Comparison · 16 material differences
CREW Network vs ICSC
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
ICSC
Owners, developers, managers, investors, brokers and marketers of shopping centres and other retail and mixed-use property, plus retailers, public officials and academics
What the records say
- Maximum age at joining — CREW Network: No published maximum age at joining; ICSC: Next Generation membership: industry professionals under 40.
- 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"; ICSC: No published gender.
- 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; ICSC: No published geographic restriction.
- 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"; ICSC: Standard membership: companies and individuals who own, develop, manage or support marketplaces and spaces (excludes retailers and tenants).
- Annual dues — CREW Network: $139–229 a year; ICSC: $300 a year.
Side by side
| CREW Network | ICSC | |
|---|---|---|
| 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.) | 1957 (ICSC's own account: "With a $500 payment and a handshake, seven enterprising professionals established ICSC in a downtown Chicago hotel in 1957.") |
| Headquarters | Lawrence, United States | New York, 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 | Global; ICSC runs regional divisions and works with national and regional shopping centre councils worldwide, and holds a Washington DC office alongside its New York headquarters |
| Members | 14,000as of September 2026 | 70,000as of May 2026 |
| Chapters | 85 | Not publicly disclosed as a single figure. ICSC organises by region and division rather than by named chapters, and Wikipedia reports relationships with more than 25 national and regional shopping centre councils. |
| 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 | Owners, developers, managers, investors, brokers and marketers of shopping centres and other retail and mixed-use property, plus retailers, public officials and academics |
| 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. | Membership spans the retail property chain: shopping centre owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers and brokers, together with academics and public officials. ICSC's own pricing distinguishes companies and individuals who own, develop, manage or support marketplaces from retailers and tenants, who pay a lower rate. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | No published maximum age at joining | Next Generation membership: industry professionals under 40A discounted category, not a barrier to joining.verified 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 ↗ | No published gender |
| 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 ↗ | No published geographic restriction |
| 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 ↗ | Standard membership: companies and individuals who own, develop, manage or support marketplaces and spaces (excludes retailers and tenants)Retailers and tenants have their own lower-priced category.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| 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. | Applicants join online through the ICSC membership pages, choosing a member type. Categories with reduced rates require documentary proof — government letterhead for public sector applicants, a university ID for academics, and a transcript, course list or registrar's letter for students. There is no sponsor, interview or committee stage in the published process. |
| 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 publicly disclosed; the published route is open enrolment with eligibility set by the type of business the applicant is in. |
| 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 ↗ | $300 a yearStandard membershipverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Only at-large dues are published centrally. Chapter members pay dues set by their independent chapter, which include network-level benefits; CREW supplies a template members can use to ask an employer to sponsor the cost. | Not publicly disclosed; no joining fee is listed alongside the published dues.verified September 2026 |
| 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 ↗ | ICSC publishes a simple flat rate card with no corporate tier: companies and individuals pay the same $300 standard rate. |
| Event costs | Only at-large dues are published centrally. Chapter members pay dues set by their independent chapter, which include network-level benefits; CREW supplies a template members can use to ask an employer to sponsor the cost. | Not recorded here. ICSC's conferences are separately ticketed and are the main cost of participation, but rates vary by event and were not read for this record.verified September 2026 |
| 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 | A year-round conference programme including ICSC Las Vegas and ICSC New York, plus regional and state conferences |
| 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 forum structure is published; participation is through events, divisions and committees |
| 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 | Event-focused, Chapter-based |
| Confidential peer forums | Partial | No |
| Local chapters | Yes | Partial |
| Virtual membership | Yes | Partial |
| Online community | Yes | Partial |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Partial |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | Partial | Yes |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Yes |
| Investment opportunities | Partial | Partial |
| Philanthropic component | Yes | No |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: CREW Network · ICSC