Archives for November 2013

Booster News: Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3rd) Could Raise Funds for Your Booster Club

Harness the holidays for your booster club this year by publicizing “Giving Tuesday.” Unlike shopping focused Black Friday or Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is all about charity in the local community. It’s a great opportunity to raise awareness about your booster club’s needs, and make a year’s-end ask of your supporters. How can your club associate itself with Giving Tuesday (December 3rd) and raise funds effectively? There’s still time to issue a press-release (or simply make a phone call) … [Read more...]

6 Life Lessons of Music, Singing and Band

Music touches us, literally, cascading vibrations from our instruments and massaging meaning into the neuroreceptors of our brains. Music also touches us figuratively, bringing us together and helping us bond. Anyone who’s learned to play an instrument or sung in a choir understands this intuitively. Yet how can booster club leaders illuminate this value in the community and rally their support? One answer: put on lots and lots of concerts with large audiences. In an age when digital consumers … [Read more...]

Compression Clothing Helps Athletes, But Is It Affordable for Booster Clubs?

Compression clothing isn't just a fad. Scientific studies have confirmed some of the benefits touted by manufacturers: compression in the threads helps reduce muscle fatigue and post workout recovery. That's probably due to how it groups muscles and absorbs impact stress. Some also claim that compression clothing helps circulation, in the same way that pro athletes rely on massages to clear the lactose out of their system after a strenuous workout. All in all, compression gear seems to benefit … [Read more...]

How To Raise Funds Inside Your Community: Partnering with local businesses for mutual gain

Local business can be a great fundraising source for booster clubs, and most are happy to help. Parents, friends, and fans of student clubs and teams are potential customers, and partnering with booster clubs can be beneficial for both parties — booster clubs can raise funds through established, profitable businesses, and business owners can expand their local client base. But many of these establishments are approached by numerous teams, clubs, and charities for donations, and end up having to … [Read more...]

How To Raise Funds Outside Your Community

When it comes to fundraising, there’s no business too big or too small to approach for help. Some of the big-name businesses may seem out of reach for booster clubs, but you’d be surprised to know how many have programs in place for just such donation. From airlines to retail stores, many of the places you already shop are glad to lend their support and name to charitable causes. Some businesses offer contests and large sums in charitable grants, while others offer up gift cards and products as … [Read more...]

12 Food Fundraisers

The key to a good food fundraiser is offering something that you can’t get at your average restaurant or store. Booster clubs can add value to food in many ways, but the main avenues are quality and atmosphere. Which gourmet foods are only found in fancy restaurants? Which meals fit in community events? These food fundraisers can help you leverage the existing strengths of your club into a successful event, so keep your circumstances in mind. Do you have many vegetarian supporters in your area? … [Read more...]

How to Cut A Budget Beforehand

Austerity Budgets What would your club do if a major revenue stream dried up, or if schools drastically cut your extracurricular funding? We see governments do this all the time: shutdown, sequestration, and austerity plans. Nonprofits and charities have had to face serious austerity budgets as well. After the economy collapsed in 2008, many charities had to decide which programs, staff, and other sectors to cut. Many weren't prepared. Booster clubs are very different than most … [Read more...]

Should Your Booster Club Buy Insurance?

It was a booster club’s worst nightmare: A referee at a charity volleyball game injured her ankle when the stand she was sitting on collapsed. The booster club turned to the school district for help, only to be told that the district’s insurance would not cover the referee’s worker’s compensation claim, and that they considered the club financially responsible. The ensuing legal wrangling led to the dissolution of the booster club under threats of a lawsuit. "I'm just a mom, you know," Karen … [Read more...]

A New Kind of Bake Sale: Ditching prices for donations to encourage and reward generosity

If you’ve ever participated in an extracurricular program or know someone who has, chances are you’ve been to a bake sale. A classic, bake sales have been a staple fundraiser for teams, clubs, and groups of all kinds for many years. While they’re a reliable go-to event, they can come off as stale. And while some bake sales are very successful, many cost more in ingredients and effort than they’re worth. However, one elementary school shook up the traditional bake sale model, with amazing … [Read more...]