Illinois AEYC 100 Years of Excellence

ILAEYC Chapter Guidelines

Aim of Chapters

Chapters engage ILAEYC members throughout Illinois and serve as an essential component of ILAEYC’s governance structure. The ILAEYC Board supports Chapters in enhancing the delivery of member services across the state and in fostering partnerships that advance NAEYC’s vision and commitments. Any NAEYC member who designates ILAEYC as one of their affiliates is eligible to participate in any Chapter and its related activities.

Chapter Structure

ILAEYC offers two chapter types: Local Chapters and State-wide Chapters.

Local Chapters: Local Chapters form a community to provide support to early childhood. Local Chapters provide ILAEYC a direct connection to our communities and their needs. Local Chapter meetings/events are recommended to focus on the local community as defined by a predetermined criteria (e.g., a single geographic area, shared affiliation, etc).

State-wide Chapters: State-wide Chapters interact with ILAEYC members across Illinois. State-wide Chapters provide ILAEYC members with a direct connection to topic based interests in the early childhood education field. State-wide Chapter meetings/events are recommended to be accessible to all ILAEYC members state-wide, with an effort to reflect as many different geographical areas of the state as possible.

Chapter Responsibilities to ILAEYC

Chapters must maintain a signed Affiliate-Chapter Agreement, submit an Annual Chapter Report, and operate in accordance with NAEYC and ILAEYC policies, values, and brand standards. 

Chapter Responsibilities to ILAEYC include but are not limited to:

  • The Board – Elect one or more Local Chapter Liaison(s) or State-wide Chapter Liaison(s) to serve on the ILAEYC Board. One chapter representative is expected to vote on behalf of the interest of their entire local or state-wide chapter. 
  • Chapter Leadership – Establish and maintain (2) primary contacts for Local Chapters and three (3) primary contacts for State-wide Chapters.
  • Member Engagement – Provide at least three (3) events or meetings annually for all ILAEYC members and prospective members; record attendance for each event or meeting held. 
  • Collaborations – Chapters are encouraged to build relationships with organizations that impact children, families, the community, and the quality of early childhood programs. 
  • Online Platforms – Establish and maintain a Chapter page on the ILAEYC website. Chapters are also encouraged to share and promote Chapter updates, events, and opportunities through ILAEYC newsletters, ILAEYC event calendar, Chapter social media, and NAEYC membership emails. 
  • Financial – Manage and monitor the chapter’s account balance, using funds solely for approved Chapter purposes in accordance with ILAEYC financial procedures. 
  • Budget – Submit a budget at formation and annually report on Chapter spending, including an updated budget and/or fundraising plan. 
  • Chapter Development Funds – Document the intended use of the funds from ILAEYC relating to Chapter growth and development.
  • Annual Report – Submit ILAEYC Annual Chapter Report by May 15th. 

ILAEYC Support to Chapters

ILAEYC will support Chapters through ongoing communication, training, resources, and technical assistance to help Chapters operate in alignment with NAEYC and ILAEYC policies, values, brand standards, and complete the Affiliate-Chapter Agreement and Annual Chapter Report.

Local or State-wide Chapter Liaison are the primary contact for Chapters. Liaisons, who are in partnership with the ILAEYC Vice-President, will:

  • Guide interested groups to form a new chapter, and understand the interconnections of the various groups of the ILAEYC organization.
  • Host meetings with chapter leader(s) to monitor and support chapter needs (see policies and procedures Section III E7).
  • Inform the ILAEYC Board and Committees of Chapter membership growth, advocacy efforts, professional development to seek resources and assist with collaborations as necessary.
  • ILAEYC will assist with membership engagement: 
    • Provide access to the NAEYC-ILAEYC membership lists upon request.
    • Advocate for Chapter’s needs to NAEYC
    • Communicate activities and distribute information among Chapters and members.
    • Facilitate opportunities for Chapter leadership to connect, network, and share ideas.
    • Support collaborative activities among Chapters and other branches of ILAEYC as interested.
    • Support fundraising development activities, including sponsorship and fundraising, to assist with Chapter activities.
    • Share information from NAEYC (e.g., Affiliate Advisory Council, etc)
    • Provide insurance for in-person ILAEYC events or meetings so long as Chapters follow branding requirements set forth by NAEYC.

