MRA was a 501(c)(6) non-profit, membership trade association, incorporated in New York state.

Membership principally included access to a common code of conduct and set of best practices; industry-related news briefs and publications, including its trade-oriented magazine, Alert; invitation to MRA's annual conference and to meetings of its regional chapters; access to market research videos, online training seminars, papers and directories; access to professional certification; legislative updates; governmental advocacy; and access to an online jobs board.

Annual membership dues are dependent on the applicant's company size and relationship to the marketing research industry.

Some membership-only products are sold separately (i.e., not included in the annual membership fee).

On topics such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) of 1991, the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) and Department of Commerce's support of rules restricting access to consumer data, and various Congressional consumer privacy acts, the MRA publicly advocated (i.e., lobbies legislators and other governmental officials to adopt) positions that support the organization's goals.