United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. (UOAA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is an association of affiliated, non-profit, support groups. By affiliating with UOAA, you will be joining an organization that is dedicated to increasing your viability as a support group, and to improving the quality of life, after surgery, of your group’s members and the ostomy/continent diversion community it serves.

Benefits of Affiliation:

• Your Affiliated Support Group (ASG) is listed on the third highest viewed page on ostomy.org “Support Group Finder”
• Your ASG’s website (if one has been established) is listed on the “Support Group Websites” webpage on ostomy.org; UOAA can also create a basic website upon request
• Your ASG is listed in each quarterly edition of The Phoenix magazine
• A starter packet of UOAA’s free educational materials (guides can be re-ordered upon request)
• Members of your ASG can take our “Ostomy Friends” online mentoring program to ensure they have the skills and guidance to speak with fellow ostomates in need of support
• Your ASG leader has exclusive access to several sections of our “ASG Standards for Success” webpages
• Your ASG can file for tax-exempt status under UOAA’s tax-exempt umbrella (recommended for support groups not associated with hospitals). For more information regarding this program please email oa@ostomy.org and put tax exempt status in the subject field
• UOAA has a dedicated staff member and Director of Affiliated Support Group Affairs to assist with questions and concerns

Affiliation is open to any group that provides mutual aid and support to those who have undergone, or will undergo, ostomy or continent bowel/bladder surgery, and to their caregivers/family, and meets the following:

Requirements for Affiliation:

• Acceptance of UOAA’s Constitution
• Agrees to support UOAA’s mission to promote quality of life for people with ostomies and continent diversion through information, support, advocacy and collaboration
• Promotes UOAA’s programs, services and events
• Agrees to pay an initial start-up fee of $60.00 to affiliate with UOAA
• Agrees to pay UOAA’s Annual Affiliation Dues as determined each year by UOAA’s Board of Directors. Currently the Annual Affiliation Dues is $5.00 per member or $60.00, whichever is the greater of the two
• Agrees to encourage support group members to subscribe to The Phoenix magazine and sign up to receive UOAA’s monthly e-Newsletter
• Agrees to provide UOAA an email address where communications to the support group can be sent
• Agrees that upon dissolution of the group, it will give any remaining funds in its treasury to a viable 501(c)(3) charity/s, with a strong preference to UOAA or to other organizations that provide support to ostomates