Complimentary Membership Program

This program is designed to help states grow and strengthen their ACDA community by removing the cost barrier for promising or returning members. It’s a great way to welcome new voices, re-engage past members, and invest in the future of choral music.

Each state receives ten (10) complimentary Active memberships per year to award according to the guidelines below. Once you’ve identified your recipients, request your memberships using the form below, and we’ll process them promptly so you can start engaging your new members right away.

ACDA’s Traditional Complimentary Membership Program provides eligible individuals with one free year of Active membership—a great way to become part of a vibrant choral community at no cost. This program is designed to welcome those who are new to the profession, returning to choral work, or experiencing financial hardship.

If your state has additional people who qualify and you have a plan for special outreach and retention efforts for them, contact Trina Kopacka, Membership Experience Manager, gro.a1756136806dca@a1756136806kcapo1756136806kt1756136806, 405.232.8161, ext 110, about the possibility of authorizing additional comp memberships.

These memberships are designed to bring in new members for a trial year, with the hope and expectation that they will experience firsthand the benefits of ACDA membership and renew on their own next year.

ACDA’s 2-Year Complimentary Membership Program is a strategic initiative designed to make membership more accessible for individuals who may face barriers to joining or renewing. It is especially well-suited for recent graduates, new teachers, lapsed members, and professionals navigating financial or personal hardship. The program also strengthens ACDA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion by reaching choral professionals from underrepresented communities.

Rather than offering one free year, this model provides two years of membership at a 50% reduced rate—$62.50 per year.

Originally piloted in Missouri, the program has seen outstanding results. While the national average for post-year-one retention of complimentary members is 20%, Missouri has achieved an 87% renewal rate since adopting this model.

State chapters with stable, engaging leadership and strong support from the president, membership chair, and treasurer are ideal candidates to implement the 2-Year Complimentary Membership Program. Contact Trina Kopacka, ACDA’s Membership Experience Manager, for questions about and approval for adopting this program.

Who Is Eligible?

This program is ideal for:

• Individuals experiencing financial hardship, such as job loss, medical issues, divorce, or other major life changes
• Student members transitioning to full Active Professional status
• Choral professionals who have never been ACDA members, especially those from marginalized or underrepresented communities
• Former members who have been inactive for at least three years

How It Works (External-Facing Experience)

• Applicants complete a short application form (digital or physical) and submit it to the state chapter with a $62.50 payment to the state for Year 1. The state chapter will hold these funds in escrow for one year. You will then fill out the National Complimentary Form and National will apply a one year complimentary membership.
• In Year 2, the participant pays another $62.50 to the state chapter, completing the discounted two-year membership cycle. The state will send National the payment received in year one and year two (a total of $125.00) and National will renew the member’s membership. From the participant’s perspective, they are receiving a 50% discount over a two-year period.
  

Considerations for state implementation:

• Awardees should qualify for Active membership.
• Your state needs a Retention Plan. Only about 20% of complimentary memberships are renewed the following year; 87% with the 2-year plan. We can improve that by making a special effort with these members!
• No refunds can be given to people who have already joined as a regular ACDA member but later receive a complimentary certificate. Check with the national office to ensure that the people you are considering are not current members.
• Complimentary memberships must be submitted by June 30, 2026.
• You must report your results.

State Communications Lead should:

• Sends out program information to appropriate audience
• Promotes the opportunity through email, website, and possibly social media
• May collaborate on a landing page or FAQs to answer common questions

Implementation Tools and Collateral

To support smooth rollout, the following tools should be developed:

• One-page overview for prospective participants
• Step-by-step guide for the State Membership Chair
• Step-by-step guide for the State Treasurer
• Sample application form (digital or print)
• Template communications for email and web

Implementing the program

Once a new member has been identified for the program, a comp membership is processed. The ACDA national office will send the members a welcome email, as well as begin their subscription to Choral Journal. We strongly encourage states to proactively engage these members and check in with them throughout the year.

