Member Benefits
The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) is the only association that advocates on behalf of workforce development boards (WDBs), representing over 500 WDBs and their 12,000+ business members. NAWB’s mission is to support its members through a comprehensive program of advocacy, training and technical assistance (TTA), communication, and strategic partnerships to promote the advancement of our nation’s workforce. NAWB membership grants exclusive access to world-class leadership development opportunities, regular policy updates from Washington, professional development opportunities, peer-to-peer networking, technical assistance, advocacy, and more.
Breakdown of Member Benefits
Advocacy
NAWB works closely with policymakers in Washington, DC to inform national policy as it relates to WDBs and partners in education, economic development, labor, and business. Advocacy benefits include:
- Access to One Click Politics, which allows members to directly contact their Members of Congress by phone, email, video or tweet;
- Representation of WDBs on the Hill, to the Department of Labor, and even in the White House;
- Comprehensive read-outs on the policies and policy makers that are shaping the industry;
- Engagement with members regarding their views on issues and using them to shape the policy priorities we pursue;
- Assistance preparing Congressional testimony and links to federal agencies and leaders working on related issues;
- Weekly updates from Washington, such as legislative updates and funding announcements; and,
- Coordinate your Congressional meeting for NAWB Hill Day.
Professional Development
NAWB members receive exclusive access to events and resources that help your organization stay up to date on the latest practices and tools in the field, including:
- Access to town hall webinars on various subjects;
- Access to recordings from previous professional development events;
- Access to the new NAWB Connect social networking platform; and,
- Participation in Coffee & Conversation sessions where members can chat directly with experts in the field.
Networking Opportunities
NAWB offers multiple opportunities for peer-to-peer networking for members, including:
- NAWB Connect – A new online community platform NAWB members can use to connect directly with fellow members across the country. Members can create individual profiles, can engage with topic-specific communities, search for other members with similar interests and become part of the knowledge-sharing network foundational to WDBs.
- Coffee & Conversations – Virtually engage with other NAWB members from across the country during monthly conversations around specific workforce topics, including federal policy, innovations and upcoming events.
- Member Zone – At The Forum, members can access the “Member Zone,” or an exclusive area at the event venue with seating, refreshments and more to connect with other NAWB members.
Communications
NAWB members stay informed on the latest in workforce development through:
- Monthly members-only newsletter;
- Monthly “Workforce Digest” newsletter;
- Alerts and reminders for members-only professional development events;
- Alert on new and closing funding opportunities for WDBs; and,
- Toolkits to assist members with social media messages, letters to the editor, congressional communications, etc.
The Forum
NAWB’s annual event The Forum is the largest convening for workforce development professionals in the country. Members-only benefits at this annual event include:
- Invitation to join NAWB Board for Annual Membership meeting;
- Significant discount on the event registration fee; and,
- Discount hotel room rate.
Member Portal
The NAWB member's portal (https://members.nawb.org/) grants members exclusive access to:
- Job listings in the career center;
- New and closing requests for proposals (RFPs);
- Members-only publications;
- Funding opportunities;
- Speaking requests; and,
- Technical assistance services.
Business & Industry Partnerships
NAWB initiates and fosters partnerships with leaders in business & industry. Currently, NAWB is collaborating with Google and select WDBs on the Google Career Certificate Scholarship Program. At some point later this year, NAWB will open this opportunity to all members.
NAWB is collaborating with the Maycomb Capital Community of Practice to provide outcomes-based financing to members, which will open in the latter half of 2021.
Technical Assistance & Coaching
While NAWB provides general technical assistance to WDBs that need it, we give priority and discounts to NAWB members. Our president and CEO, Ron Painter, and team also offer training for Elected officials, which we also focus towards members and for a lesser fee than non-members.