Introduction → Good Fit → Chapter Expectations → Application Process → Apply
Chapter Leadership
Chapters are encouraged to identify a resident who can serve as the primary contact between the chapter and SSAFE national leadership.
The Chapter Leader will be invited to monthly SSAFE Board of Director meetings as an observer. Most chapters also identify a back-up leader who may also attend Board of Director meetings as an observer.
Time Commitment
Becoming a SSAFE chapter leader does require a commitment of time, but there is no single amount of time that applies to every community. Chapters are organized differently, and the level of participation can vary depending on the size of your group, your activities, and the role you choose to play within SSAFE.
At a minimum, chapter leaders should expect to:
- Stay in communication with SSAFE
- Participate in SSAFE’s national meetings
- Share information about your community’s sustainability efforts
- Encourage residents to participate in SSAFE programs and workgroups
- Help connect SSAFE with your community’s administration and other sustainability efforts
Chapter Participation
SSAFE Chapters are encouraged to:
- Recruit residents to join SSAFE so they can participate in SSAFE meetings and workgroups
- Share projects, ideas, and lessons learned with the broader SSAFE network
- Participate in national discussions and collaborative learning opportunities
Chapters are encouraged to identify residents who can participate in areas such as:
- Greening Our Campuses group to learn about emerging sustainability topics, review case studies, and hear in-depth updates from SSAFE Chapters during the Campus Spotlight presentations
- Energy Workgroup
- Reducing Plastics Workgroup
- Climate Friendly Dining Workgroup
- Landscaping for Biodiversity Workgroup
- Advocacy Advisory Group
- Leadership opportunities through the SSAFE Board of Directors
- Development and Fundraising Committee
Financial Support
SSAFE is a nonprofit organization, and the support of our chapters helps make our national programs, resources, and services possible. Rather than charging traditional annual membership dues, SSAFE asks each chapter to contribute to the organization through fundraising.
We want prospective chapters to understand these expectations before they apply. Financial support is an important part of becoming a SSAFE chapter and should be considered by your community as part of the decision to apply.
Application and Onboarding Fees
There is a $250 application fee when you submit your application.
If your community is approved to become a SSAFE chapter, there is a $1,000 onboarding fee, for a total of $1,250 in initial fees. The onboarding fee is applied toward your chapter’s first-year fundraising expectation.
New chapters receive a grace period of up to one year before annual fundraising is expected to begin. This gives your chapter time to establish itself, build relationships within your community, and develop a fundraising approach that works for you.
Annual Fundraising
Each SSAFE chapter is expected to help support SSAFE through annual fundraising. Fundraising is not simply a fee; it is an opportunity for your residents and community to engage others in the work of SSAFE and help sustain the programs and resources that benefit chapters nationwide.
We recognize that SSAFE communities vary considerably in size, resources, and fundraising capacity. We therefore work with each chapter to establish a reasonable annual fundraising goal rather than applying a one-size-fits-all amount.
Your annual fundraising can include contributions from residents, family members, community supporters, foundations, or other sources. Chapters may choose the fundraising activities that best fit their community.
Most importantly, you will know the financial expectations before your community is asked to make a final commitment to becoming a SSAFE chapter. During the application process, we will discuss the fundraising expectations for your community and answer any questions you may have.
Why Does SSAFE Ask Chapters to Fundraise?
SSAFE keeps chapter participation accessible by not relying on traditional annual membership dues. Fundraising by our chapters allows SSAFE to provide national programs, educational resources, meetings, workgroups, communications, and support to communities across the country.
Your chapter’s support also helps make it possible for SSAFE to continue growing and to bring the benefits of this network to additional senior living communities.
Questions about financial support? We encourage you to ask them early in the application process. We want your community to have a clear understanding of the financial expectations before investing significant time in the application process.
