When we first created RunSignup Clubs in 2013 it was specifically to fill a technology gap for a segment of the endurance community: running clubs. The upgraded RunSignup Memberships, released 11 years later, provides a significant upgrade for those running clubs. However, the power of Memberships is that it can solve problems beyond “just” running. Take a look at some early adopters of RunSignup Memberships to see how the platform can benefit your organization.
Running Clubs
While Memberships can be utilized for a wider range of organizations, running clubs were the first to try it out. For clubs previously using RunSignup Clubs, moving to Memberships is relatively simple. A quick “Upgrade” button ensures all member and membership data is migrated to the new Memberships platform, with some manual updates to transfer website data and customized settings.
There are endless options for amazing running clubs we could share, but for now, we picked just one example below.
Ohio River Road Runners Club:
The Ohio River Road Runners Club is a 100% all-volunteer 501(c)3 Ohio Non-Profit club dedicated to promoting running and supporting the local community in and around Dayton Ohio. They support a large local membership base and host a range of local races.
Free Communications
The ORRRC uses the free, integrated email platform to send monthly newsletters to their membership, including upcoming events, club news, volunteer needs, and other updates.
Member Discounts
One (major) benefit of ORRRC membership? Free races! They host a number of races that are free for members (and inexpensive for all). Because they host both membership and race registration via RunSignup, the system automatically recognizes an active membership and provides the free race cost. And if RunSignup recognizes the registrant is not a member, it can prompt them to join the club for the discount. This creates a symbiotic relationship between their club and their events.
Online race registration is recommended for members even though it’s free. The club is working to eliminate paper forms and data entry, so members who want to register on race day are directed to do so through RunSignup.
Other Sports Clubs
Memberships aren’t just for running. Below you can see some of the other sports utilizing the membership platform. To avoid potential confusion around the word “run”, some clubs opt to use the “GiveSignup.org” URL for their club.
Cohasset Swim Center
The Cohasset Swim Center provides annual membership options for families, individuals, kids, and more.
They matched the branding and imagery of their membership site to that of their main website for a cohesive look and feel. Additionally, they used Website Builder to add a menu item linking back to their main website. This complete the loop and ensure a smooth transition between the two.
Arctic Bicycle Club
The Arctic Bicycle Club covers the gambit of biking activities in Anchorage, AK. They offer activities and events for road racing, mountain bike racing, and cyclocross, along with advocacy, trail care, and educational programming. Membership is required for participants in their club-hosted events for insurance purposes. However, the membership fee also allows the club to provide a full range of services and events.
They also include a link to Membership lookup from their registration page. This helps members quickly identify their current status, and ensure their membership is always up-to-date.
Turnagain Training Kid’s Club
The Turnagain Training Kid’s Club combines two popular club types: kids and triathlons in a family-friendly club focused on building the love for triathlons.
Their full membership offers access to all 15 of their kid’s triathlon club practices and a t-shirt. Additionally, they also have a flexible 5-Punch Pass membership option. The 5-Punch Pass lets families that join late or can only make it to a handful of practices to still participate in the club.
For those that select a full 2025 Membership, they can also enable auto-renewal. This makes the 2026 year easier for both the club organizers and their member families.
Snowflake Nordic Ski Center
The Snowflake Nordic Ski Center is a non-profit, year-round family recreation center with a wide range of outdoor opportunities. They use Memberships to sell a season membership for individuals, families, and students (with a special FREE membership for 80+ members).
The Snowflake Nordic Ski Center isn’t only Skiing membership available to Duluth-based skiers. The Duluth Cross Country Ski Club also offers memberships via RunSignup. This makes it easy for members of both organizations to access their membership information in one place. And, the two organizations are friendly: The Nordic Ski Center provides a discount via coupon code to anyone who’s also a member of the Duluth Cross-Country Ski Club.
River City Disc Golf Club
The River City Disc Golf Club created a fun and engaging Memberships website. In particular, the use of emojis lightens the mood and plentiful photos show off the fun.
The website is functional as well as attractive. The Membership Portal menu items make it easy and quick to check membership status or manage your membership. From the Manage Membership page, members who are logged in can update their personal information, edit their question responses, see store purchases, and cancel or renew their membership (when they’re up for renewal).
Associations
Increasingly, we’re seeing Membership organizations beyond the sports world. For example, professional associations also need a way to sign up and communicate with members.
Indian American Medical Association, Illinois
Indian American Medical Association, Illinois (IAMA-IL) is a non-profit organization comprised of Illinois physicians, fellows, residents, and medical students of Indian origin who are committed to professional excellence and quality patient care.
To help their members navigate the new membership platform and better understand where to find communications and member details, IAMA-IL sent an email to all members. The clarity and detail of the email ensures that every member understands why the membership has moved to RunSigup and how they can renew and update their information.
Carwash Association of Pennsylvania
The Carwash Association of Pennsylvania was founded in the 90’s by proactive industry leaders to advance and safeguard the business interests of the car wash industry. Today, they offer memberships to both owner/operators and vendor/distributers. The organization sends a regular newsletter via integrated email marketing, as well as posting the content from the newsletter to the membership website for access at any time.
In addition to allowing members to sign up, their Memberships website hosts an event list to enable members to quickly find and register for local golf & networking events via TicketSignup.
Whether you have a traditional running club, a sports organization, an association, or any member organization, Memberships is a powerful platform for signing up and managing members and memberships. You can get started setting up your membership today: https://runsignup.com/MemberOrg/New!