As a CDSS Affiliate, there are two ways you can help people who are active in your local communities get to camp:
- Priority Admission: Nominate them for priority admission in our camp lottery
and/or
- Matching Scholarship: Support them financially by offering a scholarship for CDSS to match
Affiliate Priority Admission
Each CDSS Affiliate may designate up to two people to receive priority admission to any camp session(s). Priority admission nominations must be submitted by the lottery deadline (March 16, 2025). We guarantee up to eight spaces per session for affiliate nominations.
If there are more than eight nominations for a camp session, we will hold a pre-lottery name drawing for the eight guaranteed spaces. The remaining affiliate-nominated registrants will join the regular camp lottery.
Priority admission is available for intensive courses. The registrant must meet any participation requirements noted in the course description (where applicable). The lottery deadline for intensive courses is March 9, 2025.
Use this form to make priority admission nominations.
Affiliate Matching Scholarships
CDSS matches contributions made by affiliates sending their members to camps. Find more information here on our camp website. CDSS matching scholarship funds are reserved for those with financial need.
Use this form to pledge financial support for a community member to attend camp.
If you offer lottery priority and a matching scholarship to the same person, please fill out both forms. One type of support doesn’t automatically qualify them for the other. You can also offer different people in your group just lottery priority or just financial support.
Save the dates for the celebrations of our 2025 CDSS Lifetime Contribution Award winners:
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John Roberts
May 10, 2025, Schenectady, NY
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David Surette
October 19, 2025, Concord, NH
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Tony Parkes
November 22, 2025, Concord, MA
Federal nonprofit tax exempt (501(c)(3)) status is available for CDSS Affiliates in the US who meet certain guidelines. You must apply to receive this benefit. The annual fee is $75 (in addition to membership dues).
Benefits of nonprofit status
- Receive discounted rental rates at some venues
- Become eligible for some non-CDSS grant funding
- Become eligible to receive tax-exempt donations
- Become eligible for nonprofit bulk mail permits
Apply for nonprofit status
Please email this form to [email protected]. You must meet these exemption guidelines to be eligible for nonprofit status.
Sample documents for nonprofit exemption
Info for annual filing
All affiliates are their own financial entities and must file with the IRS and CDSS annually, regardless of size or annual income. Failure to do so can result in having your 501(c)(3) status automatically revoked by the IRS. CDSS does not file a group return.
Groups with gross receipts under $50,000 can file the simple, quick, 990 e-Postcard. Additionally, you must send a financial report to CDSS that shows income and expenses (profit and loss statement) and total assets and liabilities (balance sheet). If you have a format or program you use for this, it’s fine to send us a report that way. Or, you can use the CDSS template.
Groups with gross receipts above $50,000 must file a full 990. This has sufficient information to satisfy CDSS’s requirements and can simply be forwarded to us.
This financial reporting is due to CDSS on the same schedule as it must be reported to the IRS: five months after the end of your financial year.
For information on how to file with the IRS, please visit their website. Here are some resources to help you file your IRS Form 990:
All documents should be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to:
Country Dance & Song Society
116 Pleasant St., Suite 334
Easthampton, MA 01027
Contact Us
Affiliate Coordinator
- group affiliation and renewals
- insurance and 501(c)(3) coverage
- community grants
mreyna@ x109
What It Covers
This is a general commercial liability policy. It is not accident insurance. This policy covers expenses related to a legal claim against your group due to your operations. (Looking for caller’s insurance instead? Click here.)
Coverage is $2,000,000 per occurrence, with an aggregate limit of $4,000,000 for the policy; directors and officers (D&O) insurance and terrorism coverage are not included.
There are additional coverages of
- $300,000 premises rented to you limit (any one premise)
Apply for insurance
How It Works
The insurance year runs May 1—April 30.
The cost is $700, $920, $1075, or $1250 for full year coverage (including affiliate membership dues), depending on how many events you are covering, or $75 per calendar day. Neither fee is refundable after your coverage begins. Please allow two weeks for processing your application. If you require a certificate sooner than that, please let us know. We will send you certificates of insurance as soon as we receive them from our insurance agent.
Insurance FAQs
How does it work?
