Creating Districts
Affiliates may create district dietetic associations that are geographically based. All members of the districts must also be members of the affiliate. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has no direct responsibility for district associations.
The affiliate board of directors defines the district association’s boundaries and determines the organization and maintenance criteria. The district structure and governing documents should be compatible with the affiliate’s structure and bylaws.
Districts may have a variety of functions, such as, but not limited to; creating networking opportunities, tracking technical resources, leadership development and/or providing continuing professional education.
The responsibility of the affiliate is to monitor and/or establish:
- District incorporation status, either legally part of the affiliate or separately incorporated with the state
- District’s federal tax-exempt filing status; completion of tax filing
- District dues collection and tax filing
- District accounting procedures
- Affiliate expense allocation to fund activities of the district
- Association Comprehensive Liability Insurance through the Academy
- District reporting to the affiliate association
Responsibilities differ based on if the district is internal or external. Find details in the table below.
Affiliates are required to sign an annual agreement between the affiliate and district and submit the agreements to the Academy during the Principles of Affiliation submission which is due August 31st each year. These agreements should be in place prior to the start of the affiliate’s fiscal year.
Two templates are available in the sidebar of this page. As a part of this agreement, external districts are required to submit:
- Certificate of Good Standing from an agency of the state in which district is incorporated or a copy of the most recently filed annual report with the state of incorporation
- A copy of federal (IRS form) and state income tax filings for affiliate and foundation (if applicable); or if district has less than $50,000 in gross revenue, a copy of the 990N Postcard that district is required to file with the IRS.
- A copy of the current district bylaws.
- An annual report summarizing the districts activities and finances.
Affiliates may consider an additional written policy with each district defining the items addressed below.
Any district that has a formal, signed relationship with the affiliate (internal and external) will have insurance coverage under the policy offered to affiliates through the Academy as long as they fulfill the legal and affiliate requirements.
Forming a District
Step 1: Determine Interest
- Determine the district area – this most oftentimes is completed by zip code or county.
- Each affiliate should investigate establishing a minimum number of individuals required to start a district. It is recommended that this is capture in a written policy.
- Affiliates should consult with their accountant or tax professional to review both federal and state requirements prior to making a recommendation regarding the district formation.
- The potential district leaders should survey the members in the proposed area to determine interest in district formation, including the purpose and benefits of forming a new district.
Step 2: District Formation
If the board and district leaders feel a new district formation would benefit the affiliate members, the next steps are to develop:
- Governance
- Determine if the district will be separately incorporated or incorporated through the affiliate. If a district is incorporated through the affiliate, the affiliate will be liable for district activities and leaders. If the district is separately incorporated, they will be held solely responsible for their leaders, finances, and for tax filings.
- Create bylaws if separately incorporated as an external district. Districts incorporated within an affiliate as an internal district are governed by the affiliate’s bylaws but should create guiding principles.
- District will need to establish policies and procedures.
- Dues
- Determine whether dues will be collected. When a relationship is formed, individuals who qualify for Academy membership must be members of the Academy to become members of the district. This applies to both internal and external districts.
- If dues will be collected, how, by whom and how much.
- Determine how Academy and affiliate membership will be verified. Each affiliate has access to the Academy’s DMIS database which includes all members of the affiliate. Affiliates can share log in information with district leaders, provide a list of members on a regular basis, or have districts submit members to the affiliate for verification.
- Determine the affiliate’s requirements of the district, such as:
- Annual report
- Position on the affiliate board of directors
- Quarterly reports
- Signing a district agreement (templates for internal and external organizations are available through the Academy)
- Participating on leadership calls with affiliate
- Co-planning events with the district leaders affiliate-level counterparts (e.g., public policy coordinator and district-level policy position).
- Consider including district leaders in affiliate strategic planning workshops, retreats, etc.
- Determine Financial Structure
- If there is a financial need, establish a bank account for the district. If incorporated within the affiliate, may need to work with the board of directors and staff to establish banking procedures.
