From 400 to 950 Members: How Washington Clay Arts Scaled With Join It

About Washington Clay Arts Association

Founded in 1983, Washington Clay Arts Association (WCAA) supports potters, sculptors, and ceramic artists across Washington State. The organization brings together people who work with clay in home studios, community studios, and educational spaces, creating opportunities to connect, learn, and share work.

Today, WCAA runs a full calendar of member-focused activity, including socials, group exhibitions, and community events. Recent highlights include a large summer gallery show featuring more than 100 members and well-attended seasonal gatherings that strengthen connections across the statewide clay community.

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The challenge: Managing growth with limited admin capacity

As a volunteer-run organization with a small budget, WCAA has always needed to be careful about how time and money are spent.

Before moving to Join It, membership administration relied on manual processes and disconnected tools. As the organization grew, this made it harder to:

• Give prospective members a simple way to join online
  
  
• Keep an accurate, up-to-date view of membership status
  
  
• Respond quickly to member questions
  
  
• Communicate consistently without relying on multiple external tools
  
  

When WCAA adopted Join It in 2018, active membership was in the 400s. Over the following years, interest in ceramics grew significantly, particularly during the pandemic, when many people discovered clay through self-directed learning and online resources. WCAA needed a system that could grow with that demand.

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Growing with Join It: From 400 to nearly 950 active members

Join It made it easier for people to discover Washington Clay Arts Association, understand the benefits of membership, and join directly through the organization’s website.

According to Board President Laura Souyoultzis, Join It simplified the entire experience for both members and volunteers:

• Prospective members can join online in just a few clicks
  
  
• Membership records are clearly organized and easy to search
  
  
• Member questions can be answered quickly and accurately
  
  
• Built-in email tools allow WCAA to communicate directly with members without paying for a separate email platform
  
  

This simplicity helped WCAA support sustained growth. Active membership has now reached nearly 950 people across the state, more than doubling since the organization began using Join It.

Join It has also given WCAA reliable data to share with journalists and partners who are interested in the wider growth of ceramics. When asked about trends, the board can point to real membership numbers rather than estimates.

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Why Washington Clay Arts upgraded from Starter to Total in 2022

As membership continued to grow, WCAA reviewed how well their Join It plan matched the size and needs of the organization. In 2022, they upgraded from the Starter package to the Total package.

The decision was driven by long-term value rather than short-term features.

Lower fees as membership scaled
With hundreds of members joining and renewing online, even small differences in transaction fees mattered. The Total package offered a more favorable fee structure, allowing WCAA to keep more of each membership dollar and reinvest it back into programs and benefits for members.

For a small-budget nonprofit, those savings made a meaningful difference over time.

Digital membership cards that deliver real benefits
The upgrade also unlocked digital membership cards, which quickly became a practical benefit for members.

Instead of relying on emailed cards or manual checks, members now keep a digital membership card in their phone wallet. When they visit supporting local clay suppliers, they can show their card instantly to receive member discounts on materials and supplies.

This made membership benefits more visible, more consistent, and easier to use in everyday situations.

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Supporting members beyond events

Beyond exhibitions and socials, Washington Clay Arts Association offers meaningful support to help members develop their practice. Member benefits include:

• Group soda and raku firings
  
  
• Financial grants that support members in reaching their creative and professional goals
  
  
• Access to exhibitions, shows, and statewide networking opportunities
  
  

Join It helps WCAA manage eligibility for these benefits by keeping accurate membership records and renewal status in one place.

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How Join It supports the board day-to-day

For Laura, who describes herself as a hands-on artist rather than a technical specialist, Join It plays a central role in keeping administration manageable.

She highlighted several areas where the platform has been particularly valuable:

• Quickly looking up member accounts when questions arise
  
  
• Identifying and resolving duplicate records to avoid double charging
  
  
• Access to responsive support that is willing to review individual accounts
  
  
• A single system for managing both membership data and communications
  
  

With administration under control, the board can spend more time focusing on events, exhibitions, and the broader mission of supporting clay artists across Washington State.

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Results at a glance

Since adopting Join It in 2018 and upgrading to the Total package in 2022, Washington Clay Arts Association has achieved:

• Approximately 138% growth in active membership, from around 400 members to nearly 950
  
  
• Lower effective costs as the organization scaled, allowing more funds to go directly back to members
  
  
• Digital membership cards that members actively use to support local clay suppliers
  
  
• Reduced administrative burden for a volunteer-run board
  
  

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Ready to grow your membership?

Washington Clay Arts Association’s experience shows how the right membership platform can support long-term growth without adding complexity.

If you manage an arts, culture, or hobby organization and want to scale membership while keeping admin simple, you can start a free trial of Join It or book a demo to explore the Total package.

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