DCI Corps Reference Manual

INTRODUCTION SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Successful Drum and Bugle Corps Management

Reference Guide
A Publication of
Drum Corps International
Published in the common interest
of promoting quality experiences for
the greatest young adults on earth.
©2002 Drum Corps International, All Rights Reserved
Compiled and Edited by
Robert Jacobs, Executive Director
Jersey Surf Drum & Bugle Corps, Camden County, NJ
With Assistance from
Mr. Keith Gee, Former Director,
Capitol Sound Drum & Bugle Corps, Madison, WI
To The Reader: Please Note

“The content of this publication is not
intended to provide or replace professional
advice from attorneys, accountants, or any
governmental agency. This publication is
intended for use as a reference resource
compilation of suggestions for successful
drum and bugle corps management. Please
consult with the appropriate professionals
and agencies in your area for any and all
requirements relating to your organization.”
©2002 Drum Corps International i Revised 12/2002

Introduction
Managing a drum and bugle corps is an incredibly challenging, yet incredibly rewarding
experience. With a solid plan, great people, and plenty of hard work, a drum and bugle
corps an provide life-enriching experiences to everyone involved with the organization.
But managing a drum and bugle corps is not for everyone. It is very important that
prospective corps managers fully understand the commitment necessary to operate a unit
which will serve its members well. It is also important that when considering that
commitment, the impact on the family, employment and other life priorities are taken
into consideration, as the process of managing the corps will certainly affect each of those
priorities in different – and dramatic – ways.
About the Information Included in this Guide

The information contained in this manual has been compiled from many different
sources (from both within- and outside of the drum and bugle corps activity). Most of the
topics have been tried and proven to be successful. This guide is just one of the resources
you should use, whether you are just starting a corps or operating an established group.
Other resources at your disposal include: regional associations, the DCI office, other corps
directors and your board of directors. There are also agencies and organizations outside
the Drum and Bugle Corps activity that are discussed in this guide that can be of great
assistance to you.
You may wish to take some ideas from this guide and alter them to make them most
effective for your corps. Some of the topics covered are very involved and should not be
dealt with without legal counsel or other professional advice.
There will be future supplements to this manual, to update, add to or supply additional
information for operating a successful drum and bugle corps program. If you have
suggestions or information for this manual, please contact the DCI office.
©2002 Drum Corps International ii Revised 12/2002

Successful Drum and Bugle Corps Management

Reference Guide
Table of Contents
Section 1 — Getting Started
Getting Started ....................................................................................................................1.1
Adopting An Organizational Philosophy ...........................................................................1.2
New Corps Startup Checklist, Timeline & Budget ..............................................................1.3
The Mission Statement, Overview ......................................................................................1.4
Sample Mission Statements ................................................................................................1.4
Answers to a Few Frequently Asked Questions “So, You Wanna Start A Drum Corps?” ....1.5
The Boy Scouts of America & Other Youth Services Agencies ............................................1.6
Equipment Overview ..........................................................................................................1.6
Annual Timeline for the Existing Drum and Bugle Corps..................................................1.7
Section 2 — Legal Guidelines

Overview .............................................................................................................................2.1
Organizational Considerations...........................................................................................2.1
General Legal Considerations .............................................................................................2.2
Incorporation......................................................................................................................2.2
Members and Directors.......................................................................................................2.3
Board of Directors ...............................................................................................................2.5
Officers and Employees.......................................................................................................2.5
Operational Issues...............................................................................................................2.8
Legal Issues..........................................................................................................................2.9
Sample By-Laws.................................................................................................................2.12
Ten Questions for the Thinking Board Member ...............................................................2.15
Aspen’s Board & Administrator-Special Insert ..................................................................2.17
The IRS 501(c)(3) Process Tax-Exempt Status / Canadian Registered Charity ..................2.19
Developing a Policy Manual / General Liability Issues.....................................................2.19
Sample Corps Policies .......................................................................................................2.20
Sexual Harassment Policy .................................................................................................2.20
Vandalism/Violence Policy ...............................................................................................2.20
Smoking Policy .................................................................................................................2.21
Medication Policy .............................................................................................................2.21
Bodily Fluids & Blood-Borne Pathogens Policy ................................................................2.21
Suicide Policy ....................................................................................................................2.22
Child Abuse Policy ............................................................................................................2.22
Music Licensing ................................................................................................................2.23
Questions About Licensing ...............................................................................................2.24
Sample Licensing Forms & Exhibits..................................................................................2.24
Section 3 — Insurance and Risk Management