• “Our recruitment and retention efforts centered largely around rebuilding trust and visibility within our membership. Communication proved to be both our biggest challenge and our most essential tool. By increasing the frequency and clarity of our outreach, we began to see renewed interest and engagement. While we are still refining our systems, it became clear that consistent, timely, and transparent communication was key to reconnecting with past members and welcoming new ones. When communication faltered, engagement dropped; when it was strong, participation grew.”
• “We used newsletters, email blasts, website updates, social media, booths set up at events for other organizations (SCMEA), and community-building events. All seem to work effectively together to reach members, although the face-to-face approach (booths, social events) seems to be the best recruitment tool other than social media.”
• “Our primary recruitment strategy focused on partnering with collegiate faculty across our state. Faculty were instrumental in identifying eligible students and encouraging them to apply. What worked particularly well was leveraging personal outreach—when professors or state ACDA board members directly communicated with students, enrollment success was higher.”
• “Members of our executive board kept in touch with recipients, checking in on needs and how their year was going. We also held an end-of-school-year event where recipients and members of our state chapter could reflect on the year and connect with each other.”
• “Our state maintained consistent communication with members by sending out regular renewal reminders and thank-you emails. Combined with our consistent participation in state, regional, and National ACDA events, we continued to remain a visible and vocal member of my ACDA community. I believe that by being present and staying in communication with our state membership, people experienced and perceived the state membership chair position to be a steady and dependable presence in our state chapter. I tried to keep track of new teachers in our area who reached out for support (through complementary memberships) and asked that experienced choir directors near them also reach out to offer support.”
• “Our state used individual contact, reaching out directly to membership, encouraging them to renew because we personally needed them and their viewpoint in our group!”
• “I personally welcomed each member and sent them invitations to attend ACDA events in our state and beyond. Board members were encouraged to do the same with prospective members in their area of expertise.”
• “Offering discounts to state festivals and conferences for members was very enticing. I know many said they like having a membership for that reason. I have reached out personally to members who are about to lapse and have recently lapsed. They seem to appreciate the personal outreach. We have also been successful in getting more student memberships thanks to great student chapters and the summer conference “collegiate and retiree choir”, which helps us reach those on the periphery. We also tried spotlighting our 5,10,15, 20, and 25-year members in our state publication.”

• “Teachers spoke about their great experiences at conferences and honor choir/festival events. They mainly enjoyed getting involved and finding new ways to serve their students. Some teachers that may not have gotten involved without the complimentary “push” can’t wait to serve even more students next year through honor choirs, festivals, etc.”
• “The majority of recruited members expressed appreciation for the opportunity to engage with ACDA, especially the access to resources and networking.”
• “Many were new teachers, or teachers in a difficult budgetary situation, who expressed gratitude at being able to stay a part of ACDA.”
• “Recipients were truly excited to receive the complimentary membership, and several gave positive reports from their attendance at our Summer Conference.”
• “We received several expressions of gratitude from recipients, particularly from former members who were able to rejoin through the program. Many shared how meaningful it was to feel welcomed back into the organization without the financial burden. A few noted that they sensed a renewed energy and direction within our state chapter, describing it as a “new page being turned.” This sense of momentum and positive change has inspired excitement about re-engaging with a choral community that feels active, inclusive, and forward-moving.”
• “One member said, “I am so grateful to have received the complimentary ACDA membership this past year. I felt more tethered to the organization and the ACDA community and always felt like I had resources and people to turn to if I needed support throughout the year. I am planning on paying for my membership once this membership expires, and am looking forward to having my choir perform at upcoming state events.”

• We have been able to reach out to both new and experienced teachers that felt they were on an island and give them tangible ways to help them better serve students and the choral community.
• For each of the past two years, our state has targeted a different group that we believe is most in need and deserving of the complimentary memberships: BIPOC and first-year teachers.
• Growth of the teachers who have utilized the opportunity.
• We are most proud of the intentional outreach and relationship-building that this program fostered. By focusing on Vocal Music Education majors, we invested in the next generation of choral educators in our state. Seeing several of these students attend our state conference, engage with ACDA programming, and express a desire to remain involved post-graduation affirms that this effort has a meaningful and lasting impact on both the individuals and the health of our organization.
• Our membership grew by 22 professionals.
• Reaching active choral musicians who would have a positive impact on the organization. Even with a small sample size, new relationships were created and will hopefully have a long-term positive impact on our membership.
• Throughout this process, our engagement and communication within our choral community is what we are most proud of, especially with our returning and new members. We are beginning to see more interactions, sharing, and collaborations amongst all of our members. I believe this is a result of our renewed effort to heighten our communications and directly reach out to our membership.
• I am proud that we are getting the word about our state chapter out to new people!
• We have a very spread-out state. It is difficult to feel connected to other members who are not already in your geographical area. I am proud that we gave members new opportunities to connect via social media, social events, and through the complimentary membership program.
• We are most proud that we have been able to help those who felt marginalized by money or by working with younger choirs. We hear from some that ACDA sometimes feels like it’s geared for HS/College and Elem/JH/community choir/church choir folks feel less included. I was happy we used that information and created a place where they feel more included and made their memberships feel worthwhile.