The EBAA offers membership to not-for-profit organizations that recover, process, store, evaluate, or distribute ocular and corneal tissue for transplantation. Organizations wishing to apply for membership should submit an application for Associate (Unaccredited), Limited or Comprehensive Membership.
Benefits
The Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) consists primarily of non-profit eye banks across the US and internationally. EBAA serves its members through a variety of services, resources, education, and much more.
Categories of Membership
The following categories of membership are outlined in the Constitution & Bylaws.
Active (Accredited) Comprehensive U.S. Membership
An eye bank (or group of eye banks organized and operated as a single legal entity) is eligible for Active U.S. Membership if it (or in the case of a group, each of its members): (1) is organized under the laws of a state of the United States and is an organization exempt from federal taxation under Sections 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code, or another provision deemed analogous by the Association; (2) provides evidence satisfactory to the Association that it has substantial support among the medical and ophthalmological communities; (3) has successfully completed the Association’s accreditation process; (4) is not currently suspended or terminated from Association membership as the result of a finding of unethical conduct under the Association’s Code of Ethics; and (5) pays the required dues.
Active (Accredited) Limited U.S. Membership
An eye bank (or entity(ies) performing limited eye bank activities or a group of eye banks) which performs a limited number of eye banking activities is eligible for Active (Accredited) Limited U.S. Membership if it: (1) is organized under the laws of a state of the United States and is an organization exempt from federal taxation under Sections 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code, or another provision deemed analogous by the Association; (2) provides evidence satisfactory to the Association that it has substantial support among the medical and ophthalmological communities; (3) has successfully completed the Association’s accreditation process for those eye banking activities it performs; (4) is not currently suspended or terminated from Association membership as the result of a finding of unethical conduct under the Association’s Code of Ethics; and (5) pays the required dues.
Associate (Unaccredited) U.S. Membership
An eye bank (or entity(ies) performing limited eye bank activities or a group of eye banks) is eligible for Associate (Unaccredited) U.S. Membership if it meets all the requirements for Active (Accredited) Comprehensive or, alternatively, Active (Accredited) Limited U.S. Membership except that it has not yet met or does not currently meet the Association’s requirements for accreditation.
Active (Accredited) Comprehensive International Membership
An eye bank (or group of eye banks) located outside the United States is eligible for Active (Accredited) Comprehensive International Membership if it meets the requirements substantially equivalent to those for Active (Accredited) Comprehensive U.S. Membership, except that it is organized as a charitable, educational or social welfare organization under applicable law of a foreign nation or political subdivision thereof.
Active (Accredited) Limited International Membership
An eye bank (or entity(ies) performing limited eye bank activities or a group of eye banks) located outside the United States is eligible for Active (Accredited) Limited International Membership if it meets the requirements substantially equivalent to those for Active (Accredited) Limited U.S. Membership, except that it is organized as a charitable, educational or social welfare organization under applicable law of a foreign nation or political subdivision thereof.
Associate (Unaccredited) International Membership
An eye bank (or entity(ies) performing limited eye bank activities) located outside the United States is eligible for Associate (Unaccredited) International Membership if it meets all the criteria for Active (Accredited) Comprehensive or, alternatively, Active (Accredited) Limited International Membership except that it has not yet met or does not currently meet the Association’s requirements for accreditation.