Under your Account Settings click on the Option section and you will find a setting under Memberships row called, Membership Renewal Grace Period (Days). A grace period allows you to maintain membership expiration dates as the same month/day as long as the member renews (purchases another membership) within the window of time.
The grace period does not keep memberships active after the expiration date. The Status will change to Overdue and the Current Status will change to Inactive the day after the membership expires. The grace period only affects renewals, allowing you to maintain the month/day for expiration dates or show members as renewing versus new.
This feature is helpful if you have specific renewal cycles you want to maintain and would like to have expiration dates consistent for the member. This way there is no gap shown between the expired memberships and renewal membership, as if the renewal membership was purchase on time.
If a constituent renews anytime prior to the end of the grace period, their Status will show them as a renewing member with Renewal. If they renew after their grace period, their membership status will reflect New indicating that their membership has essentially started over. These status updates apply to both rolling anniversary expiration dates and hard expiration dates where all memberships renew on the same day.
For example, let’s say you would like to give all your members at least 60 days after their expiration date to renew and keep the same month/day for their expiration date and be shown as a "renewing" member. With a grace period of 60 days entered, your members will maintain their original expiration date and be identified with a Status of Renewal as long as they renew within the 60 day grace period. See the example below.
Original Silver Level Membership:
Purchased 11/15/2024 – Expires 11/15/2025 Status: New
Example 1: Renewed Late but within Grace Period - Silver Level Membership
Purchased 12/21/2024 – Expires 11/15/2025 Status: Renewal
Example 2: Renewed Late but AFTER the Grace Period - Silver Level Membership
Purchased 02/05/2025 – Expires 02/05/2026 Status: Renewal
