8 of 15

Charging for Services

A sliding fee scale is used when a client cannot pay the full cost of the service but is able to contribute a smaller amount.  Your true cost of services (unit costs) must be clarified in order to establish sound sliding fee scale rates, which are generally based on income and household size.  To establish a realistic sliding fee scale, consider these questions:

• What sliding fee scales do other organizations in your community use?
• Will the revenue from grants, donations, fundraisers and other funding sources allow you to subsidize the cost of services to people who cannot pay the full cost?
• Will the amount of revenue from combined sources cover your full service costs with a margin or reserve included?

Each agency’s sliding fee scale is different, because the true cost of all services varies.