Get Ready for Chapter Renewal

By Serena Brouillette, EAA Chapter Field Representative II, EAA Lifetime 1011028

Fall is here and that means it’s time to start thinking about renewing your chapter. Chapter renewal is your yearly opportunity to update and verify your chapter meeting and officer information, review the chapter charter agreement, and pay the annual insurance and renewal fees. The chapter renewal tool opens each year in November, and the chapter has until December 31 to complete it. Be on the lookout for emails which are sent to the president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer announcing the availability of the online tool. These emails include a link to the renewal tool and helpful tips and tricks on completing it. Reading them carefully before attempting to complete your renewal will help to clear up questions you might have as you’re working through each step.

We try to make completion as easy as possible by pre-loading the fields with data from last year’s renewal so that all you need to do is look it over and make updates as necessary. Double check it for accuracy, and remember, the data you enter will take effect on January 1, so make sure you’re entering the information that will be relevant in 2025. Completing the tool should take less than 15 minutes as long as you have all the requested information ready at hand.

A Word About Insurance

We are often asked by chapters throughout the renewal cycle if they are required to purchase insurance. Participation in EAA’s Chapter Insurance program is mandatory for all chapters located in the United States and Canada and is one of the things agreed to when the annual renewal agreement is signed during the renewal process. The policy provides protection to chapters, their members, officers, directors, and volunteers by providing comprehensive general liability coverage seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and extends liability coverage to chapters that own or lease a clubhouse, hangar, or both. It also includes, without any additional premium, coverage for an unlimited number of approved chapter events. All of this is offered at a very reasonable price thanks to the phenomenal safety record of chapters. Chapters are encouraged to make full use of their insurance by having as many events throughout the year as they are comfortably able to handle. This has the additional benefit of keeping your chapter in the local spotlight, providing multiple opportunities for membership recruitment and fundraising. An active chapter is generally a strong and healthy chapter.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when it comes to completing renewal:

• Be accurate! Check and double check to make sure the information is correct — meeting information, number of chapter members, and officer info. Accuracy is important as it impacts EAA’s communications with the chapter and the efforts of people to get in touch with your chapter through the find-a-chapter tool on EAA’s website or your EAA-provided chapter website.
• Be timely! Timely completion of renewal will ensure your chapter remains in good standing and is covered by EAA’s insurance.
• Take ownership! Even though the email is sent to the four main officers of the chapter, only one person needs to complete the renewal. Decide between yourselves who that will be or who will do what. If you are an outgoing chapter officer and are not going to complete the renewal yourself, please forward the information on to the new chapter officers as they will still need to complete renewal. Follow up as needed to make sure renewal actually gets completed and payment is sent.

Paying by credit card is the easiest since you can do this right through the system, then you’re done and don’t need to worry about mailing a check. You will know your renewal has gone through when you receive two emails. One is a summary of the information you just entered and gives you one more opportunity to look it all over for accuracy. If any changes need to be made, please call or email them in right away. The second email either confirms your payment by credit card or gives you information on where to mail your check.

Thank you for your service as chapter leaders and for your commitment to your chapter’s success. Only through the ongoing dedication of our chapter members and leaders has the EAA family been able to accomplish so much. Keep your eyes open for the renewal email next month, and please reach out if you have any questions. I am happy to assist you!