What We Learned at Higher Logic Super Forum 2025

Members of Bostrom’s marketing and programs team traveled to Nashville for the 2025 Higher Logic Super Forum to explore what’s next in community building, volunteer engagement, and member experience. Here’s what associations can take away and apply right now. 

Rethinking Community Strategy: From Assumptions to Authentic Engagement 

The message throughout the Super Forum was clear: community is the future. As traditional social platforms become more fragmented and less trusted, members are looking for spaces where they can connect more meaningfully and safely. For associations, this means creating intentional, purpose-driven communities that prioritize peer-to-peer interaction. 

Higher Logic CEO Rob Wenger opened the event by calling community a strategic imperative. It is no longer just a member benefit; it is a driver of authentic engagement, connection, and trust. 

In his keynote session, Richard Millington, founder of FeverBee, introduced a concept that hit home: community narcissism. This happens when organizations overestimate member interest and design platforms around their own internal goals rather than the needs of their audience. The result is low engagement and missed opportunities. 

To deliver real value, associations must take a member-first approach to community building. That starts with understanding four essential member needs: belonging, learning, support, and influence. When community strategy is built around these pillars and reflected consistently across platforms and programs, members are more likely to feel connected, heard, and empowered. 

Key takeaway: Expand your reach through crossover partnerships. As Millington emphasized, collaborating with adjacent organizations helps members see their place in a broader ecosystem. This not only adds value but also reinforces your association’s role as a connector. 

By shifting from internal assumptions to a member-driven strategy, associations can build stronger, more resilient communities that support long-term engagement. 

Evolving the Volunteer Experience: What Associations Need Now 

On the final day of the Super Forum, keynote speaker Peggy Hoffman, founder of Mariner Management, made a compelling case for reimagining volunteerism. In her session, “Igniting Engagement: Empowering Members to Lead,” she laid out a practical framework for how associations can evolve their approach to member involvement. 

Key takeaways: 

• Onboarding builds community. Orientation tells volunteers the rules. But onboarding should do more to help them feel like they belong and understand how their work contributes to the mission. 

• Match people to roles. Instead of asking for open-ended volunteers to raise their hand, ask “What do you want to do?” Then, offer clearly defined options they might enjoy or be skilled at. 

• Use technology to streamline the process. Volunteer management platforms and engagement tools like Higher Logic, Mobilize, or Galaxy Digital can help members express interest on a rolling basis, receive training asynchronously, and move into roles faster. These systems create a more seamless and inclusive entry point, building a pipeline of confident, prepared volunteers. 

• Think in partnership. Volunteers bring enthusiasm and perspective. Staff bring structure and subject matter expertise. Great volunteer engagement happens at the intersection of both. 

• Always be in beta. Pilot programs are essential. Associations should be testing and learning from different engagement approaches. Micro-volunteering, short-term projects, and digital-first roles all offer flexible paths for involvement. 

Modern volunteerism is not about filling empty roles. It is about creating a system that respects time, taps into skills, and offers meaningful pathways to contribute. 

What You Can Do Right Now

✔ Reframe community from “how we engage” to “how members thrive”
✔ Create tech-enabled pathways to match volunteers with meaningful roles
✔ Pilot microprograms and revisit onboarding to reflect what members really need 

We’re here to help you put these ideas into action. Want to dive deeper into any of these topics? Just reach out.