Membership Categories & Fees

The Academy for Behavior Change is pleased to offer various levels of membership to ensure membership is accessible to all interested parties. Further details on each level of membership is included below.

Professional Membership:
Designed for health coaches, clinicians, educators, researchers, policy leaders, training providers, and early-career professionals.

Fees: 

Yes! Complete details regarding membership benefits can be found at the links below.

All membership levels renew on an annual basis. Members will receive a 30-day notice prior to renewal with weekly notices until renewed. 

Members may opt-in for auto-renewal. Verification of member information will be requested for each renewal cycle. 

For organizational partners, verification of accompanying professional member seats will be required annually. Organizations may transfer professional membership at the renewal period only. 

Members who do not activate auto-renewal will need to log-in to their membership portal to renew and verify member information. Benefits are applied for the lifetime of the membership.

Membership in the Academy for Behavior Change, a nonprofit organization recognized under Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code, is voluntary and subject to the terms outlined below.

‍1. Membership Term
‍Memberships are issued on a rolling basis beginning on the date of acceptance and ending after a duration of one year, unless otherwise specified. 

‍2. Voluntary Cancellation by Member
‍Members may cancel their membership at any time by submitting a written request through the membership portal. Cancellation requests take effect upon receipt and confirmation by the organization. Cancellation ends future access to member benefits but does not relieve the member of any outstanding financial obligations incurred prior to the cancellation date.

‍3. Refunds
‍Membership dues are generally non-refundable, as dues support the ongoing operations, programs, and services of the organization. Refunds may be considered only under the following limited circumstances: 

• Duplicate or erroneous payments
• Administrative errors by the organization
• Other exceptional circumstances, at the sole discretion of the Academy for Behavior Change

Requests for refunds must be submitted in writing within 14 days of the payment date. Approved refunds will be processed using the original method of payment, less any non-recoverable transaction fees where applicable.
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4. Termination by the Organization
‍The Academy for Behavior Change reserves the right to suspend or terminate a membership, without refund, if a member:

• Violates the organization’s Code of Conduct or membership policies
• Engages in behavior that is inconsistent with the mission, values, or professional standards of the organization
• Misrepresents affiliation or misuse of membership status

Membership fees are subject to change as benefits increase and the Academy expands offerings. Fee changes must undergo a member vote and board approval.

Members with voting rights will be notified of a proposed fee change and upcoming vote following the policies outlined in the Academy for Behavior Change policies & procedures. All members, regardless of tier or level, will receive a written notice to any upcoming fee changes within 30 days of board approval. Increased fees will only be applied at the next renewal cycle; fees will not increase midway through a membership cycle. 

Founding membership and organizational partner fees may not be changed within the first 3 years of membership. Membership dues are separate from fees associated with events, programs, or special services, which are governed by their own cancellation and refund policies.

The Academy for Behavior Change is a membership-driven 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. Membership supports the collective advancement of the behavior change profession, including shared standards, collaboration, education, and field leadership.
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Membership is distinct from any credentialing or certification programs administered by the Institute for Behavior Change and/or Academy-affiliated partners. Credentialing activities are established by a separate organization (Institute for Behavior Change) to ensure fairness, impartiality, and independence.

A full description of voting types, rights, and responsibilities can be found here.

The Academy is committed to inclusive, transparent, accountability, and meaningful member engagement.

What Members Can Expect

The Academy for Behavior Change (ABC) serves as the professional home for the study, practice, and advancement of behavior change, bringing together health and wellness coaches, behavior change specialists, and interdisciplinary professionals committed to improving human well-being.

This Code of Conduct reflects ABC’s Guiding Principles and establishes shared expectations for professional, ethical, and inclusive engagement. All members—individual and organizational, voting and nonvoting—are expected to uphold this Code when participating in ABC programs, events, committees, communications, and use of ABC resources.

Members have access to the full Member Policies, Expectations, and Code of Conduct on our website.