Member retention in Alberta's Freemasons

Abstract

The Grand Lodge of Alberta (GLA) supports and oversees all elements of Freemasonry in the Province of Alberta, Canada. The GLA’s membership has declined approximately 5.5% annually for the last decade, with similar challenges in retention seen across North America. Some grand lodges have developed retention strategies, and GLA is looking to follow suit. Taking an action-oriented approach through the use of a world café and two online surveys, this research identified retention and development opportunities within the organization. Communication, education, leadership, and outreach proved key. The inquiry focused on members’ satisfaction with the current system and views of what more idealized iterations of the organization might be. The recommendations are to integrate the mission, vision, and ethics statements, implement a standard of leadership training and mentorship across the organization, and develop tools members can use to achieve these newly clarified goals toward a shared future in Freemasonry.