Membership - NRTC

Member Owned and Controlled

Discover the benefits of a national cooperative serving the information technology and telecom needs of rural electric and telephone utilities. As an NRTC member, you will join more than 1,500 other rural utilities that have a stake in the development of products and services that can help you grow your business, get closer to your customers and build revenues.

Representing the interests of all our members, our Board of Directors is comprised of representatives from the national rural electric and telephone industries, the CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), and the Governor and the CEO of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC).

Capital Credit Rights

All members and affiliates are eligible for payment of capital credit refunds based on the volume of business each patron conducts with NRTC during the fiscal year.

Membership Classes

In January 1997, the NRTC Board of Directors suspended annual membership dues for Class A, B and C members for the foreseeable future. The Board reserves the right to reinstate membership dues at a later date.

NRTC’s Board of Directors reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant and to rescind any previously approved associate’s or affiliate’s affiliation with NRTC on the anniversary of the applicant’s affiliation or at such other time for reasonable cause as the Board determines at its sole discretion.

Class A Membership

Rural Electric Organizations
$1,000 application fee
A Class A member shall be both the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), and any organization that qualifies for membership in both CFC and NRECA.

Class B Membership

Rural Telephone Cooperatives
$1,000 application fee
A Class B member shall be both the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) and a not-for-profit cooperative telephone or mutual aid organization that qualifies for membership in NTCA.

Class C Membership

Rural Telephone Commercial Companies
$500 application fee
A Class C member shall be a locally owned and operated independent telephone company that qualifies for membership in NTCA.

Class Group Membership

$500 application fee
Class A, Class B, and Class C members, individually or in combination, may apply to NRTC to admit a Class Group member to membership. A Class Group member shall be an entity that is majority owned, operated and controlled by the applicant A, B or C member(s) in accordance with policies and guidelines established by the NRTC Board of Directors. To qualify for Class Group membership, the prospective member must be at least 25 percent owned by the applying A,B or C members(s), as long as applicant A,B or C member(s) demonstrate effective control of the Class Group member applicant of the NRTC Board of Directors.

Associate Membership: Other Cooperative Business Organizations

$500 application fee
An associate can be an organization structured under general cooperative business guidelines that works for the benefit of its member owners.

Associate Membership: Dealers/Distributors

$500 application fee
An associate can be a dealer or distributor recommended to NRTC by an NRTC member. A dealer/distributor associate must be actively working with an NRTC member in the provision of equipment or services.

Associate Membership: Affiliated Organizations

$500 application fee
An associate can be an affiliated organization that has been determined by the NRTC Board of Directors to be important and useful to NRTC, its members, or NRTC areas of involvement. The Board will consider on a case-by-case basis such affiliated organization applications, which may be presented during regular meetings.

Membership Documents

Membership Application (PDF)
NRTC Bylaws (PDF)