New Report Illuminates the Pressures and Opportunities Shaping Association Learning Businesses in 2026
CARRBORO, N.C., Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report from Tagoras and Leading Learning offers the clearest view yet of how association learning businesses are navigating rising expectations, competitive pressure, and the need to deliver stronger value to members and the fields they serve. The Strategic Outlook for Association Learning Businesses 2026 draws on data from the annual Learning Business Strategic Outlook survey and provides insights into the priorities, constraints, and emerging strategies shaping association-based continuing education and professional development.
The report finds that while associations remain uniquely positioned as trusted sources of learning, standards, and professional identity, many struggle to align ambitious goals with the operational capacity needed to execute effectively.
"Associations understand that their learning businesses matter more today than ever," said Celisa Steele, co-founder of Tagoras and Leading Learning and co-author of the report. "But the data show a clear pattern: strategy is rarely the limiting factor—capacity is. Organizations are being asked to expand their impact, grow revenue, and meet rising learner expectations, often without the resources required to support that level of performance."
Key findings from the report include:
- Strategic goals are ambitious but diffuse. Increasing revenue, strengthening alignment with workforce needs, and improving learner engagement top the list of priorities, with no single goal dominating across the sector.
- Capacity is the primary constraint. Nearly half of respondents cite insufficient internal resources as the biggest barrier to growing enrollment or advancing strategic objectives.
- Associations possess strong Credibility CapitalTM —but are underleveraging it. Most respondents believe their education portfolios align with organizational strengths such as standards, credentials, or research, yet nearly all identify missed opportunities to better leverage these assets for differentiation and value.
- Revenue expectations are rising, but confidence is mixed. A majority of association learning businesses are expected to generate a surplus, while only a small fraction express strong confidence in meeting revenue targets for the coming year.
- A pragmatic approach to innovation. Interest in artificial intelligence is high, but most organizations remain in early exploration or pilot stages, reflecting a cautious but engaged stance toward AI adoption.
A Roadmap for 2026
The report outlines four commitments for association learning businesses seeking to strengthen their performance in the coming year:
- Sharpen strategic focus to avoid dilution of effort.
- Right-size capacity to ambition, especially in marketing, instructional design, and data.
- Anchor offerings in organizational authority to improve differentiation and value perception.
- Adopt iterative improvement practices that support faster learning and adaptation.
The Strategic Outlook for Association Learning Businesses 2026 is available for download at: https://www.leadinglearning.com/strategic-outlook/
About Tagoras and Leading Learning
Tagoras is a research and consulting firm that helps membership-based organizations develop and execute learning strategies that strengthen their role as field leaders and stewards of professional competence.
Leading Learning, a division of Tagoras, provides research, events, and thought leadership to support professionals who work in the learning business.
Media Contact:
Jeff Cobb
Tagoras
406523@email4pr.com
(800) 867-2046, x 101
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SOURCE Tagoras
