Celebrating Six Months of Membership Growth

As Coach Joe Gibbs says: "You win with people." At Shriners International, we believe this to be true. We are proud to report a huge win for the fraternity – one that we achieved together.

Net Membership Growth Over Six Months

The first six months of 2023 have yielded an overall net membership growth for the organization with 85 Shrine Centers posting positive membership growth – a major feat to be truly proud of. The last time we know of, that this achievement was confirmed, Bill Clinton was the U.S. President.

Hitting this incredible milestone is tangible proof of something we Shriners have always known: Good men are hungry to incorporate more fun and fellowship into their lives. They value meaningful connections with other people, and they long to be a part of something greater than themselves. They are finding all of this with us, as Shriners.

How did Shriners turn things around? By remembering who we are as Shrine Masons, by intentionally putting in the work, and by giving one another unwavering support.

This milestone is a culmination of team effort across many skill positions at a local and international level to get us across the goal line.

Some areas we’ve worked on to demonstrate and increase our value as an organization to current and potential members:

Events and Activities Growth

In order to broaden our appeal, we focused heavily on the concepts of generational investment and “building your own experience.” We’ve encouraged Shriners to create new avenues for enjoying fun and fellowship and invested in their ideas.

In 2022, members across Shriners International created more than 110 new clubs and units. That is a huge win for Shriners looking for a new spark in the fraternity.

In addition, the fraternity added nearly 400 new leaders age 45 and under last year, serving as a board member of their Shrine Center and as club and unit officers. This is not only a win for us in the present time — these younger men have the potential to position Shriners for success for years to come.

Education Growth

The Noble Academy was founded in 2020 to serve as the central hub to equip aspiring and tenured leaders on best practices when running the operations of their Shrine and Masonic organizations. The response to this investment, which serves the fraternity and the greater Masonic community, including both men and women with affiliated, appendant and allied bodies, has been notable.

So far the Noble Academy, which is supported by the Shriners International Education Foundation, has presented 12 virtual events featuring 21 seminars, with more than 7,700 in total attendance representing 29 countries and 14 appendant, allied, and concordant bodies. You don’t need a special diploma to see how that adds up to a win for the fraternity.

Shriners International has a long tradition of fun, fellowship and philanthropy. Through committed effort and teamwork, we’ve found the way to spin this forward and meet the needs of new generations of men, and our fraternity looks forward to welcoming more and more good men into our brotherhood far into the future.

To learn more about becoming a Shriner, visit beashrinernow.com.