Membership Types, Benefits, and Dues
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Regular Member
Statewide Special Districts Association, Alliance or Coalition
- One Regular Membership per state or territory
- Must be a statewide association or entity representing at least a majority of special district service types in the state (e.g., water, sanitation, conservation, fire protection, parks, mosquito abatement, healthcare, ports, etc.)
- Regular Membership requires unanimous approval of all current Regular Members
- Two or more Associate Members in the same state, representing at least a majority of special district service types in the state may choose to form a coalition or statewide association to participate collectively in NSDA as a Regular Member, upon unanimous approval by the NSDA Board of Directors
Regular Member Benefits
- Ability to share all NSDA benefits, resources, and information to all organization’s members
- Participate in Federal Advocacy Committee (1 vote)
- Regular Advocacy Updates
- Weekly Grants Updates and discounts on The Ferguson Group direct grant services
- Federal Funding webinars, professional development webinars & workshops
- Strategic support on special district or association management and governance
Additional Benefits:
- NSDA Board of Directors: 1 seat; 1 vote (select staff may participate in meetings and vote by proxy, as designated by the Regular Member Executive Director, CEO)
- Eligibility for board officer position/Executive Committee
- Eligibility for committee chair and vice-chair position
- Eligibility to appoint members to serve as Policy Advisors
Regular Member Dues & Payments Information
Regular Member
Statewide Special Districts Association, Coalition, Alliance, Network
Dues:
- Organization must have a level of formalization such as Incorporation or Memorandum of Understanding signed by the engaged partners
- Determined by NSDA Board of Directors based on size, scale of organization, and annual operating budget
- Phased in dues may be considered/approved by the Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis; all dues are determined and approved annually
Associate Member
Association or Coalition - Single Service Industry Organizations
- Organizations that represent special districts from states and territories not represented by a Regular Member
- Must be a statewide organization representing a specific type of special district (e.g., water districts, library districts, fire protection districts, etc.) or a specific service sector whose membership is predominantly special districts or special district officials (e.g., emergency officials, water operators, mosquito and vector control professionals).
- Requires majority approval by the NSDA Board of Directors
- Two or more Associate Members in the same state, representing at least a majority of special district service types in the state may choose to form a coalition or statewide association to participate collectively in NSDA as a Regular Member, upon unanimous approval by the NSDA Board of Directors
Associate Member Benefits
- Ability to share all NSDA benefits, resources, and information to all organization’s members
- Participate in Federal Advocacy Committee
- Regular Advocacy Updates
- Weekly Grants Updates and discounts on TFG direct services
- Federal Funding webinars
- Strategic support on district or association management
Additional Benefits:
- NSDA Advisory Board: 1 seat; 1 vote (at least one meeting annually; general expert feedback/guidance for NSDA Board of Directors)
- NSDA Federal Advocacy Committee: 1 seat; 1 vote
- Eligibility for appointment to other NSDA committees by the NSDA Board of Directors
- Eligibility to appoint members to serve as Policy Advisors
Associate Member Dues & Payments Information
Associate Members
Associate Member contributions are based on the organization size, scope and operating budget, and may be phased in per approval by the Board of Directors:
Statewide or Regional Organizations/Associations
| Operating Budget | Dues |
|---|---|
| Under $1M | $1,250 Annually |
| $1 - $5M | $2,500 Annually |
| $5M - $7.5M | $5,000 Annually |
| $7.5M - $10M | $7,500 Annually |
| $10M + | $10,000 Annually |
Individual District Member
A Single Special District or Special Purpose District
- If a State has an NSDA Regular or Associate Member, individual special districts must join the Regular or Associate Member representing their respective state to receive NSDA membership benefits.
- If a State does not have a Regular Member or Associate Member of NSDA, individual districts may join as an Individual District Member.
- If a district has joined NSDA as an Individual District Member prior to being represented by a Regular or Associate Member, the district may elect to remain an Individual Member of NSDA and join their state Regular or Associate Member, or to terminate membership with NSDA and join their state Regular or Associate Member and receive NSDA benefits through them.