Insurance and Risk Management........................................................................................3.1
What Is Insurance? .............................................................................................................3.1
The Risk Management Process ............................................................................................3.1
Different Types of Coverage................................................................................................3.2
©2002 Drum Corps International iii Revised 12/2002
Section 4 — Finances
Overview .............................................................................................................................4.1
DCI Financial Workshop.....................................................................................................4.2
Sample Budgets & Balance Sheets .....................................................................................4.15
Section 5 — Raising Funds

Overview .............................................................................................................................5.1
Hosting a Drum Corps Show as a Major Fund-Raiser .........................................................5.2
Quick Tick Sample Order Form.........................................................................................5.10
Sample Show Promotion Flyer..........................................................................................5.11
Charitable Gaming (A Fancy Name for BINGO!)..............................................................5.12
Basic Solicitation Letter.....................................................................................................5.17
Booster Groups & Alumni Associations............................................................................5.19
Grants................................................................................................................................5.19
Souvenir Operations .........................................................................................................5.19
Sponsorship Letters...........................................................................................................5.21
Section 6 — Membership
Membership Recruitment through Networking & Relationship Building .........................6.1
Music Educator Sample Letters ...........................................................................................6.4
New Member Welcome Letters, Sample Recruitment Literature ........................................6.5
End-of-Season Member Evaluation...................................................................................6.15
Membership Application and Contract Samples..............................................................6.17
Medical Release, Emergency and Medical History Sample Forms ....................................6.27
Retention of Members.......................................................................................................6.35
Section 7 — Public Relations

Marketing & Public Relations .............................................................................................7.1
Developing A Marketing And Public Relations Campaign: The First Step .........................7.1
Marketing And Public Relations Techniques ......................................................................7.3
O.D.C.A. Public Relations Workshop..................................................................................7.6
“No Thank You” and “Thank You” Letters .......................................................................7.16
Attention to Detail ............................................................................................................7.18
Section 8 — Human Resources

Staff Overview .....................................................................................................................8.1
Volunteer Recruitment........................................................................................................8.1
Employees or Independent Contractors? ...........................................................................8.2
Parent Support Form Samples ............................................................................................8.3
Volunteer Responsibilities ..................................................................................................8.5
Staff Agreement & Policies/Sample Forms ..........................................................................8.7
Parent Support Survey.......................................................................................................8.11
Section 9 — Transportation
Transportation Overview ....................................................................................................9.1
Creating your Drivers’ Manual ...........................................................................................9.2
Sample Bus Driver’s Vehicle Inspection Report ..................................................................9.3
Sample Driver’s Daily Log Form..........................................................................................9.4
CDL Info Workshop ............................................................................................................9.5
©2002 Drum Corps International iv Revised 12/2002

Section 10 — Touring & Food Service

Touring & Food Service Overview.....................................................................................10.1
Tour Planning Made Easy..................................................................................................10.2
Sample Food Survey Form.................................................................................................10.8
Tour Appearance Confirmation/Acknowledgement ........................................................10.9
Parent Guidelines............................................................................................................10.10
Tour Survival Guide & Guidelines ..................................................................................10.11
Sample Housing Information Sheet................................................................................10.16
Care and Feeding Guide..................................................................................................10.17
Daily Cook Schedule .......................................................................................................10.23
Sample Housing Request Information Sheet ..................................................................10.24
Frequently Asked Parent Questions About Tour .............................................................10.26
“To Tour or Not To Tour” Comprehensive Guide ...........................................................10.31
Section 11 — Reference and Resource Materials

Reference and Resource Materials.....................................................................................11.1
©2002 Drum Corps International v Revised 12/2002

SECTION 1 • GETTING STARTED SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 1
Getting Started
©2002 Drum Corps International 1.0 Revised 12/2002

Getting Started
Make no mistake about it: operating a corps is operating a big business.
It is important, before you get started, that you fully understand the commitment you are
making to your new corporation, and that you think through and create a business plan
detailing your organization’s goals and objectives and the methods which will be
employed to achieve those goals.
• How are you going to fund this operation?
• Who are you hoping to serve?
• Who is going to make sure things happen and that the organization is well run?
Answer these three questions honestly and realistically. Developing a mission
statement, or reason for operating, is the first step. By answering these questions you will
already have begun to define your program.
The amount of money you will need to start your program and continue the
operation depends on the scope of your corps’ program.
• What kind of equipment will you need?
• Can you find used equipment to cut down on the cost of purchasing new items?
• Can you get equipment donated to your group?
• What kind of schedule do you want this corps to have during the winter and
summer?
• Do you want the corps to “tour” during the summer? If so, for how long?
• What is your “target audience” for membership (Age, experience level, etc.)?
• How are you going to get the word out to these prospective members that you are
starting this group?
• Who is going to manage the group?
• Who is going to make sure things happen and that the organization is well run on a
day-to-day basis?
• Do you have people to whom you can delegate? People you know you can trust,
and upon whom you can depend?
• If there is more than one person involved in the planning for this corps,
communication will be a key factor in the success of this group. Have you
considered the corporate structure of your organization? How will it work?
There are a number of organizations that can help your endeavor. These organizations
can be a tremendous resource of information for you, as well as providing services to your
corps. Before starting your corps, you should check these groups to see what they can help
you with and also see if you would like your corps to become a member of these
organizations, which includes the Chamber of Commerce in your area, local business
associations, the Center for Nonprofit Management, the Service Corps Of Retired
Executives, the Business Volunteers for the Arts and your local Cultural and Heritage
Commission, just to name a few.
Local municipalities and local school boards can be big supporters of your corps. They
can also be one of your biggest headaches if you do not establish a healthy relationship
from the beginning. Most corps in the United States use school facilities for rehearsals.
Many corps have established themselves as Exploring or Venturing Posts through the
Boy Scouts of America. Scouting offers many great benefits to the new organization,
including advice on creating an effective managing committee, leadership training
programs, tremendous infrastructure support, and group accident and general liability
insurance. Check with your local Boy Scout Council to see how a partnership with this
fine organization can benefit your corps.
Drum Corps International (DCI) is an organization that was formed in 1971 to help
administrate the corps activity. DCI is responsible for most of the shows scheduled during
the summer months as well as publicity for the entire activity. DCI is operated by a board
of directors which is made up of representatives from the top corps and several “at-large”
business executives and professionals who help to guide the growth of the corps activity.
The DCI Division II/III office serves as an advisor, coordinator and information source
for corps of all shapes and sizes who have not achieved “Division I” status, and who
usually choose to participate in the activity on less than a full-time basis.
DCI coordinates the schedules for the first part of the summer (beginning of June
until the second weekend of July) through its management of the DCI Atlantic (DCIA)
and DCI Pacific (DCIP) divisions and DCI Midwestern Division (DCIM). Drum Corps
Associates (DCA) governs the senior corps activity, and is not affiliated with DCI.
DCIA, DCIM, DCIA, and DCI will help to provide your corps with performance
opportunities as well as serving as great information sources, with shared insights from
other corps directors.
One of the first things you should do before getting in “too deep” is to put together a
realistic timeline of what needs to happen to get this group off the ground. Creating
timelines will be a good habit to get into because, once your corps is started, they will
become the backbone for a good organization
Adopting An Organizational Philosophy

An analogy was used at a Drum Corps Management Workshop that, in essence, went
something like this:
“Being a corps director is like being the driver of a very large bus. It is really important
that you, as the driver of the bus, take responsibility to make sure that the destination
sign for your corps is very well lit. The people on your team need to know that you are
fully responsible for getting the organizational vehicle to its intended destination. It’s
imperative, therefore, that those who “board your bus” also are planning to arrive where
you intend to take them. If they are not, it’s fine… as long as they wait for another bus.”
Different organizations go about the establishment of their organizational philosophy
in different ways… some with a single, strong leader; others with a small committee, and
others with a larger board. While it is certainly easier to maintain a degree of control with
a smaller, closer-knit group of individuals, it is important that no matter how you choose
to govern your organization, that there is a clearly expressed and clearly understood
philosophical roadmap implemented to serve as your blueprint for success and growth.
When the idea of starting a corps first strikes an individual or a group of people, it is
easy to fantasize about where it will all lead. Certainly, fans of the drum and bugle corps
activity each have a favorite corps performing a favorite piece of music or drill move or
they might remember a spectacular effect that was generated during a special
performance. It’s easy to daydream about how great your new corps will look and sound
when they take the field of competition.
But the part of drum corps that takes place on the field of competition is actually
much smaller than the rest of the operation. Some have jokingly suggested that drum and
bugle corps be renamed “drum and bus and rehearsal corps,” as a tremendous portion of
the hours that a corps is together is spent travelling and rehearsing, with performances
only making up a fraction of the total drum corps experience. It is important, therefore,
that a philosophical basis or direction is established very early on so that the corps
members, the members of the instructional staff, and the volunteers all enjoy the entire
process of being a part of your organization.

Understanding the delicate balance of hard work vs. pushing too hard, for example, is
one thing which needs to be discussed long before the first steps of drill are taken on the
rehearsal field. Creating an educational plan and a method by which to implement the
plan is hard work requiring much planning and a shared vision among all of those
involved with the operation of your organization. Scheduling issues and the efficient use
of time is one of the keys to a successful program and require the input and sharing of
information between every member of your team; from the members to the staff to the
cooks to the equipment people to the bus and truck drivers.
Some corps focus their efforts on a “weekend only” or “weekend mostly” schedule;
while others realize that they may have to travel in order to participate at a level which
will satisfy their objectives. The overall mission of your corps, its operational format and
educational goals and objectives, and its structure are all a part of what falls under the
general heading of “philosophy.” It’s important that the new director takes all of this into
consideration when building a foundation for the future of his or her organization.
New Corps Startup Checklist,

Timeline & Budget
The following is a list of things that should be considered top priority and should be
accomplished first before doing anything else when starting your corps. If you have not
done all of these things and you have a serious desire to start a corps, stop!
Complete this list first.
• File your articles of incorporation with your local, state and/or federal government,
depending on what is required in your area. An attorney can help you get this filed.
• Organize and legally adopt by-laws, including setting up a board of directors.
• Retain legal counsel to review your start-up and application for tax-exempt status. It
is particularly handy to confer with an attorney experienced in non-profit law.
• Obtain and immediately begin the preparation of the “Application for IRS 501(c)(3)
Tax-Exempt Status” in the United States, or “Registered Charity” status in Canada.
These can be extremely arduous and lengthy processes and usually require outside
assistance from a professional familiar with the application process. Consult the
appropriate agency or public accounting service in your area for information.
• Develop a mission statement to serve as a general blueprint for your success.
• Obtain a general liability insurance policy for your corporation. Some groups do
this by way of registering as an Exploring or Venturing Post with the Boy Scouts of
America, or through a Boys and Girls Club or other similar recognized youth
services agencies, while others pursue insurance privately with a local insurance
agent. Make sure that your coverages are adequate for your program offerings
• Develop a specific one, three, five and generalized 10-year plan (addressing both
financial and operational concerns).
• Establish a realistic cash-flow projection for the first five years of operation.
Listed below is a sample first-year operating budget for a start-up corps. Obviously, as
a start-up corps you will also incur some expenses for equipment that will be used for
more than one year. These capital equipment items are included at the bottom of the
sample budget. Capital equipment is usually not included in the annual operations
budget, however, in this case, you will need to have a plan as to how you will raise the
money for these items. This budget is based on having 60 marching members, and is
intended to be conservative and somewhat simplistic. A budget can vary greatly from one
organization to another. This is meant only as a guide.
Income Expenses
Member Dues (60 @ $350) 21,000.00 Transportation (fuel, p&m) 6,500.00
Appearances/Parades 2,500.00 Food (members + staff) 7,500.00
Fundraising 6,000.00 Insurance 1,250.00
Donations & Gifts 2,000.00 Percussion (equipment & maint.) 3,500.00
Home Show Proceeds 1,750.00 Brass (equipment & maint.) 5,750.00
Guard (equipment & maint.) 2,000.00
Total Income 33,250.00 Other Expenses 6,750.00
Total Expenses 33,250.00
The Mission Statement, Overview

Developing a mission statement is one of the most important things that you will do
for your organization. It will be the philosophical reason your group exists and will help
guide you down the decision-making process. Your mission statement should read easily
and be concise and well-worded.
How to word your mission statement is discussed in this section as well as the Public
Relations section (section 7). Developing your mission statement should be a process
conducted with all individuals responsible for establishing your corps. Your mission
statement will indeed be your ultimate roadmap for the achievement of your long- and
short-term goals.
Sample Mission Statements

“The mission of The Blazing Bugles Drum and Bugle Corps is to provide artistic
performance opportunities for young people to help them develop into well-rounded and
responsible citizens. Since its creation in 1993, the organization has expressed this
mission through its responsible board of directors, a talented and committed instructional
and design staff, and dedicated and caring volunteers.
“The Blazing Bugles Drum and Bugle Corps offers four programs in support of its
mission. The most visible of these is the drum and bugle corps, a performance ensemble
that participates in the Drum Corps International Summer Music Games. The
organization also hosts one of these Summer Music Games contests, which is known as
‘Corps at the Dandelion.’ A third program sponsored by The Blazing Bugles Drum and
Bugle Corps is the annual fall workshop series which provides music, marching and color
guard training for high school and college students. Finally, the organization hosts an
ensemble festival each spring.”

Answers to a Few Frequently Asked Questions

“So, You Wanna Start A Drum Corps?…”
How much will it cost to run my corps?
The expenses involved in operating a drum and bugle corps vary, depending on the type
of corps you’re planning to operate, the availability of equipment, and the amount of
travelling you’re planning to do. A community-based parade corps can exist for several
thousand dollars a year, while a full-time touring Division I corps can have an operating
budget in excess of a million dollars.
How much time will it take?

Are you prepared for a second full time job? Operating a drum and bugle corps can
quickly turn into a “hobby run wild.” From planning and executing fund-raising activities
to making organizational contacts for rehearsal space to planning trips to attending
regional and national meetings to hiring instructional staff to scheduling volunteer
assistance for sewing, driving, prop construction, cooking and equipment maintenance,
the person or people charged with the responsibility of “making it all work” (and their
families!) must be incredibly dedicated and passionate about assuming the mantle of
command.
How can I recruit members and instructional staff?

Many corps members participate in the marching band activities offered by their high
school or college music education programs. Some corps have developed their
instructional staff by hiring music education professionals, who in turn recruit and refer
students for membership. There are many other strategies for effective recruitment
outlined in Chapter 6 of this guide.
How soon should I start touring?

The ability to live within one’s means is quite possibly the greatest key to success in the
creation and establishment of a new drum corps program. It is easy to get caught up in
the romance and passion of running such an exciting organization! It is essential,
however, that the organization sticks to it’s plan and understands the causes-and-effects of
embarking on a travelling schedule outside of it’s home base of operations. Some factors
to consider: cost of chartering buses vs. purchasing them, ability to recruit and maintain a
pool of drivers, cost of outfitting an equipment truck, meal preparation on the road, and
travel scheduling… just to name a few.
How can I raise money?

Once you’ve established an operating budget and you have a general idea of what amount
of money you need to raise, there are several ways you can go about obtaining the
funding necessary to operate your drum and bugle corps. Hints for both financial
planning and fund-raising can be found in Chapters 4 and 5 of this guide. From bingo to
car washes, corporate sponsorship to government grants, the job of fund-raising is a full
time reality of operating a successful non-profit organization.
Where can I get help?

You’ve already taken the first important step! Assistance can be found by contacting
Drum Corps International, 470 South Irmen Drive, Addison, IL 60101, by calling 800-495-
SHOW or via internet at http://www.dci.org.
The Boy Scouts of America &

Other Youth Services Agencies
The history of the Boy Scouts of America predates the history of Drum Corps
International. Along with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, the Boy
Scouts of America were one of the earliest and most prolific sponsors of the drum and
bugle corps activity before the advent of DCI.
The Boy Scouts of America, headquartered in Texas, can provide you with
information on how to contact your local Boy Scout council and how to start a “Venture
Post” in your area. The infrastructure and training resources of the Boy Scouts are vast and
can assist the start-up organization with invaluable visibility, credibility and instant name
recognition in the local community. You can get additional information on the programs
of the BSA by visiting their website: www.scouting.org.
Equipment Overview
When purchasing equipment for your organization, it is important to think about
organizational needs and resources in both the short and long-term. When starting a new
organization, there will certainly be many things that you will absolutely need to
purchase, in order to have a successful unit. Other luxuries will depend on whether or not
you have the resources to afford them.
Do you need to buy new equipment or will used gear be fine? There is usually much
used equipment on the market, and purchasing previously owned gear can often be a
great way to save money for your group. Where can you find used equipment on the
market? Start with your regional circuit representative or other corps in your area.
Another suggestion is to keep your eyes open at local pawn shops, you never know where
you will find good used instruments and other necessary items.
Is there a possibility for companies to donate certain equipment to your group? Many
corps have success with this, but usually after they have developed a “track record.” Some
local companies may be more apt to donate goods and services to your corps rather than
money. This can be a good project for a “go-getter” type parent or board member to work
on.
It is also important for you to be realistic when you think about the size of your
group. The worst thing is to run over on the budget expenses and then have four brand
new baritones sitting in storage for a year that do not get used. In this case, used
equipment makes more sense. After your group has been active for a couple of years,
anticipating the size from year to year should become easier.
Check with your accounting or book keeping professional for detailed information on
the proper way to record your equipment assets and depreciation on your financial
statements.

Annual Timeline for the

Existing Drum and Bugle Corps
The corps season, for the corps director, really starts in September (or earlier even!). So
much of the planning and organizing takes place away from the actual rehearsing of the
group. If you were to ask a well - organized director what the busiest time of year is they
would probably respond, “September through November because of all of the planning,
organizing and coordinating that takes place. Then May through June as the group gets
ready for performances and travel.” Following is a sample of a timeline that can be used to
map out your year.
September February
• Reconcile summer finances (from • Secure summer rehearsal facilities
previous summer), send “dollars • Uniform and flag projects
owed” letter to members • Order equipment for the summer
• Clean, repair and winterize (drum sticks, heads, etc...)
vehicles
• Inventory equipment and March
uniforms • Organize and schedule drivers
• Organize staff members and cooks for the summer
• Organize recruiting materials
(brochure, etc...) April
• Layout winter rehearsal schedule • Review budget
and facilities • Finalize summer schedule
• Select show music and start • Make sure vehicles are ready to
design meetings roll
• Finalize year-end banquet
arrangements May
• Collect all member dues, birth
October certificates and medical forms
• Support staff get together and • Plan summer travel details
“thank you” letters (rehearsal schedule, routing,etc...)
• Band show recruiting
• Review insurance policies June
• Mailings to prospective members • Summer housing details
(directions to shows and housing,
November etc...)
• Budget (depending on fiscal year)
• School recruitment presentations July
• Year end banquet plans (facility)
December
• Secure stadium for summer show August
• Equipment and uniform
January inventory
• Contact show sponsors about • List of vehicle repairs needed
housing for visiting corps
• Produce roster listing of members
and staff

SECTION 2 • LEGAL GUIDELINES SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 2
Legal Guidelines

Overview
It is a difficult task to tailor the requirements of each individual state in the country
for legal purposes. General outlines have been included here, but you should check with
your local government to make sure you are in compliance with local, state and federal
laws. For example, in the United States, drum and bugle corps and other non-profits can
become a 501(c)(3) corporation, meaning that they are a tax-exempt entity. In Canada,
groups can become a “Registered Charity” with the Canadian government.
This section is not intended to replace or provide professional legal advice. Corps
directors and management are strongly encouraged to enlist the services of a licensed
attorney in their state or province to answer their questions and assist them in navigating
the sometimes challenging legal system. Often, a member of the corps may have a
relation who is an attorney who can provide some services to the organization on a pro
bono basis.
Organizational Considerations
Drum and bugle corps organizations are typically structured as nonprofit
corporations. The type of entity is based upon applicable state law. A not-for-profit
structure is important in order to qualify for tax-exempt status as further discussed below.
The corporate structure should include a setting up a governing board typically composed
of directors. The organization may control another organization or may be under
common control of a “parent” corporation. The steps to be organized as a non-profit
corporation include:
1. Prepare and file Articles of Incorporation. Typical Articles include the name
(independent of any other name in the state), statement of purposes, the initial
structure of the governing body, registered office, resident agent and dissolution
provisions. Each state has standard articles (available from their Corporation and
Securities Bureau) which may be modified as deemed appropriate by the organization.
2. Prepare Bylaws. This governing document goes into greater detail then the Articles
of Incorporation and includes the fiscal year of the entity, annual meeting
requirements, number of directors, appointment of the executive director and duties
associated with the directors and authorized officers.
3. Action of Incorporator. This is written documentation by the persons who create
the entity and identifies the initial board and adoption of bylaws.
4. Directors’ Organizational Meeting. The board of directors have the authority to
appoint officers for the corporation (executive director, president, secretary, treasurer,
etc.). Directors typically establish bank accounts for the entity at this meeting.
5. Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN) (IRS Form SS-4). This
form is filed with the Internal Revenue Service and begins the process of applying for
tax exemption.
6. Prepare and File Exemption Application. The current form for achieving tax-
exempt status is form 1023 and is available at IRS offices or through the internet. The
form typically requires attachments of the articles, bylaws, powers of attorney, budgets,
employer identification number and other related documents. This form requires
careful thought and consideration in its preparation because details of financial
support, proposed activities, current financial statements and a proposed two-year
operating budget must be included. The IRS uses this form to determine whether the
organization’s activities are considered tax-exempt.
7. File Applicable State Charitable Solicitation Questionnaires. This form is

similar to the IRS form 1023 and must be filed with the state. Many of the attachments
to the federal form must also be attached to the state form. The forms are available at
most state’s Attorney General’s offices.
General Legal Considerations
These legal guidelines were put together by DCI Board Member Mark Stasa, Esq., for a DCI
Workshop. They clearly layout your legal responsibilities for operating a drum and bugle corps.









