Membership is by invitation only, and is limited to 1 seat per industry. Seats are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, but the Board reserves the right to make appropriate selections when two or more applications for the same seat are being considered at the same time. The Board commits to making selections based on the overall good of the Network, and will evaluate what each applicant brings to the group, and their level of commitment.
Membership is granted to an individual, not a company. We will attempt to define industry seats as specifically as possible to allow for growth in membership. Members will be asked to limit their networking activities within Cabarrus Business Network to the defined seat, particularly where overlapping could occur. For example, an insurance agent may also provide financial services, but would have to elect which seat they will occupy.
Annual Membership Fee
Membership carries an annual fee of $75.00. This fee is assessed on a calendar year basis, and will be renewed each year. Payments for the upcoming year must be paid by January 30 of each year. Members who join throughout the year will be responsible for a prorated share of the fee for that year. Proration is 25% per quarter:
Join Date Amount Owed
Jan-Mar $75
Apr-Jun $56
Jul-Sep $38
Oct-Dec $19
There is a $25 non-refundable Application Fee for prospective members. This is to be submitted with the Application.
Attendance Policy
Members are expected to attend regularly. The strength of the group is highly dependent upon Membership faithfulness and participation on a consistent basis. When members are not present, they will miss out on potential leads and referrals, as well as deprive the rest of the Membership of the same.
While some absences are unavoidable (out of town, sickness, etc.), Members are requested to treat meetings as a priority in their schedule.
Should a Member miss 2 meetings in a row, the Membership Committee Chair (or designated member of the Membership Committee) will contact them to validate their situation and determine ongoing interest.
Should a Member miss 3 meetings in a row, or 3 meetings in a single quarter, the seat will become open once again. Interested parties must go through the Membership process to fill the vacant seat.
Members who must miss a meeting may send a substitute in their place to avoid being counted as absent.
Any exceptions to these policies must be approved by the Board.
Membership Process
1. Guests must be invited or sponsored by a current Member. The sponsoring Member will introduce their guest(s) during the meeting.
2. After their first visit, Guests may download a Membership Application and a Membership Agreement form (Click on the form name, then click on “File” and “Save Page As” to save it to your computer). if they are considering joining. Applications, along with the $25 Application Fee, can be submitted for consideration after the first meeting, but applicants must attend 2 of 3 consecutive meetings before being considered by the full Board.
3. Upon receipt of the application, the Membership Committee will review, validate an available seat, and contact references. Should there be a potential overlap with an existing filled seat the applicant should work with that seat occupant to determine if there is room for the seat. The Membership Committee will provide a report to the Board with a recommendation regarding potential membership.
4. It is the duty of the Guest Sponsor, the Membership Committee and the Board to determine if applicants bring value to the organization and are committed to active participation. Each prospective Member will be asked to review and sign a Membership Agreement (attached) reflecting this commitment.
5. The Board considers new applicants at each monthly Board meeting. Upon completion of #1-#4 above, the applicant will be asked to attend the next Board meeting. Board members will be given the opportunity to ask questions of the applicants.
The Board will vote on new members at each Board meeting, and new members will be announced at the first meeting of the next month.
New Members are required to submit payment of the annual fee (or prorated amount, whichever is appropriate) to the Treasurer within 30 days of becoming a Member.
Guest Policy
Guests are invited to attend, as long as the seat they may wish to occupy is vacant. Guests may visit twice, and they would be expected to go through the Membership process to continue participating. Guests that have submitted an application for membership may continue to attend meetings until the Board votes on their potential membership.
Members may invite guests for seats that are currently open. No guests may be invited who would fill a seat that is currently occupied. Should a potential overlap exist, it is the responsibility of the inviting Member to determine if the guest should attend.
Members should notify the Membership Committee via email of their intention to invite, along with the invitee’s contact information and business specialty or focus.
Sponsorship of Guests
A Member should be prepared to sponsor Guests the Member personally invites. This is known as Sponsorship.
The Sponsor of a Guest is expected to ensure that the Guest is clear on requirements for Membership. This includes ensuring the Guest is introduced to Board members, attends 2 of three consecutive meetings, and submits their application in a timely manner.