Members Make NCDD Work - Join or renew today!

NCDD provides a vital national gathering place for more than 1,500 organizations and individuals who are leading a renaissance of civic engagement in the United States.  For almost a decade, NCDD has developed and maintained a critical infrastructure for you — the agents of democratic change.  We’ve connected and educated this community of practice by:

• Enabling networking, knowledge-sharing and collaboration among innovators in group process,
• Building an extraordinary resource database,
• Keeping people informed about the latest news and opportunities in the practice, and
• Convening the conversation among leaders in our field around critical issues and timely topics both online and face-to-face.

So far during the membership drive, we’ve had about 70 people take action:  by upgrading to dues-paying status, upgrading from “supporting member” status to “sustaining member” status, or just joining for the first time as a new member.  By the end of the year, we hope 200 people will have joined, renewed, or upgraded.

In the coming year, NCDD has exciting plans.  We want to partner with you–our members–to identify and address key problems and questions in the field and to research and report on the civic factors which build strong communities so we can better leverage the impact of dialogue and deliberation. Your membership dollars will help us do it.

Membership has grown quickly and steadily since we formed NCDD in 2002, and we didn’t collect membership dues at all until 2007.  We are committed to remaining an inclusive, welcoming Coalition by retaining the option of free membership, but we would like to see many more of our “free members” support the organization by contributing dues.

As you can see from the chart here, most of our members are still non-dues-paying.  We need more support from our members in order for NCDD to survive and thrive.

Here’s how you can help us reach our goal for the membership drive:

• If you’re not already a member, please join!
• If your membership dues have lapsed, please renew and get your dues up-to-date. Download the member chart to check on your status and suggested action!
• If you previously joined as a non-dues member, consider upgrading to Supporting Member status for $50.
• If you can afford more than the $50 Supporting Member annual dues, consider upgrading to our new $125 Sustaining Membership level.

Everyone who joins is entitled to the benefits of membership, and those who pay dues are eligible for some amazing discounts.  But you’re not buying a service; you’re supporting a cause we all believe in: to help institutionalize the practice of democratic skills that will benefit us all.  So, won’t you take a few moments today to support the organization that’s supporting you?  Thank you!

Sincerely,

The NCDD Board of Directors

Marla Crockett, Chair
Paul Alexander, Immediate Past Chair
Lucas Cioffi, Treasurer
Courtney Breese, Secretary
John Backman
Diane Miller
Barbara Simonetti