As a general rule, associations define “chapters” as components operating within a certain geographic boundary (country, region, state, metro). While they vary in structure, chapters exist to give associations a local presence where a shared vision and mission can come to life. But do they?
Earning just a 3.2 out of 5 in the upcoming 2025 Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Report (due out in early December), chapters didn’t rank high on impact among associations. What’s behind this? A mismatch that begins with why members seek involvement in components. Associations are about community. If the way chapters operate doesn’t deliver community, then of course we have chapters that struggle.
At the root of the struggle is the simple fact that chapters were built when the focus was in-person activities. The introduction of 21st century virtual technologies has radically altered the need for those in-person connections and driven a demand for a variety of activities.
So where does that leave us? According to the Benchmarking study mentioned above, one solution may lie in shifting our views on what community means to our members, especially through the lens of geography. The study tells us that the notion of community is now shifting from place to purpose. Members, especially younger cohorts, are organizing around values, identities, and shared challenges more than geographical areas in which they reside. Yes, physical meetups still matter, but as activation points for year-round digital communities rather than the serving as the main purpose of the chapter’s existence.
So what if we remove geography as the starting point and embrace a full set of demographics based on member interests, issues and needs? We can start by thinking of community as a set of relationships and practices organized around shared purpose and values that create belonging and progress. It can be local or virtual, synchronous or asynchronous, and may ebb and flow over time. Geography may or may not play a role. In turn, chapters can become the places where this digital value comes to life, moving beyond traditional in-person programming to offer imaginative, real-world experiences that blend learning, connection, and skill-building.
In the end, community is not “where” it happens … it’s “why” it happens. And geography is one of several places where the “why” can live.
Update 12/10/25: The 2025 Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Report is out!