Announcement: Membership Fee Increase Effective February 15, 2024

The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. (SCA, Inc.) is announcing an increase in membership fees and non-member registration fees for events.

This decision comes after careful consideration and extensive discussion among the Board of Directors, office staff, and Corporate officers. The effects of inflation across all sectors of operation, as well as other factors impacting the organization’s operational costs, including insurance premiums, legal expenses, and general business expenses, necessitated a comprehensive review of membership rates.

Annual membership fees have not been adjusted in over a dozen years, and non-member registration fees have not increased in over 15 years.

In response to the evolving financial environment, the organization streamlined operations during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and significantly reduced corporate expenditures. The relocation of the office to San Jose, CA resulted in an annual savings of over $35,000, and upgrades to software and CRM systems have netted a further savings of over $100,000 annually. While membership numbers have rebounded post-pandemic, operational costs continue to rise.

SCA, Inc. Corporate is solely funded by membership fees, including the Non-Member Registration fee, and does not currently seek operational funds from its Kingdoms or subsidiary organizations, including those overseeing Pennsic and Gulf Wars.

At the January 2024 meeting of the Board of Directors, the Board approved the following changes, effective February 15, 2024:

Raise the Sustaining membership price from $45 a year to $55 a year (This represents an $0.83 cents per-month increase over the previous monthly rate.)

Raise the Associate membership price from $30 to $40 a year. (This represents an $0.83 cents per-month increase over the previous monthly rate.)

Raise the Family membership price from $10 a year to $15 a year, per person. (This represents an $0.42 cents per-month increase over the previous monthly rate.)

No changes to Canadian or International memberships have been announced at this time.

Note: this change will take effect for all renewal transactions processed on or after February 15, 2024. Renewal transactions prior to that date will be processed at the previous rate, regardless of membership expiration date.

The Board also approved the following changes to Non-Member Registration fees, effective April 1, 2024:

  • Raise the Non-Member Registration Fee from $5 to $10 per event.  As always, this only applies whenever there is an actual event fee charged.

Both Sustaining and International Membership allow subscriptions to printed publications, as well as the ability to add Family memberships.

It should be noted that these increases remain less than the cumulative U.S. inflation increase of 36.5% which has occurred since 2011. (Data calculated using the US Inflation Calculator).

SCA, Inc. emphasizes its commitment to transparency and sustaining a vibrant community. These fee adjustments aim to ensure the organization’s fiscal health, support ambitious initiatives in 2024 and beyond, and keep the Knowne World thriving and dreaming for years to come.

For more information, please contact John Fulton at president@sca.org.