• Executive Directors Column
• Coordinator Expansion Underway
• Dear Booster
• Vendor of the Month - The Freedom Grill
• Seeking Nationwide Support
• Do-It Yourself Fundraiser
• Spotlight of the Month - Marketing Concepts Company
• Fast Facts

How to Win Schools Administrators

Each month we receive numerous emails from booster volunteers who share their disappointment in the lack of support from school administrators. This month I would like to offer some basic fundamental steps that any booster club can take to better the relationship with school administrators.

First, it's important that you understand the reasons behind the challenges addressed above. Once you understand the problem we can then work to implement a solution.

To start let's address the challenge of a lack of support by school administrators. The problem here is that you are facing years of pre-existing stereotyping. What I mean is that before you stepped into the role as a booster club leader the school administrators have experienced many booster leaders before you. Unfortunately, in some cases these individuals, who may have had the best of intentions were a bit overzealous and unruly. They made demands and issued complaints that caused the school administrators to push the booster club into a role where it was somewhat isolated and foreign to the operations within the school. It's also important to remember that prior to NABCA there has never been a booster association to provide guidance, oversight and support to booster clubs and the leaders. So before you entered the picture booster clubs have been somewhat disorganized and dysfunctional, which has caused school administrators to naturally be less than supportive.

How do we overcome this challenge?

The answer will require some work and some time, but it's also very simple. Here are some steps you need to complete if you want to gain an increased level of support from school administrators:
1. Establish a clear mission and vision statement that your members understand.
2. Make sure your members have a clear understanding of what a booster club is and is not. This needs to also include the boundaries that the booster club and its members will conform to.
3. Even if your booster club supports just one extracurricular program make sure your vision statement incorporates some component that will support the entire school.
4. Include a school administrator on your board or at a minimum, in your planning and executive meetings. Encourage their guidance and support.
4. Establish clear goals and objectives, then meet with the schools administration to discuss how your group will support the school as well as insuring that both parties have a clear appreciation for each other. Go into this meeting with the attitude that your club wants to be a positive support system for the school. Ask what your club can do to help the school, find out what needs the school has. Most importantly make sure the school administrators understand that your club will work to become a positive support system and will help to insure that your members will work within the guidelines and boundaries established to help promote goodwill for all involved.
5. Ask to be included in any school meetings that may present an opportunity for your club to be of service or support.

When you let the school administrators know your group is taking the necessary steps to insure positive support to the school you are well on your way to gaining their unending support.

I wish each of you the best of success.
Happy Boostering!

Steve M. Beden
President

Enroll Your Club

Dear Booster........

The NABCA is now recruiting Area Coordinators nationwide.
- Unlimited opportunity
- No competition
- Part-time or Full-time
- Help make a difference in your community!

To find out more email us your contact information and one of our qualified staff members will personally contact you or click here to learn more: Coordinator Opportunity

Dear Booster,
I just moved to The Baker, Oregon, which is a small community that desperately needs some help. I am wondering if NABCA has any coordinators locally to assist the booster clubs in our school.
Tom B.
The Baker City, OR

Dear Tom,
Thanks for the email. Unfortunately we do not have any coordinators in Baker, Oregon (yet), but that doesn’t mean NABCA can’t help the booster clubs now. NABCA provides both online and offline support to booster clubs even in small communities like Baker Oregon. You can access various support services via the NABCA website at www.boostercentral.org or you can contact the association via email or phone for support. I would also like to encourage you to consider becoming a NABCA coordinator. You will receive training, support and the opportunity to help make a difference in the organizations throughout your community and if you choose your region. You can find out more about becoming a NABCA Advocate and Area Coordinator at the NABCA website.

Send us your Dear Booster.... article and we will select one each month to share with the readers of Booster Trends. To submit your email send to: dearbooster@boostercentral.org.

The Freedom Grill
Freedom Grill was founded in 2002 by Scott Salter, an avid tailgater. He used to go to sporting events and bring a grill with him in his old car, but when he got a brand new SUV, his wife didn't want him to put a dirty grill in it. Salter was not about to give up tailgating, so he came up with a new idea. His better solution to tailgating, The Freedom Grill, attaches to the hitch of trucks and SUVs, locks into a safe position while driving and swings open for grilling.

The founders of this small company are members of booster clubs and have kids in school sports. We recognize the clubs' need to raise money and we can offer a solution. Our objective is to help booster clubs raise money so more children are able to participate in athletic activities.

We would like to promote tailgating at booster club events because it is a perfect activity to bring parents together as well as the sports teams. It gives everyone at the sporting events a chance to socialize, shows spirit, and builds camaraderie. The Freedom Grill was designed specifically for tailgating and we'd like to introduce it to booster club supporters throughout the country.

