Pre-Applicant Member Screening
Pre-Applicant Member Screening
Most organizations screen members after they join. Membership Integrity helps you screen them before — at the exact moment a candidate expresses interest in joining your organization.
What Is Pre-Applicant Member Screening?
Pre-Applicant Member Screening is a background check completed by a prospective member before their application is formally accepted or their membership is granted. Rather than waiting until after a candidate has been voted in, sponsored, or initiated, your organization requires the screening as part of the application process itself.
The result: your organization only advances candidates who have already cleared your screening standard — before any commitment is made on either side.
Why It Matters
Traditional screening happens too late. By the time a background check is ordered, the candidate has already been introduced to your membership, sponsored by an existing member, and in many cases, emotionally invested in joining. If the screening returns a disqualifying result, the situation becomes awkward, contentious, and sometimes legally complicated.
Pre-Applicant Member Screening eliminates that problem entirely. Candidates who don't meet your standards never advance past the application stage — and your existing members are never put in the position of sponsoring someone who shouldn't be there.
The Pre-Applicant Advantage
- Protect your membership from the start — Only candidates who meet your screening standard move forward in the application process.
- Reduce awkward reversals — Avoid the difficult situation of rescinding an offer or membership after a candidate has already been introduced to your community.
- Generate non-dues revenue earlier — Every applicant who completes a pre-applicant screening generates revenue for your organization through quarterly payouts — before a single dues payment is made.
- Signal organizational seriousness — Requiring a background check at the application stage communicates that your organization takes membership standards seriously. That reputation attracts better candidates.
- Capture interest at its peak — A candidate who has just expressed interest in joining is highly motivated to complete a screening. That motivation decreases over time. Acting early means higher completion rates.
How It Works
- Candidate expresses interest — A prospective member contacts your organization, attends an interest meeting, or submits an initial inquiry.
- Screening invitation is sent — Your organization sends the candidate a screening invitation through your custom Membership Integrity portal. The candidate receives a clear, professional invitation to complete their background check.
- Candidate completes screening online — The candidate completes the screening from any device in minutes. They pay the screening fee directly — your organization carries no cost.
- Results are returned to your dashboard — Within 1–3 business days, results appear in your real-time compliance dashboard. Authorized administrators review the results against your published screening policy.
- Your organization makes an informed decision — Candidates who meet your standard advance in the application process. Those who don't are handled according to your policy — consistently, documentably, and without the complications of a late-stage reversal.
- Your organization earns revenue — As a partner organization, you receive a share of the screening fee — paid quarterly, with no upfront investment required.
Who This Is For
Pre-Applicant Member Screening is ideal for any membership-based organization that:
- Regularly onboards new members through a formal application or intake process
- Has experienced difficult situations involving members who should not have been admitted
- Wants to establish a documented, defensible membership standard
- Is looking for a way to generate non-dues revenue from the application process itself
It is particularly well-suited for fraternities, sororities, Masonic organizations, churches, nonprofits, and any organization where membership carries trust, responsibility, or access to vulnerable populations.
Screening Fee
Pre-Applicant Member Screening is priced at $39.99 per applicant, paid directly by the candidate. Your organization carries no screening cost and earns a share of each completed screening through quarterly revenue sharing.