Invest in membership software.

If you don’t already have membership software, consider implementing one implement it before adding a new facet to your membership program. Bloomerang’s comparison of the top membership software tools explains that this software “will pay for itself, allowing your nonprofit to expand its membership program efficiently and effectively.” 

These tools have capabilities that will aid your effort to add educational components to your membership program, like:

• Sending multichannel communications. Using channels like email, social media, and direct mail will help you spread the word about your program more effectively. 
• Tracking non-deductible membership fees. If you provide events or online programs to members for a fee, those fees might not be tax-deductible. Membership software can assist you in monitoring these fees to stay compliant.
• Managing multiple programs and tiers. You may decide to make certain educational events and programs more exclusive than others. This approach can prevent exhibits from becoming crowded and reward your most devoted members. With membership software, you can easily define and regulate each membership level.

Membership software is an invaluable tool for any organization aiming to improve member experience and boost retention, especially as your program expands. You can easily add new members to your database, track their learning preferences, and reach out to them with educational opportunities that align with their interests.

5. Partner with experts and recruit volunteers.

The right collaborators can elevate your educational offerings while building stronger community ties. Invite local educators, university professors, or field experts to co-lead online courses, give talks, or contribute to downloadable content.

Featuring guest speakers with specialized knowledge—such as a conservationist leading a biodiversity webinar or an art historian hosting a virtual lecture—brings authenticity and authority to your program. These partnerships often benefit both parties, as guest experts gain visibility while your organization expands its reach to new audiences who are interested in each speaker.

Additionally, to ensure events run smoothly (especially for interactive or in-person formats), it’s helpful to recruit and train volunteers. Volunteers can moderate live chats, assist with logistics, or guide breakout sessions. For hands-on events, such as art workshops, they can distribute materials and help answer participants’ questions.

Qgiv’s volunteer management guide recommends strategizing your marketing, communication, and stewardship efforts at each stage of the volunteer cycle, which includes recruitment, engagement, appreciation, and retention. You can leverage a volunteer app to send communications like shift reminders, notifications about open roles, and gratitude messages recapping their positive impact on your educational programs.

Approaching volunteer management holistically by planning thoughtful interactions and touchpoints with volunteers can increase satisfaction and retention for your educational opportunities.

6. Promote your educational offerings

Once your educational content is ready, make sure members know about it. A multichannel approach is crucial to reach a broad audience. Promote your offerings via: 

• Email: Announce new online learning content or in-person educational events to specific member segments based on interest or past behavior.
• Social media: Share teaser videos or preview pages to generate buzz.
• Your website: Create a “Member Learning Center” with clear access points and descriptions of each offering.
• Member registration and renewal: Highlight educational benefits alongside traditional perks.

Reinforce how your offerings align with your mission to help members understand the deeper value of their support. For example, let supporters know that by attending your aquarium’s animal rights advocacy training, they’re helping to support your mission of improving the welfare of marine mammals. 

7. Gather feedback.

As you start this new era of your membership program, consistently ask your members what would improve your offerings and what programs they would like to see in the future. Gathering their feedback using surveys or small focus groups can help you build on your programs and enhance them to increase future participation. 

During the feedback process, avoid asking leading questions, keep your survey or conversation brief, and ask for input promptly after an event or educational opportunity ends. 

These questionnaires can yield both quantitative and qualitative data, so consider the advantages of each. For example:

• Quantitative feedback: “On a scale of 1–5, how useful was our ‘Intro to Wildlife Rehabilitation’ video course?”
• Qualitative feedback: “What additional topics would you like to see covered in future webinars?”

Member surveys show that you care about members' experiences and give you unique insights into how to improve your program.

Don’t let your members’ passion for your organization go to waste by just offering membership benefits like discounts and early access to exhibits. Your members want an experience unlike any other, and educational events and programs show them that you’re as invested in them as they are in you. Reward and reinforce their enthusiasm for your organization by designing educational components that speak to your members’ interests and create a stronger community surrounding your institution.

About the Author: Diana Otero, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Bloomerang

As Senior Product Marketing Manager at Bloomerang, Diana leverages her expertise in nonprofit CRM to help organizations strengthen donor relationships. She is passionate about showcasing solutions that empower For Purpose organizations to move beyond data tracking and foster genuine connections. With over a decade at Bloomerang, Diana excels at translating product capabilities into strategies that save time, fuel growth, and allow nonprofits to focus on what matters most: their mission. Her work is informed by her experience as a former nonprofit board member and ongoing volunteer work with various organizations, giving her unique insight into the challenges nonprofits face. Connect with her on LinkedIn.