Local Affiliates are independent organizations that are associated with the American Evaluation Association (AEA) to collaborate on programs and activities aimed at making an impact on the evaluation industry. This collaboration is mutually beneficial to each entity’s membership, and benefits include access to membership lists, sharing of educational, programmatic and advocacy information, opportunities at AEA's annual conference, and support from AEA in helping the group organize. Prior to petitioning for affiliation, affiliates should have a governing structure, leadership, criteria for membership, and programming in place.
Local Affiliates are not chapters and exist independently of AEA. Affiliates are not eligible for tax exemption benefits under AEA’s Federal Tax ID number and are not covered by AEA’s legal counsel. Local Affiliates elect separate officers, operate under their own by‐laws, maintain their own financial records, and, if tax-exempt, have a separate 501(c)(3) status. The Local Affiliate assumes all responsibility for taxes and annual report filings to the state and/or federal government.
AEA exercises no control over decisions made by Local Affiliates and takes no responsibility for their actions, including legal liability. Interested groups must apply to AEA to be designated as an AEA Local Affiliate,” (Bylaws Article V Section 3) via an application and a signed Memorandum of Understanding.
Local Affiliates fulfill a variety of roles, among them:
- Providing local or regional programming to evaluators
- Providing local or regional networking opportunities
- Supporting the field by representing evaluation and the concerns of evaluators
- Providing resources to evaluators and those seeking information about evaluators or evaluation