Membership Information
Membership Categories
Full members of BANA, are required to send a voting representative to all BANA board meetings (at the member organization's expense), participate on board committees as assigned, pay annual dues, and host board meetings on a rotating basis. They receive all board and technical committee reports. Full membership in BANA is restricted to not-for-profit organizations and agencies.
Associate members have an advisory role only, may send a representative to BANA board meetings (at the member organization's expense) and participate in discussions, and pay annual dues at a lower rate than full members. They receive approved board and technical committee reports. Associate members in BANA may be not-for-profit or for-profit entities.
Membership Criteria
Organizations, agencies, and businesses will be considered for membership if they have the following purposes, scope and functions:
- Braille use or production must be a primary, but not necessarily the only, purpose of the organization, agency or business.
- Primary braille codes used must be those approved by BANA although codes approved by other braille authorities may be used for production of braille materials intended for use in countries which use a different code.
- The scope of the organization, agency, or business shall be national (United States or Canada) or international.
- The organization, agency, or business shall have been working with braille or in support of braille related issues for at least five (5) years.
- The function of the organization, agency or business shall be in support of BANA's mission.
Current Annual Dues Schedule
Member: $1,000
Associate Member: $500
Application Packet
To be considered for membership in BANA, submit the following information in accessible electronic format, for example, Microsoft Word, Excel, and/or accessible PDF files.
- Cover Letter (see below)
- Documents demonstrating commitment to braille and the use of BANA codes, including but not limited to, bylaws, mission statement, statement of organizational scope.
- Documents demonstrating fiscal stability over the past five (5) years, such as annual reports.
Send the completed application packet to:
Contact the BANA Chair for guidance if you wish to mail an application. All applications must be provided electronically as well, to ensure accessibility.
Cover Letter:
Include the following information in your cover letter:
- A request for consideration as a full or an associate member in BANA (see descriptions and annual dues as stated above)
- A description of your organization’s commitment to and use of braille, including its scope and the number of years it has been working with and supporting braille. This is a summary of the documentation included in the packet.
- The agency or business name and contact information, including mailing address, phone, fax, general email, and website URL.
- The name of the CEO, president, or other contact person, including his or her title and contact information if different from above.
The application packet will be reviewed by the Membership Committee for completeness. Requests for membership will then be presented to the Board at the next face-to-face meeting. A two-thirds vote for approval is required for acceptance as a BANA member organization.