- Consider various types of financial support to the district if internally incorporated (annual district rebates, speaker grants, etc.). If the affiliate rebates the districts, tie it to achievement of measurable standards or other criteria.
- Leadership (Refer to established positions in the bylaws or guiding principles)
- Identify needed positions
- Identify support available to district leaders from the Academy and affiliate levels
- Develop position descriptions.
- Recruit and train leaders
- Ensure position descriptions are updated regularly
- Develop member benefits.
- What unique benefits will district membership have? Networking, CPE’s, newsletters, etc. See more information on this in below sections.
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Internal District
(Incorporated through the affiliate)
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External District
(Incorporated on its own)
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Principles of District Cooperation Agreement
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Required.
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Required.
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Academy Membership
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Must be an Academy member.
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Must be an Academy member.
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Membership Dues
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District may collect dues.
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District may collect dues.
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Access to Affiliate member information (DMIS)
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At discretion of the affiliate
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At discretion of the affiliate
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Legal Status
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Part of the affiliate.
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District must register/maintain non-for-profit corporate with Secretary of State.
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State and Federal Tax Filing
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Filed by the affiliate.
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Filed by the district.
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Bylaws
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Defined by affiliate bylaws.
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Defined by district bylaws.
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Financial Liability
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Responsibility is with the affiliate.
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Responsibility is with the district.
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Budget/Monthly Financials
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Managed by the affiliate.
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Managed by the district.
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Insurance
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Included through Academy coverage
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Included through Academy coverage
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Registered Agent
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Covered by the affiliate.
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District must appoint representation.
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Step 3: Launching the District
Identify ways the affiliate will promote the district formation and market the opportunity to members.
- Email communications to individuals in district’s geographic area.
- Including information on the affiliate website.
- Promote the district in the affiliate newsletter.
- Form a dedicated electronic mailing list for the district.
- Facebook/social media pages
Maintaining a District
Step 1: Maintain Expectations
Upon creation of the district, the district and affiliate should have determined the requirements of the district (as mentioned above). On an annual basis, the district and affiliate should ensure requirements have been met and review requirements for the upcoming year.
- The expectation should be consistent for all districts within the affiliate and should be reasonable for all to comply.
- District should know the responsibilities that the leaders have (for example, creating of bylaws, filing taxes, electing leaders, etc.)
- Review the affiliate/district relationship to determine the benefits available to the district, and the required annual state and federal tax filings.
- Timelines/calendars should be created and maintained to ensure requirements are being met.
Step 2: Communication
Communication between the affiliate leaders and district leaders is essential. Affiliate leadership should collaborate with the district leadership to define the relationship and set expectations. This defined relationship will ensure a minimum amount of communication and aid in growing the relationship in a supportive and mutually beneficial manner.
- New district leaders need to be oriented to their roles. Determine if district leaders will orient leaders on their own, or if the affiliate leaders should be involved.
- Provide leadership and officer training to district board members as way to groom for additional volunteer positions.
- Maintain a relationship between the affiliate board and the district leaders. Invite district leaders to be members of the board, hold them accountable for specific tasks tied to the strategic plan, and actively engage them. Consider requiring quarterly reports from districts.
- Affiliate leaders should check-in often with district leaders (phones calls or emails). Consider quarterly leadership calls with district leaders.
- Determine if the affiliate and district will share in communication announcements, events, and benefits.
- Educate the districts on benefits available to them, through the Academy and the affiliate. Inform districts of their responsibilities in order to maintain those benefits.
- Collaborate with districts on membership recruitment/retention activities.
Step 3: Collect Feedback
- Districts should perform membership satisfaction surveys every 1-3 years with members.
- District leaders should maintain a pulse on their community and communicate to the affiliate board regarding any changes in needs.
- Review the arrangement yearly to determine if it continues to work well for both the affiliate and district. Identify any adjustments that should be made.