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Membership FAQs

What is the Canadian AIDS Society?

The Canadian AIDS Society is a national coalition of over 120 community-based AIDS organizations from across Canada. Dedicated to strengthening the response to HIV/AIDS across all sectors of society, we also work to enrich the lives of people and communities living with HIV/AIDS. We accomplish this by advocating on behalf of people and communities affected by HIV/AIDS, facilitating the development of programs, services and resources for our member groups and providing a national framework for community-based participation in Canada’s response to AIDS.

Why become a member of the Canadian AIDS Society?

Member organizations of the Canadian AIDS Society (CAS) are entitled to the following benefits:

• Inclusion of your voice in the national discussion on HIV/AIDS issues that affect your community - CAS works on behalf of its members to negotiate with the Federal Government and other national organizations to keep HIV/AIDS on the national agenda.
• Access to skilled CAS personnel. We can offer you our strong program expertise on a broad range of HIV/AIDS issues including: population-specific responses, social determinants of health, prevention, harm reduction, the meaningful engagement of PLWHIV/AIDS, active policy and community engagement, community representation and more!
• Access to cutting edge and current HIV/AIDS information, including advocacy alerts, advocacy reports and position statements
• An invitation to attend the Canadian AIDS Society’s Annual General Meeting to speak to the resolutions which direct our work
• Assistance with fundraising for your organization via the Walk for Life
• Our e-newsletter, InfoCAS, delivered right to your inbox each month.
• Annual subscription to our biannual print magazine, InFocus, which provides an in-depth exploration of issues in HIV/AIDS
• The opportunity to post job and volunteer positions on the CAS website.

Who are members of the Canadian AIDS Society?

The Canadian AIDS Society has two categories of membership: Full Membership and Associate Membership.

Full Members are organizations which have any of the following as a main objective:

• prevention of the spread of HIV infection
• provision of assistance and support to people affected by HIV/AIDS and related conditions
• promotion of health for people affected by HIV/AIDS

Associate Members are organizations involved in HIV/AIDS through their work in other domains that are inherently linked to HIV/AIDS (e.g. - community housing and service programs, human rights and health care organizations)

All members of the Canadian AIDS Society are non-profit organizations that share the Canadian AIDS Society philosophy and endorse our Community Action Principles.

Complete details on eligibility criteria are available in our membership policy.

Can organizations outside of Canada become members of the Canadian AIDS Society?

Organizations who wish to apply for membership must be based in Canada.

Can individuals become members of the Canadian AIDS Society?

Only non-profit organizations working directly or indirectly in the field of HIV/AIDS are eligible for membership.

How to apply for membership of CAS

1. Contact us to obtain an application package for full or associate membership.
2. Complete an application package and required attachments, and send them to the Canadian AIDS Society.
3. Applications will be reviewed by our Member Support Committee, a subcommittee of the Board of Directors, to determine membership eligibility.
4. Once approved by the Member Support Committee, your application will be presented to the Board of Directors for consideration. At this stage, if approved, your organization will be granted Associate Member status.
5. The final step only applies to organizations that are applying for Full Membership. If approved by the Board of Directors, your organization will be invited to attend the Annual General Meeting (held in mid-June of each year). At this time, you will be presented to the membership and invited to speak. The membership will then make a final decision on your membership status.

What are the membership fees and how are they determined?

Membership fees are calculated annually and are based upon the member organization’s annual budget. Our fee structure is as follows:

Full CAS Members

Annual AIDS-related budget amount for your organization	Annual Fee
Level 1: under $125,000	$ 100
Level 2: between $125,000 to $299,999	$ 250
Level 3: between $300,000 to $499,999	$ 500
Level 4: between $500,000 to $999,999	$ 1,000
Level 5: over $1,000,000	$ 2,000

Associate CAS Members

Annual AIDS-related budget amount for your organization	Annual Fee
Level 1: under $125,000	$ 100
Level 2: $125,000 and over	$ 250

How are fees for new Associate or Full Members calculated?

Membership fees will only be incurred once CAS membership status is finalized. Please note that there is no fee to apply to become a member of the Canadian AIDS Society.

With respect to Associate Members, fees are payable once Associate status is granted by the Canadian AIDS Society Board of Directors. For organizations seeking Full Membership status, fees are not charged until after Full Member status is granted by the membership at the Annual General Meeting.

Who can I contact for more information about CAS membership?

If you have any questions regarding the enclosed materials or the application process, please contact:

Monique Doolittle-Romas
Executive Director
Canadian AIDS Society
190 O’Connor Street, Suite 800
Ottawa, ON
K2P 2R3

Tel: 613.230.3580 x.118
Toll Free: 1.800.499.1986
Fax: 613.563.4998
E-mail: moniquedr@cdnaids.ca