Innovation in Fundraising: Overhead, Risk, and Pancakes

Booster clubs I speak with tell me that they have to raise more money than ever before. More than ever, school districts depend on booster clubs to fill the ever-growing gap between after-school budgets and actual student need. How can booster clubs radically increase revenues? Does reducing overhead mean more money for programs? When does fundraising clash with a club’s mission? Experts address these questions in very different ways. In this post I borrow points from Dan Pallotta’s TED talk … [Read more...]

The Problem with Competition Between Booster Clubs

In sports, competition brings mixed blessings. In fundraising it can bring disaster. Would another booster club “steal” your fundraiser? I've seen booster clubs encroach on existing fundraisers, and it is ugly. In one Northern California town, High School X produced a successful crab feed fundraiser in March. The next year, the booster club from High School Y did a crab feed in February. X and Y were in the same town, in the same school district. There’s nothing wrong with borrowing … [Read more...]

Is Competition Good?

What’s the point of competition in high school sports? What are the teachable moments, and what are the costs? Subjective as the possible answers may be, I've been thinking about the purpose of competition. My interest was sparked by this funny scene in Billy Crystal’s 2012 comedy hit, Parental Guidance. (Click on the image to launch the video). (In the video, Billy Crystal’s grandson is pitching at a little league game. The grandson strikes out the batter, but he’s not “out.” Upon … [Read more...]

Welcome to Boosterland: A Message from Founder Ellen Raynor

Welcome to the Boosterland blog! This is my first post, my “Hello, world” to the booster club blogosphere. In addition to a blogger, I’m a techie, a green entrepreneur, a planner, an outdoors enthusiast, and a member of a large and socially engaged family. I cherish the years I’ve spent enjoying 4-H, volunteering, and sports--first as a player and later as a coach. It’s with those experiences that I approach boosterland.com and the Boosterland Blog. Boosterland’s mission is simple: to make … [Read more...]