Membership Benefits
Benefits Overview
Press Credentials
Qualifying staff members from publication members as well as associate members receive official personalized press cards indicating they are credentialed with an international press organization. The hard plastic, credit card-style press card is imprinted with the staff person’s name and publication title.
Digital Publishing Platform (Benefit Partner)
VERTIQUL features a creative platform structure that preserves the style that makes magazines great not only for today, but for our digital future. The VERTIQUL digital publishing platform has evolved to become a leading premium user experience digital delivery tool for modern magazines, newspapers and newsletters. The solution makes traditional flip page edition PDF conversion software apps obsolete. Substantial discounts on both platform setup and recurring costs offered. Learn more.
Credit Union Membership (Benefit Partner)
The Christian Community Credit Union has partnered with EPA to provide our members access to all benefits and personal financial services a credit union has to offer. When an EPA member applies for credit union membership and opens a new personal checking account, they receive a $100 cash bonus and EPA receives a $50 referral bonus.
ODP Business Solutions Discount Program (Benefit Partner)
EPA members can save up to 75% off on office, home and school supplies online at ODP Business Solutions (formerly Office Depot Business Solutions)! Enjoy exclusive pricing and discounts on office essentials, toner, paper, cleaning products, breakroom items and more for both home and business. Click here for details on the program and how to instantly register and start shopping.
On-Demand Training Videos
EPA has a library of 78 on-demand video presentations from the virtual events and webinars we have held in recent years. Receive training from industry experts in writing, editing, design, photography, digital publishing, social media, professional development and more. Hear from such leaders as Phil Cooke, Kay Warren, Walter Kim, Karen Swallow Prior, Anne Marie Winz, Diane J. McDougall, Lisa Crayton, Russell Moore, Mark Dreistadt, David French, Sarah Gordon, Angela Hunt, Nona Jones, Patricia Raybon, Lou Ann Sabatier, Jo Saxton, Bob Smietana, Al Tompkins, and many more.
Discounts on Training Resources from MTI (Benefit Partner)
Magazine Training International has an extensive library of online products and resources including manuals, DVD courses, and e-books. They also provide webinars, web-based video training, and online trainer-led courses. MTI offers EPA members free webinars six times a year and a 40% discount off all products and training resources available from their online store.
Free Webinars (Benefit Partner)
Through our partnership with MTI, EPA offers its member free, bi-monthly webinars covering a variety of subjects on writing, editing, design, social media, digital publishing, and more.
Merchant Processing (Benefit Partner)
Cornerstone Payment Systems is a Christian-owned credit card processing company offering online and retail payment solutions. Cornerstone also offers online donation systems, Text2Give, and many other merchant processing features. Through Processing with a Purpose, EPA will earn a part of the proceeds generated from each organization or company that signs on with Cornerstone listing EPA as the referral source. Learn more.
Internship Placement (Benefit Partner)
The Advisers of Christian Collegiate Media (ACCM) is composed of faculty members at Christian colleges and universities who advise the student campus publications, whether in print or online. ACCM facilitates the placement of qualified student interns at EPA publications. Learn more.
Legal Hotline (Benefit Partner)
Provided through a partnership with Flagler Law Group, EPA’s legal hotline is a service designed to provide EPA members in the U.S. with ready access to an experienced law firm regarding questions in the following Scope of Service:
- Pre-publication review
- Rights questions
- First Amendment matters
- Fair use
- “Hot news” doctrine
- Copyright law
- Libel/defamation
- Questions regarding agreements with freelancers
- Digital publishing
- Infringement
- Text and image permissions
- Marketing and advertising clearance
Web Hosting Discount (Benefit Partner)
Agathon Group offers a full set of hosting, design and development solutions for websites. They are specialists in hosting custom WordPress-optimized sites, including migration support, cloud backup, effective security and SSL support. EPA members get 10% off of hosting packages.
Fulfillment Services (Benefit Partner)
Cambey & West is a subscription fulfillment and integrated database management business. They offer EPA publication members a free month’s fulfillment service for new clients along with a waived conversion fee.
Marketing and Brand Development (Benefit Partner)
Infinity Concepts’ services include consulting, brand development, fundraising, media management, creative services, public relations, websites, and digital media. EPA members receive a 20% discount on all Infinity Concepts’ services.
