When you start a Texas booster club, you may encounter challenges and rigid rules regarding documentation, due to the high population of the state. To help you in the process, we have outlined the steps needed to create a Texas booster club below.
School administrators are helpful resources during the Texas booster club creation process. They are very knowledgeable and have a bird’s eye view of the school district. They can use their experience working in the district to share ideas that may help you found a Texas booster club that functions more efficiently than it would have otherwise. In general, they have a good grasp of which school rules need to be addressed in your booster club mission statement and charter.
School administrators can also connect you to members of other booster clubs in your area, such as art directors, teachers, and coaching staff. All of these advisers, from administrators to coaches, will help give you a fresh perspective and aid in the process of Texas booster club creation. For example, say you wanted to create a Texas booster club to support a choir. The choir director might have an idea you hadn’t considered, like teaming up with the band booster club to create a music-focused super-booster club that’s more efficient and has a larger base of support. As a part of the community, it makes sense that you would create your booster club with the help of that same community.
Aside from school administrators, parents, alumni, and other community members may also be willing to help you found a Texas booster club. A good place to start is to try reaching out at parent meetings. Ask if you would be able to put an announcement in the alumni newsletter about your Texas booster club creation. Contact and work with local volunteering organizations to put up announcements on volunteering -related websites. By utilizing local groups and resources such as these, you will likely have an easier time gathering the number of volunteers needed to start a Texas booster club and keep it running smoothly.
Even before you start fundraising; Booster clubs, like any other business organization, need a bit of money for start-up costs. From paperwork, to IRS forms, to bank accounts and to starting your first fundraiser—all will require some money. If you are unable to self-fund the booster club startup costs, see if your founding members can help by donating a little or apply for an interest-free loan. The positive side of the startup costs is you are able to either deduct them from your tax returns as a business expense or you can have the club, once established, reimburse you for those startup costs incurred.
When you start a Texas booster club, the mission statements and charters should not be vague and unhelpful. The mission statement sets the standard by which everything the club does will be measured. Like a nation’s constitution, the mission and charter will outlast your individual involvement in the booster club. You can certainly amend them later, but only through explicit and intentional change. It is best to have a strong mission statement and charter when you found Texas booster club. Make sure your mission and charter conform to IRS rules before your final drafts are adopted.
When you create a Texas booster club, you’ll probably want to apply to be a tax-exempt nonprofit organization. There are both federal and state requirements to become tax exempt. The necessary steps and paperwork needed to become federally tax-exempt can be found on the IRS website. The Texas Secretary of State website provides guidelines and paperwork needed to become a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation in the state of Texas. In addition to the information found on the Texas Secretary of State website, the Hurwit & Associates website provides more detailed steps for filing paperwork to be a Texas tax-exempt nonprofit organization. After receiving federal and Texas tax exemption status, the club can hold two one-day tax-free sales or auctions each year. Tax-free sales days do not apply to days when a booster club is selling items for a for-profit retailer (such as candy, gift wrap or similar items), because the booster club is not considered to be the seller. A booster club with a 501(c)(3) federal exemption is exempt from sales and franchise tax.
There are many ways to maintain financial accountability for your booster club. Some options including having multiple check signers, third party audits, or even getting your members bonded. Unfortunately, yes—embezzlement does actually happen within clubs. By creating good systems for financial accountability, you can worry less about embezzlement and focus more on fundraising.
If you wish to set up a bank account for your booster club, you will first need your EIN (Employee Identification Number), which is assigned to businesses by the IRS and often needed for certain business reports required by the IRS. In addition to your EIN, you will also need copies of your mission statement and other incorporating documents, such as bylaws, when creating a bank account. Providing the bank with information such as bylaws can inform the bank of what transactions are sanctioned for the booster club bank account and which are not.
Once you have your federal EIN (Employer Identification Number), copies of your mission statement, and copies of incorporating documents (such as bylaws), you will able to open a business bank account for your booster club. The business bank account is needed because it helps your booster club manage its finances more smoothly. Having a booster club bank account enables your booster club to more easily avoid embezzlement and other forms of mismanagement of funds, especially if more than one person is able to monitor the club balance and ensure that all funds are being used properly. Furthermore, having a booster club bank account will allow your club to expand the ways it gathers donations, such as through a booster club website.
After you have gone all through the necessary steps to create a Texas booster club, you will want to advertise the existence of your organization throughout the community. Inform people about your mission and spread awareness about the programs that need your support. The use of social media may be helpful in this regard, especially if you have a booster club website that you can direct individuals towards. When you host your first booster club event, you will want to efficiently communicate the purpose of your booster club to possible donors and potential members. You are not only telling people that you exist, but why you exist and how they can get involved. While you can certainly fund-raise during your first booster club event, make sure your priority at your first event is introducing your club to the community.
After you have founded your Texas booster club and begun to garner support in the community, you will be able to lend support to school programs. As your booster club becomes more successful in its endeavors, your support will become more significant for students who participate in the extracurricular activities that benefit from your actions.
With your booster club up and running, don’t forget to add it to the Booostr Booster Club Index!
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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.
