ASRT and its affiliates should have symbiotic relationships, that is the relationships should be mutually advantageous. Their goals/purposes are the same, and they are dependent upon each other. The only difference is the magnitude: ASRT’s scope is international and national; an affiliate’s is more regional, state or local. By virtue of tax laws in the case of affiliates covered under the group exemption or a license agreement with the affiliate (to use the ASRT name and trademarks), ASRT is the "parent" to the affiliate, and serves in the more dominant role.

This is also seen in the fact that ASRT provides a myriad of services to the affiliates to help them accomplish their mission. Thus, ASRT is both legally and under a good business model compelled to assert a certain level of control over its affiliates. ASRT has developed a great deal of good will and name recognition in its brand, and ASRT’s tax-exemption could be jeopardized by affiliates (since ASRT is in essence "vouching" for the affiliates covered under its group exemption).

Affiliates are encouraged to consult and coordinate with ASRT on their activities and programs. ASRT should be considered a partner and a resource that is involved in the inception, development, and execution of affiliate events.

As ASRT’s name and logo are trademarked and its written materials (such as educational materials, online articles and documents) copyrighted, affiliates may request permission to use ASRT’s name and logo along with other trademarks and copyrighted works. Affiliates interested in using ASRT’s intellectual property should contact the ASRT Communications Department to inquire as to how they may obtain such permission.

An affiliate should be incorporated under the non-profit corporation law of the state where it is located. The corporate form generally insulates the directors, officers and members from personal liability for debts of the affiliate.

Incorporation is accomplished by filing articles of incorporation with the appropriate state authority, usually the Secretary of State. These articles should include only the information required by state law, and certain "boilerplate" provisions necessary to qualify the affiliate for tax exemption under Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Most states have developed user-friendly Web sites from which fill-in-the-blank forms can be downloaded, completed and submitted.

Affiliates should call the Secretary of State "Corporations Division" and ask:

1) Is the affiliate incorporated? If so,

2) Is the affiliate in good standing?

If the answer to #1 is "no", the affiliate should follow the steps identified above to complete this. If the answer to #2 is "no", then the affiliate should ask what forms need to be filed in order to bring it back into good standing.

Bylaws are rules adopted and maintained by a corporation to define and direct its internal structure and management. They are best used to detail how the organization is formed and how it is run.

Yes, affiliates are encouraged to submit their draft bylaws and/or amendments to ASRT for review.

A good rule of thumb is to adopt a set of bylaws and review it every four or five years for consistency with current practice and/or any necessary updates. It should be noted that any changes to an affiliate’s bylaws should be submitted to ASRT for approval.

If incorporated, many states do require an entity to have an internal governance document, often called "bylaws". However, even if not required, they are highly recommended.