Definition of Membership

Any person employed by a corporation, company, cooperative or association hereinafter defined as rural utilities, government agencies, economic development related vendors, non-utility economic development practitioners and retired employees of said organizations.

Rural utilities shall be defined as organizations that borrow monies or are eligible to borrow monies from (1) Rural Utility Service, (2) National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, (3) Rural Telephone Bank or (4) CoBank and Rural Water Districts.

The membership shall be in the name of the person(s) and qualifying organization as identified on the membership application.

Categories of Membership

1. Individual Member: Those individuals who are working for a government or non-profit economic development organization or who are engaged full-time in economic development and who have satisfied the requirements for Individual Membership as established by the Board of Directors may qualify to be Individual Members and shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges of membership, including, but not limited to, voting, the right to vote and the right to hold office.
2. Associate Member: Individuals representing those private sector firms involved in economic development may qualify to be Associate Members.  Such firms include but are not limited to consultants, construction companies, real estate brokerage and real estate development companies, financial institutions, law firms, accounting firms, and site consultants.  Associate Members shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges of membership including, but not limited to voting, the right to vote and the right to hold office.
3. Honorary Member: A past president or founder of the Association. Dues and Annual Conference registrations are complimentary for Honorary Members.
4. Student Member: An individual enrolled at a college, university, community college or other educational institution full-time (12+ credit hours) at the undergraduate (or graduate) level in an economic development or related degree program.

Where are NREDA members located? Click here!