Why incorporate?
The most important reasons for incorporating are personal liability, credibility, and control. Expand each section below to learn more.
By incorporating, you create a new, legal, entity that can sue, and be sued. Without incorporation, any legal claims that are brought against your booster club must be brought against the individual volunteers because there is no legally incorporated entity to sue.
Getting insurance for your booster club also is a good idea to help with liability. Your booster club will probably need its own policy. Most school insurance coverage does not cover booster clubs because booster clubs are considered to be separate legal entities from the school, whether you are incorporated or not.
Many find that their booster group and its activities are taken more seriously by all involved if the group is incorporated.
As a separately incorporated and tax-exempt entity, the booster group, its officers, and members generally have greater credibility and control over the group's activities and operations.
As an unincorporated school entity, the booster group is more subject to the control of the school, the school principal, the superintendent and other school officials.
Do I need an EIN? Yes!
Booster clubs are independent from schools and must have their own EIN (federal tax ID number). If your club doesn’t have a valid EIN when you join PBUSA, we’ll handle it for you.
In most cases, your EIN will be obtained after your incorporation is approved in your state, which helps avoid potential issues down the road.