11 Tips for Starting a New Booster Club

Have a Big Picture attitude and approach to your new booster club

The vast majority of booster clubs tend to focus on the here and now and get caught up in Episodic or Crisis Fundraisers. These fundraisers are likely event specific, require a lot of work and coordination by the kids, parents and coaches, and tend to only net a couple thousand dollars. While there may be a lot of emotion behind these annual events, the kids, the parents, the business and organizations being asked to contribute get burned out... especially when parents have multiple kids playing different sports in the same season, along with businesses getting hit up multiple times for little gain and exposure in return.

A booster club should exist to take care of the funds necessary to operate and provide the provisions necessary for a great art or athletic experience. Along with fundraising, booster clubs should also be the vehicle where the cultivation of future participants should occur along with keeping that communication line with alumni and the alumni's parents open. Get rid of most events, let the kids be kids, let the coaches coach, and allow the parents and businesses an opportunity to cut one check where 100% of that gift goes to the activity of their choosing. With this mentality in mind, your booster club is ready for takeoff.

Obtain needed approvals

A successful booster club has the blessing of the school's or organization's board and administration. Be prepared to present a proposal for your new booster club, highlighting the benefits that your school or organization will receive.

Choose a name and define your mission

What's in a name? For booster clubs, it is usually cut and dry with the school name, activity, and then 'Booster Club'. This will be important when you want to register your organization, so have some back-up names in the rare case that your name has already been taken.

Your mission, or mission statement, should be your guiding principles and is the driving force behind any non-profit group or business. It should define what you do, why you exist, and who you will benefit.

Define how your organization will operate

You should develop a list of key roles that are or will be available within your organization and define their responsibilities.

Enlist and elect a Board of Directors

The key roles that you just created should now be filled by qualified individuals who possess the requisite leadership and other skills required for the positions they are being enlisted for.