NoaNet's Affiliate Membership Program

Vision

In the era of digital advancement, dependable internet connectivity has become an indispensable cornerstone for achieving equity and fostering economic development. Its absence can create significant barriers for community members seeking access to essential services, impeding their ability to enhance their quality of life. Since its inception in 2001, NoaNet has been diligently engaged in strategic initiatives to enhance broadband accessibility via middle-mile deployments across Washington State. This concerted effort has paved the way for the deployment of future-ready community networks. NoaNet has expanded that mission to support middle and last-mile networks to serve Washington’s communities.

We advocate for the role of publicly owned, open-access broadband networks in Washington State for communities that have remained on the losing side of the digital divide. Furthermore, we believe that when utilizing taxpayer-funded grant programs, retaining ownership of the infrastructure resulting from these investments within the public domain is judicious. This ensures that the infrastructure is maintained and developed in alignment with the specific needs of local communities.

To bolster our commitment to digital equity and community empowerment, in 2023, NoaNet launched the Affiliate Membership Program. This initiative aims to support grassroots endeavors that empower Washington communities affected by digital disparities, particularly those struggling to attain the connectivity necessary to remain competitive in today’s digital economy. By extending affiliate membership to other publicly owned organizations dedicated to expanding broadband access, NoaNet seeks to broaden the scope of our engagement from our core membership group to encompass a comprehensive, statewide approach. In doing so, we aspire to uplift and amplify the visibility of diverse and historically under-invested communities across the state.

Purpose

NoaNet’s Affiliate Membership initiative is designed to extend a warm invitation to other public benefit agencies, including Public Utility Districts, Ports, Municipalities, and entities with a shared commitment to advancing rural public benefit broadband networks, to become part of the esteemed NoaNet community. By joining forces, NoaNet affiliate members will actively contribute to the legacy of delivering cutting-edge broadband services to rural communities across Washington State while participating in events geared towards fostering rural investment.

Becoming a NoaNet affiliate member grants access to an array of NoaNet’s organizational events, resources, and an invaluable professional network without taking on organizational ownership. This strategic collaboration aligns seamlessly with NoaNet’s overarching mission, which centers on enhancing people’s lives and expanding business opportunities within the State of Washington through the development of infrastructure. Our commitment to developing world-class telecommunications infrastructure continues to drive our efforts, and the inclusion of affiliate members underscores our dedication to bridging the digital divide across the state.

Affiliate Program Guidelines

The Benefits of Affiliate Membership

1. Establish relationships with public-benefit network owners across Washington State.
  1. NoaNet has ten owners/members and interconnects with more than 100 Internet Service Providers in Washington State.
2. Invitations to exclusive NoaNet events
  1. Our Spring and Fall TechFests offer a chance to learn from people in the offices and the field deploying our organizations’ networks.
3. Leverage the political and lobbying strength of the NoaNet and membership organizations to advocate for advantageous public broadband policies and regulations.
4. Access to the Public Benefit Network Owners Forum
  1. A private forum for WA public benefit network owners to post questions, share information, and collaborate.
5. Preferred pricing and positioning for strategic support agreements under NoaNet’s Network Coordinated Services, including prioritized contracting for Internet, VoIP Services, Virtual Storage-Compute, Outside Plant Support, GIS Services, and Engineering Support.
6. As an affiliate, you may display the NoaNet affiliate logo on your website to show the world you are part of the NoaNet team.
7. Affiliate members will be featured on the NoaNet website through affiliate spotlight features to recognize regional efforts and on a static affiliates page.
8. Affiliates will have access to a yearly 2-hour one-on-one lunch with NoaNet business development leaders to discuss broadband development strategies for their area.

Level I and Level II Dues

Dues will be paid annually at the first of the year. Members joining at a point mid-year will be assessed a prorated rate based on the month their membership would become active. Employee counts to determine if your organization is a Level I or Level II organization are based on the employee count as a whole, not any one office or location of a larger organization.
• Level I (15 or fewer employees) – $1,000 per year
• Level II (16+ employees) – $1,500 per year