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Membership FAQ

Have questions about membership? Read below for answers to frequently asked questions. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, please reach out to us.

Are you new in your business and looking for an instant peer network and to find more clientele?  Connector is for you. 

Are you an established business that become too successful (OK- or busy) to attend events, but would like a bit more advertising and to possibly host member events at your place?  Host is for you. 

And what about those professional service businesses that are looking to help their fellow members with accounting or legal or insurance needs?  The Builder level is right for you. 

And finally, you've grown up and multiplied.  You own a few local businesses or are a municipality or department within it.  You want to insure our members have the advocacy they need by supporting this community in a larger way - a "big" supporting the "littles."  And if you'd like the additional direct communication access to our membership, the Guardian membership is for you!

Prospective and existing members must meet the following criteria to remain a member in good standing:

  • Members identify as one of the following:
    • Incorporated or dba Business (enterprises from sole proprietor to multi-national, privately owned or publicly traded)
    • Community or Impact Investor (including individuals, groups, funds, family offices, foundations);
    • Organizations or Associations (those representing businesses, investors, and/or entrepreneurs).
    • Non-Profit, Coop, Public Benefit Corporation, or Municipality.
    • Select exited, retired, and serial entrepreneurs will also be considered for membership.
  • Members must be able to make independent decisions and not use a national brand as their identity
  • Members must be headquartered in Austin, Texas or surrounding areas* and/or
  • 51% of the ownership must reside in Austin, Texas or surrounding areas*
  • Members agree to pay monthly or annual dues at the designated level per annum
  • Members agree to work together to create an inclusive, welcoming community, act with integrity, and honor their commitments to each other and the group.
  • Members agree with, are actively working towards, and are supportive of ALBA’s mission and vision statements.
  • Members must treat each other with mutual respect and justice both on an individual and an organizational level. This extends to invited speakers, event attendees, funders, supporters, staff, event and venue staff, and guests.

*Surrounding areas means anything touching the City of Austin boundaries, including Counties.

To view current pricing options please view our Local Business Memberships and Local Supporter Memberships pages. These pages outline the various pricing options and benefits for each membership level.

Want to be a part of ALBA but don't quite make the cut for membership?  

We honor the life-cycle of a business in capitalism.  It takes money to keep going, and sometimes that's at the cost of our percentage of ownership.  Or sometimes you've moved to Austin from out of state and really really love all things local now. 

We've got a place for you!
Local Affiliates and Supporters can display our Affiliate logo, have a logo on our Partners page, have articles submitted to our member newsletters, and be the Host of member events, among other things. 

You also have access to Local Supporter window stickers and other ALBA branding.

Let everyone know that you may not have started in Austin Texas, but you got here as quick as you could!  

Affiliate Members or Supporters must meet the following criteria:

  • have either started in Austin and have been bought by a larger corporation while retaining the ‘brand’ of local or;
  • are a locally-owned franchise with branding flexibility that extracts less than the current ‘contribution’ to Austin economy per Independentwestand.org’s calculations or;
  • any other business that focuses on the health of our local economy - including retired business owners who still live in our surrounding area.