Start an AMBUCS Chapter
Bring mobility, independence, and access to your community. It only takes five people.
An AMBUCS chapter is a group of neighbors who work together on real needs close to home. Chapters help people get adaptive equipment like Amtryke® adaptive tricycles, support scholarships for future therapists, and take on local projects that make their communities more accessible. The AMBUCS Resource Center team will help you every step of the way.
Choose your mission
Your chapter decides how it serves. Many chapters combine more than one.
Amtryke adaptive tricycles
The Amtryke program is the mission focus for many chapters. You raise funds, and therapists fit children and adults to the right adaptive tryke so they can ride, play, and take part in daily life.
Scholarships for Therapists
Sponsor local students preparing for careers in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, or audiology.
Community service
Build home access ramps or accessible playgrounds, or start a new project that makes your community easier to get around for everyone.
Seven steps to your chapter
- Gather your group. Recruit at least four others who share a passion for mobility and independence. With you, that’s the five people it takes.
- Choose your mission. Amtrykes, scholarships, community service, or a mix.
- Pick your officers. You need a President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Many chapters also name a chief fundraiser, an event planner or community liaison, an Amtryke coordinator, and a scholarship coordinator.
- Choose three possible names. List them in order of preference. Your chapter is legally the “[Name] Chapter of National AMBUCS, Inc.” and goes by “[Name] AMBUCS.”
- Submit the New Chapter Application. The Resource Center then files your Articles of Incorporation and charitable registration with your state and your EIN with the IRS. Please don’t file these yourself.
- Complete your organizational paperwork. Your officers fill out the Affiliation Agreement, the standard Chapter Bylaws, and optional Chapter Policy Guidelines. Keep copies for your records.
- Plan your first mission-focused event. A ramp build, service project, or Amtryke event. Spread the word by email and social media, and invite local media with a press release.
What it costs
Simple, predictable costs, with liability coverage for your members and volunteers.
$10 per member
A one-time new member fee for each person who joins.
$25 per member, per year
National dues, billed quarterly.
$104 per year
Liability insurance for the whole chapter, not per person, billed at $26 a quarter once your chapter is recognized.
Chapter and local dues
Your chapter sets its own dues to cover local costs. Some chapters also pay district or region dues, depending on location.
What chapters commit to
A few simple responsibilities keep your chapter in good standing and protect its tax-exempt status. The Resource Center will remind you and help.
- File a tax return with the IRS each year: the short 990-N e-Postcard if your chapter takes in $50,000 or less, or a Form 990 if more.
- Send National your annual report and report of charitable giving by November 15.
- Keep your chapter’s corporate status and charitable registration current with your state.
- Stay current on national dues and any district or region dues.
- Use every dollar for the purpose it was raised for, and keep clear, shared financial records.
After you’re chartered
Your chapter gets everything it needs to start telling its story.
- Chapter Branding Kit: logos, colors, and ready-made social media posts.
- Free chapter website: a Google Sites template you can make your own.
- Membership HUB: the online portal where officers manage the roster, invoices, and chapter activities.
- Training: officer training at Regional Conference in the spring and National Conference in the fall.
Common questions
Do I need to be a therapist or work in health care?
No. Chapters bring together people from all walks of life. Licensed therapists evaluate and fit Amtryke riders; members raise funds, plan events, sponsor students, and build community partnerships.
How often do chapters meet?
Each chapter decides. Some meet monthly in person, others online, at a member’s home, or over coffee. What matters is putting the mission into action.
How long does it take to become an official chapter?
[Typical timeline from application to charter — confirm with National.] The Resource Center will keep you updated at each step.
When can we start fundraising?
Once the Resource Center has secured your chapter’s EIN. You’ll need it to open a bank account, and many donors and grant makers ask for it.
Are donations to our chapter tax-deductible?
Yes. New chapters are covered by the National AMBUCS 501(c)(3) group tax exemption, so gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Is an AMBUCS chapter a service club?
No. An AMBUCS chapter is part of a nonprofit charitable organization. That status is what lets chapters accept tax-deductible gifts and apply for grants.
Can someone from another chapter help us get started?
Yes, and it helps. Many new chapters have a mentor from a nearby chapter, known as a “sparkplug,” who answers questions and shares what works.
Not ready to start a chapter?
You can still be part of the mission. Join a chapter near you, or support AMBUCS as a Friend member for $25 a year.
Ready to start a chapter?
Call the AMBUCS Resource Center at 800-838-1845 or email ambucs@ambucs.org. We’ll answer your questions and walk you through every step.