Booster club
Encyclopedia
A booster club is an organization
that is formed to support (e.g. coordinate events, contribute money, etc.) an associated club
, sports team
, or organization. Booster
clubs are popular in American
schools at the high school
and university
level. The clubs are generally run and organized by the parents of the students in the supported organization in high schools, and by athletic supporters and fans at colleges. It is not a social club. Its main function is to develop support for the student program.
For example, fundraiser
s are often held to raise money for supplies or equipment that the students may need or for trips that the students may need to take. The main principle of funding by a U.S. IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit is that the booster club may not discriminate in making grants to youth or college students on the basis of their family's membership in or funding to the club, or the family's fund-raising or time put into club activities.
A popular way for booster clubs to raise money is with raffle
s held at sporting events for some item that would be donated by a local business, clothing such as t-shirts with the school's name and mascot
on it, or the sale of popcorn
, hot dog
s, and other food items to the fans who attend the game/tournament/etc. Membership fees are also a key fundraising element, especially at the college level.
At the high school level school administrators cannot be involved in the booster club organization except approving activities held at the high school.
At the collegiate level, the NCAA closely regulates the activities of booster clubs and strictly defines what actions would cause a person to be considered an official booster of an athletic program. Many scandals have resulted from prohibited activities by boosters, particularly those providing monetary or in-kind incentives for prospective athletes to sign with a particular school.
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
that is formed to support (e.g. coordinate events, contribute money, etc.) an associated club
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
, sports team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
, or organization. Booster
Boosterism
Boosterism is the act of "boosting," or promoting, one's town, city, or organization, with the goal of improving public perception of it. Boosting can be as simple as "talking up" the entity at a party or as elaborate as establishing a visitors' bureau. It is somewhat associated with American small...
clubs are popular in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
schools at the high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
level. The clubs are generally run and organized by the parents of the students in the supported organization in high schools, and by athletic supporters and fans at colleges. It is not a social club. Its main function is to develop support for the student program.
For example, fundraiser
Fundraiser
A fundraiser is an event or campaign whose primary purpose is to raise money for a cause. See also: fundraising. A fundraiser can also be an individual or company whose primary job is to raise money for a specific charity or non-profit organization...
s are often held to raise money for supplies or equipment that the students may need or for trips that the students may need to take. The main principle of funding by a U.S. IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit is that the booster club may not discriminate in making grants to youth or college students on the basis of their family's membership in or funding to the club, or the family's fund-raising or time put into club activities.
A popular way for booster clubs to raise money is with raffle
Raffle
A raffle is a competition in which people obtain numbered tickets, each ticket having the chance of winning a prize. At a set time, the winners are drawn from a container holding a copy of every number...
s held at sporting events for some item that would be donated by a local business, clothing such as t-shirts with the school's name and mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
on it, or the sale of popcorn
Popcorn
Popcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...
, hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
s, and other food items to the fans who attend the game/tournament/etc. Membership fees are also a key fundraising element, especially at the college level.
At the high school level school administrators cannot be involved in the booster club organization except approving activities held at the high school.
At the collegiate level, the NCAA closely regulates the activities of booster clubs and strictly defines what actions would cause a person to be considered an official booster of an athletic program. Many scandals have resulted from prohibited activities by boosters, particularly those providing monetary or in-kind incentives for prospective athletes to sign with a particular school.