A: NACD membership is an annual membership offered by the National Association of Corporate Directors — the leading membership organization for US corporate directors since 1977. It delivers governance research, director education, peer networking, and practical boardroom resources that directors and full boards can apply immediately. Membership is available in two forms: Corporate Board Membership for full boards and Individual Membership for active directors managing their own development, and board readiness courses for executives pursuing their first board seat.

A: No. NACD supports fiduciary directors across all organizational structures — public, private, family-owned, nonprofit, and startup boards. The governance challenges directors face around risk oversight, strategy, executive succession, and stakeholder accountability are not unique to public companies. NACD’s research, education, and peer community are designed to serve directors regardless of company size, industry, or for-profit status. Many of NACD’s most active members serve on private and nonprofit boards.

A: NACD helps board directors in four primary ways: by providing independent, unbiased governance research and intelligence through publications like the Blue Ribbon Commission Reports and the annual Governance Outlook; by delivering director education in formats that fit board schedules — including on-demand, virtual, and in-person programs; by connecting directors to a national peer community of 23,000+ directors across 1,750+ boards through 20+ regional chapters and national events; and by offering NACD Directorship Certification^®, the only US-based credential designed to formally recognize board governance competency.

A: NACD offers multiple membership options because no two directors — or boards — are at the same stage or have the same needs. Corporate Board Membership is built for organizations that want to develop their full board together under one membership. Individual Membership is designed for active directors who prefer to manage their own development independently.

A: Yes. In addition to Corporate Board Membership and Individual Membership, NACD offers on-demand board readiness courses for executives who are not yet directors but are actively preparing for their first board seat. These courses, including Director Professionalism, are available without a membership and cover governance fundamentals, practical strategies, and oversight frameworks.