Cooperative Advertising Program
You do the advertising. We’ll help pay! The Cooperative Advertising Program (CAP) reimburses ACBL teachers, clubs, units and districts for advertising expenses for programs and lessons designed for newcomers and/or to recruit ACBL members.
CAP will refund you 75% of advertising costs up to $1000 per project specifically for beginner bridge lessons, newcomer programs and ACBL recruitment. That’s a $750 reimbursement for $1000 or more in advertising costs. We even supply you with ACBL logos and sample ad templates for a professional look.
Program Information and Requirements
1. Advertising must be for newcomer programs, beginner bridge lessons or ACBL membership recruitment.
2. The ACBL logo or the words "American
Contract Bridge League" must appear
in the advertisement (no exceptions). We encourage but do not require you to use
the advertising
templates now available at the ACBL web site.
3. Reimbursements are made by project. For example, if you spend $1000 on newspaper advertising and $500 for flyers for the same lesson series, your total reimbursement will be $750, not $1125. All reimbursements will be paid in U.S. dollars.
4. We require copies of actual dated receipts and/or detailed invoices submitted WITHIN 90 days of the date of the receipt or invoice. Copies of cancelled checks or credit card statements are not acceptable. Members and clubs must be in good standing in the ACBL to receive reimbursement.
5. ACBL staff reserves the right to judge eligibility for reimbursement, so it is a good idea to check ahead of time if you have questions. For example, if you already are being reimbursed as a School Bridge Lesson Series teacher, you will not be reimbursed for additional advertising for that program.
Eligible Media
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Direct mail pieces
- Yellow page advertising
- Catalogs
- Posters/flyers for public distribution
- Billboards
- Television
- Radio
- Online commercial web sites*
*Online commercial web sites are those affiliated with a professional media organization such as The Washington Post online (mywashingtonpost.com), licensed business web sites such as Yahoo!® or community sites such as those for chambers of commerce. Personal, club, unit or district web sites are excluded.
Eligible Expenses
- Cost of advertising placement
- Cost of advertising reproduction (e.g. copies of flyers)
Items Not Eligible for Reimbursement
- Ads placed in The Bridge Bulletin
- Calendars
- Tournament schedules and flyers (None!)
- Club, unit or district newsletters
- Postage
- Web publishing or maintenance
- Club, unit or district directories
- Supplies (e.g., labels, envelopes, etc.)
- Signage
- Promotional or specialty items (e.g., pens, pencils, coffee mugs, t-shirts, etc.)
- Business cards and letterhead
How to Get Reimbursed
Send a copy of the dated paid invoice(s)* and/or receipt(s)* along with:
- The advertisement tear sheet for newspaper ads.
- The actual brochure or flyer for brochures and flyers.
- A copy of the script for radio and television.
- A copy of the link or insertion order for online commercial web sites.
* PLEASE NOTE: Invoices and receipts showing a date of more than 90 days old when received in this office will not be accepted by the ACBL Accounting Department for reimbursement. Also, copies of cancelled checks or credit card statements are not acceptable. We require copies of actual dated receipts and/or detailed invoices. Members and clubs must be in good standing in the ACBL to receive reimbursement.
Send the above items to:
Ruth Francis
Marketing Department
2990 Airways Blvd.
Memphis TN 38116
901-332-5586, ext.1368
901-398-7754 (fax)
ruth.francis@acbl.org
Be sure to include your name and a daytime phone number or e-mail address where you may be contacted.
You may expect to receive your reimbursement within six to eight weeks from the date your request is received in the ACBL office. If your materials do not meet the CAP requirements, you will be contacted.