In this essay, I consider questions about freedom of association as they apply to the work of Elinor Ostrom. I explore the ways in which her theoretical arguments and empirical findings depend on the existence of voluntary associations and the government’s willingness to allow them to operate without interference. I address four key questions: (1) what type of association are Ostrom’s resource management groups; (2) what value do these resource management groups provide to individuals and societies; (3) what individual and group rights are vital to the creation and successful functioning of resource management associations; and (4) what is the proper role of the state in a system in which resource management groups thrive. I argue that the resource management groups Ostrom describes represent voluntary secondary associations and that these associations offer important benefits for both individuals and societies. I then address the necessity of protecting associational rights to control entry, freely manage their internal operations, and make independent decisions regarding rules and sanctions. I next address the ways in which such associational rights might affect individual rights and freedoms. Finally, I argue that infringement of associational rights, especially when the state exercises centralized control, leads to suboptimal outcomes. I conclude by offering suggestions about the proper role of the state necessary for the successes theorized and documented by Ostrom to materialize.