Comparison · 11 material differences
CREW Network vs NAWBO
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact — it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Professional association
Verified September 2026 CREW Network
Professionals working full time in commercial real estate - transaction, design, development, construction, management and investment disciplines - who want to advance women in…
Professional association
NAWBO
Women who own an equity interest in a business in the United States, at any size, stage and industry
What the records say
- Minimum ownership stake — CREW Network: No published minimum ownership stake; NAWBO: Ownership as "sole proprietor, partner, LLC member, independent contractor or 5%+ corporate shareholder".
- Gender — CREW Network: "Membership is open to both women and men, as men are important allies in the advancement of women." CREW also states it welcomes applicants "of all backgrounds, experience levels, genders, race, ethnicity, origin, sexual orientation, and ability"; NAWBO: "Any individual who identifies as a woman who owns an equity interest in her business" qualifies as a woman business owner for the Premier, Basic, NextGen and Virtual levels.
- Geographic restriction — CREW Network: Applicants join through the chapter or affiliate nearest them; at-large membership is for those with no chapter or affiliate "within a reasonable distance" of their primary residence; NAWBO: Members within 45 miles of a chapter join at chapter level; those more than 45 miles away join the national Virtual membership.
- Industry restriction — CREW Network: "you must be employed in a full-time professional position with responsibility in one of CREW Network's Qualified Fields of Commercial Real Estate"; NAWBO: No published industry restriction.
- Annual dues — CREW Network: $139–229 a year; NAWBO: $479 a year.
Side by side
| CREW Network | NAWBO | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Professional association | Professional association |
| Founded | 1989 (Founded in 1989 to enable women in commercial real estate to exchange information, develop business contacts and advance professionally.) | 1975 ("They formed NAWBO in 1975 in Washington, DC" - Susan Hager, NAWBO's founding president, and eleven other founding members.) |
| Headquarters | Lawrence, United States | United States |
| Geographic footprint | "more than 14,000 members in over 80 major markets worldwide"; chapters are incorporated independently in their state or province across North America, with global affiliate groups typically formed outside North America | Chapters across the United States, grouped into four regions, plus a Virtual membership for women more than 45 miles from a chapter; NAWBO also maintains international alliances |
| Members | 14,000as of September 2026 | Not publicly disclosed. NAWBO describes itself as the voice of "more than 12 million women-owned businesses" in the United States, which is a national statistic rather than a membership figure. |
| Chapters | 85 | 46 |
| Primary audience | Professionals working full time in commercial real estate - transaction, design, development, construction, management and investment disciplines - who want to advance women in the industry | Women who own an equity interest in a business in the United States, at any size, stage and industry |
| Typical member | Full-time commercial real estate professionals across all disciplines of the industry. Full membership requires that the majority of an individual's responsibilities lie within commercial real estate and that their field is necessary to the transaction, design, development, construction, management, investment or functioning of commercial real estate; those who only supply goods and services to the industry are admitted as affiliate or vendor members instead. | Women business owners of all sizes and stages, from sole proprietors and independent contractors to owners of larger companies. NAWBO's own definition covers "Any individual who identifies as a woman who owns an equity interest in her business (sole proprietor, partner, LLC member, independent contractor or 5%+ corporate shareholder)". Male business owners and executives of either gender may join as supporting members without voting rights. |
| Qualification | ||
| Minimum ownership stake | No published minimum ownership stake | Ownership as "sole proprietor, partner, LLC member, independent contractor or 5%+ corporate shareholder"The 5 per cent test applies to corporate shareholders; other ownership forms have no percentage thresholdverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Gender | "Membership is open to both women and men, as men are important allies in the advancement of women." CREW also states it welcomes applicants "of all backgrounds, experience levels, genders, race, ethnicity, origin, sexual orientation, and ability"The organisation's mission is to accelerate success for all women in global commercial real estate, but membership itself is not restricted by genderverified September 2026 · source ↗ | "Any individual who identifies as a woman who owns an equity interest in her business" qualifies as a woman business owner for the Premier, Basic, NextGen and Virtual levelsMale business owners and male and female business executives may join at the Individual Supporting and Corporate Supporting levels, which do not carry voting rightsverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Geographic restriction | Applicants join through the chapter or