Awards Contest
EPA’s annual contest recognizes the best of Christian periodical publishing. The Awards of Excellence contest looks at the entire magazine. The Higher Goals contest offers competition and critiquing in separate areas of writing, photography, and design. Even if a publication does not win, the contest provides an affordable critique service with the opportunity to have your work evaluated by leading industry professionals.
The judges in the Awards of Excellence division give awards of excellence, plus awards of merit, in each of the EPA membership categories: campus, Christian ministry, denominational, devotional, general, missionary, newsletter, newspaper, organizational and youth. Separate awards are given for print and digital entries. In the Higher Goals contest, the judges award first through fifth place. In both the Awards of Excellence and the Higher Goals divisions, all entries are returned with a written critique. Awards are presented during the annual convention.
The contest opens in November with a deadline in early January.
Convention
The annual convention offers training, networking and encouragement for editors, writers, designers, photographers, social media managers, publishers, and anyone else who is involved in periodical production. It’s a great chance to take one’s nose away from the grindstone for a few days and think about the bigger picture. Members and attendees return from conventions equipped with ideas for improving their work and contributing to a positive bottom line for their publication’s budget. EPA conventions offer speakers of national stature, the annual awards contest, the annual membership meeting and election, optional tours, and a wide variety of workshops designed for editors, writers, graphic artists, and business personnel — from beginners to veterans. Members register for the convention at a discounted rate.
EPA Logo
Including the EPA logo in your print publication or on your website provides identification with the evangelical community and the professional credibility it represents. The logo can be downloaded from the members-only section of the website.
EPA Online
EPA interacts with its members throughout the year through this website. The site posts convention information and other news about the association, as well as helpful resources for members. Significant portions of the site are available to members only. The website includes a library of writer’s guidelines for EPA publications, a collection of sample style guides, a help wanted / jobs available page, and an on-line membership directory.
Ethics Committee
During the membership application process, member candidates must affirm EPA’s Code of Ethics as a guiding document for professional integrity and as the foundational document for appeals to EPA’s Ethics Committee. Should members encounter disagreements with each other, they may appeal to this committee to provide a useful alternative to court-based resolution of disputes.
Legislative Advocacy/Postal Counsel
EPA is a member of the Coalition of Religious Press Associations, formed in the 1970s to share the work of postal advocacy on behalf of religious periodicals. Though the cost of mailing continues to climb, CRPA has saved its members millions of dollars since its inception. An EPA-appointed advocate serves on a USPS committee which challenges increases in non-profit periodical rates and provides representative feedback on postal issues.
Joe Thoma, the Executive Director of the Associated Church Press, is the postal liaison for both organizations. He provides written reports to the membership through the executive director’s office and is available to EPA members to answer postal questions.
Member Handbook & Directory
The annual handbook and directory is updated each year and mailed free to all members. Non-members may obtain the directory for a fee. The directory includes extensive profile and contact information for all EPA members, a list of awards from the annual contest, the association’s bylaws and FAQs about the association.
News Release Service
Share newsworthy information from your publication or organization with EPA’s membership at a discounted rate.
Newsletter
EPA’s newsletter, Liaison, is mailed quarterly to all members. It provides the latest news and information about EPA and its members.
Person-to-Person Evaluation
For a modest donation to the scholarship fund, we will match member publications with experienced editors and/or designers who will give an in-person, in-depth evaluation to the publication staff at the annual convention. An option is to have your publication critiqued by students. An entire class period will be involved in an evaluation. Students bring the perspective of the next generation to their evaluation, answering the question of how best to engage new and younger readers. Sign-up for the consultation is offered during the convention registration process. Publication members must attend the convention to receive the evaluation.
Regional Meetings
In areas of significant member concentration, members may gather periodically for learning opportunities and encouragement. Meetings have been held in Colorado Springs, Chicago, and Nashville. Anyone interested in setting up a group in another city where there is a significant number of members should contact the executive director.
Social Media Communities
EPA has Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn communities; some that are open to the entire membership (and public) and some that remain more private to host candid and private conversations within certain membership segments. Social media mentions to friends and followers by EPA staff highlight member work or accomplishments.
Voting Privileges
The EPA is shaped through the leadership of the board and the voting membership. Who votes? According to EPA Bylaws, the staff of member publications who are in attendance at a business meeting when a vote is called are able to exercise this privilege.