Individual Contributing Members

• one-time $50 fee for life-time status

• How does CAPS use the money from contributing members? The money collected from membership fees supports basic operating expenses like this website and our zoom account that are critical to our existence. Membership fees also support the National Postdoc Survey. Our budget is completely transparent. All members are provided with CAPS Budget updates and projections at our Annual General Meetings and on request. 
• My institution already provides resources for postdocs, why should I become a contributing affiliate? We are the only organization in Canada whose sole mission is to improve the lives of postdocs. CAPS does advocacy, and data collection at a scale that institutions do not. A recent example is the federal funding for postdocs promised by Canada’s Budget 2024, which included increasing the fellowship values from $40k to $70k/year. If your institution find these types of developments valuable, please consider becoming a contributing member to sustain the work of CAPS. 
• Our institution provides benefits, how might the health insurance through CAPS be useful to us? Our benefits can be used to cover:
  • Postdocs on short contracts (often they are not be elligible for employer provided benefits).
  • Postdocs who need benefits temporarily before their official contract start date or activation of employer coverage.
  • Postdocs who do not have access to employer benefits because they have external funding.
• I am a member of a contributing affiliate group, what benefits do I have? As a member of an affiliate group, you have the same benefits as an individual contributing member so long as you are or have been a member of that group within the past year.
• How do I know if I am a member of a contributing affiliate Postdoc Association/Union or Institution? Contributing affiliates are listed on our affiliates and partners page.
• What if I don’t know exactly how many postdocs are at my institution? We understand this number is in constant flux. We encourage you to sign-up for the bin that you feel best describes your organization’s situation within a 20% margin for error. Organizations with 80-120 postdocs can sign up for either the 1-100 or 100-500 bins. Organizations with 400-600 postdocs can choose to sign up for either the 100-500 or >500 bins.
• What if I want to support CAPS, but the fees are too high? We understand that finances for postdoc groups can be limited and unpredictable. Please contact membership[at]capsacpp.ca to schedule a discussion about your options for contributing affiliate status.
• What type of insurance is offered to contributing members? As a contributing member, you are supporting the important work of CAPS/ACPP, and you will also have access to exclusive association insurance (prescription, health, and dental) plans through our insurance broker at Specialized Benefits. Some basic info on the types of plans offered through your CAPS/ACPP Membership is available on the Specialized Benefits Website.
• How do I enroll in the health insurance plans for contributing members? Once you have received e-mail confirmation of your contributing status (from membership[at]capsacpp.ca) Specialized Benefits will help you to find an insurance plan that meets your needs. The first step is to fill out the contact form on the Specialized Benefits Website. Please note that these insurance plans have premium fees that are separate from the one-time $50 membership fee for CAPS/ACPP, or the annual fees for affiliates.
• Who do I contact if I still have questions? Please e-mail membership[at]capsacpp.ca. We look forward to hearing from you!