Quick Summary - What You're Agreeing To

• The Empower Collective is a peer-led community for education, connection, and support. It does not provide medical, legal, financial, therapeutic, or other professional services.

• You will treat other members with respect, protect their privacy, and follow our Community Standards and Safeguarding Policies.

• You will not share private conversations, screenshots, recordings, personal stories, or identifiable information without permission.

• You will maintain appropriate boundaries and will not use the community for unsolicited selling, recruitment, solicitation, or personal gain.

• Member businesses, services, presenters, and resources are not endorsed or guaranteed by The Empower Network.

• You are responsible for your own decisions, interactions, purchases, business relationships, and outcomes.

• TEN-created resources are for your personal, non-commercial use and may not be copied, shared, republished, or used to create your own products or services without permission.

• You retain ownership of your own ideas and original content.

• Membership may be suspended or ended when necessary to enforce these terms or protect the community.

• Membership is subject to the terms below and the linked Community Standards and Safeguarding Policy.

This summary is for convenience only. Please read the full policy below.

1. Membership & Eligibility

The Empower Collective is a program of The Empower Network, Inc. (“TEN,” “The Empower Network,” “we,” “our,” or “us”), a nonprofit organization providing disability-informed education, community support, and opportunities for connection.

This Membership Agreement (“Agreement”) governs your participation as a member of The Empower Collective.

Membership is available to individuals who are at least 18 years old and have the legal capacity to enter into this Agreement. Membership is personal to the individual who applies and may not be transferred or shared with another person.

Membership may include access to educational programs, peer support, community gatherings, working sessions, networking opportunities, online community spaces, resources, and other benefits offered by TEN. Specific programs and benefits may change over time.

See our Inclusion Statement for more information: https://www.empower-network.org/inclusion

2. Community Expectations & Confidentiality

The Empower Collective is intended to be a respectful, inclusive, disability-affirming community.

Members agree to:

• Treat others with dignity and respect.

• Refrain from harassment, bullying, discrimination, hate speech, intimidation, or repeated unwelcome behavior.

• Respect different lived experiences, identities, communication styles, and access needs.

• Respect the privacy of information shared within community spaces.

• Follow The Empower Network’s Community Standards in all TEN programs, events, online platforms, and community spaces.

Personal stories, health-related disclosures, business ideas, private conversations, and other information shared in member-only or otherwise private community spaces should remain within those spaces unless the person who shared the information gives permission otherwise.

Members may not record, screenshot, distribute, publish, or share another person’s private conversations, personal information, stories, images, or identifiable information without their permission.

These confidentiality expectations continue after membership ends.

3. Safeguarding, Boundaries & Community Safety

Because TEN serves individuals who may experience disability, chronic illness, financial vulnerability, or other circumstances affecting safety and wellbeing, members are required to follow The Empower Network’s Safeguarding Policy

Members may not engage in abuse, exploitation, harassment, coercion, manipulation, or other conduct that threatens the safety or wellbeing of another participant.

Members must maintain appropriate boundaries and may not:

• Exploit another person’s disability, illness, financial circumstances, or other vulnerability.

• Pressure another member into a personal, romantic, financial, business, or professional relationship.

• Use access to the community to obtain inappropriate personal, medical, or financial information.

• Pressure or guilt members into purchases, donations, services, favors, or other arrangements.

• Use confidential or personal information obtained through the community for outside purposes.

Members should promptly report suspected unsafe, exploitative, abusive, or otherwise concerning behavior to TEN.

TEN may take precautionary action when reasonably necessary to protect participants. Restricting or removing an individual from a community space does not necessarily constitute a finding of wrongdoing.

4. Solicitation, Member Businesses & No Endorsement

The Empower Collective exists primarily for education, support, connection, and community. It is not a sales or recruitment platform.

TEN may provide opportunities for members to voluntarily share their businesses, services, products, or professional expertise through directories, prompted discussions, member spotlights, events, or other designated spaces. Unsolicited promotion, selling, direct solicitation or similar activity is prohibited unless TEN has  specifically designated a space or opportunity for that purpose.

Participation in these opportunities:

• Does not constitute an endorsement, certification, recommendation, or guarantee by TEN.

• Does not mean TEN has independently verified a member’s qualifications, products, services, or business practices.

• Does not authorize a member to represent themselves as endorsed, sponsored, certified, or approved by TEN.

