You’re starting a new South Carolina booster club! We know it sounds a little overwhelming but with our easy to read guide, you should avoid the typical pitfalls! Throughout this article you will find several resources to help you navigate this process.
The South Carolina Secretary of State website contains a lot of useful general information, as well as the various forms and fees associated with beginning a new booster club. It also contains tools needed to ensure that you are filling documents out properly. Between the information, forms and tools, the South Carolina Secretary of State website is the one resource you will refer to throughout the entire creation process.
When choosing a name for your South Carolina booster club it is important that you choose a unique and professional name. We suggest that you compile a list of several possible names for your club. Once you have your list you then need to check that your name isn’t already taken via the South Carolina Secretary of State website here. It is always a good idea to create a name that includes the city, school and activity that your club is affiliated with. An example would be Central High School Lacrosse Boosters or getting even more specific: Columbia Central High School; Lacrosse Boosters. These details in the name make it much easier for donors, supporters and volunteers to understand what your booster club does and the school it is associated with!
Now that you have a name for your South Carolina booster club, it is time to create a mission statement for your club. Your club mission statement is a top-level short statement defining the broad goals around why the club exists. It is important for your mission statement to define who the organization is, why it exists, and who benefits from the existence of the organization. You may also want to align your club’s mission statement with that of your affiliated school’s, a great way to set the tone for your organization! Last, be sure to remain open and inviting if your club supports more than one activity.
Before you file your articles of organization, you’ll need to have booster club bylaws that comply with South Carolina law. Your booster club bylaws contain the rules and procedures your corporation will follow for holding meetings, electing officers and directors, and taking care of other corporate formalities required in South Carolina. Your bylaws do not need to be filed with the state but are important as they are your internal operating manual.
When selecting your Board of Directors, it is important to choose individuals who are business minded with strong management skills. The board of directors should operate with the club’s best interest in mind and should be a group of extremely trustworthy people. It is important that the board of directors understand the importance of their role in the club and are committed during their time of service.
Booster club officers play a key role in the organization. You need to make sure that the booster club officers you choose will take care of the booster club and manage it professionally. There are three factors we look at when choosing officers: expertise, interaction with parents and kids and their focus on the development and growth of the club. Having a solid group of directors and officers is one of the best ways to ensure that your club will be successful.
During the first meeting of your South Carolina booster club you’ll want to tackle some key formalities. These include: approving the mission statement, electing directors and officers (if not already elected in), setting an accounting period and tax year, and approving initial transactions of the corporation, such as the opening of a corporate bank account. Once the first meeting is complete, you are in the home stretch!
After completing all of the state level paperwork for your new South Carolina booster club, you will want to file for and Employee Identification Number (EIN) with the IRS. In order to open a business bank account as well as conduct specific types of business, most states require an EIN. Filing for your booster club’s EIN is done through the IRS via the steps found on the IRS website.
In order for your South Carolina booster club to achieve nonprofit states, there are some additional steps to go through with the IRS. A quick trip to the IRS website will show you all of the information needed to become a non-profit. All of the forms you need to fill out to establish your new South Carolina booster club as a nonprofit. Additionally, the IRS also provides tax information for nonprofits, which is helpful if you make your booster club a tax exempt organization.
While not necessary, we here at Booostr highly recommend you go through the extra steps to apply for state tax exemption for your South Carolina booster club. Becoming tax exempt grants your booster club the opportunity to save money by not collecting and managing sales tax, in book keeping and allows your donors to write their donations off of their taxes. All of the information and paperwork for become tax-exempt is available on the IRS website. The basic step-by-step process listed on the site is as follows:
You have finally reached the last step in creating your new South Carolina booster club! Now that you have completed all of the legal footwork and have created a solid foundation for your club, it is time to open your organization’s business bank account. Creating a bank account for you booster club is essential in managing the club’s finances. Plus, with a bank account your club can collect donations both online and offline. Last, a bank account also makes it much easier and cleaner pass off to new management when that time comes.
Now that your South Carolina booster club is up and running, there are a few things to keep in mind. Be sure that your booster club stays up to date on South Carolina law, regarding booster club management. Also know that there are yearly fees and dues that need to be paid to the state to keep your organization in good standing. If you need further help managing or marketing or fundraising for your booster club, be sure to check out the articles and toolsets available on booostr.co. Happy Fundraising!
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Booostr is the first booster club software platform with a connected set of tools designed to help booster clubs and nonprofits better manage their organization. From Communication, to Management, to Fundraising, Booostr's connected software improves booster club efficiency and allow them to focus on surpassing their goals.
