HOW TO CREATE A BOOSTER CLUB IN NEW JERSEY

As is the case in most states, New Jersey booster clubs are member-run organizations that support other entities, such as schools, by raising money and helping with events. If you are a member of a parent and teacher board, or have a child that is involved in school sports, you may find benefits for your school system If you found a booster club in New Jersey. Booster clubs give parents the ability to host fundraisers to benefit not just their own children, but entire schools and other organizations as well. If you wish to build a New Jersey booster club, or simply wish to know how one would go about doing so, you may find some of the guidelines in this article helpful.

Recruit Booster Club Members and Appoint Officials

Recruiting parents of other students or adults already involved in extracurricular activities to your booster club is probably the easiest way to gain initial members. These parents are already actively supporting school programs already and will be more likely to help you both build a New Jersey booster club and perhaps manage it once it has been firmly established. Once you have enough members to found a booster club in New Jersey, elect club officials to divide the responsibility among members. The person who spearheads the club could be the club officer, but you also want to nominate members to act as treasurers, marketers, or other representatives. The booster club board should consist of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and chairs for your various activity committees. Be sure to enlist and elect board members who have the requisite leadership and other skills required to handle the positions they are being enlisted for.

Create Your New Jersey Booster Club Mission Statement

Come up with a catchy and concise mission statement. For instance, if the booster club has the purpose of supporting a youth sports organization or team, this focus will impact the wording that is needed in the mission statement. Succinct  and clearly worded mission statements willeasily convey what it is your booster club seeks to accomplish.

Complete and File Your Booster Club Articles of Incorporation.

To create a booster club in New Jersey, there is certain forms you will have to file. Completing and filing your certificate of incorporation with your state is a relatively simple process. A link to the form and information regarding fees for filing can be found on the New Jersey Department of Treasury website, along with links and fees for other forms you may need to file. The certificate of incorporation establishes the existence of your nonprofit organization. The term “certificate of incorporation,” sometimes called the articles of incorporation in other states, refers to a document that gives legal recognition to your organization.  Both nonprofit and for-profit groups alike must file this document in order to legally operate.

Register Your New Jersey Booster Club For Tax-Exempt Status

There is quite a bit of paperwork you have to file during the process of New Jersey booster club creation. Part of this process may include filing for tax exemption. To become a tax-exempt organization, you will be required to fillout paperwork for both the federal government and the state of New Jersey.. To apply for federal tax exemption, filline form 501(c)(3) with the IRS. To apply for state tax exemption, reviewthe New Jersey Department of Treasury’s Division of Taxation website to find the forms that will have to be filed. Hurwit & Associates provides detailed information regarding how to file for tax exemption status, as well as how to file other forms to create a booster club in New Jersey. In addition to applying for federal and state tax exemption status, apply for an EIN, or employer identification number from the IRS as well. The school has its own EIN, but a booster club, which is a separate entity, should obtain its own. For convenience, the IRS website offers an EIN online application option.

Set Up a Business Bank Account for the Booster Club

Select a reputable local bank or a local branch of a nationwide bank to open an account for your New Jersey booster club.  The bank you choose should be conveniently located, easily accessible, somehow connected and likely to be very supportive of you.  Choose an appropriate account for your organization.  The account can be a simple and basic checking account, since you will have a modest amount of activity in terms of making regular deposits and writing checks.  When choosing the bank through which you will create your account, you will want to look into the services and benefits they offer to nonprofit organizations.

Require Everyone In The Booster Club Sign An Informed Consent Form

An informed consent form is an agreement all members fill out when you create a booster club in New Jersey. The form acknowledges that the volunteers are working / volunteering under their own free will. Signing the form also signifies that they are aware they will not personally profit from the organization. If you have all members sign an informed consent form, you will be able to worry less about miscommunicate and improper conduct and focus more on the management and growth of your new booster club.

Discuss Your Booster Club Annual Budget

When you begin to build a New Jersey booster club, members should decide upon how much money each person in the club is willing to expense for start-up fees. Creating a booster club will require money for expenses such as filing fees. In some cases start up expenses are able to be reimbursed by the club at a later date, however it is important to establish this clause when setting up annual budgets for the booster club.

Develop An Organized Booster Club Document Filing System

Documents such as EIN certificates, bank account information, and consent form paperwork, meeting minutes, budgets and membership paperwork should be arranged and kept in a safe and organized manner. You will want to be able to easily find such documents should the need arise.  In many cases they can be stored digitally, however it is probably a good idea to have physical copies accessible as well.

Design A Marketing Strategy For Your Booster Club

Once your New Jersey booster club is founded, , you will want to form some marketing and promotional strategies. Developing marketing strategies for your booster club will help to attract more members and support. Online marketing strategies to spread awareness about your group, including creating a website or a social media account devoted to your New Jersey booster club, could prove useful. In addition to online marketing it is important to involve your community as well.  You can gain a lot of support just by calling or visiting local businesses to let them know your booster club exists!

 

Creating and managing a booster club is not always easy. Doing so requires time, effort, and attention to the details in federal and state laws and regulations. However, after your newly created New Jersey booster club begins to function, you will see the significance of booster club activities and fundraising. The support given to programs and organizations by booster clubs is support that these programs or organizations would probably not receive otherwise. Booster clubs help programs and organizations reach new goals and achievements, which makes all the effort and hard work required to create and manage a booster club unquestionably worth it.

Once your New Jersey Booster Club is set up – make sure to add your club to the Booostr Booster Club Index to network with other booster clubs!

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