No other company has our patented design of the swing arm or a barbeque grill that travels outside the automobile. We are part of the pre-game activities of a sporting event and go hand in hand with sports. It doesn't matter what game it is because there is always an opportunity to use the Freedom Grill.

We see an opportunity to leverage our relationship with booster clubs to build the awareness of our product and to present a viable fundraising opportunity to individual clubs through sales of our tailgating products.

We are a family orientated company and are raising our own children and putting them through school sports. We believe in the booster club because it's good for the community and great for the development of our youth.

Scott Salter
858-513-8332
www.freedomgrill.com

NABCA Advocate - This is an ideal opportunity for anyone with contacts to local booster clubs, teams and businesses. The NABCA Advocate position does not require you to make any commitment other than your interest to periodically refer the NABCA to local booster clubs, teams and businesses. NABCA Advocates receive a commission or override for simply referring the association’s services to booster clubs, teams and businesses. This is an outstanding opportunity for any person who understands the role that extracurricular activities play in shaping our society. If you would like to register and become an NABCA Advocate, please email your contact information or visit BoosterWorld and register today.

Area Coordinators - The NABCA is now seeking individuals who would like to assist local clubs, teams and businesses. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone looking for an opportunity to work part-time, or looking to help make a difference in your community. Coordinators will receive high commissions for introducing the association’s services to businesses, schools and parent organizations. This is an outstanding opportunity for any person who understands the role that extracurricular activities play in shaping our society. If you would like to register and become an NABCA Advocate, please email your contact information or visit BoosterWorld and register today.

Club Coordinators - The NABCA is seeking individuals who are currently working with or involved with a booster club or extracurricular program. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone currently involved with a club, team or extracurricular program and who would like to turn the time you are spending into an opportunity to receive prizes, awards, recognition and compensation. Club Coordinators simply do what they are currently doing, nothing more. If you would like to register for the position of Club Coordinator, please email your name, club affiliation, city and state. Email us today at marketing@boostercentral.org

Marketing Concepts Company

SPORTS SWEEPSTAKES FUNDRAISING RAISE $57,000+

Marketing Concepts Company began in Sharon, Pennsylvania in1980 selling traditional fundraising products to non-profit organizations. When organizations looked to Marketing Concepts Company for new and different methods of fundraising, we decided to develop Sports Sweepstakes and since then we helped organizations raise millions of dollars over the years.

Our goal is to help Booster Clubs raise the monies they need for projects that require they make $5,000 to over $100,000. Our copyrighted ticket selling programs have proved to be popular among the Booster members – the Clubs make money and the ticket holders have a chance to win prizes!

Three Fundraising programs guaranteed to make money for Booster Clubs were developed! Profits are 60% to 65%. Sports Sweepstakes are ticket selling programs. Booster Clubs can raise up to $57,000+. Tickets are sold for $10 and the ticket holder gets a Football, March Mania, or Racing ticket good for prizes for up to 10 weeks.

The "Football Sweepstakes" is one of our most popular fundraisers. Clubs sell tickets with 3 NFL teams each week for the last 5, 8, or 10 weeks of the season and then award prizes based on High and Low scores each week based on scores of these “3-team combinations”. They make a 65% profit – over 28,000! They can choose from 1,000 tickets to 4,960. Tickets are sold September, October & November. Tickets are custom printed with the organization’s name and logo or mascot.

The “March Mania Basketball Sweepstakes” is a fundraiser based on the college basketball team entries in the tournament in March & April each year. Booster clubs will receive 1,000 to 10,626 tickets with 4 college basketball teams on each ticket. The club gives away prizes based on High and Low “4-team combination” scores. Tickets are sold January - March. They make a 60% profit - over $57,000.

The “Racing Sweepstakes” is a fundraiser based on the scores each week of the NASCAR drivers. Clubs can raise over $26,000. Tickets can be printed for nearly any 5-week period all year.

The advantage with Sports Sweepstakes Fundraisers over traditional fundraising programs is that members enjoy selling the tickets and ticket holders want to buy the tickets and have a chance to win prizes. Results are posted on-line for all ticket holders to view and see if they are a winner each week. The Clubs also have the opportunity to make a large amount of money in a short period of time – 2 months!

We can be reached direct at (724) 981-7543 or info@mccfundraising.com. Our web site is www.mccfundraising.com. We have helped Booster Clubs raise the money they need for over 25 years.

Marketing Concepts Company 3812 Amhurst Drive Hermitage, PA 16148
Phone: 724-981-7543 Fax: 412-291-1407 E-mail: jim@mccfundraising.com