BoosterHub

Developers Are Sunsetting Charms in 2024: BoosterHub Is the Ideal Replacement

For years, Charms has been the go-to marching band management tool for band directors across the country. However, Charms is discontinuing service in 2024.

If you rely on Charms to power your marching band, you need to find a viable replacement fast. Enter BoosterHub, the all-in-one booster club management solution that not only replaces Charms but offers a huge upgrade as well. Here’s everything you need to know.

What’s Happening to Charms?

Charms was acquired by CutTime, which has a similar platform. Presumably, CutTime’s features will be on par with those included in Charms. However, the layout, user interface, pricing model, and other key attributes vary, which means you’ll need to learn a new system.

Overall, Charms filled an important void in the band management space. CutTime can serve many of the same functions as your current Charms platform; however, this doesn’t mean that riding the acquisition wave from Charms to CutTime is the best move for your band program.

Can I Just Switch to CutTime?

Yes. CutTime and Charms are assisting existing users in the transition, which will be finalized on August 30, 2024. However, you are going to have to move over a lot of your data manually, which can be a tedious process.

Think about it this way. If you are going to have to learn a new platform and move all your data anyway, why not find the best possible solution you can?

What Is a Good Replacement for Our Marching Band?

CutTime is essentially a rebranded Charms, with all of its strengths and weaknesses. Conversely, BoosterHub represents a clear upgrade over Charms and a better alternative to CutTime.

With BoosterHub, you’ll be able to replace commonly used tools like scheduling and communication. Our platform also includes a wide range of features to assist with fundraising and booster club management.

Do you not have a booster club for your marching band yet? Why not? Adding a booster club to the mix will unlock an exciting new world of fundraising possibilities.

With BoosterHub, setting up and managing a band booster club becomes effortless. As a result, you’ll be empowered to support your program and focus on what you do best: nurturing the next generation of musicians.

The best part about BoosterHub is that it is adding a whole new feature set called “BoosterHub for Bands.” Available in Spring 2024, BoosterHub for Bands will offer even more features, like inventory management for instruments, music, and uniforms.

Don’t Wait Until Charms Is Gone for Good

While Charms will be around long enough to get you through the second semester of the 2023–2024 school year, it will be gone for good in August of 2024. This means that now is the ideal time to find the ideal replacement for your Charms band management software.

Use the summer to implement and familiarize yourself with your new platform. Everyone will benefit from the wise decision to upgrade your software — your students most of all. Book a demo of BoosterHub today and see for yourself why it’s the leading band and booster club software.

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Ways to Fundraise for a Booster Club

Fundraising is perhaps one of the most important functions of your booster club. However, it can be tough to build momentum, especially if you are new to fundraising as a whole. You can also get stuck in a rut and feel like you are running the same two or three events on repeat. That’s when it’s important to mix things up to keep club members and donors engaged, ensuring a steady stream of support for your student-athletes. With that in mind, here are a few ways to raise more money for the student-athletes you support:

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Non-Profit Donation Receipt

Whenever someone donates to your club, you must ensure that you send them a clear receipt so they can take advantage of their tax deduction. These receipts are your club’s way of saying, “Thanks for being on the team,” and they’re essential for keeping records organized. Providing a timely and well-documented receipt also makes your club appear professional and organized. In turn, you’ll be able to more easily build trust with donors and encourage them to give again in the future. After all, donors need to be confident that you’re acknowledging and managing their contributions properly. On that note, here are a few tips to help you create compliant receipts:

Booster Club Best Practices

Booster Club Rules

You certainly wouldn’t sign up for a sports league without knowing the rules of the game, so why would you attempt to run a booster club without a clear set of guidelines? In a booster club, the rules take the form of bylaws, which are policies and procedures that are vital in keeping everyone on the same page, helping to avoid misunderstandings, and ensuring that each member understands their part in supporting the club’s mission. In some cases, these bylaws will spell out who can and can’t be members, as well as who is eligible to serve on the board. Some states even have standardized playbooks that you need to follow. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) in Texas, for instance, has a playbook of its own, covering specific bylaws for booster clubs that support school programs. In any case, here are some tips for ensuring everyone in your booster club plays by the rules so you can have a productive year: