WFC Rangers: Rangers Fundraising
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| Rangers Soccer Complex at Larrabee Springs |
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Future Home of WFC Rangers?
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| The Ranger Soccer Complex at Larrabee Springs |
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A Map of the Future for WFC Rangers
Monday, October 12
Rangers Fundraising and Field Acquisition
The WFC Rangers families, coaches, and players have helped make the 2009 Bellingham Bay Marathon a great success. Money earned by the marathon will help Rangers achieve the long-term goal of acquiring fields and facilities. Rangers is currently grateful to Larrabee Springs, whose master-planned community envisions a WFC Rangers soccer complex, grandstands, locker rooms, club house and much more.
Tuesday, May 20
Rangers Team Fundraising Guidelines
The WFC Rangers has a policy (6.8) regarding team fundraising activities for four reasons.
1. If teams want to use the Ranger not-for-profit, (NFP), IRS tax code status there are certain Federal tax laws concerning earned income. Under some circumstances the fund raising income if it is tangential to the clubs stated purpose, within its NFP designation, the income may be taxable and create a tax liability.
2. The Club itself has forecasted the need to raise funds to support equipment purchases and depends on fund raising revenue to offset the need for near term fee increases. Team fund raising activities that interfere with, overlap or otherwise hinder the Club itself may impair the Clubs ability to be financially solvent.
3. The Club needs to be protective of its image. While in most circumstances teams will not entertain any type of activity that would negatively impact the Clubs image as a youth sports organization the Club has a fiduciary responsibility to its members to monitor team’s activities, particularly in those illusive gray areas.
4. Teams are essentially borrowing the Clubs image and quite often its tax status, which may expose the Club to liability concerns. While the Club carries liability insurance through the State’s Youth Soccer Association, individual teams and team activities, to the extent they are beyond sports events may risk some uncovered exposure.
For the aforementioned reasons the Club provides the following guidelines to assist teams in their individual fund raising activities:
Guidelines for team fundraisers that are considered consistent with Ranger Club philosophy, mission, vision and not-for-profit tax status may include:
• Events that provide a service to the community that clearly is not in competition with Rangers or NWSP.
Examples: Taking orders for, and selling hanging flower baskets; pancake breakfasts; garage sales; spaghetti feeds, bake sales, player-run carwashes, etc.
Guidelines for team fundraisers that are not considered consistent with Rangers Club philosophy, mission, vision and not-for-profit tax status may include:
• Events in which the WFC Ranger name is used inappropriately.
• Events that may be considered to be at odds with the WFC Ranger sports club.
• Fundraisers that may erode the economic base of existing programs like NW fields, coaches training activities, etc.
• Direct competition with a Rangers Club fundraiser, or NWSP fundraiser.
Fundraising questions should be routed through the Ranger Board Boy or Girl VP’s.
Thursday, June 26
WFC Rangers Club Goals & Fundraising
With the implementation of the Rangers Carwash Fundraising Drive a number of questions, comments, and criticisms have come to the club’s Board of Directors. It is hoped that a clear and concise explanation of our goals and methods for attaining them will clear up any misunderstandings within our membership.
The short and long term goals of WFC Rangers:
- improve player development
- improve coach development
- make it possible for more kids to participate
- improve club outreach and revenue opportunities
- acquire our own field and facilities
WFC Rangers soccer club is one of the largest select soccer clubs in our state, and benefits from great socio-economic diversity. To honor this diversity we have to look at a variety of fund-raising opportunities. Successful fundraising includes tapping into peoples’ time, talent, or money. Some of us have time, some of us have talent, some of us have money; few of us have all three to offer. We want to provide opportunities for all those involved in our club to feel empowered to help fundraise via one of these three ways.
The carwash club fundraiser came about out of compassion and a desire to support families who need financial aid in order for their children to participate. We have over 32 children receiving scholarships this year.
In the past, individual teams have done the majority of fundraising to cover all costs for these kids, along with other fundraising they do to help defer costs for the entire team. The Board felt that with the added expense of the new uniform strip we had to come together as a club and provide some coordinated support. Out of fairness to the whole club, we asked all teams to participate equally, although we asked that each family only be responsible for a total of 7 ticket sales or a $30 donation. The $30 donation option came about because a large number of people in the club requested it.
Recent membership feedback about timing and communication regarding the teams formed later in the spring (HS-aged girls) has been very helpful and something we will factor in for next year. Most of these HS-aged girls’ teams were not at the Registration Night in April at which the 2008 fundraising program was introduced, so a number of families may have missed some of the club-wide communication about the program. The information was available, however, from the Rangers website prior to Registration Night. The Board’s intent is to have a simple, fair, and user-friendly process that each family can participate in to support the club.
Our scholarship program allows kids to participate in a sport for which they feel passion and joy – and the experience is often life-changing. We are extremely grateful to every person in the club for stepping forward to provide financial support so that everyone can play the game they love.
Children learn more and have a more positive experience in the program when their coaches are better trained, and we have therefore designated some of the funds raised through the car wash to go to training clinics for the coaching staff. We believe that the investment in better coaching will result in a better experience for the kids in the club, which is one of our primary goals.
Issues and solutions for our club are complex, and there is a wide range of opinions within the club membership about how to achieve our goals. Input is always welcome, and these programs are always discussed in detail with the Parent Advisory Group before they are implemented. Everyone is welcome to attend the Advisory meetings – the schedule and location is always posted on the club’s calendar webpage.
Tuesday, April 15
WFC Rangers Fundraising for 2008 and Beyond
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Welcome to the new WFC Rangers soccer fundraising page. The purpose of this site is to keep our membership informed of the club's efforts to raise funds, why fundraising is critically important to the club, and how the money raised is being spent.
The Ranger Board of Directors understands that playing for Rangers is no light financial committment for families. The Board has already begun a number of fundraising directives for the 2008 soccer season, some of which are destined to become repeating programs year after year. Money earned from various fundraising efforts is earmarked for specific project goals, and the needs of our membership:
• field acquisition funding
• player development
• coaching development
• increased scholarship (covering uniforms, stipends)
• injury prevention equipment and education
• team financial support
Please check back regularly to learn more about the club's fundraising goals, and how teams can help, and be helped.
