Kansas Masonic Foundation SUMMARY presentation

INTRODUCTION I 2 3 AWARENESS PERCEPTIONS REASONS FOR ATTRITION BACKGROUND Mason membership has declined substantially OBJECTIVE To learn more about: I AWARENESS 2 PERCEPTIONS REASONS FOR ATTRITION 3

GENERAL POPULATION

VISIBILITY AND AWARENESS

THAT ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS 3 % Masons Based to all contacts. 15% 12% 12% American Red Cross United Way Salvation Army

II% 67% 42% 45% Are highly familiar with the Masons Do not know or incorrectly identify Masons’ religious orientation 67% Do not know or incorrectly identify Masons’ age and gender eligibility criteria 42% Based to those who have heard of the Masons. Mentioned knowing “nothing/not much/very little” about the Masons and their purpose 45%

9I % Not aware (unaided) of any programs or funding contributions the Kansas Masons provided in the state.

PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF THE MASONS

55% 55% 53% II% NEUTRAL IMPRESSION NEUTRAL IMPRESSION Don’t know much/anything about them II% Know the name/ heard of them/ read about them

33% 43% 39% POSITIVE IMPRESSION Organization is helpful/does charitable work 39% Family/friend is/was a member Add dropped and active results from this question - Kansas Masons have a positive reputation among non-Masons throughout the state of Kansas – on this slide too (make it clear what %s are based to what)

Beliefs/ideals incompatible/ ritualistic/cultish II% NEGATIVE IMPRESSION 55% NEUTRAL IMPRESSION 37% They are secretive 37% Beliefs/ideals incompatible/ ritualistic/cultish

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 63% Increase awareness or provide more information about the Masons to the public Based to those who gave a comment

83% 78% 73% 72% MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES IN AN IDEAL CLUB/ORGANIZATION Community service Meetings close to home/work 83% 78% A free/low-cost membership Opportunities to meet new people 73% 72%

MEMBERSHIP

I4 % of male non-members would consider becoming a Kansas Mason 60% Good organization/ Does good things/ Agree with their ideals 54% Personal reasons, such as curiosity or had a family member who was a Mason MOVE TO MEMBERSHIP SECTION

54 % of male non-members would not consider becoming a Kansas Mason 40% I3% I don’t join groups/ go to meetings Don’t know enough about them MOVE TO MEMBERSHIP SECTION

MEMBER STATISTICS

THREE GROUPS ENGAGED OTHER DROPPED

LENGTH OF TIME AS A MASTER MASON (MEAN, YEARS) ENGAGED OTHER DROPPED

FAMILY MEMBER WAS/IS A MASON ENGAGED OTHER DROPPED

LODGE OFFICER? ENGAGED OTHER DROPPED

WITH MASONIC MEMBERSHIP FULFILLMENT WITH MASONIC MEMBERSHIP ENGAGED OTHER DROPPED

MOST VALUED ASPECTS OF BEING A MASON 47% 23% 2l% 24% l9% 25% 2l% l9% Fellowship/ Brotherhood/ Fraternity 47% ENGAGED 23% OTHER 2l% DROPPED Social interactions/ friendships/ willingness to help brothers 24% ENGAGED l9% OTHER 25% DROPPED Moral principles/ philosophy values 2l% ENGAGED l9% OTHER l5% DROPPED

TOP SUGGESTIONS FOR GRAND LODGE OF KANSAS TO DO BETTER AT REPRESENTING THE CRAFT IN KANSAS

Greater visibility/ publicity/ local events/ charitable work 29% 30% I8% OTHER Greater visibility/ publicity/ local events/ charitable work ENGAGED DROPPED

Become more familiar/work with local lodges/listen to local lodges 38% II% OTHER Become more familiar/work with local lodges/listen to local lodges ENGAGED DROPPED

Appeal to younger men/be more progressive 5% 3% 26% OTHER Appeal to younger men/be more progressive ENGAGED DROPPED Takeaway: Dropped members might have dropped due to this lack of change.

ACTIVE AND DROPPED MEMBER SURVEYS

ACTIVE MEMBERS

I0PEOPLE Engaged Leaders spoke to an average of 3PEOPLE While Others spoke to an average of In the past two years with the intent to interest them in joining the Masons.

Have been a top-line signer for a new member. 43% of Engaged Leaders 8% of Others Have been a top-line signer for a new member.

DROPPED MEMBERS

45 % of Dropped members still feel a strong connection to former Brothers and the Fraternity

39 % of Dropped members are very or somewhat likely to rejoin the Masons

50 % of those likely to rejoin are willing to do so within 2 years

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Make notes on this section

PUBLIC IS AWARE BUT UNFAMILIAR Low knowledge about Masons influences impression Not aware of Masons as a service organization Extremely low awareness of Kansas Masons contributions

I EDUCATE THE PUBLIC Involve the media and publicize when the Masons makes charitable donations in the community Get involved with public activities Organize local Masons events and encourage the inclusion of non-members

FEW PEOPLE CONSIDER MEMBERSHIP 2 Nearly half say they don’t join groups or go to meetings Low general knowledge is also a factor

FOCUS ON ATTRACTING THE PUBLIC 2 FOCUS ON ATTRACTING THE PUBLIC Increase perception of the Masons as a service organization Ideal clubs/organizations offer community service and meetings close to home and/or work

DECLINING MEMBERSHIP IS AN ISSUE 3 DECLINING MEMBERSHIP IS AN ISSUE Top concern of Masons Active members

APPEAL TO A BROADER BASE 3 Strongly supported by Dropped members Increased appeal to younger generation, sponsoring youth activities, and more might help increase membership

THANK YOU

This graph displays member retention percentages for 2008-2014 This graph displays member retention percentages for 2008-2014. For example of the members raised in 2008, 62.9% are still members. For members raised in 2013, 93.2 % are still members.

25% Since 2008 the age of the newly raised members is about 38, but 25% of those members are about 50 or older.

The median age of members is about 67 The median age of members is about 67. A high percentage of older members means that new member growth needs to exceed a large number of annual deaths if the organization is to grow.

The “over 80” category comprises the highest percentage of raised members. The stair-step shape of the distribution shows the effect of not having a pipeline of younger new member additions annually.

There is enormous death and “non-death losses” compared to the growth of newly raised members annually. The slide highlights the challenge and necessity for aggressive new member growth to stabilize the organization.

Net change in member numbers has been negative for the period from 2008-2014.

This ten-year projections shows member losses becoming less in each successive year because there are fewer members in the organization. Because of past percentage drops in new members the trend statistic has newly raised members dropping to zero in 2021.