Starting a junior club from scratch

[Trooperjake]

I am looking to start a junior club from scratch.
I was in contact with the NRA but they are not offering advise.
I am looking for advise with legal concerns, insurance, IRS, format, charter, etc.
What does the NRA require to get a grant.
Do I have to apply for a federal ID number?
The rest I can handle, I have 30 years experience running a junior club, but it was part of a senior club,
And I did not have to handle legal matters.
Thanks in advance.
Marty in Tennessee.

[Pat McCoy]

You should file as a not for profit corporation in your sate, and you will need an IRS ID number for that.

You might contact the CMP Junior Executive for your state to see what aid they can offer.

The Charter is part of the incorporation, but you will need bylaws. You can find examples on about any shooting club's website to give you an idea of what they should say.

You will need to check various sources for insurance, ans several advertise in the NRA publications.

Here is a link to the NRA Foundation grant webpage. http://www.nrafoundation.org/apply-for-a-grant.aspx

Good luck, and thanks for your involvement.

[jhmartin]

If you can get involved with 4-H (yeah, I can hear the groans) they offer great insurance & coverage.

I'd go with Pat as well as getting in touch with your state CMP JR Director ... they are there to help you with just what you want.
http://thecmp.org/training-tech/state-director/
Yours is:
CAPT Ray W. Harvey Jr., US Navy (Ret.)
(615) 491-2633
Email: tnssa at earthlink.net

CMP also has some coaching resources that are good starting places here:
http://thecmp.org/training-tech/coaching-resources/

Also, find out where (the CMP JR director should know) where there is a high school 3-P air match in your area and go watch (& ask questions of the coaches there).

I would also STRONGLY recommend that you look into getting (as a minimum) your Level-1 Coach certificate.
See here:
http://www.usashooting.org/membership/c ... -education
If you can get enough folks interested (PARENTS & anyone else that wants to help you) this school will come to you.

RE: NRA Grants, again Pat had the most important requirements ... go here for more information & call your state NRA rep as well.
http://www.nrafoundation.org/apply-for-a-grant.aspx


If you are close, the folks at UT-Martin have a youth program that I know of and they can be helpful as well.

Joel Martin
Valencia County 4-H Shooting Sports

[PaulB]

I agree with Joel. 4-H is the way to go. All of their requirements can sometimes be a headache, but they are worth it in the long run.

See: http://www.utextension.utk.edu/4H/shootingsports/

Paul Benneche
Chairman, Va. 4-H Shooting Education Committee
Coach, Va. Rifle & Pistol Club @ Univ. of Va.

[Owen]

Mary
Be aware that if you affiliate with 4-H everything that your club obtains for the club becomes property of the state and federal 4-h program. The 4-H is part of the department of agriculture and as such you have to put up with government program control. It would be a shame to work very hard to build a club just to loose it all if you disagree with the government or they decide to close the shooting project area in your state as they have tried to do in the past in CA and AZ. The accounting nightmare in the 4-H program is just not worth it. You would still have to get a EIN number and incorporate but you loose control of your finances and program. To understand the 4-H just remember how the different government extension offices and agents are motivated in the reports they turn in each year, by numbers of participants and number of programs, project areas, they participate in not by quality of participation or improvement over time . Some states are better than others but bottom line they are all controlled by the Federal Government through the land grant colleges in your state. Contact Ray Harvey he is a good guy with many years of experience in your state and nationally. The CMP has much better training material than the 4-H. He can also put you in touch with many different shooting opportunities in the great state of TN as well as how to apply for NRA Grants. He can also give you information on the Boy Scout Venture Crew Program as well as others. You will need credentials such as the NRA Coaching program level one and two as mentioned by a previous poster. The level two program will require you as part of it to obtain first aid certification.
You should affiliate with the CMP, that will give you access to discounts on equipment and some ammo such as pellets and BB's.
You did not say what type of shooting program you are interested in for your kids and what opportunities for success you want them to have. Think about that before you contact Ray. If you need anymore info just PM me. I believe you will be in good hands with Ray. Contact him at tnssa@earthlink.net
Owen

[redschietti]

I have been a part of 4H since I was 7 or 8, (40 yrs) and have no axe to grind. That said; our 4H rifle club has been kicked out of 4H by the state of IL. I have read the letter several times and still don't see a reason given. Honestly the club is as strong, or stronger without the affiliation. Certainly no reason to fight them to get it back.

[jhmartin]

WOW!!!
Every state 4-H is different and has a different "personality". That's why I mentioned the "groans".
Check out other 4-H shooting sports leaders in your state.
It's not surprising that IL is a shooting sports "hater" state ... I don't think they have a SS program in the whole state (Not knocking you Jim, you know that!).

Out here in NM they have been extremely helpful to the shooting sports programs, and very tolerant in listening to and accepting our suggestions on how to run the programs. But again, be aware, that the state level, the (in NM) district level and county level may all have their own different rules (grrr) and requirements.

In my county, I indeed do have to turn in yearly a list of equipment that our club/program has in inventory, as well as monthly accounting, but it is nothing more than any club should do in or out of 4-H.

Yes, the equipment that I've obtained thru grants over the last 10 years does indeed belong to the county 4-H program ... if I leave, it stays behind ... again no different if I was in a normal range club.

And yes, I do realize (after talking with instructors/coaches in many different 4-H programs around the country) how blessed we are here in the State of New Mexico. Heck, we even have a Matanza team in our county!

I've got kids coming into our novice program at 8 years old that we have to tell them, "No, your 22 is not really what we want to teach you to shoot ... but hold onto it and maybe we can make a silhouette gun out of it in a few years".
We have 32 counties here in NM, and again we're blessed that a vast majority are on the same page ... but there are a few of us 4-Hers around the state that have worked hard to get it that way.

[Trooperjake]

Thanks for all the advise:
I had been hoping to avoid the programs like 4H.
I was going to start an American legion air gun club, but got trashed after months of work.
I want to start an Air Pistol and Bullseye 22 pistol club.
I know Ray Harvey, but have not talked to him yet.
I used to be an NRA Rifle Coach class B, but had to drop the rating because I didn't have the time to be first aid and CPR rated.
I have been trying for 3 years to become certified, but every time a class is scheduled, it gets cancelled. We only have one Parametric certified to teach, CPR.
Hello Paul, this is Marty, smallbore shooter from Long Island.
I have 2 ranges lined up to use.
I even have the air gun and bullseye gun to start with.
I really do not want to do the Corporate route, I am not great with paperwork.
Boy Scouts are out, and I have no contacts with 4H.
Where I live there is only a BB gun program, and a JROTC very low level air rifle program, that wants no help. I volunteered, the coach wanted my help, but the commander said no.
I am a long way from UT Martin, TennTech is in my city, but lost the shooting program.

[triggerhappy]

sent you a pm. i'm in the area and would be happy to try and help however i can.

[jhmartin]

You seem to have a lot a "stamina"!!
Keep working on it .... always welcome another junior team and the great kids that come with it.

[Owen]

Marty
You can get your First Aid certification on line. If you can find them using Google search. You will need to incorporate in order to protect yourself from personal lawsuits and to apply for grants on most any kind. Find yourself a partner to handle paperwork and you do the coaching. It is not as hard as you think.
Owen

[Trooperjake]

I want to thank all the people who responded,
I got a call from a fellow who runs an air gun program in my area.
We agreed to run a combined group, with me doing the pistol part.
Through the Am Legion,