By: Tirrah Switzer, Vice President of Product Marketing at Momentive Software, and Shannon Reed, Senior Director of Engagement at the Electrochemical Society
Nonprofit groups and associations face a new set of standards in how they must approach technology. Donors, members, and volunteers now expect seamless digital engagement. Funding models have shifted online as organizations seek novel revenue streams. And artificial intelligence has gone from experimental to essential in a matter of months.
In the face of these pressures, technology is no longer a nice-to-have amenity — it is a strategic driver of growth, engagement, and future-readiness. A recent study from Momentive Software and Edge Research, combined with real-world insights from the Electrochemical Society (ECS), reveal a clear message: Organizations that embrace data-driven technology adoption outperform their peers in revenue growth, member loyalty, and organizational confidence.
As a software technology company that partners with thousands of associations and nonprofits, and a nonprofit association navigating the realities of leading engagement strategy inside a member-driven society, we have seen how early adoption, intentional planning, and data-informed leadership separate thriving organizations from those struggling to adapt.
Revenue growth follows early tech adoption.
One of the most striking findings from Momentive’s nonprofit study, conducted earlier this year, is the strong correlation between early technology adoption and revenue diversification. Nonprofits that identify as early tech adopters average one more revenue stream than charities that were slower to adopt.
For associations, the trend is similar. Membership dues — once the backbone of revenue — are declining as a percentage of total funding. Instead, associations are leveraging technology to diversify income through events, job boards, digital advertising, online learning, and sponsorship models.
At ECS, a professional society with more than 9,000 individual members and up to 75 organizational partners, we’ve seen this firsthand. Traditionally reliant on publications and meetings, ECS has added multiple revenue streams outside of dues by strategically adopting technology. A career center, website advertising, and integrated sponsorship opportunities now complement our traditional channels — enhancing both revenue and member value.
On the nonprofit side, technology can transform agility into impact. When Heaven on Earth Pet Rescue launched an emergency text-to-give campaign during a large-scale rescue operation, they exceeded fundraising needs in just three hours. St. Anthony’s Catholic Church leveraged an integrated system that unified fundraising, customer relationship management, and event management. The result? A complete reimagination of their gala, rapid sponsor acquisition, and significant staff time savings., and event management. The result? A complete reimagination of their gala, rapid sponsor acquisition, and significant staff time savings.
The lesson is clear: Technology isn’t just a cost center. It is an engine for new revenue, stronger engagement, and operational resilience.
Technology readiness boosts organizational confidence.
Beyond dollars, technology adoption also influences organizational mindset. Nonprofit professionals at early adopters report higher optimism, flexibility, and preparedness for the future compared to their late-adopting peers.
For associations, the link between technology readiness and member loyalty is especially compelling. Members who perceive their association as an early adopter report greater satisfaction, stronger feelings of connection, and a higher likelihood of recommending membership to others.
At ECS, we are working to make technology readiness an increasing part of our organizational culture. Without an internal IT department, we rely on an external vendor for support and are embedding more technology planning into senior leadership discussions. We’ve started holding regular cross-departmental conversations about IT needs to better align decisions with strategy, not just convenience. The priority is building a more data-informed, member-centered approach that will better support marketing, engagement, and growth.
The key takeaway: Technology adoption cannot be siloed in IT. It must be embedded across the organization — with staff aligned with mission-driven outcomes.
Keep pace with the expanding frontier of AI.
No discussion of technology is complete without addressing AI. Associations currently appear to be moving faster than philanthropic nonprofits: Nearly 4 in 10 association professionals now report using AI, compared to 2 in 10 nonprofits. Across the board, that represents a near-doubling of AI adoption in just one year.
Most organizations are applying AI in marketing consistent with member and donor comfort levels. The efficiency gains are significant: AI enables lean teams to do more with less, from generating personalized content to automating member outreach.
Yet adoption without governance is risky. Roughly 40 percent of associations report having an AI policy in place, while many nonprofits have yet to even broach the topic with their boards. High-performing organizations don’t just experiment with AI — they develop clear governance structures that address data security, ethics, and transparency.
