Louisiana VOAD membership is an act of cooperation that provides your organization with communication tools to collaborate with other VOAD members on disaster relief coordination. VOAD membership will change the way you are able to serve communities in need.
Louisiana VOAD welcomes agencies who serve a multi-Parish area in times of disaster. While it is not necessary to be recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 to be a member of Louisiana VOAD, it is necessary to be active in the non-profit arena in providing relief to those who need assistance. Louisiana VOAD offers a partnership category to governmental agencies and private sector entities with a statewide mission that bring resources to the VOAD movement and demonstrate a commitment to support the VOAD mission.
We encourage agencies get involved with their Local VOAD/COADs. For information on how to get in touch with a Local VOAD/COAD in your community, please reach out through our Contact Us form.
Benefits of Membership
- Access to Resources, Training, and Other Learning Opportunities | VOADs offer members a wide array of resources and educational opportunities for organizations, and volunteers.
- Committees/Task Forces | Members and Partners gather around topical issues and programmatic activities to improve the delivery of services throughout the disaster cycle, and to further create a climate for cooperation.
- Incident Response and Recovery Coordination | In support of our members’ work to respond to a disaster or help a community recover, we help coordinate and facilitate communication and actions among member organizations, emergency management agencies and other organizations.
- Peer to Peer Networking | VOADs offer their members numerous opportunities to share and discuss best practices and partner on common issues with COADs and regional VOADs.
Membership Application Information
Membership Application Requirements
Membership Categories
Full Members
- Full Membership is available to organizations and federations that are exempt from Federal income taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code; statewide in scope, purpose, and capability; voluntary, and active in disasters within the State of Louisiana.
- Full Members agree to pay dues for each annual term.
- Each Full Member shall appoint a duly authorized representative to represent it at meetings, serve as the primary point of contact, and to be eligible for nomination to the Board of Directors.
- As part of the Member application and renewal process, the Full Member will confirm its representative, who shall be directly affiliated with the organization, in writing to LAVOAD.
Associate Member
- Associate Membership is available to organizations, federations, and regional disaster-focused networks within the State of Louisiana, that are eligible for exemption from Federal income taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code; active in disasters within the State of Louisiana; but are unable to meet the requirements of Full Membership (hereafter referred to as “Associate Memberâ€).
- Each Associate Member shall appoint a duly authorized representative to represent it at meetings, serve as the primary point of contact, and to be eligible for nomination to the Board of Directors. The representative shall be directly affiliated with the organization and shall be the organization’s designee as provided, in writing, to LAVOAD.
- Associate Members are encouraged to express voice and participate in committees and/or taskforces.
- Associate Members are not granted voting privileges and are not required to pay annual dues.
Partner Members
- Governmental Partnership is open to State and Federal Agencies that bring resources to the VOAD movement and demonstrate a commitment to support the Louisiana VOAD mission.
- Private Partnership is open to Private Sector entities that bring resources to the VOAD movement, demonstrate a commitment to support the Louisiana VOAD mission, and agree to contribute resources, monetary or in-kind, Louisiana VOAD.
- Partner Members are encouraged to express voice and participate in committees and/or taskforces.
- Partner Members are not granted voting privileges and while they are not required to pay annual dues they are expected to share and contribute resources to support the VOAD mission.