Understanding and activating membership requests

The Request for membership feature allows a nonprofit to receive membership requests online, review them, and then approve or decline each person before they become a member.

Unlike immediate membership, a person who fills out a membership request form is not added to the Community at the time of sign-up. No payment is collected from them at that point.

This article covers the difference from immediate membership, the step-by-step flow of a request, the possible statuses, and how to activate the feature.

• What is the difference between immediate membership and a membership request?
• How does a membership request work, step by step?
• What are the statuses of a membership request?
• How do I activate the Request for membership feature?
• What does the person submitting a membership request see and receive?
• What does the Request for membership feature not support?

What is the difference between immediate membership and a membership request?

How does a membership request work, step by step?

1. The person opens the membership request form, then clicks Sign up.
2. The person selects a membership bundle, then clicks Continue. The bundle price is hidden by default.
3. The person fills in the required information: billing address, custom fields, documents to provide. They click Continue.
4. The membership request is submitted. No payment is required at this stage.
5. The administrator finds the membership request under the Members to approve tab of the form.
6. The administrator reviews the membership request, then approves, edits, or rejects it.
7. The person becomes a member and receives a profile in the Community. With an offline payment, this happens as soon as the request is approved. With an online payment, it happens when the first payment is received.

What are the statuses of a membership request?

How do I enable the Request for membership feature?

1. Go to Settings > Feature selection
2. Check Request for membership

Then go to Forms > Memberships and click Create a membership form.

Select Request for membership to start building the form.

The Request for Membership feature is also available in advanced groups. Enable it in the settings of the relevant group.

A Springly website is not required. Without a Springly website, the membership request form can be shared via a URL link (or an iframe link embedded in another site).

What does the person submitting a membership request see and receive?

• When the request is submitted: the person sees an on-screen confirmation. They do not receive an email.

• After approval with an online payment link: the person receives an email with a summary of their request, the amount due, and the payment link.
• If the request is declined: the person receives an automated email. The administrator can include a comment to explain the decision. This comment is optional.

The member receives a decline email. If the administrator leaves a comment, the email displays the note Message left for your attention: followed by the comment.

To contact people whose membership is pending approval, use the Members to Approve tab on the form. You can reach them individually or in bulk.

What does the Request for Membership feature not support?

• Adding membership requests to an existing membership form.
• Duplicating an immediate membership form as a request for membership form.
• Setting up an automatic discount. The administrator enters the discount amount manually at the time of approval.
• Editing a membership that has already been approved.
• Using a payment provider other than Springly's for the payment link.
• Offering check or wire transfer in the payment link sent to the member. This link supports payment by card only (in full or in installments).

Learn more:

• Create and configure a membership request form
• Approve, decline, and collect a membership request
• Resolve common questions about membership requests