The Sonoma Community Center is proud to announce that it is introducing a sliding scale fee system for all classes starting July 1, as an important step toward lowering financial access barriers to its programs.
Starting July 1, anyone who registers for a class at the Community Center will be invited to choose from five price tiers, so that everyone can pay at the level that is right for them. The lower tiers help ensure that our classes are affordable for people of all income levels, while the higher tiers help to cover the cost of a class for everyone. When those who can afford it choose to register for a class at one of the higher tiers, they directly help support the Center’s efforts to remove financial barriers for others. There are currently no income requirements attached to any of the payment tiers, and participants are invited to select the tier that best fits their circumstances. The guide below is meant to help you select the appropriate tier.
Consider paying at the lower tiers 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 the middle tier 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 the highest tier(s) 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
*Materials are included.
