Terms of Participation: Organization & Corporate Membership
These Terms of Participation (“Terms”) govern Organization and Corporate Membership in the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative (“TKC”). By accepting these Terms, the participating organization (“Member”) agrees to the following:
1. Membership & Benefits
TKC provides Members with networking opportunities, educational resources, professional development, and collaborative initiatives, as outlined on the TKC website. TKC may periodically modify membership benefits as its programs evolve.
2. Member Participation & Community Standards
Members agree to participate in TKC activities in a professional, respectful, and collaborative manner, share non-proprietary best practices when feasible, and participate in TKC’s annual impact survey.
Members must follow TKC’s Communication Guidelines and Member Community Guidelines. Unsolicited commercial solicitation of other Members is prohibited without TKC’s prior authorization and may result in suspension or termination of membership. Members must respect the confidentiality of information identified as confidential or reasonably understood to be confidential and obtain permission before sharing another Member’s proprietary or nonpublic information.
3. Independence & Non-Endorsement
Membership does not constitute TKC’s endorsement, certification, or approval of a Member’s products, services, or practices. Members may not imply such endorsement or influence TKC’s editorial decisions, research findings, educational content, or organizational positions.
4. Intellectual Property & Resource Sharing
Each party retains ownership of its intellectual property, including educational materials, curricula, research, and trademarks.
Unless otherwise specified, Members may use and adapt TKC resources for their own educational and programmatic activities, including sharing materials with program participants, with appropriate attribution. Member-exclusive resources may not be substantially reproduced or redistributed outside the Member organization or used for commercial resale without TKC’s written permission. Resource-specific licensing and usage requirements continue to apply.
Members may use approved TKC membership badges to identify their affiliation, consistent with TKC branding guidelines. TKC may identify Members by organizational name in directories, acknowledgments, reports, and grant applications. Neither party may use the other’s logo or imply endorsement or partnership beyond membership without prior written permission.
5. Liability, Warranties & Insurance
TKC resources, programs, and materials are provided for educational and informational purposes only, on an “as-is” and “as-available” basis, without express or implied warranties. TKC does not guarantee specific outcomes or that its resources will meet any Member’s applicable legal, professional, accreditation, or regulatory requirements.
Each party is responsible for its own acts and omissions, including those of its employees, agents, and representatives, in connection with membership activities. Neither party is required to defend, indemnify, or hold the other harmless. Each party will maintain insurance appropriate to its activities and applicable legal requirements; TKC’s insurance does not extend to Members. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither party will be liable to the other for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from membership activities.
6. Force Majeure
Neither party will be liable for delays or failure to fulfill obligations due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, public health emergencies, government actions, or disruptions to essential services.
7. Relationship of the Parties
These Terms do not create any agency, partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship between TKC and any Member. Each party is an independent entity solely responsible for its own personnel and operations, and neither party may act for or bind the other.
8. Membership Term, Renewal & Termination
Membership runs annually from January 1 through December 31. Annual dues are payable within sixty (60) days of the invoice date and are non-refundable. Following initial acceptance, membership renews upon payment of annual dues without requiring annual re-acceptance of these Terms, except as provided in Section 9. Members who do not intend to renew are asked to notify TKC at least thirty (30) days before the start of the next membership year.
TKC may suspend or terminate membership for nonpayment or violations of these Terms or TKC’s community standards. The confidentiality and non-solicitation obligations in Section 2, intellectual property provisions in Section 4, and applicable liability provisions in Section 5 survive termination or expiration of membership.
9. Updates to Terms
TKC may update these Terms with advance written notice to Members. Updated Terms will generally take effect at the next membership renewal. Continued membership and payment of annual dues constitute acceptance of the updated Terms, unless TKC requires a new acknowledgment or otherwise agrees in writing.
10. General Provisions
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply. Any separately negotiated written agreement between TKC and a Member will take precedence over these Terms where the provisions differ.
