How to Join MACDC

MACDC currently has over 80 members, including CDCs and other community based organizations from around the state. MACDC has two categories of membership: CDC (or voting)members and Associate members. An organization can apply to be either a CDC member or an associate member. An organization cannot be an associate member, if it qualifies as a CDC (voting) member.Membership dues for full members range from $50 to $5,000, depending upon the size of the organization. The dues are equal to ½% of the CDC's annual payroll.

CDC Members

Membership: MACDC is a membership organization comprised of non profit organizations engaged in community economic development. MACDC has two membership categories – voting members and associate members. All members must embrace and support MACDC’s mission, core values and vision statement as adopted by the board of directors. In addition, members must meet the following described below. a. Voting Members: All Community Development Corporations in Massachusetts are eligible to be full voting members of MACDC. Voting members are able to vote in membership meetings and have representatives serve on the MACDC Board of Directors. Additional rights and responsibilities of Voting Members shall be established from time to time by the Board of Directors. For purposes of MACDC Membership, an organization will be considered a Community Development Corporation and be eligible for full voting membership if it meets the following requirements:

The organization has been established in conformance with the definition of a community development corporation found in M.G.L. Chapter 40F, or
The organization is incorporated in Massachusetts and is certified as a Community Housing Development Organization, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, by either the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or a local jurisdiction in Massachusetts, or
The organization meets all of the following criteria:
1. The organization is incorporated as a non-profit corporation under Chapter 180 of the Massachusetts General Laws.
2. The Corporation complies with the requirements of Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
3. A primary purpose of the organization is to practice community economic development activities that benefit low and moderate income people and/or low and moderate income communities, including at least one of the following: affordable housing development, rehabilitation or management, small business development, or asset development.
4. The organization must focus a substantial majority of its efforts on serving a specific place or a defined constituency. For place-based organizations, the focus can be on a neighborhood, town or region, or other defined geography, although it cannot be the entire state of Massachusetts. The geography can be urban, suburban or rural. In mixed income and upper income geographies, the organization must be focused on serving and representing lower income people in the community. Place-based organizations can offer some services and programs outside of their primary geographical service area. Organizations that are not place-based may define their constituency in other ways such as race, ethnicity or income, but must represent a traditionally disadvantaged group.
5. The organization must be able to demonstrate to MACDC that the organization’s constituency is meaningfully represented on the board of directors of the organization and has a voice in the governance of the organization and activities of the organization.
6. If the organization is a membership organization, then membership in the corporation must be open to all constituents, although membership may also be open to non-constituents. Discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, or sexual orientation shall not be allowed.

Associate Members

Any non-profit entity which supports the goals of community economic development, which is engaged in activities similar to those of community development corporations, and which does not meet the criteria for Voting Membership may join as an Associate Member. Organizations eligible for Voting Membership may not choose to be associate members. Unincorporated organizations are eligible for associate membership if they operate with a non profit fiscal sponsor or if they are in the process of establishing their nonprofit status. Associate Members shall not have voting rights and shall not be eligible to serve on the Board of Directors. Additional rights and responsibilities of Associate Members shall be established by the Board of Directors.

All membership applications should include:

A letter from the head of the organization to MACDC requesting membership and indicating the type of membership requested.
A copy of the organization's by-laws.
A list of their current board of directors, including an indication of whether they live or work within the service area of the organization.
Information or materials that describe the organization's activities, such as annual report, brochure, website link, etc.

All memberships must be approved by the MACDC Board of Directors. Once a membership is approved, MACDC will send an invoice for dues.

Files

MACDC-Member-Application-FY09.doc