How to Join
New Member Guidelines
Membership is by invitation only. All candidates must be sponsored by one member and co-sponsored by one member. If you are interested in membership in WEDC, your sponsor must submit an Intent to Sponsor form by May 3. If selected to apply, you will be notified and invited to apply in June. Applications are reviewed in July and new member candidates are notified in August. If the membership process is successfully completed, new members are inducted in September.
Professional Requirements
The candidate must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Business owner (with a business license) who has worked full time in her business for at least one year and has at least one employee
- Business executive or manager whose responsibilities include supervising other employees
- Degreed or licensed professional (e.g. doctor, lawyer, CPA, etc.)
- A category for the board to consider for individual merit (e.g. serving in public office, technical career field, etc.)
- Retired woman who previously belonged to one of the above categories
- A candidate that has successfully completed the WEDC Milestones Program
Attendance Requirements
Member candidates must have attended at least three (3) member leadership training meetings during the calendar year of membership induction or five (5) member leadership training meetings during the calendar year of membership induction and the previous calendar year combined before applying for membership. One WEDC networking event may be substituted for a leadership training meeting.
Timeline
The WEDC inducts new members at our September Leadership Training Meeting. Candidates who are interested must be sponsored by a current member, meet all application requirements by mid-June, apply in June ($50 non-refundable application fee), attend a Mandatory New Member Orientation in August, and pay the current/next year’s dues ($250) in August.
Additional Information
These guidelines enable us to maintain the professional integrity of our organization. Qualified candidates will be invited to complete a membership application and submit a profile, resume, picture and an application fee.