Membership

 

NHMA Dues

Municipal membership dues are based upon municipal population and equalized valuation. In addition to municipal membership, NHMA offers associate membership to eligible local government entities including, village districts, utility districts, regional planning commissions or quasi-municipal public agencies serving municipalities, subject to the approval of and any terms as the NHMA Board of Directors may establish.

Membership inquiries should be directed to NHMA staff.

Member Services Plan

On  April 20, 2023, NHMA's Board of Directors readopted the Member Services Plan which outlines the programs, services and opportunities afforded to municipal members of the New Hampshire Municipal Association.

Legal Services 

  • Legal Advisory Services: Access to NHMA attorneys for assistance with general questions faced by officials, employees, or boards 
  • Amicus Curiae briefs: NHMA files briefs in cases before the New Hampshire Supreme Court on issues of statewide municipal interest 
  • Employment Law Hotline: Partnership with employment law attorneys through which any municipal members of NHMA can seek a complimentary consultation on labor law matters 
  • Important Date Calendars: Annual publication of important dates for municipalities, including individual calendars for traditional town meeting schedules (March and May) and SB 2 town meeting schedules (March, April, and May) 
  • Customized “On Demand” training programs (additional fee): NHMA staff will provide a training program in your city or town or virtually (visit website for details) 

Advocacy 

  • NHMA staff carry out member-adopted policy positions to preserve local control, limit state mandates, and to defend and increase state aid and revenue sharing to cities and towns 
  • Legislative Bulletin: Weekly publication during the legislative session that provides status updates, inside information, and calls for action/final end-of-session compilation of municipally-related legislation passed 
  • Online bill tracker: Access to NHMA’s online bill tracker for the most up-to-date information on legislative activity affecting cities and towns 
  • Biennial Legislative Policy Process and Policy Conference: Opportunity for local officials to debate and determine the legislative policies and principles for NHMA  

Government Finance 

  • General guidance, training, and other resources on best practices and principles of government finance 
  • Biennial publication, Municipal State Aid & Revenue Sharing 

Education & Resources 

  • Town & City Magazine: published six times per year, providing in depth articles on broad range of issues faced by local government 
  • NewsLink: Bi-weekly electronic newsletter that delivers information to your inbox, including court updates, notice of workshops, webinars and upcoming events by NHMA and others 
  • Classified Advertisements: Free classifieds advertisements for members on NHMA’s website 
  • Website Resources: Court updates, current and archived editions of Town & City, Legislative Bulletin, Right-to-Know Law information, archived workshops and webinars, and more  
  • Access to monthly webinars (always complimentary) 
  • Access to all NHMA workshops and annual conference (fee charged for some) 
  • Variety of publications on municipal topics, available on the NHMA Shop 

Annual Workshops 

NHMA provides on average more than 40 workshops and webinars throughout the year, including the following “core” events: 

  • Local Officials Workshop: Includes our handbook Knowing the Territory.  (No fee) 
  • Academy for Good Governance: Certificate training series for governing body members (Biennial; no fee) 
  • Right to Know Workshops: Includes our publication New Hampshire’s Right-to-Know Law.  (Fee charged) 
  • Hard Road to Travel Workshops: Includes our publication, A Hard Road to Travel.  (Fee charged) 
  • Moderators Workshop: One workshop for SB2 meetings and one workshop for traditional meetings; includes the Town Meeting/School Meeting Handbook. (Fee charged) 
  • Budget and Finance Workshop: Full-day workshop; includes our publication, The Basic Law of Budgeting Handbook. (Fee charged) 
  • Local Welfare Workshop: Held in partnership with the New Hampshire Local Welfare Administrators Association; includes The Art of Welfare Administration booklet. (Fee charged) 
  • Land Use Law Conference: Full-day workshop designed for land use board members. (Fee charged) 
  • Municipal Trustees Workshop: Designed for trustees of the trust fund, library trustees, and cemetery trustees (Fee charged) 
  • NHMA Annual Conference: Held every fall, providing two days of educational programming and networking opportunities for every local official; access to over 100 exhibitors. (Fee charged) 

Publications^ 

  • New Hampshire’s Right-to-Know Law* 
  • Charter Government in New Hampshire* 
  • A Hard Road to Travel  
  • Basic Law of Budgeting 
  • New Hampshire Town and City Magazine 
  • Knowing the Territory* 
  • Town Meeting/School Meeting Handbook 
  • The Basics of Financial Policy 
  • The Art of Welfare Administration 
  •  Model Welfare Guidelines  

*Every municipality receives one complimentary copy per year upon request; additional copies and publications may be purchased on the NHMA Shop at a 50% member discount 

^Members paying dues in excess of $15,000 may receive one complimentary copy of each publication upon request. 

About NHMA 

NHMA is a non-profit, non-partisan membership association working to strengthen New Hampshire cities and towns and their ability to serve the public as a member-funded, member-governed and member-driven association since 1941.  We serve as a resource for information, legislative advocacy, education and legal services.  For more information about NHMA, please visit our website at www.nhmunicipal.org.