Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat You Should Know When Joining
Is there a minimum level at which my business must join?
What is the best time of the year for me to upgrade my membership? Can I use part of my current membership investment to pay for my upgrade?
Will my renewal date change if I upgrade?
After joining, how periodically will I be billed?
Is a monthly payment option available?
I am a non-profit organization. Do you have a special rate for non-profit organizations?
What are the criteria to qualify for the non-profit rate?
How do I prove my organization's non-profit status to qualify for the non-profit rate?
I am retired and would like to be a Chamber member. Is there an Associate Membership?
I have several business locations. What are my options?
Are there criteria to meet to buy additional locations a la carte?
Do additional locations receive a membership discount?
Are the individual programs and services available a la carte?
Are Economic Development Council (EDC) memberships available a la carte?
Is it true that my membership includes sponsorship credit to be used toward a menu of sponsorship opportunities?
What portion of my membership can I use toward sponsorship?
Included in my benefits is a set of Chamber labels. Do I need to request the labels to receive them?
Do I get complementary access to luncheon and breakfast meetings?
What is the ChamberWatch Legislative Alert benefit?
Is there a minimum level at which my business must join?
Yes. Minimum levels are set by employee number and apply to companies with 65 or more employees:
Businesses with 65 to 424 employees enter as a Business Builder.
Businesses with 425 to 924 employees enter as a Chamber Partner.
Businesses with 925 to 2,084 employees enter as a Community Builder.
Businesses with 2,085 to 4,494 employees enter as a Visionary.
Businesses with 4,495 to 6,904 employees enter as a Benefactor.
Businesses with 6,905 to 9,830 employees enter as a Trustee.
Businesses with 9,831 employees or more enter as an Elite member.
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What is the best time of the year for me to upgrade my membership? Can I use part of my current membership investment to pay for my upgrade?
If you are a new member:
After your joined date, there is a grace period of 60 days during which you can upgrade and pay only the difference between your new tier and your current tier. For example, if you join as a Business Builder ($600 tier) and you want to upgrade to a Community Builder ($2,500 tier), you will pay $2,500 minus $600 or $1,900 to be a Community Builder, if you upgrade during the grace period. After the grace period you will be paying the full amount of your new tier.
If you are a current member:
Anytime during the year is a good time for you to upgrade. You will be paying the difference between your new tier and the unused portion of your current tier. For example, if you are a Business Builder ($600 tier) with a renewal date of October 1 and on January 1 you decide to upgrade to a Community Builder ($2,500 tier), you will pay $2,500 minus the part of the $600 you did not use. You used your membership from October 1 to December 31 (3 months): $600 divided by 12 months equals $50, multiplied by the number of months used (3 months) equals $150. The $150 represents the used portion of your membership. $600 minus $150 equals $450, which represents the unused portion of your membership. So, you would be paying your new tier amount ($2,500) minus the unused portion of your membership ($450) or $2,050.
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Will my renewal date change if I upgrade?
Yes. Your renewal date will change to the date you upgraded your membership. For example, if you joined in January as a Business Builder and you decide in June to upgrade to a Chamber Partner, you will be billed the Chamber Partner rate in June of each subsequent year. Please note that your tiered membership investment is paid upfront and is non-refundable and non-transferable.
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After joining, how periodically will I be billed?
The annual Chamber billing is based on an anniversary date cycle. Once you join the Chamber your joined date will become your anniversary billing date. If you upgrade to a higher tier during the year, then your upgrade date will become your anniversary billing date.
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Is a monthly payment option available?
Yes. Chamber members at the Benefactor tier or above may subscribe to an Electronic Fund Transfer or Automated Clearing House (ACH) with the Chamber to set up a quarterly or monthly payment plan. At this time, we are not able to offer this option to other membership tiers.
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I am a non-profit organization. Do you have a special rate for non-profit organizations?
Yes. Non-profit organizations meeting certain criteria can access the Entrepreneur tier at a special rate of $250 instead of $300 and the Business Builder tier at a special rate of $510 instead $600. The other tiers are available at the regular rate.
