The Five Rungs of Contribution

The Five Rungs of Contribution is a strategic framework used by community professionals to understand, segment, and cultivate member engagement. It outlines a five-stage progression that categorises members based on their level of involvement: Consumer, Participant, Contributor, Host, and Steward. This model provides a practical lens for designing targeted programmes and pathways that encourage members to move from passive consumption to active leadership, thereby building a more resilient, valuable, and self-sustaining community.

Why it matters — The Five Rungs of Contribution

Many community programmes struggle with the challenge of uneven participation, often described by the 90-9-1 principle, where a tiny fraction of members creates the vast majority of value. The Five Rungs of Contribution framework directly addresses this by providing a structured approach to member development. Instead of treating all members as a single group, it allows community managers to design specific interventions tailored to each stage of the member journey. This is crucial for several reasons: