Start a Collegiate Club

Learn about researching student organization options, contacting local ranges, recruiting members, securing equipment grants, understanding school policies, and managing finances to establish your collegiate archery club.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN NFAA-CHARTERED CLUB AND AN NFAA COLLEGIATE CLUB?

An NFAA-chartered club is affiliated with the NFAA through a State Association. The are required to pay an annual membership fee and to have at least 5 individual NFAA members affiliated with their club. NFAA-chartered clubs can host sanctioned NFAA events, utilize our League program for local and national leagues, obtain certified range inspections to ensure safety, take advantage of award programs and special insurance rates, and more.

NFAA Collegiate Clubs do not have any requirements: there is no fee or minimum number of individuals needed to form a Collegiate club. They are simply groups of archers established to allow Collegiate athletes to affiliate with their respective schools without any requirements, fees, or a minimum number of members. These clubs are primarily for association purposes and do not offer any additional benefits to the members, unlike NFAA-chartered clubs.

View a list of current Collegiate Clubs

tips for starting your collegiate club

Research Student Organization Options

What options are available on your campus? You can generally find this information through the Student Affairs office or on your school's website.  

• Club sports program often have additional rules and regulations, and can have more funding options available which may make the additional effort worthwhile. 
• General student organization bring students together who have similar interests.

Contact Local Ranges and Coaches

• Reach out to local NFAA clubs or shops to find a place for your club to meet. Be sure to ask about: 
  • Options for reserving the range.
  • Facility equipment for rent or purchase.
  • Discounts on range shooting time for club members.
  • Check out our Range locator to find clubs and shops near you!
• Find a coach or mentor in your area. 
  • A coach can be helpful in club recruitment efforts, assisting in skill improvement, and more.
  • Remember that a coach or mentor is not a requirement of NFAA collegiate clubs. The primary contact for your club can be a student member. 

Recruit Members

• Collect names of interested members. 
  • Ask friends, had out flyers, and talk to as many people on campus as possible. 
  • Demonstrating interest in your club can increase the likelihood of your club being approved by the school/student government.
  • You can use our recruitment flyer template to aid in this effort!
• Select multiple dedicated individuals for your club officer group.
  • This will help you reduce your workload & make it easier to initially set up the club and then successfully run it.
• Find a faculty/staff advisor.
  • While this is not required by the NFAA, it can make it easier to gain approval from your school and ultimately recruit membership.
  • Preferably choose someone with experience or interest in archery.

research Equipment Grant options

• Browse your State's Game and Fish/Wildlife departments.
  • Look into annual grants offered for expanding archery or outdoor programs; these grants can provide significant funding for starter equipment.
• Investigate and apply for grants through archery organizations. We compiled a short list:
  
  • Easton Foundations Grants
  • Lancaster Archery Foundation 
  • Archery Trade Association
  • ArchersUSA

Understand School Policies on Weapon Sports

• Check school policies on weapon sports.
  • Verify if bows can be stored in dorms.
  • Look for acceptable storage spaces such as local ranges or on-campus facilities like a recreation center or campus police station.
• Determine shooting permissions.
  • Confirm if shooting is allowed on campus, or research local ranges if shooting on campus is not permitted.
  • Note that most colleges do not allow new teams to shoot on campus, so finding local range options is crucial.

Know College Policies on Finances

• Creating a club bank account. 
  • Follow the process to have your organization recognized with an EIN (Employer Identification Number).
  • Apply for non-profit status at the state and federal levels if needed.
• Campus account options.
  • Check if your college’s club sports program provides a campus account; using a campus account can eliminate the need to track your own finances.

become an nfaa collegiate club!

• Requirements
  • Nominate a primary contact - this individual will receive all communications pertaining your NFAA Club. It can be the coach or a student leader.
  • There is no annual fee!
• Benefits
  • Join the list of NFAA Collegiate Clubs to allow archers to represent your school at NFAA events.

TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER AND FORM YOUR NFAA-CHARTERED CLUB!

• Requirements
  • 5 individual NFAA members
  • Pay the annual club membership fee
• Benefits
  • Host NFAA sanctioned events & earn lucrative rebates for National Leagues.
  • Featured on the NFAA website Find a Club page. 
  • Certified range inspections. 
  • Participate in awards programs.
  • Special insurance rates.

Become an NFAA-chartered Club    

 

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