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What are the criteria to qualify for the non-profit rate?
The non-profit rate applies to community service organizations and churches defined as 501(c) 3 with proof of non-profit status.
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How do I prove my organization's non-profit status to qualify for the non-profit rate?
Upon joining the Chamber you will be requested to prove your organization's non-profit status by including a copy of your 501 (c) 3 letter or a copy of your 990 IRS form with your completed Chamber Membership Agreement and payment.
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I am retired and would like to be a Chamber member. Is there an Associate Membership?
Yes. A non-business individual associate membership is available for members who do not conduct business activities. It is typically used by residents who want to volunteer for the Chamber. The associate membership rate is $175.
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I have several business locations. What are my options?
Depending on the investment your business wants to make with the Chamber, you can invest in a tier that includes the number of locations you have. For example, if you sign-up to be a Chamber Partner at $1,500, your membership includes one additional location. If you have more than one additional location you can upgrade to a higher tier or buy additional locations a la carte.
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Are there criteria to meet to buy additional locations a la carte?
Yes. Chamber memberships are available for additional locations meeting certain criteria. The criteria include the additional location having the same business name and the same owner.
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Do additional locations receive a membership discount?
Yes. The membership dues for additional locations meeting the above criteria are $250 instead of $300 for the Entrepreneur tier. Higher tiers of membership are available at regular rates.
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Are the individual programs and services available a la carte?
Even though most of the programs and services are available a la carte, in most cases it would be more cost effective for a member to consider upgrading to a higher tier and receive the program sought after, as well as additional services. Contact your Membership Development Manager, Gary Hiatt (gary.hiatt@stjohnscountychamber.com) to schedule a 1-on-1 Marketing Consultation, or click here to view our Product Price List.
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Are Economic Development Council (EDC) memberships available a la carte?
Yes. Any Chamber member at the Business Builder tier or above may purchase additional EDC memberships for $500 each.
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Is it true that my membership includes sponsorship credit to be used toward a menu of sponsorship opportunities?
Yes. For members of the Chamber Partner tier or above a portion of your membership is allocated to sponsorship. You may choose which sponsorship opportunities, available on our Sponsorship Opportunities sheet, meet your marketing and public relations needs.
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What portion of my membership can I use toward sponsorship?
The sponsorship credit applies as follows: Chamber Partner, $300; Community Builder, $1,000; Visionary, $2,000; Benefactor, $5,000; Trustee $7,500; Elite: $10,000. Sponsorship credit is an integral part of the tiered dues, thus it is non-refundable and non-transferable. There is no exclusivity for any sponsorship.
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Included in my benefits is a set of Chamber labels. Do I need to request the labels to receive them?
Yes. Please call the Chamber office at 829-5681 to request your set of labels when you need them. Be sure to give your company name and the date the labels are needed. The Chamber staff will take care of the rest.
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Do I get complementary access to luncheon and breakfast meetings?
Depending on your tier, your benefits may include tickets to Chamber and/or EDC events. Benefactor, Trustee and Elite tier members receive complementary entrance for each EDC member to up to 10 EDC Morning Roundtables and up to four EDC Quarterly Luncheons per year. Visionary tier members receive complementary entrance for each EDC member to one EDC Morning Roundtable and one EDC Quarterly Luncheon per year.
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What is the ChamberWatch Legislative Alert benefit?
The St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce entered into a partnership with the Florida Chamber of Commerce to provide St. Johns County Chamber members with additional benefits. Benefits include grassroots efforts and exclusive savings. Whether it is taxation, legal reform or education, you can sign up and choose the issues on which you want to be kept informed. Additionally it gives you the opportunity to let your elected State Representatives and Senators know where you stand on an issue. The Florida Chamber also offers savings on office supplies, insurance, and services in human resources, payroll and much more. You can access these benefits through the Florida Chamber web site at http://www.flchamber.com/.
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