CDSS has a single, group policy that affiliates and callers may join that provides general liability insurance for those affiliates and callers. The limits on the policy have been calculated to provide enough coverage for all covered groups.
What does the policy cover?
The CDSS policy is a general liability insurance policy, which generally covers the organization, volunteers, employees directors and officers, for their work for the insured entity if there is a claim of liability brought due to their operations. It potentially covers the legal costs, expenses, and settlement. In all cases, a claim would need to be submitted to the underwriter who will assign a council and determine payment. In addition to the $4,000,000 aggregate, $2,000,000 per-occurrence limits on liability coverage, the following is included:
$300,000 Rented To You Limit (any one premises)
Is someone breaking a leg, getting food poisoning, or emotional damage covered?
A claim could be submitted for any of these scenarios if an allegation of negligence made against the group. The carrier/adjuster will review the specifics of the incident to determine if coverage applies.
Do we need insurance?
Many venues require groups to have insurance before renting or holding events in their space. The CDSS policy meets and exceeds the minimum coverage amounts required by most venues. Many groups find the peace of mind afforded by the policy to be worth the cost when thinking about the long-term health of their organization.
Do you offer Director and Officers insurance (D&O)?
We are unable to offer D&O insurance because we are under a single policy, which cannot cover multiple directors and officers of different organizations. We’re happy to put you in touch with our insurance agent, who has helped other affiliates obtain D&O insurance.
Do we need Director and Officers insurance (D&O)? What is the cost?
It’s difficult to give generalized advice on this subject—each organization is unique and has different needs. You’ll need to decide for yourself if the cost of D&O insurance is worthwhile. General Liability and D&O insurance cover separate things. The General Liability policy CDSS has covers directors or officers (or employees, volunteers, etc.) for their work for the insured entity if there is a claim of liability brought due to their operations. A D&O policy covers you as officers/directors of the organization.
This article provides some information on the difference and what D&O covers, but you should speak with a lawyer or insurance agent if you have further questions.
$500-$1000 is a very general estimate of the cost of a D&O policy. The exact amount will depend on the size of the organization and location.
Should we list our venue as Additional Insured?
Only list a venue as Additional Insured if specifically requested by the venue. This is additional coverage for the venue and is not required unless specifically requested.
Do attendees need to sign waivers?
Some insurers require waivers for certain activities; ours does not. A waiver won’t prevent you from being sued, but may provide additional protection if you are. It may be worth consulting with a lawyer to discuss your particular situation if you feel it’s necessary.
If you are sued, is there a requirement to notify the insurer even before there is an outcome?
You are not required to notify the insurer of every incident, but the policy states that the insurer needs to be notified in a timely manner in the event of a claim.
Are board members personally liable in suits against 501(c)(3)s, or just the organization's assets?
This will probably depend on the details of the suit. Per our agent “The General Liability policy CDSS has covers Directors or Officers (or employees, volunteers, etc) for their work for the insured entity if there is a claim of liability brought due to their operations.” But there are other situations where board members wouldn’t be covered by our General Liability policy, or could be sued separately from the organization.
In a normal year, approximately how many CDSS Affiliates are actually sued? Do you know the total number of cases?
There are usually between 0 and 2 claims under our policy per year.
Is ____ situation covered?
We cannot offer definitive advice on what hypotheticals will or will not be covered by the policy. Each situation is unique and handled individually. Speaking to a lawyer or expert in the area is advised when exploring such hypotheticals. Feel free to contact us with questions and we can forward your question to our insurance agent if necessary.
Does the CDSS Liability Insurance Policy offer coverage for COVID-19-related claims?
Our policy beginning on May 1, 2021, will NOT allow for COVID-19 related claims due to an added virus exclusion—a change from the previous year’s policy. We are not aware of any general liability policy that will do so.
Are virtual events covered?
Yes! As long as they are essentially the same as other events you would be holding (dancing led or taught by an instructor/caller). As usual, filing a claim would require someone who attended your online event to sue and prove your negligence.
Are regular events covered?
Events held at this time are covered by our insurance policy as they usually are, just not for COVID-related claims.
