booster club exemption question

[cher062]

Hi there

as a booster club about to get a 501 (c) (3) status I have a question for those who have some experience with expenses that can and can't be paid for by boosters. Ok I have a few questions.

1 - I'm told we CAN give a small thank you gift to coaches like something valued at about $25 per coach does your boosters pay for this or do you do a seperate collection?

2- can the booster club give an end of year gift to the gymnasts? We usually do a Year book type thing with photos of all the gymnasts at meets through out the year, and stats and fun facts on the gymnasts

3 - Can we pay for an end of year banquet for the gymnasts and their families where we give out appreciation awards, and recognitions etc.

4 - can we pay for coaches expenses to send them to meets with the gymnasts? (hotels, air fare, auto rental, parking?)

waiting with eagerness for responses

 

[Gymdad2]

I have never heard of any restrictions on these, so my answer to your questions would be YES to all 4. Our booster club has paid for all of these. We pay all expenses for coaches at meets like what you have mentioned above plus food and a session fee.

 

[mariposa]

In my daughter's booster club, they paid for all those things. The whole Booster Club thing can be so confusing, their should be a user friendly manual, maybe one that has NCAA eligibility issues in it, too. What a confusing thing it can be.

 

[vagymmomma]

These are very common Booster Club expenses and I don't believe the $25 limit is applicable if assessed as a gift in the budgeting process (we do this, so I would be very curious if anyone has specific thoughts to the contrary). The only caution I would make is that you may have a 1099 reporting requirement if you're paying coaches for session fees. Reimbursed expenses create no additional reporting (be sure to request receipts though!), but if coaches are paid for session fees at meets it's a service. If they're paid over $600 in a year for such services, then a 1099 should be filed by the Booster Club.

And, yes, more practical guidance would certainly be helpful in this area.