Secular Student Alliance

In 1999, the students on the Executive Council of the Campus Freethought Alliance, along with some other students, faculty advisers, and off-campus supporters, decided that a national student organization needed autonomy (the Campus Freethought Alliance was governed by the Council for Secular Humanism).^[3] Therefore, in April 2000, a majority of the members of the Campus Freethought Alliance Executive Council decided to become independent from the Council for Secular Humanism.^[3] The Secular Student Alliance was thus founded in May 2000 by eight student leaders from the grassroots secular movement.^[3] It was organized under the nonprofit corporation laws^[4] of Ohio on November 21, 2001.^[5] The corporation's principal office is located in Columbus, Ohio.^[6]

The SSA is an independent, democratically structured organization in the U.S. that promotes freethinking high school and college students. The SSA was formed "to organize, unite, educate and serve students and student communities that promote the ideals of scientific and critical inquiry, democracy, secularism, and human based ethics".^[7]

In January 2012, the SSA had over 312 affiliates in North America and abroad, including groups in Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.^{[citation needed][8]} In June 2013, the SSA announced that with the Freedom from Religion Foundation, it will work on educating students on their rights and will assist with rectifying violations.^[9][10] The SSA is a founding member of the Secular Coalition for America.^{[citation needed]}

In October 2015, SSA tweeted that it "desperately" needed $100,000 by the end of the month. Executive director August Brunsman said fundraising had lagged.^[11] In October 2017, shortly after the hiring of new Executive Director Kevin Bolling, the organization relocated from Columbus, Ohio, to Los Angeles.^[12]

The SSA experienced increasing membership growth from its founding in 2000 until 2012.^[13] Since then, it has steadily contracted to 237 groups in 2025. As of May 2018, the SSA's Board of Directors has twelve members.^{[citation needed]} The number of SSA community college and university campus affiliates has expanded considerably in recent years:^[14][15]

• 2007 – 80 groups
• 2008 – 100 groups
• 2009 – 159 groups
• 2010 – 219 groups
• 2011 – 240 groups^[16]
• 2012 – 413 groups
• 2013 – 407 groups^[17]
• 2018 – 276 groups^[18]
• 2019 – 312 groups^[19]
• 2025 – 237 groups^[20]

On August 7, 2009, the SSA organized a trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. 304 students, atheists, and scientists attended, in order to familiarize themselves with the museum.^[7] One notable name in attendance was biologist and science blogger PZ Myers, who also came to experience the museum.^[21]

Since 2009, the SSA has held their Annual Leadership Conference over the Summer which aims to train student leaders and group members in leadership skills and grassroots organizing.^[22] In 2013, the conference was split into two locations (East and West).

The SSA holds an annual leadership conference.^{[citation needed]}

• Equal Access Act
• List of secularist organizations
• Ryan J. Bell