Record number of associations formed

A record number of associations have been created in France, with 83,430 new organizations registered between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, marking a 12% increase over one year. This surpasses the previous record set during 2014-2015.

Stable volunteerism but declining core engagement

The number of volunteers remains stable at a quarter of the population, but the core group of the most engaged is eroding. Associations that employ staff lost nearly 4,000 employees in 2025, and six out of ten consider their financial situation difficult.

Surge in new associations across sectors

The surge in new associations is not limited to a single quarter, with the second quarter of 2026, featuring more than 22,000 creations, exceeding the first quarter, typically the most fertile of the year. The growth spans multiple sectors, with cultural, sports, and leisure associations seeing an increase of about 10%, while social interventions, information-communication, human rights defense, friendly associations, and mutual aid groups experience increases between 20% and 30%.

Regional variations in association growth

The movement is widespread across regions, with only nine departments recording a decline. The map of creation densities confirms a southern specificity, with a national average of 11.2 creations per 10,000 inhabitants. The Moselle, the Bas-Rhin and the Haut-Rhin, along with eight other departments, show lower creation rates due to local legal requirements.

Shift in volunteer engagement patterns

Volunteerism remains stable, with a quarter of French people aged 15 and over giving their time freely to an association. However, there is a shift in engagement patterns, with occasional participation increasing from 4.5% to 6% of the population, while weekly engagement has declined from 12.5% to 10%. The core group of highly engaged volunteers has decreased by 1 point of population, about 500,000 people, over one year.

Generational renewal in association engagement

Generational renewal is underway, with 15-24 year olds showing 24% engagement compared to 16% in 2010 and 25-34 year olds at 27% compared to 15%. However, engagement among those over 65 has dropped from 38% to 28% over sixteen years.

Educational disparities in association membership

Educational disparities persist, with 57% of graduates with more than a bachelor's degree being members of an association, compared to 32% of those with a level below the baccalaureate. The gap is also found in volunteering, with 32% of higher-educated individuals volunteering compared to 17% of those with lower education levels.

Decline in associative employment

Associative employment stands at 1.93 million employees, with a decline of 0.2% after four years of growth, about 4,000 employees fewer. The decline is more pronounced when comparing the last quarters of 2024 and 2025, with about 11,000 fewer jobs in a year. The health and social housing sectors show slight growth, while education, sports, and home help sectors experience declines.

Deteriorating morale among associative employers

The morale of employers is deteriorating, with six out of ten associative employers considering their financial situation difficult, nearly one in five as very difficult. Concerns are primarily financial, cited by 70% of employers, followed by the evolution of public policies, mentioned twice as often. Only 22% of employers believe their funding corresponds to their associative project, compared to 40% of associations without employees.

Bleak outlook for the future

The perspectives for the coming months are bleak, with 58% of employer managers anticipating difficult months, compared to 45% who already consider their current situation difficult. The share of those facing difficulties on the overall situation, finances, and volunteering has increased from 18% to 23% in one year, reaching 31% among those who employ 50 employees or more and 26% in fragile rural areas.

Strengths and challenges of associations

The main strength of associations remains the relevance of their projects to meet public needs, followed by employee motivation and territorial anchoring. Difficulties stem from economic and institutional conditions rather than a lack of project relevance.

Decline in contracts and aging workforce

Popular education associations, categorized under code 9499Z, show a decline in contracts covered by the ÉCLAT collective agreement, with 140,540 contracts in 2025 compared to 143,980 in 2023, a 2.4% decrease. The profiles of these associations are younger than the overall sector, with 38% under 35, and the share of permanent contracts increases slightly. Apprenticeships within associations have seen a first decline of 0.6% in 2025, while nearly half of the 141,000 home help contracts involve employees aged 50 or older, with 16% reaching 60.