The Sonoma Community Center is proud to use a sliding scale fee system for all classes, as an important step toward lowering financial access barriers to our programs.
When you register for a class, you’ll be offered three price tiers. The middle tier comes closest to what our registration fees used to be, and covers about 50% of the full cost of your participation in the class – with the other 50% covered by community donations. The first tier creates accessibility for people with limited income, while the third tier covers the full cost of participation – so that we can use community donations to support other people’s registration costs. When you choose to register at the third tier, you directly help support the Center’s efforts to remove financial barriers for others.
Limited spots are available for tier 1, but we don’t require any proof of income to qualify. All participants are invited to select the tier that is right for them. Here are some guidelines meant to help you choose.
Consider paying at tier 1 if you:
- Support children and/or other dependents on a modest income
- Have significant debt
- Are eligible for public assistance
- Experience discrimination in hiring or pay level
- Have immigration-related expenses
- Are an elder with limited financial support
- Are an unpaid community organizer/worker
- Are descended from enslaved people or Native American Indians
Consider paying at tier 2 if you:
- Are able to travel when needed, especially for an unexpected occasion
- Have reliable transportation
- Are able to repay or are in the process of repaying your student loans
- Are able to miss work for sickness or leisure and are still able to pay next month’s bills
- Receive economic support from others for things like car payments, phone bills, or spending money
- Are able to contribute to a retirement plan
Consider paying at tier 3 if you:
- Are single and/or without dependents
- Have paid off your student loans
- Travel for recreation
- Have access to family money and resources
- Have a high degree of earning power
- Own the home you live in
- Work part-time or don’t work by choice
- Have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money