Should we have people sign waiver for in-person dancing post-COVID?
Some insurers require waivers for certain activities; ours does not. A waiver won’t prevent you from being sued, but may provide additional protection if you are. It may be worth consulting with a lawyer to discuss your particular situation if you feel it’s necessary.
Can we review the policy?
Absolutely! Email [email protected] and we’ll be happy to provide a copy of the policy for your review.
Other questions?
Have questions or need more information? Call Matt Reyna at 413-203-5467 x109 or email [email protected].
Contact Us
Affiliate Coordinator
- group affiliation and renewals
- insurance and 501(c)(3) coverage
- community grants
mreyna@ x109
Being an affiliate is an important way to support our work! We welcome groups that offer activities related to our mission, including English country dance, contra and square dance, morris and sword dance, and the music that is an integral part of these traditions.
Benefits of Affiliation
As a CDSS Affiliate, you’ll join the more than 260 groups across the US and Canada who are supporting our shared dance and music community. You’ll also receive:
And also enjoy the benefits we offer to all groups:
- Advice: we offers advice on programming, group organization, financial reporting, bylaws writing, registration procedures, sound equipment, and staff suggestion
- Financial assistance: grants are available to help groups start new events (weeks, weekends, festivals), train leaders, create publications, and provide equity trainings for organizers
- Equipment rental: ritual dance equipment (swords, hankies, bellpads) is available on short term loan and for a modest fee
Become an Affiliate
US Groups
CDSS Affiliates in the US are eligible for group liability insurance and 501(c)(3) status, as well as all of the perks offered to all affiliates.
Per-day/single event insurance is available for affiliates for $75/day.
Canadian Groups
CDSS Affiliates in Canada receive all of the perks offered to all CDSS Affiliates, but are not eligible for insurance or nonprofit coverage.
The affiliate membership fee for Canadian groups is adjusted annually to match the current exchange rate. The fee for Canadian groups is $75 USD.
International Groups
CDSS Affiliates outside of the US and Canada receive all of the perks offered to all CDSS Affiliates, but are not eligible for insurance or nonprofit coverage. The membership fee for international groups is $100 USD per year.
All affiliate memberships renew on May 1 of each year.
Become an Affiliate Renew Your Affiliation
Contact Us
Affiliate Coordinator
- group affiliation and renewals
- insurance and 501(c)(3) coverage
- community grants
mreyna@ x109
Welcome to the CDSS community! We’re glad you’re here!
Not an Affiliate Yet? Join Here. Your Group’s Benefits
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Promote Your Events
- CDSS News Ads
Our magazine is published three times per year and reaches about 10,000 people in print and online. Ads for dance and music events are welcome in all issues, and affiliates receive a discounted rate. Find out more about ads here.
- Promoting Events Elsewhere
Check out the “promotions” tag in the Resource Portal for ideas about other places to market your events.
- CDSS Affiliate Logos
Add these special logos just for affiliates to your website and other publications.
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Create Connections
- Web Chats for Organizers
A few times a year, we host web chats on a range of topics of interest to dance and music organizers, offering insight and distilled wisdom from other organizers and experts. See the full archive of recordings here.
- Camp
Our camps are a great way to meet new people and build community connections across the continent! Camps also often include special training courses for callers, musicians, and organizers. See this summer’s schedule here.
- Resource Portal
The CDSS Resource Portal contains a vast range of resources by and for the dance, music, and song community.
- Affiliate Surveys
We’ve conducted a number of surveys of our affiliates and other constituents. Find the reports from those surveys here.
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Find Funding
- Community Grants
CDSS grant funding is available to affiliates for a wide range of activities such as workshops (including DEI and equity training), publications, research, startup funds, and more. Find out more about grants here.
- Nonprofit Exemption/501(c)(3) Status
All US affiliates are eligible to receive 501(c)(3) status, which provides all the benefits of tax exemption including accepting tax-deductible donations, access to some grant funding, preferential rates at some venues, and more. You must apply specifically to become a part of this exemption. Find out more here.
Contact Us
Affiliate Coordinator
- group affiliation and renewals
- insurance and 501(c)(3) coverage
- community grants
mreyna@ x109
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.