Membership Dues to Increase

On September 13, 2009, the Convention Delegates approved the first Association dues increase since 2001. (Previous increases occurred in 1993 and 1997.) On July 1, 2010, dues will increase from $36 to $45 for one-year memberships; $90 to $110 for three-year memberships; and $500 to $600 for life memberships. The Delegates also directed a review of the dues structure beginning in 2012 and every three years thereafter.

Since dues were last increased nine years ago, the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) has steadily risen by approximately 25 %. Over that same period of time, the costs of maintaining day-to day-operations and providing essential membership services have increased at a similar rate. The Delegates agreed that the most prudent course of action was to increase dues proportional to the CPI and adopt a policy of periodic review to smooth future adjustments.

The Field Council was charged with determining how rebates to chapters for new member recruitment would be adjusted considering structure. The revised chapter rebates are $15 for new one-year members, $25 for new three-year members, and $45 for new fully paid life members. The increased three-year rebate will be paid only after a new automated reporting system can be implemented – prior to that innovation, one and three year rebates will remain at the one-year rate ($15). The Field Council also approved a change to the Community Partner fee from $75 to $90, with the chapter retaining $45 of the new fee. The Council noted that the new chapter support payment formula has yet to be evaluated for its own, independent and deferred evaluation of revised support payments for at least one year.

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