Any contract, purchase, referral, collaboration, or other arrangement between members is solely between those individuals. Members are responsible for conducting their own due diligence before entering into any such arrangement.

Multi-level marketing (MLM) sales and recruitment, including recruiting members to join or participate in an MLM business or sales team, are prohibited.

4. Boundaries of Responsibility

No Professional Services Provided by The Empower Network

• The Empower Network itself does not provide medical care, therapy, coaching, legal advice, or any other licensed professional services. The Empower Collective's role is to provide community, education, and connection opportunities.

Member-Provided Services

• The Empower Collective may maintain a membership directory and may provide opportunities for members to share information about their businesses, services, or offerings. These listings are provided for community visibility and networking purposes only.

• Inclusion in the directory does not constitute an endorsement, certification, recommendation, or guarantee of any kind by The Empower Collective regarding any member's qualifications, services, or business practices.

• Any services, contracts, transactions, or other engagements you enter into with another member are strictly between you and that member. The Empower Collective is not a party to any such arrangement and assumes no responsibility or liability for any outcome, dispute, loss, or harm arising from those interactions.

• To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Empower Collective expressly disclaims all liability for any claims, damages, or losses - direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential - arising from member-to-member transactions or engagements facilitated or discovered through the membership community.

• Members are solely responsible for conducting their own due diligence before entering into any professional or commercial arrangement with another member.

No Private Benefit or Endorsement

• The Empower Collective is a program of The Empower Network, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Consistent with federal tax law, the organization does not operate for the private benefit of any individual, member, or business. Any visibility, connections, or opportunities provided through the membership community, including the member directory or member spotlights, are incidental to the organization’s charitable and educational purposes and are not intended to provide a commercial advantage to any specific individual or entity.

• The Empower Collective does not promote, market, or facilitate business on behalf of members, and no member may represent their participation in the community as an endorsement, sponsorship, or approval by The Empower Network.

Presenter Independence

• Some presenters may be members, volunteers, or directors of The Empower Network. When they offer workshops, advice, or professional insight, they do so in their individual professional capacity, not as official representatives of The Empower Network. Their opinions are their own and not necessarily reflective of The Empower Network as an organization.

Personal Responsibility for Outcomes

• All ideas, strategies, and suggestions shared through The Empower Collective - whether in webinars, the directory, support sessions, or informal conversations - are for informational purposes only. Each member is responsible for deciding how and whether to apply them. The Empower Collective and its contributors are not responsible for outcomes related to the use of directory listings, services provided by other members, or implementation of any shared recommendations.

• You are also responsible for information you choose to disclose. Information shared publicly or within community spaces may have implications for employment, benefits, disability claims, business matters, or other legal or personal circumstances.

6. Intellectual Property & Member Contributions

TEN Content

Content, curriculum, resources, templates, recordings, worksheets, frameworks, and other materials created or provided by The Empower Network (“TEN Content”) remain the intellectual property of The Empower Network or their respective rights holders.

Membership gives you access to TEN Content while it is made available through your membership. Materials you are authorized to download may continue to be used after your membership ends for your own personal use or within your own business.

This permission is limited, non-exclusive, and non-transferable. Unless TEN gives you permission, you may not:

• Redistribute, repackage, republish, sell, or publicly share TEN Content.

• Provide membership-only materials or access to non-members.

• Use TEN Content to create, develop, or substantially inform a product, course, program, service, training, template, or other offering for sale or distribution.

• Adapt or reproduce TEN Content for resale, distribution, or other commercial exploitation.

• Record or distribute TEN programs or materials without authorization.

Using TEN Content as a tool or resource within your own business does not, by itself, violate these restrictions. These restrictions are intended to prevent the redistribution or commercialization of TEN Content itself.

Your Content

You retain ownership of the original ideas, works, materials, and content you share within The Empower Collective.

Sharing your content in a community space allows other participants to view and engage with it within that space. It does not give other members permission to copy, distribute, republish, commercially use, or share your work outside the community.

TEN will not republish or externally use an identifiable member contribution without appropriate permission. TEN may use anonymized or generalized information about community discussions or themes when no member can reasonably be identified.

7. Privacy, Media & Recording

TEN handles personal information in accordance with its Privacy Policy, which explains what information we collect, how it is used and shared, and the choices and rights available to individuals.

TEN may record select programs, meetings, or events for educational, archival, promotional, or organizational purposes. Participants will be notified when a session is being recorded.

