Booster Clubs - Goshen Central School District

About Booster Clubs

The Goshen Central School District is fortunate to have very generous and active booster clubs that support our District’s extracurricular activities (e.g., athletics, art, and/or musical groups). Booster clubs provide important support to district schools and provide a learning experience for students outside the classroom. Booster clubs are not directly affiliated with the District; they are formed by parents and community members to provide additional support.

The District is providing guidelines for individuals who run booster clubs. These guidelines must be read in conjunction with the following Board of Education policies:
1221 – Booster Organizations Relationship with the District
1221-E.1 – Booster Club Registration Form
1221-E.2 – Fundraising Request Form
1500 – Use of School Facilities, Materials, and Equipment
1800 – Donations, Gifts, and Grants to the District
5260 – Authorized Use of School Marks
5260-E – Use of School/District Marks Consent Form
5260-R – Authorized Use of School Marks (Regulation)

Annual Registration and Status

Registration period: July 1 through June 30 annually. As a way to ensure consistency of booster organizations throughout the District, a registration form must be on file each year, so that the District is aware of what organizations are holding themselves out as fundraising for District programs. After completing the registration form, please send it via email to maureen.farrell@gcsny.org.

Requirement: Organizations must not begin fundraising activities or request approval for overnight field trip activities until they receive a confirmation email.
Public Record: Please see below for a list of all officially registered clubs.

Legal Status: Clubs are encouraged to establish 501(c)(3) status via the NYS Department of State. Some benefits include:

Tax Deductibility: Donors can deduct contributions on their taxes.
Sales Tax Exemptions: The club can avoid paying NYS sales tax on items purchased for the school (e.g., uniforms, equipment). Do not use the District’s tax-exempt ID for purchases.
Grant Eligibility: Many corporate grants require proof of 501(c)(3) status.

Fundraising Rules

To ensure financial transparency and legal compliance, please adhere to the following:

Collection of Funds: All money must go directly to a booster club officer. Coaches are strictly prohibited from collecting money on behalf of the club.
Approval Process: A Fundraising Form must be submitted for all activities (on-campus, off-campus, or online).
- Step 1: Send to the Building Principal.
- Step 2: Final approval by Superintendent/Designee.
  - On-Site Disclaimer: Every fundraiser must display a sign stating: “This fundraising activity is not sponsored by the school district. All proceeds go to benefit the [NAME] Booster Club for the purpose of [PURPOSE].”

Flyer Approval Process

All flyers (electronic or paper) must be emailed to the Interim Superintendent at thomas.bongiovi@gcsny.org and the District Clerk at maureen.farrell@gcsny.org for approval before distribution.

Required Disclaimer: All flyers must include the standard non-affiliation statement: “This flyer is being distributed through the Goshen Central School District as a community service to students and parents for informational purposes only. Booster Clubs are not affiliated with nor sponsored in any way by the Goshen Central School District.”

Distribution: The District cannot email flyers or make copies. Approved paper flyers can be sent to schools for distribution or posted on the Community Events webpage.

District Branding/Logo Use

You must submit the Use of District Marks Form to use any school logo. The use of the “Gladiators” branding is only permissible with written approval from the District.

No Alterations: Logos may not be modified, nor can new “Gladiator” logos be created without Board approval.

Facilities Use, Food Sales and Food Trucks

Room and Field Rentals

Please use the electronic Facilities Use Schedules on the District website to complete your request for space at each school building.

Insurance: You must provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) naming “Goshen Central School District” as an additional insured.

Food Service and Permits

Permit Required: Any event selling food that requires temperature control (hot or cold) requires a permit from the Orange County Department of Environmental Health (845-291-2331). Permits must be visible at the event. Fees may be waived for non-profits.

Food Trucks

Charitable Connection: Trucks are only permitted if they donate a portion of the proceeds to the club. They cannot be used solely for “refreshments.”
Compliance: The truck must provide its own COI naming the District as additional insured and may require Town permits in addition to Health Department permits.

Athletic Camps

The District defines an “Athletic Camp” as any group meeting for a sport outside of the officially defined sports season that meets both of the following criteria:

Instruction: Coaches provide athletic instruction to students/youth.
Fees: Participation fees are collected.

Sponsorship and Advertising
- Non-District Status: Athletic camps are private ventures and cannot be advertised as a School District-sponsored activity.
- “Feeder” Programs: The District does not recognize or advertise youth camps or travel teams as “feeder programs.”
- Fairness in Selection: While District coaches may participate in or lead these camps, participation by a student must never be marketed or implied as a prerequisite for selection to a high school team.
Facilities and Fees
- Rentals: Camp sponsors must follow the standard Facilities Use Schedules process and adhere to Policy 1500.
- Fee Schedule: The GCSD facilities fee schedule will apply to all camp sessions held on school grounds.
Coach Compensation
- Booster Payments: Coaches who receive a District stipend for the regular season may be paid a “reasonable rate” by the booster club for their work during an athletic camp. Booster clubs are not permitted to provide additional compensation to coaches in addition to the coach’s seasonal salary.
- Separation of Duties: Compensation for camp instruction must be handled entirely through the booster organization’s financial system, not the District payroll.

Donations to the District

Booster clubs exist to support students, but the transfer of goods must be formal:

Advance Approval: Equipment (helmets, gear, etc.) or cash must be approved by the Board of Education before the purchase is made. Items related to sports equipment, materials, or supplies – all items must be reviewed by the athletic director before purchasing.
No Direct Flow: Items should never go directly to a coach. They must be donated to the District and then assigned to the program, which will, in turn, become property of the District.
Publicity: Do not announce or celebrate a donation until the Board has officially voted to approve it.

2025-26 Registered Booster Clubs

The following booster clubs are registered with the District for the 2025-26 school year. Please note that parents should use care when making donations to any organization; the District has no control over the finances of booster clubs.

TBD