The Equity Trap

I recently met with a staff team who proudly told me their strategy was built around ensuring everyone, members and non-members alike, had access to the organisation’s resources. They described this as equitable and fair. Their logic was simple: we shouldn’t withhold information, tools, or guidance just because someone hasn’t paid a subscription.

On the surface, that sounds noble. Who could argue with fairness? Who wants to be accused of gatekeeping in a world obsessed with openness, inclusion, and accessibility?

But the reality is that for membership organisations, this way of thinking can be fatal. When everyone has access, the very purpose of membership disappears.

The Value Exchange That Defines Membership

Membership is not a universal right; it’s a voluntary exchange. People join an association because they gain something others do not. They pay dues or subscriptions in return for benefits that hold value, be it information, credibility, influence, or community.

If those benefits are given away freely, the equation collapses. Members begin to ask a very reasonable question: why am I paying when others are not? And once that question is asked, you’re already losing.

In non-profits and membership organisations, we often confuse fairness with openness. We want to appear accessible and generous, but in truth, members don’t join for moral virtue, they join for value. They want to feel that their investment buys them a place at a particular table, a set of privileges, and a sense of belonging that others don’t have.

Exclusivity Is Not Elitism

The word “exclusive” makes some people uncomfortable. It sounds elitist, even regressive, but exclusivity is not about keeping people out but giving genuine value to those who choose to commit.

Clubs, societies, and professional bodies exist because people want to belong to something defined. The act of joining is a declaration of alignment with the organisation’s purpose and principles.

Imagine a golf club that lets anyone use its course for free because it’s “fair.” How long before the paying members stop renewing? Or a streaming service that decides its content should be free to everyone because art should be shared. At that point, the business model, and the sense of belonging, collapses; and membership bodies are no different. The boundary between members and non-members isn’t a relic of exclusivity, it’s the cornerstone of value.

The Case for Managed Permeability

That doesn’t mean associations should retreat into secrecy. Transparency, accessibility, and public engagement all have their place, but they must be managed intentionally.

A good membership strategy is permeable, not open. It allows outsiders to see the value within, to engage with thought leadership, and to get a taste of the benefits that members enjoy, but it also draws a clear line between what is public and what is protected. Think of it as a funnel:

• At the top, open resources demonstrate credibility, such as a public policy statement, a blog, a free webinar, or a guidance snippet.

• In the middle, low-barrier engagement (events, newsletters, social media) builds familiarity.

• And at the bottom, the deep-value benefits, including specialist insight, influence, networks, and governance roles are reserved for members.

This structure respects both audiences: non-members get to see enough to be intrigued; members get to enjoy what they’ve earned through their commitment.

The Risk of Mission Drift

Associations that blur this line often do so with the best of intentions. They believe they are living their values of being open, collaborative, and service-oriented but good intentions don’t always lead to good outcomes.

When everyone gets access to everything, an association risks turning into a generic information provider, indistinguishable from a consultancy, think tank, or government agency.

In that scenario, members end up subsidising non-members and the sense of belonging weakens. Renewals start to dip and soon, the association finds itself chasing engagement numbers rather than deepening loyalty.

That’s mission drift: losing sight of why membership exists in the first place.

Fairness Isn’t Always Equal

True fairness in a membership body doesn’t mean equal access for all but equitable value for those who invest. Members aren’t customers buying a product; they are co-owners of the mission. They sustain the organisation through their fees, volunteer time, and advocacy.

Fairness, in this context, means respecting that commitment. It means ensuring that what members receive (access, influence, belonging) is clearly and visibly different from what non-members get.

When you remove that differentiation, you’re not being fair; you’re being careless with the trust your members have placed in you.

The Psychology of Belonging

At its core, membership is about identity. People join because they want to belong to a profession, a movement, a cause, and/or a community. That sense of belonging is built on boundaries. There’s an “inside” and an “outside,” and crossing that threshold matters.

If everyone is automatically included, there’s nothing to belong to. The status of membership becomes symbolic rather than substantive, like being part of a club that anyone can join at any time, without cost or commitment.

It’s human nature to value what feels earned and to undervalue what’s freely available. Associations should lean into that psychology. Protect the value of membership. Make joining feel like a meaningful step, not just a formality.

Reframing Non-Member Engagement

None of this is to say that associations should ignore non-members. Non-member engagement is crucial, but it should be strategic, not ideological. Engage non-members to:

• Build awareness of your brand and purpose.

• Showcase your relevance and authority.

• Create a pipeline of future members.

• Support your advocacy agenda with broader reach.

But don’t confuse that with equity. Non-member engagement should be a gateway, not a gift. The end goal is conversion and bringing people into the fold, not sustaining them comfortably on the outside.

A Call for Clarity

The healthiest associations are those that can clearly articulate what is free, what is earned, and what is exclusive. They aren’t shy about saying: this benefit is for members only. In fact, they make a virtue of it.

Transparency about value builds respect. Members know what they’re paying for. Non-members understand what they’re missing, and that awareness is often what drives them to join.

So the next time someone suggests “everyone should have access,” pause and ask: what then is the point of membership?

In the End

Membership bodies are not public utilities; they are communities built on shared investment. Being open and generous is admirable, but when fairness becomes a substitute for strategy, the result is a hollowed-out model with lots of reach but little belonging, and diminishing value.

True fairness is ensuring that members get distinctive, tangible benefits for their commitment. Without that, there is no membership, no loyalty, and ultimately, no organisation.

Because if everyone’s already inside, there’s no club left to join.