When appropriate, participants can avoid appearing in a recording by turning off their camera, using a display name, or choosing not to participate in the recorded portion. Some programs may have additional recording or media consent requirements, which will be communicated separately.

Members may not independently record TEN community sessions or other participants without authorization.

8. Membership Fees & Changes

Membership may require an application fee or other fees disclosed at the time of application or registration. TEN may also invite members to make optional charitable donations.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, donations are voluntary and are not required to maintain membership.

Specific programming or resources may also be offered for additional fees. Participation in these programs is voluntary.

TEN may modify membership benefits, programming, platforms, schedules, suggested donations, or other features as the organization evolves. Material changes affecting the terms of membership will be communicated when appropriate.

9. Suspension & Termination

TEN may restrict, suspend, or terminate membership or access to particular programs or community spaces when a member:

• Violates this Agreement, the Community Standards, or Safeguarding Policy.

• Engages in harassment, exploitation, discrimination, unauthorized solicitation, or other prohibited conduct.

• Misuses confidential information, member information, or protected materials.

• Creates a significant disruption to programs or community spaces.

• Creates, or TEN reasonably determines is likely to create, a significant risk to the safety, dignity, or integrity of the community.

TEN may take temporary or precautionary action while reviewing a concern. Such action does not itself constitute a finding of wrongdoing. TEN will strive to address concerns fairly and proportionately while prioritizing community safety.

Payments or donations previously made are generally non-refundable unless otherwise required by law or expressly stated at the time of payment.

10. Limitation of Liability & Indemnification

By participating in The Empower Collective, you agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

• The Empower Network, its directors, officers, volunteers, staff, and presenters are not responsible for harm (personal, professional, emotional, financial, or business-related) resulting from participation.

• All content is provided 'as-is' for informational and educational purposes only.

• You accept full responsibility for your decisions and outcomes.

• The Empower Network shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including loss of income or opportunities.

By participating in The Empower Collective, you agree to hold harmless and indemnify The Empower Network, its directors, officers, staff, volunteers, and community facilitators from and against any claims, damages, liabilities, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) arising out of:

• Your participation in The Empower Collective programs, events, or community spaces.

• Your use or misuse of information, materials, or connections gained through The Empower Collective.

• Your interactions, transactions, disputes, or other relationships with members or participants.

• Products or services you provide to or receive from another member, volunteer, or participant.

• Your violation of this Agreement, applicable TEN policies, or another person's rights.

Nothing in this section is intended to waive or limit rights or responsibilities that cannot legally be waived or limited. This section is intended to clarify that The Empower Collective is a volunteer-run nonprofit membership community and that TEN is not responsible for disputes or damages arising between members or from how members use information, resources, services, or connections obtained through the community.

11. Related Policies & Agreement Between Terms

This Agreement works together with other policies adopted by The Empower Network that apply to members, participants, and users of our programs, services, community spaces, and website.

Current policies are available on our Policy Index: https://www.empower-network.org/policyindex

These documents are intended to work together. If a specific provision of this Membership Agreement conflicts with a more general organizational policy regarding membership, this Membership Agreement will control for that specific issue unless otherwise required by law.

The Empower Network may update its policies from time to time. Members will be notified of material changes that significantly affect their rights or responsibilities.

12. Legal Terms

Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Kansas. Any disputes shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located within Kansas.

Dispute Resolution

If a dispute arises that cannot be resolved informally, the party seeking resolution must provide written notice to the other party describing the nature of the dispute. Within 30 days of receiving that notice, both parties agree to make a good-faith effort to agree on a mediator and schedule mediation. If mediation is not completed within 60 days of the initial written notice - unless both parties agree in writing to extend that period - either party may pursue legal action.

If mediation is unsuccessful, the parties agree to resolve disputes exclusively through the courts of Kansas as set out in Section 15.

Severability

If any provision of this Agreement is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect. An invalid provision may be limited or modified to the extent necessary to make it enforceable where permitted by law.

Waiver

Failure by either party to enforce a provision of this Agreement does not waive the right to enforce that provision or another provision later.

Entire Membership Agreement

This Agreement, together with the policies expressly incorporated into it, represents the agreement between you and The Empower Network concerning your membership and supersedes prior membership agreements covering the same subject matter.

Contact Information

For membership questions, accommodation requests, or concerns, contact us:

The Empower Network, Inc.

Website: www.empower-network.org

Contact Form: https://www.empower-network.org/contact

Updated August 26, 2026