affiliate nearest them; at-large membership is for those with no chapter or affiliate "within a reasonable distance" of their primary residence"While most members are located in North America, CREW Network is expanding globally, and we welcome new members from all continents."verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Members within 45 miles of a chapter join at chapter level; those more than 45 miles away join the national Virtual membershipverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Industry restriction | "you must be employed in a full-time professional position with responsibility in one of CREW Network's Qualified Fields of Commercial Real Estate"CREW's screening question is: "Is the applicant's field necessary to the transaction, design, development, construction, management, investment and/or functioning of CRE?" If not, the applicant is admitted as an affiliate or vendor member rather than a full member.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published industry restriction |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | Yes | No |
| Application process | Four published steps: find a CREW chapter or affiliate near you, review the membership benefits and qualifications, apply for membership, and pay the invoice. At-large applicants apply centrally and submit demographic and location details, their Qualified Field, a description of their role, why they want to join, two professional references, a LinkedIn profile or resume, and a US$25 application fee; the outcome is notified within one week and dues are billed on approval. | Three steps published by NAWBO: choose a chapter or the Virtual option depending on distance from the nearest chapter; choose a membership level; and complete a short online application. A welcome email is sent immediately, followed by a member packet, a connection to the chapter or Virtual community, and access to the member portal. There is no interview, sponsor or committee review. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed as a rate. Applications are screened against the Qualified Fields definition, which determines whether an applicant becomes a full member or an affiliate or vendor member. | Not applicable in the usual sense: NAWBO admits any applicant meeting its ownership definition and publishes no acceptance rate. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $139–229 a yearAt-large membership: "you will be billed for annual membership dues at either $229 USD for the full year or $139 USD if applying between June 15 and September 30." Membership runs on a calendar year, renewable from November; dues are non-transferable and non-refundable.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | $479 a yearPremier level: "$479.40* annually" - for women who actively participate in their business, with full voting rights, leadership and award eligibility, and both chapter and national benefits. The asterisk on NAWBO's page notes that a US$75 Spring Membership Campaign discount had been applied to the one-time application fee at the time of access.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Local chapter dues | Not publicly disclosed centrally. CREW chapters "are created and incorporated as independent organizations in their state or province", set their own dues, and bill members directly; the network's site directs applicants to their local chapter rather than publishing chapter prices.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Prices shown were displayed during a Spring Membership Campaign that applied a US$75 discount to the one-time application fee; the underlying application fee is not published. Chapter-level and national benefits come together at the Premier and Basic levels. |
| Membership term | Calendar year, renewable from November for the coming year; dues non-transferable and non-refundable | Annual |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Chapter programming locally, plus the annual CREW Convention, the Leadership Summit, CREW Collective member-led webinars and networking at ICSC, MIPIM and NMHC events | Chapter programming locally, plus national events including the NAWBO Summit, monthly new member orientations and virtual community events |
| Peer forums | CREW Councils bring members together at the global level for deals, knowledge exchange and relationship building; CREWbiz hosts an open forum and topic communities | No confidential peer forums are published; NAWBO Institute programmes such as Circle ($1 Million+) group members by business stage |
| Confidentiality | CREW publishes a Code of Conduct and forum etiquette rules governing member conduct and the online community | Not publicly disclosed |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Chapter-based, Event-focused, Virtual | Chapter-based, Event-focused, Virtual |
| Confidential peer forums | Partial | Partial |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | Yes | Yes |
| Online community | Yes | Yes |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | No | Partial |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | No |
| Next-generation programming | Partial | Yes |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Partial |
| Investment opportunities | Partial | No |
| Philanthropic component | Yes | Partial |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Medium |
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Last verified: not yet reviewed
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: CREW Network · NAWBO