Chapter Financials and Budget

Chapters must adhere to all legal requirements of ILAEYC as part of a group exemption by the IRS. In addition to ILAEYC Financial Policies (see Policies & Procedures Appendix A), ILAEYC provides:

  • Provide approved Chapters with $250 in start-up funding.
  • Dedicated line item in the main budget to indicate the balance in the Chapter’s account. Chapters may request a full statement of their funds upon request. (Chapters use the ILAEYC Event Report to track all event-related revenue and expenses.)
  • Funds to further chapter development, as requested by Chapter. Grant decisions are the responsibility of ILAEYC’s Executive Director, Treasurer and Vice President, based on proper documentation.Chapters may submit a Funds Request Form any time after the budget is approved.
  • Disburse Chapter funds through approved methods (e.g., reimbursement, advance checks) in accordance with ILAEYC financial procedures. Chapters must submit all receipts to the Executive Director within 14 days of the expenditure or event to be reimbursed through the ILAEYC Event Report.
  • Review Chapter budgets at formation and annually, providing guidance to support effective financial planning and alignment with Chapter goals.
  • Banking access for chapters with non-501 (c)(3) status may be restricted if the chapter operates at a quarterly deficit or makes expenditures outside its approved budget.

    Additional Responsibilities for Chapters Maintaining a 501(c)3 

    501(c)(3) chapters are responsible for submitting all required fiscal year-end financial reports to the State of Illinois, meeting all applicable state tax filing deadlines, and maintaining compliance with all state reporting and regulatory requirements. Copies of all documentation must be kept on record in the ILAEYC office or secure cloud storage which ILAEYC staff can access.

    Additional Considerations

    Members are allowed to join as many chapters as they want. Local and state-wide chapter liaisons will foster connections between types of chapters and with committee(s) as appropriate. For example:

    • A local-based chapter, when interested in a specific topic, can reach out to the relevant state-wide chapter (such as play) to coordinate an in-person event. 
    • A state-wide chapter can reach out to a local-based chapter for local venues to host an in-person event.
    • Any chapter can reach out to their liaison and the Membership and Public Relations Committee for support in recruiting members. State-wide chapters seek members in underrepresented areas of the state.
    • All chapters can support Public Policy Committee work, and can participate in or collaborate with the Professional Development Committee for learning opportunities.

      Termination of Chapter-ILAEYC Relationship

      Revocation of Agreement

      If a Chapter is unable to meet the responsibilities and expectations of a chapter, the ILAEYC board, namely the Local or Statewide Liaison(s), will work with the Chapter to offer additional support or guidance. Within 90 days a plan shall be in place to rectify any issues. If the plan is not upheld, then ILAEYC may terminate the Chapter agreement. In the event that a chapter agreement is terminated, all funds will revert to ILAEYC.

      Surrender of Agreement

      A Chapter may surrender this agreement. Chapter leadership will notify ILAEYC in writing of their intent to dissolve and their rationale with 30 days notice until surrender. The chapter’s Board must vote to dissolve, and chapter leadership will submit, in writing, the results to ILAEYC within 3 days. The Chapter understands that it will no longer hold the AEYC name or use of the Chapter logo.

      New Chapters

      Any group of ILAEYC members may create a chapter by submitting a (Chapter Proposal Application) Become a Chapter Interest Survey via the ILAEYC website – https:/llinoisaeyc.org/ (under dropdown menu of Chapter Resources above the colored menu bar) The ILAEYC Board will review and approve all chapter submissions.