Issaquah High School Booster Club 

 Frequently Asked Questions

 

Why get involved in the Issaquah High School Booster Club?

The Booster Club is the ONLY non-profit 501(C)(3) fundraising organization that supports and promotes all extra-curricular (outside the classroom) activities, sports, and clubs that Issaquah High School believes are valuable to the IHS student community. The Booster Club’s purpose is to help promote a positive image of Issaquah High School athletics, activities, and clubs in the community; and to support any school athletic program, activity, or club that the Booster Club believes is deserving.  

 

How much does the Issaquah High School Booster Club membership cost?    

Boosters offer two types of membership;  A $50 suggested annual Family Membership Donation, or a one-time family Lifetime Membership for $500.  Lifetime Members will be recognized on the website in perpetuity and receive a special IHS Booster Club Lifetime member car magnet or decal upon joining.  All members received a weekly Booster Buzz highlights email, for a quick and easy way to stay up to date on the great Eagles' accomplishments.  

Truly all contributions are welcome and we are thankful for your generous support! 100% of the Fundraising efforts and donations go directly to benefit IHS students. 

All memberships and donations are 100% tax-deductible.

 

What does the Booster Club support?

The Issaquah High School Booster Club’s focus is to support the more than 94 student extra-curricular activities; including fine arts, special interest clubs, and sports programs at Issaquah High School.   The Booster Club is the overseeing non-profit for every sport that does fundraising.  

To truly support our students’ vast interests in physical education, the arts, and clubs, the Booster Club Board works closely with the Athletic Director & the ASB Advisor, and Booster Crew liaisons from each club/sport.

Learn more about ASB.  

 

Does the Booster Club support Non-Sanctioned Activities?

The Issaquah High School Booster will consider grant requests, scholarships, or honoring Issaquah High School athletes of non-sectioned sports or activities.  

The following things would be taken into consideration when looking at these applicants/applications:

    • If the team, club, or activity is made entirely of full-time Issaquah High School Students.
    • If an Issaquah School District employee leads the activity, sport, or club, even if not being paid by the Issaquah School District for such activity.
    • If the funding requests and scholarship applications are endorsed by the lead Issaquah High School Coach or Advisor.
    • The program can show the families are current donors and support Issaquah High School Booster Club. A request of the percentage of the program that is members may be requested. 

 

How can I get involved in the Booster Club?

Monthly Meetings are open to all members of the Issaquah High School community. Meetings are generally held on the second Tuesday of each month in the Library at Issaquah High School at 6:00 pm.

Your time is valuable, but you can make a difference by offering even a few hours of your time at activities such as Logowear stand at the home football games or volunteering at the concessions stand during sporting events.

If you would like to get involved or have suggestions, please Click Here

 

How can your club, sport, or activity receive a Booster Club Grant?

The Athletic Director, ASB advisor, individual coaches, and presidents/leaders of various groups or clubs can submit grant requests. The Booster Crew members and or students themselves also may submit grant requests.

As a whole, the Booster Club leadership strives for satisfying requests that benefit the most students at a particular time. Suggestions are welcome from Booster Club membership and the community at large.

All requests are either reflected in our annual budget or voted on by general membership at our monthly meetings.  See our grants page for additional information.

 

What are Booster Parent Reps?

The activity-specific Booster Parent reps provides internal controls with respect to sport-specific fundraising efforts.  The structure was introduced to the Booster Club framework in May 2017, after legal consultation regarding corporate governance matters.  

Booster Parent Reps are appointed by the Booster Board.  Approved advisory committees will be permitted to engage in Booster-related fundraising efforts on behalf of its sport or club. 

Funds raised by each program will be earmarked as “designated funds” and held by the Booster Club for the benefit of the team.  For more information about who are the Booster Parent Reps, guidelines, interest in getting involved, email: ihsboosterclub@gmail.com

 

How is the Booster Club different from parent groups that support individual teams? 

Booster Club leadership focuses efforts on projects that benefit the widest population of students. Usually, Booster Club commitments are for programs and equipment that are higher cost and have a life of longer than one year.

Individual team parent groups come together yearly to help support each team with food, additional spirit wear associated with just that team, and other smaller items. Larger, multi-year projects are usually out of the realm of possibility for team parent groups, or they look to the Booster Club for a partnership in the financial commitment. The level of support and involvement really depends on the team and varies from year to year.

 

OPTING-IN to Electronic Communication.

Booster Club Members are asked to OPT-IN to email communication. This includes our weekly "The BOOSTER BUZZ" and meeting notices. You may change this setting in the future.

Opting-In means that you consent to the receipt of electronic notification of regular and special meetings of the Booster Club at the email address you provided. If the Booster Club is unable to electronically transmit two consecutive emails, then your consent is revoked. You understand that such notice is effective when it has been transmitted to the email address you provided or when you have received notice of posting on the Booster Club's website.

 

What is the difference between an ASB donation and Booster Club donation?  

ASB:  One of the capabilities of the Issaquah High School ASB (All Student Body) is it provides basic funding for all extra-curricular activities at Issaquah High School. ASB funding comes from the sale of student ASB cards, fundraising, and donations. Grant requests can be made to the ASB for additional program needs.  All ASB funding requests for IHS clubs/activities/sports go through an approval process that starts with ASB, then if needed proceeds to the Booster Club. To learn more about the wonderful ways ASB supports our students. 

Booster Club: The Issaquah High School Booster Club is a separate 501c3 that fundraises on behalf of all extra-curricular programs (clubs/activities/sports) at Issaquah High School.  Donor dollars given to the Booster Club have more flexibility than donations given to ASB.  

Both ASB and Booster Club maintain separate budget line items (accounts) for each activity/club/sport that carry a balance.  Designated giving is an option.  

CLICK HERE to see a side-by-side comparison.

 

What are the options for giving?

Booster Club general donation:   Issaquah High School Booster Club membership donations go to funding grant requests from any club, sport, or activity.  

Designated Donations for club, sport, activity donations:  Current Booster Club donors are welcome to make additional donations to a designated (after general membership donation) club, sport, or activity. Designated donations can be helpful when programs are collected money for fundraisers, advisor gifts, team events.   

ISD PayOnline (non ISD Families): Donations can be made directly through the ISD online payment system, designated to any club/activity/sport.  Please note, these funds are deposited into a designated account under ASB and have more limitations of use by the program than designated donations made through the Booster Club.

ISD Pay online for ISD Families:  Clubs/Activities/Sports can have items added to student accounts as options to purchase, much like purchasing a yearbook, etc.  Please note, these funds are deposited into a designated account under ASB and have more limitations of use by the program than designated donations made through the Booster Club.

 

What are other ways the Booster Club supports extra-curricular clubs/activities/sports fundraising efforts?

Booster Club has a weekly "Booster Buzz" email that goes out to all donors.  Extra-curricular clubs, activities, and sports are encouraged to submit their fundraising efforts in that publication for wider advertising.

With Booster Club approval, clubs/activities/sports may use the Booster Club's non-profit number in their fundraising efforts. Third-party fundraising companies may be helpful in fundraising success. The Booster ByLaws stipulate that third-party fundraising fees may not exceed 5% without Booster Club membership approval. 

CLICK HERE to see guidelines and view third-party organizations that fall within the acceptable fundraising fee structure 

 

Why is it important to support Boosters in addition to ASB and the PTSA?

Simply, they all help fund gaps in our kid's curricular and extra-curricular activities.  State and federal funding are not enough.  While the Boosters is primarily financial support to help make clubs, activities, and sports thrive above the bare minimum.  

Click any of these links for more information on ASB or IHS PTSA