Evolving the Membership Model at FEI
About the Organisation
Face Equality International (FEI) is a global alliance of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), charities, and support groups working at national, regional, and international levels to advocate for face equality. The organisation champions the recognition of facial differences as a distinct equality and human rights issue. It works to eliminate the life-limiting stigma and prejudice associated with facial differences, amplify the voices of an inclusive and empowered community, and campaign for a more equitable society.
What They Needed
As the face equality movement grows, FEI has seen increasing interest from individuals, professionals and organisations wanting to join its Alliance and support the cause. Its original membership model, designed primarily for charitable organisations, no longer reflected the breadth or diversity of the movement.
FEI wanted to evolve its membership structure to:
Welcome and support a wider range of stakeholders, including grassroots groups, professionals and individual advocates.
Ensure membership is inclusive, relevant and accessible across global contexts.
Build a sustainable, scalable model that aligns with the organisation’s mission and values.
What We Did Together
Over six months, I worked with FEI to design a more inclusive and future-focused membership offer. The work unfolded in five interconnected phases, combining research, co-design and strategic facilitation.
1. Consultation and persona scoping
We began by listening to the people at the heart of the movement. Through focus groups and written responses, I gathered insights from 26 advocates and member organisations about their experiences, motivations, and needs. This feedback was combined with FEI’s existing research to create detailed personas of four core stakeholder groups. Draft personas were reviewed by internal stakeholders to ensure they reflected the full diversity of experience within the global face equality community.
2. Market research and systems review
I conducted research into comparable membership organisations, with a focus on those working with similar social justice and health equity goals. This helped identify best practice in designing inclusive, values-led membership models. Alongside this, I supported the FEI team in reviewing potential CRM systems to manage member engagement effectively into the future.
3. Value proposition development
Using insights from the personas and benchmarking, I drafted tailored value propositions for each of the four stakeholder groups. These set out what members could expect to receive, contribute, and experience. We also considered pricing models, reciprocal benefits, and alignment with FEI’s wider strategy.
4. Stakeholder consultation
To test and refine the model, we undertook a stakeholder consultation with 53 individuals and organisations, using targeted surveys to gather feedback on the proposed offer. Responses shaped a set of final value propositions that are grounded in community need and organisational purpose.
5. Strategy and team away day
To embed the new model within a broader organisational vision, I designed and facilitated a strategy and team-building away day with the FEI staff team. The day supported reflection on FEI’s evolving theory of change, connected the membership model to long-term goals, and created shared ownership of next steps.
The Impact
The project has laid the foundation for a more inclusive, scalable and sustainable membership structure, one that reflects the richness of the global face equality movement and supports its continued growth.
The FEI CEO said: “Flóra went above and beyond in getting to know our organisation, but most importantly, our diverse communities and how we can best serve them. Her expert approach to supporting our development meant that we've since asked for several additional areas of support in developing our strategy, involving our team in planning ahead, and expanding our impact.”
Need Support with Strategic Change or Membership Design?
Whether you're evolving your engagement model, revisiting your strategy or scaling your impact, I can help you design inclusive, future-focused solutions. Get in touch to explore how we might work together.