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NVOAD Membership
NVOAD has three Categories of membership: National, Associate, and Affiliate.
1. Conditions
for Membership
2. Applying for National Membership
3. Applying for Associate and Affiliate Membership
4. Maintaining Membership
5. Terminating Membership
Membership in NVOAD may be acquired by organizations which are;
- National in scope and purpose;
- Voluntary, that is, have voluntary membership or constituencies, and have a not-for-profit structure and tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States;
- Active in Disaster, that is, have a documented disaster response program and a written policy for commitment of resources (personnel, funds, and equipment) to meet the needs of people, anywhere in the United States, affected by disaster, and do so without discrimination as to race, creed, gender, or age;
And which;
- State in writing their agreement with the purpose and principles of NVOAD as described in the by-laws;
- Encourage members to participate in NVOAD and VOAD activities;
- Make an annual contribution to the NVOAD budget at the level set by the organization;
- Have representation at the annual NVOAD membership meeting.
2. Applying for National Membership
Organizations interested in applying for National Membership should direct all inquiries to the Membership Chair. They will be asked to supply to the chair the following:
- A written request for membership and statement of intent to meet NVOAD's conditions for membership. This should be written on the organization's letterhead;
- A copy of the organization's Constitution or charter, and bylaws, with evidence therein of their commitment to non-discrimination in hiring and in the provision of services;
- A copy of the Internal Revenue Service's certification of the organization's 50l(c)(3) status;
- Policy documents and response summaries that show the organization's current and long-term commitment to disaster response in the United States at the governance level, and their operation of disaster response programs; and
- Evidence that the organization is voluntary as to it's membership or constituency, i.e., that it depends upon volunteers for provision of services and for financial and other support;
- A recent annual report;
- Names and titles of administrative personnel;
- Address and telecommunications information, including e-mail and web site addresses;
- A copy of the organization's domestic disaster response plan.
- A listing of local units around the country
- A summary after-action report on the applicant's recent response operations
- A listing of other organizations with whom the applicant has worked;
- Two letters from NVOAD members sponsoring the applicant.
The Membership Chair brings a membership recommendation to the NVOAD Board of Directors. Upon review of the recommendation and supporting materials, the Board approves the membership by a majority vote of the Directors present and voting.
3. Applying for Associate and Affiliate Membership
Associate membership in NVOAD is non-voting, and automatically extended to chartered state VOADs. NVOAD charters state VOADs through the signing of a renewable 3-year Cooperative Agreement. NVOAD does not sign such agreements with local VOADs. Rather, NVOAD expects that state VOADs charter local VOADs within their state through renewable cooperative agreements between the state and local VOADs. Neither state nor local VOADs are required to limit their members to organizations holding national membership.
Affiliate membership is non-voting, and extended to government organizations, businesses and others. In addition Affiliate Membership can also be extended to those organizations which otherwise do not meet one or more of the conditions for National Membership or do not desire National Membership.
Organizations, which are interested in applying for Affiliate Membership, should direct all inquiries to the Membership Chair. The minimum requirements for such membership are a written request for membership on the organization's letterhead, verification of IRS (501)(c)(3) status (for non-profit organizations), and a statement that it is in agreement with NVOAD's purposes and principles. The Membership Chair may request such other information as the chair deems helpful to NVOAD for reviewing the application.
Affiliate membership is viewed as a possible transitional step to National Membership for those organizations building their track record in disaster response as well as a permanent category for organizations whose program benefits disaster response but does not fit all criteria of membership.
Organizations, which continue to meet the conditions for membership, are automatically maintained as members. The Board of Directors, on recommendation of the Membership Chair, may periodically request of member organizations evidence that they continue to meet the conditions of membership. As well, members will be asked to submit an annual response report for inclusion in the NVOAD Annual Report.
Organizations, which have not met one or more conditions of membership, will be reminded in writing by the Membership Chair of the need to do so and that if the condition or conditions remain unmet, their membership may be terminated.
Membership in NVOAD may be terminated by the Board of Directors on recommendation of the membership chair and a majority vote of the Directors present and voting, if the organization fails:
- To pay annual dues to NVOAD's operating budget;
- To have organizational representation at two consecutive annual meetings of the NVOAD membership.
- To uphold the purposes and principles of NVOAD.
The membership of any member organization may be terminated for any cause at any time by a vote of four-fifths of the Directors present and voting.