Keeping your Booster Club Strong through Officer Changeover

Booster Clubs can be an awesome support to a school or cause. The emotional and financial support of a booster club simply can’t be beat. However, as a supportive club it is important to keep your internal structure strong especially during a time of officer transition. Booster Club officer changeover can throw a wrench into operations and it is something that is best to avoid.
Here are a few general ways to keep your club strong through officer changeover.

Recruiting

Seek officers within your membership. Many clubs try to recruit officers who have been an active member of the organization for a year or two. A seasoned club member not only has a strong familiarity with the organization, they have more experience than a new member and experience is valuable when considering responsibilities like fundraising and administration.

Nominating Committee

Build a Nominating Committee. Oftentimes, the nominating committee will meet in the spring to brainstorm officer candidates and contact them directly to gauge interest. The nominating committee puts together a list of recommended candidates for each of the positions.

Qualifications

Make sure your nominated officers are qualified. For many school’s booster club members need to be a registered volunteer with the school. Usually this means a background check and these can take a while to process. It is a good idea to appoint someone to assist with the process, perhaps the nominating committee can ensure that all nominated officer candidates have their background checks complete.

Elections

Stagger your officer transitions. Officer elections are held annually, usually in the spring for the upcoming school year. Specific rules dictate how long an officer may hold an office, but if you require a 2-year obligation you could elect half of the positions one year, and half the next. For example, President and Vice-President could be voted on this year while Treasurer and Secretary could be voted on the next year. This allows for a smoother transition year after year as half of the officers will always have at least a year of experience.
A strong Booster Club can be a major help to school programming and other important causes. To ensure your Booster Club officer changeover is smooth look at targeted recruitment, have a nominating committee check qualifications and stagger Officer elections. Follow these guidelines and keep your club on the track to success!