There are two types of membership available, Disability Business and Support Organization. If you are interested in applying for membership but you either need help determining if you are eligible or you need help completing your application, please contact us. If you or your organization does not qualify for either type of membership and you or your organization would like to be involved with the Chamber, please contact us.
Disability Business Membership
If a business qualifies as a Disability Business, the business can become a Member of the Chamber. There is no membership fee for Disability Businesses. The following is required to qualify as a Disability Business:
The business (whether for profit or not-for-profit) must be controlled by one or more persons who have a disability and/or are direct caregivers of a person who has a disability. The board of directors (or the membership committee, if such a committee has been appointed), in its sole discretion, determines whether a business qualifies as a Disability Business.
The term “controlled” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a company or a division of a company, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.
The term “disability” has the definition provided in 42 U.S.C. Section 12102(2) and the regulations promulgated thereunder (and any successor law). That Section defines the term “disability” for purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the “ADA”). Pursuant to the ADA, the term disability means, with respect to an individual
a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual;
a record of such an impairment; or
being regarded as having such an impairment.
The term “direct caregiver” means a parent or guardian of one or more individuals with a disability; provided that such parent or guardian is the primary caregiver for such individuals.
If a business or other organization qualifies as a Support Organization, the organization can become a member of the Chamber. There are membership fees for becoming a Support Organization Member, as provided below and in the Support Organization Application (PDF, 355k). While the Chamber focuses on Disability Businesses, each Support Organization will be promoted on this website as a supporter of the disability community. The following is required to qualify as a support organization:
If a business or other organization provides a significant benefit to the disability community (e.g., purchases a significant amount of services and products from Disability Businesses, has a track record of employment of the disabled, provides significant grants to the disabled), the business or other organization can become a Support Organization Member of the Chamber. The board of directors (or the membership committee, if such a committee has been appointed) will make the final determination of “significant benefit” in its sole discretion. For more information, see the Support Organization Application (PDF, 355k).
