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Best Practices Program

2025 SDIS Best Practices Program

Your district can receive up to a 10% discount on your 2025 general liability, auto liability and property insurance contributions. There are five opportunities to earn 2% towards your total discount. 


2025 Best Practices Brochure


How to Complete the Survey!  

  • Sign in at www.sdis.org
  • Then, click on Insurance located on the left
  • Next, click on Best Practices located on the left
  • Click 'Take Survey'
  • Once in the survey, check all of the applicable boxes. After you have completed, click Submit at the top right of the screen. 

After clicking Submit, the survey has been submitted. If you refresh the survey and the boxes are still checked, we have the information. Did you forget to check a box or later complete a requirement? No worries. You can come back and edit the survey all the way until the November 7th deadline. 

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The SDIS Best Practices Program was designed to assist special districts with implementing best practices to mitigate risk in areas of high exposure. Your district can receive up to a 10% credit on 2026 general liability, auto liability, and property insurance contributions. There are five opportunities to earn 2% towards your total discount.

These opportunities include the following:

1. Affiliate Organization Membership | Credit: 2%

You will receive a 2% credit for being a member of any of the following affiliated organizations:

  • Cemetery Association of Oregon
  • Oregon APCO-NENA
  • Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police
  • Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies
  • Oregon Association of Conservation Districts
  • Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems
  • Oregon Association of Water Utilities
  • Oregon Economic Development District Association
  • Oregon Fire Chiefs Association
  • Oregon Fire District Directors Association
  • Oregon Library Association
  • Oregon Mosquito and Vector Control Association
  • Oregon People’s Utility Districts Association
  • Oregon PRIMA
  • Oregon Public Ports Association
  • Oregon Recreation and Park Association
  • Oregon Rural Health Association
  • Oregon Transit Association
  • Oregon Water Resources Congress


2. SDAO/SDIS Training | Credit: 2%

At least one (1) representative of the district must complete an SDAO/SDIS training of the following listed options:

  • Any SDAO Board, Human Resources, or Risk Management Regional Training
  • SDAO Annual Conference
  • Metro Breakfast
  • Board Practices Assessment Training

For an up-to-date list of the current scheduled SDAO/SDIS trainings please visit: https://www.sdao.com/calendar


3. Checklist | Credit: 2%

To receive credit in this category, you must complete the self-evaluation checklist that is available within the Best Practices Survey. The survey is open online at www.sdis.org. Read the Receiving Credit section for details.


4. Policy Requirement | Credit: 2%

FOR DISTRICTS WITH EMPLOYEES:
In order to receive the 2% credit, your district must have adopted or have a current policy (updated within the last two years) in regards to Paid Leave Oregon. A sample policy will be provided in the SDAO Resource Library (www.sdaoresourcelibrary.com) called 'Sample - Paid Leave Oregon Policy.'


FOR DISTRICTS WITHOUT EMPLOYEES:
In order to receive the 2% credit, districts must have adopted or have a current policy (updated within the last two years) in regard to ethics. A sample policy will be provided in the SDAO Resource Library (www.sdaoresourcelibrary.com) called 'Sample - Ethics Policy.'


5. Online Training | Credit: 2%

FOR DISTRICTS WITH EMPLOYEES:
In order to receive the 2% credit, ALL managers/supervisors of the district must complete an online employment practices/supervisory training offered on Vector Solutions (formerly SafePersonnel). These trainings will be located in the course library and can be found by searching for Employment Practices/Supervisory in the search box. Any trainings in this category can be taken.


FOR DISTRICTS WITHOUT EMPLOYEES:
In order to receive the 2% credit, ALL members of the district's board must complete the Government Ethics training offered on Vector Solutions (formerly SafePersonnel). This training will be located in the course library under the SDIS custom course category.

 

Receiving Credit

To receive credit, a district representative must complete the Best Practices survey (located online on the SDIS Insurance Site) and click the Submit button at the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Credit will only be awarded in a category when a box within that section is checked. If you cannot answer “yes” to at least one question within that category, credit will not be recorded. Your district will be notified by email this spring when the survey becomes available online. The survey must be submitted by a district representative who will verify completion of the credit requirements within the survey. Training credits taken by members are not automatically updated in the Best Practices Survey and must be manually checked off by the member. Please note, each district is responsible for completing their own survey online.

The deadline to complete the survey is November 7, 2025. 

If you have any questions regarding the Best Practices Program or need help completing it online, please contact Jaime Keeling at jkeeling@sdao.com or 800.285.5461 ext. 122