About CICSC
The Common Interest Community Standards Council provides governance education, board training, and practical resources for volunteer board members of common interest communities — and offers CIC-BOS credentialing for members pursuing structured recognition.
Mission
To establish governance standards and provide education, credentials, and advisory support that equip volunteer board members to lead common interest communities with clarity, confidence, and operational discipline.
Millions of Americans serve on community association boards — HOAs, condominiums, townhomes, and master-planned communities — every year, most without any governance training. CICSC exists to change that.
Standards Philosophy
Governance Above Opinion
CICSC standards are grounded in governance principles, legal frameworks, and operational best practices — not personal preference or management company convenience.
Volunteer-Centered
Standards are designed for the realities of volunteer service: limited time, rotating membership, high accountability, and practical implementation requirements.
Operational Discipline
Good governance is not theory. CICSC standards are practical, implementable, and designed to produce actual operational improvement in board function.
Authority Through Accountability
Credentialed board members understand both their authority and their accountability. Both matter equally.
Continuous Improvement
CICSC credentials require ongoing continuing education — ensuring that credentialed board members remain current as governance practices evolve.
Community Stewardship
Board members hold community assets in trust. CICSC standards reflect the seriousness of that responsibility.
Standards Authority
Standards are set by the CICSC Advisory Council and the practitioner advisors who inform it.
Join the CICSC Community
Start with certification. Stay with membership. Build governance excellence.