ABOUT US
We know associations. Not in general. Specifically.
We've spent fifteen years working exclusively with associations and member-based organisations, and that focus is deliberate.
More than 100 association clients. Hundreds of association research projects conducted. More than 500,000 members surveyed. Research cited in government policy and taken to boards across the country.
Work with people who know your world.
If you’re thinking about member research, industry intelligence or a strategic planning project, we'd genuinely love to have a conversation. No pitch, no pressure — just a talk about what you're working on.
About us.
Survey Matters is a research and strategic insights agency that works exclusively with associations and member-based organisations. We've been doing this since 2010, and we've never broadened our focus - because depth of expertise is the whole point. Our deep understanding of the unique dynamics of associations truly sets us apart.
Over fifteen years we've worked with more than 100 associations across healthcare, legal, financial services, insurance, property, transport, small business and community sectors. We've surveyed more than 100,000 members. We've produced research that's been cited in government policy, driven media coverage, changed how sectors recruit and retain people, and given CEOs the evidence they needed to take difficult decisions to their boards.
We don't hand over a report and disappear. We work alongside you — from the first conversation about what questions to ask, through to presenting findings to your board and helping you work out what to do next. Most of our clients come back year after year, because research done well becomes the foundation of how an association thinks and plans.
Survey Matters is managed by Co-Founders Brenda Mainland and Rebecca Sullivan and supported by a team of research experts and support personnel.
-
![Brenda Mainland, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Survey Matters]()
Brenda Mainland
CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR
-
![Rebecca Sullivan, Co-Founder & Research Director, Survey Matters]()
Bec Sullivan
CO-FOUNDER & RESEARCH DIRECTOR
-
![Rebeca Varley, Research Analyst, Survey Matters]()
Rebecca Varely
SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
We only work with associations. That changes everything.
We know what good looks like
Our benchmark data from 50,000+ members means we do not just tell you what your scores are. We tell you whether they are high, low, or typical for an association your size and type.
We translate data into decisions
Research without clear recommendations is just a file on a server. Every project we deliver includes specific, practical actions, not a list of findings and a handshake.
You never have to explain your world
We understand the governance pressures, the volunteer culture and the member value tension. You do not have to explain how your organisation works. We already know.