January 29, 2025

2025 is bringing some changes to the League

Throughout the 2010s and 2020s, the League has grown at an astonishing rate: membership numbers, membership engagement, community engagement, events, and program opportunities are at an all-time high as we go into this new year.

This has been thanks to an engaged membership, a dedicated Board, and an exceptional staff: the amount of work put in by our small team of two full-time co-directors and one part-time communications superstar is equal to more than 4.5 full-time employees (we finally did the math!).

Last month, our members and supporters banded together to raise nearly $20,000 to support increased financial support for members! This generosity from our community is one part of a multi-step plan to ensuring program accessibility for poets all across Turtle Island, Canada, while also securing the League’s financial future.

We thank you for your incredible support of our organization and our mission!

Still, as our operations, programs, services, and membership have all expanded, our revenues have not grown to match the rate of inflation and our increasing expenses.

Like many of our sibling organizations in the arts, the League’s financial stability is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain: grants are fewer, and more difficult to attain; private giving is on a downward trend for all Canadian charities; and costs of goods and services are increasing faster than we can keep up.

The organization has stretched its human and financial resources as far as possible to continue to offer the full extent of our programs and services, at the most accessible cost possible. We are proud of our commitment to accessibility and equity and celebrate that this means all submission fees and registration fees have discounted options available, and programming is free to access whenever possible.

The League’s membership fees have not changed in over 15 years. However, with increased demand on our programs and services, combined with increasing costs, the Board has passed a motion to increase membership fees starting April 1, 2025.

Why now?

• As part of our fiscal responsibility, we have a mandate to ensure the long-term stability of the organization.
• League program and service offerings are at an all-time high, often operating from a loss or break-even financial standpoint to ensure accessibility.
• The realities of the current economic climate have demanded that the League initiate a financial review of the organization.

How this affects you

In March 2025, when you are contacted with an invitation to renew your membership, you will see the new cost of membership for the April 2025 year will be $205 for Full Membership and $85 for Associate Membership. This increase, equivalent to approximately $1.75 per month, is projected to increase revenue for League programs and services by at least $10,000 annually.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, including many of our members, the League’s Member Support Fund will empower the League to provide fee waivers to members who may be grappling with the fee increase. Fee waivers will be available via an application form, and can support:

• A fee reduction to stay at current membership fees ($185/70)
• A custom fee reduction
• A full fee waiver

Finally, alongside this increase, the League is pleased to – at long last – implement a 50% fee discount available to Indigenous members.

This April 2025 fee increase brings the League’s membership fees in line with the longstanding fees of comparable institutions and is the first step towards the organization's long term financial stability. To address inflation and increased programming, the Board has approved a review of the first stage of the fee increase in advance of a potential second phase of fee increases for April 2027.