- Eligibility for appointment to NSDA committees/policy groups as appropriate and as approved by the NSDA Board of Directors
Individual District Member Benefits
- Ability to share all NSDA benefits, resources, and information to all organization’s members
- Regular Advocacy Updates
- Weekly Grants Updates
- Federal Funding webinars, Professional development webinars & workshops
- Strategic services
- Discounts on The Ferguson Group direct grant services
Additional Benefits
- Eligibility for appointment to NSDA committees/policy groups as appropriate and as approved by the NSDA Board of Directors
Individual District Member Dues & Payments Information
Individual Districts
(not included/represented by current NSDA Regular or Associate Member)
| Operating Budget | Dues |
|---|---|
| $1 - $500k | $500 Annually |
| $500k - $1M | $1,000 Annually |
| $1M - $5M | $1,500 Annually |
| $5M - $10M | $2,500 Annually |
| $10M - $20M | $5,000 Annually |
| $20M - $50M | $7,500 Annually |
| $50M+ | $10,000 Annually |
Business Affiliate Member
Mission Aligned Businesses and Corporations
- Affiliate Members (Corporate Members)
- Shall be those businesses and/or organizations that provide services, products, and/or have evidenced interest in the purposes and goals of NSDA and do not fall under the Regular or Associate Member categories.
- Requires majority approval by the NSDA Board of Directors
Affiliate Member Benefits
Affiliate Membership is an opportunity to support our members, strengthen our industry voice, and further the goals of NSDA and special districts across the country.
- Ability to share all NSDA benefits, resources, and information to all organization’s members
- Branding opportunities
- Participate in Federal Advocacy Committee
- Regular Advocacy Updates
- Weekly Grants Updates
- Federal Funding webinars
- Strategic Technical Assistance services
| Business Affiliate Benefits 1.2025 | Platinum | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Acknowledgement in NSDA annual report/highlights | X | |||
| Participation in a Regional Forum to be developed in concert with NSDA on topics most important to members | X | |||
| Recognition as sponsor at NSDA's Special Districts DC Days | X | |||
| Sponsor one virtual webinar including introduction of speaker (placement/timing at NSDA discretion) | X | |||
| Sponsored email to be sent out to NSDA membership on behalf of Affiliate (content to be approved by NSDA and State Associations) | X | X | ||
| One promotional video - linked in NSDA's website | X | X | ||
| Informational Affiliate post on NSDA social media platforms | X | X | ||
| Ability to share communication with Regular members for their distribution, access to 8000 members | X | X | X | |
| Logo on NSDA membership page | X | X | X | |
| Opportunities to contribute educational articles to NSDA's State Association communications with author recognition | X | X | X | X |
| Membership directory access in the members-only section of NSDA website | X | X | X | X |
| NSDA advisory committees: participate and influence | X | X | X | X |
| Complimentary registrations for all NSDA webinars | X | X | X | X |
| Support NSDA's advocacy and representation on behalf of your special district clients and customers throughout the nation | X | X | X | X |
| Welcome introductory communications to 10,000 members and social media posts | X | X | X | X |
Affiliate Member Dues & Payments Information
Affiliate Members
Businesses / Special District Service Providing Organizations
| Bronze Level | $2,500 Annually |
|---|---|
| Silver Level | $5,000 Annually |
| Gold Level | $10,000 Annually |
| Platinum Level | $25,000 Annually |
National Partners Network
Mission Aligned National Organizations
- National non-profit organizations or coalitions representing special districts and/or local governments
- Other national organizations that are valued stakeholders with an interest in NSDA members and/or special districts
- Requires approval by the NSDA Board of Directors
- Complimentary membership
National Partners Network Dues & Payments Information
National Partners Network
Complimentary Membership:
- Dues: None
- An opportunity for National non-profits, Associations or organizations that are interested in supporting Special Districts to connect and communicate with valued national stakeholders
- Opportunity to be listed on the NSDA website
- This is not a membership category for the organization