For leaders, the imperative is twofold: Pilot AI where it drives immediate results, and simultaneously establish guardrails to ensure responsible use.
Listen to what your donors or members value.
For more than a decade, studies have revealed persistent gaps between what associations think members want and what members actually value. Professional development opportunities offer a telling example: Associations often overestimate demand for certain formats while underestimating appetite for flexible, technology-enabled learning.
How ECS reconceived events illustrates how listening to members and responding with technology can close these gaps. Before Covid, we struggled with long registration lines at our events — a small pain point with big reputational impact. By integrating our membership system with badge-printing technology, we transformed the on-site experience: Check-in times dropped from up to 30 minutes to just a few. Even at a 5,000-person meeting, there were no registration lines.
This investment not only improved efficiency; it elevated first impressions and freed staff to focus on higher-value member interactions. In short, technology solved a real member problem and better met participants’ expectations.
Strong partnerships fuel growth
According to the studies, it’s clear that technology readiness matters, but translating insights into action requires more than a checklist. For ECS, the key has been forging trusted partnerships that help uncover growth opportunities and align solutions with strategy.
For example, by collaborating with partners to launch a career center and explore integrated advertising opportunities, ECS created entirely new non-dues revenue streams and elevated member engagement. These weren’t technology decisions made in isolation — they were responses to clear member needs and opportunities identified through data. And because the trust with our partners was built over time, we could move quickly from insight to implementation.
When vendors and mission-driven organizations work as true collaborators, they create solutions that are more impactful than either could achieve alone. At ECS, regular strategy conversations with our partners ensure our technology roadmap stays aligned with our mission. This collaboration accelerates innovation and enables us to deliver meaningful new value to our community.
A shared vision for the future
For organizations seeking to strengthen their technology performance, the starting point isn’t a wholesale culture shift. It’s about building partnerships that make future visions achievable.
At ECS, this has meant bringing data and strategy to the table with our partners. We’ve asked: Where are the gaps in member experience? Where are the opportunities for growth? From there, we’ve identified the right technology solutions — whether that meant piloting AI-driven marketing tools to stretch limited staff capacity or aligning systems so data could flow more easily between events, learning, and membership.
Momentive’s role in this journey has been to translate broad research findings into practical, actionable strategies. By layering survey insights with ECS’s real-world priorities, the partnership has uncovered new ways to enhance both revenue and member loyalty.
When associations and nonprofits invest in trusted, responsive partnerships, they gain more than tools—they gain allies in amplifying their impact. Technology decisions become less about keeping pace with change and more about shaping the future of the mission.
The central question facing nonprofits and associations is whether they will merely survive the years ahead — or thrive in them. Data makes the answer clear: Organizations that proactively adopt technology, guided by mission and informed by data, are better positioned to grow revenue, deepen stakeholder loyalty, and face the future with confidence.
About the Authors
Tirrah Switzer, VP, Product Marketing, Momentive Software
Tirrah Switzer is the VP of Product Marketing at Momentive Software, where she leads market intelligence, go-to-market strategy, and messaging for a portfolio of 16 products. With a passion for nonprofit sector challenges, she co-authored 10 research studies on nonprofit member engagement, loyalty, and digital evolution trends. Her background includes leading volunteer management, membership fundraising, individual giving, and program development for several nonprofits. She stays at the forefront of industry trends, driving product and research initiatives that help nonprofits achieve their missions and enhance their impact.
Shannon Reed, Senior Director of Engagement, The Electrochemical Society
Shannon Reed serves as Senior Director of Engagement at The Electrochemical Society, where he leads strategy across membership, marketing, education, and corporate programs. With more than 20 years of experience across association management, higher education, and corporate customer service, he has driven measurable growth in membership, event participation, and program revenues by aligning technology, marketing & communications, and engagement strategies. Shannon is passionate about building authentic connections and focuses on data-driven solutions that strengthen community and advance organizational impact.
