NDAC Terms of Membership

The National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (“NDAC”) is a member service of the National Down Syndrome Congress (“NDSC”). NDAC is a grassroots advocacy service that is designed to educate individuals with Down syndrome, their family members, and other allies about policy issues and give them the tools they need to effectively engage with their legislators and other policymakers to effect policy change.

Types of NDAC Membership

NDAC is comprised of two types of members: Members and Group Members.  NDAC Members are advocates of all abilities and levels of advocacy experience. NDAC Group Members are current NDSC Affiliate Program subscribers who have opted to join the NDAC program.  Other disability-specific and cross-disability organizations, statewide coalitions, or other groups may pay a $20 annual fee to become an NDAC Group Member.

Membership Requirements

NDAC Members must fill out an application HERE.

NDAC Group Members are existing groups, organizations, or coalitions that can be local, statewide, or national, and may be Down syndrome specific, other disability-specific, cross-disability, or other. NDAC Group Members are NDSC Affiliate Program subscribers or will pay a $20 annual fee to NDSC (if criteria are met), and will designate one contact person to be the official NDAC Group Member Representative to NDAC.  All members of each NDAC Group are invited to also become NDAC Members.  NDAC Group Members can apply HERE.

NDSC expects all NDAC Members and Group Member Representatives to be courteous, professional, and respectful to each other, legislators and their staffs, and the broader community in all communications, whether on social media, calls, in-person meetings, or otherwise and to act in a bipartisan manner when advocating. NDSC can, in its discretion, remove an NDAC Member or Group Member Representative from NDAC by providing written notice if NDSC staff does not believe that that particular member is following these guidelines or representing NDAC in a courteous, professional and respectful manner.

Volunteer Status and Term

NDAC Members and Group Members are all volunteers who will not receive financial or in-kind compensation for their advocacy efforts. The term of NDAC membership is indefinite, though all NDAC Members must continue to be members in good standing of NDSC. NDAC Members may resign from NDAC at any time and for any reason by providing written notice to Jawanda Mast, jawanda@ndsccenter.org

NDAC Facebook Group

All NDAC Members and NDAC Group Member Representatives may join NDAC’s closed Facebook group. The administrators of this group are NDSC’s Policy Team staff, and this group will be the main mode of communication with NDAC Members. The NDAC Facebook group will discuss policy issues and strategize about advocacy efforts, and will provide a private and confidential forum for NDAC Members to interact with each other and with the NDSC Policy Team. Please do not share any content from the Facebook group with anyone outside of the group, unless it is specifically stated as content you may share. All public Action Alerts can be shared openly, as the content will be listed on our website.

Policy & Advocacy Training for NDAC Members

The NDSC Policy & Advocacy Team will provide training opportunities and resources for all NDAC Members. These include: quarterly business calls to provide legislative updates, webinars and training opportunities, workshops, and a meet-up at the annual NDSC Convention.

NDSC would like to thank all NDAC Members and Group Members for their interest and volunteer advocacy efforts. Joining our voices together through NDAC will make us all stronger in advocating for the rights and opportunities for people with Down syndrome.