Sample By-Laws
Your by-laws should be complete, using general wording, and should also be concise. In this case,
the simpler the better.



Ten Questions for the Thinking Board Member

1. Are the objectives of your organization specifically stated in writing?
• Were they discussed and approved by the board?
• Are they measurable?
• Are they reviewed annually?
2. Is the management information provided to board members timely and

useful?
• Do you ever see reports of agency progress vs. objectives?
• Do you understand the basic sources and uses of the agency’s financial and human
resources? (exhibit 2-1 is a list of reports you may wish to request or discuss with
senior staff executives).
EXHIBIT 2-1 Summary of Board Reports

1. Trial balance sheet Semi-annually
2. Statement or income and expense Quarterly
3. Budget variance report Quarterly
4. Formal performance review of executive director Annually
5. Fund raising progress report Quarterly
6. Programmatic performance vs. objectives Annually
7. Minutes of board meetings After meeting
8. Follow-up reports on topics raised at board meetings Periodically
9. Investment reports Annually
3. Are there written policies regarding board member responsibilities and

accountability? Do the policies cover the following areas:
• Attendance requirements for board meetings?
• Committee and subcommittee structure and membership?
• Legal liabilities for board members?
• Fund raising responsibilities?
• Terms of directors?
• Number of terms before retirement or temporary separation from the board?
• Nomination procedures?
4. Do the agency’s public financial statements accurately and completely

state the agency’s financial status? How do you know?
• Is the FICA account really paid up?
• Is there an audit committee?
• Are staff and board bonded? At sufficient levels?
• If the agency operated at a deficit last year, how was the deficit financed? Was it
worth it?
Operating a Board can be very challenging. These two pieces were developed to help instill
ownership in your board members as well as to clarify their responsibilities.

5. Is there an adequate human resource development program for the agency

staff?
• Is there an annual performance review for the executive director?
• Are performance expectations spelled out in advance?
• Is the director’s performance reviewed in writing by the chair?
• Has the executive director implemented sound personnel practices? Are there:
• Written performance reviews at least annually?
• Specific personnel training plans?
• Written job descriptions?
• Compensation and expense guidelines?
• Clear termination procedures?
6. Is there a long term financial resource plan?

• What are the program and financial plans fro the medium and long term? Are they
approved by the board?
• Has the board initiated any specific longer range development programs?
• If such programs exist, how is progress toward them reviewed?
7. Do the budgetary and actual expenditure procedures reflect fairly the

financial capacity of the agency to conduct its affairs? What will prevent
the agency from “running away” financially?
8. Is there a periodic board review of the key financial control mechanisms by

the finance or audit committee of the board?
• This review can be as simple as ensuring that two parties handle checks to
reviewing the adequacy of your accounting and/or auditing firm.
9. Is there a vigorous administrative improvement effort underway that

addresses:
• Cost control?
• Cost reduction?
• Adequate reimbursement from outside sources?
• Aggressive programs to secure new sources of income?
• Cost/program sharing with similar agencies?
10. Does the board periodically reassess the agency’s overall performance
and its continued need to exist?
• Do board members ever meet clients of the agency?
• Is there a program to ensure that board members visit the field periodically?

Aspen’s Board & Administrator-Special Insert

Here is the summary of board roles and responsibilities Executive Director Dave
Brubaker uses. Implement these guidelines to help members understand how they can
help move the non-profit forward without getting involved in day-to-day decisions.
Guidelines for board members
These guidelines are designed to assist in the orientation of new members as well as
current members. The guidelines are intended primarily for non-profit board members,
although they also draw on recent literature in the for-profit sector.
I. Purpose of a board
Definition of a board — An active and responsible governing body, holding regular
meetings, whose members have no material conflict of interest and serve without
compensation.
a. Represent the constituency: Every non-profit organization has a supporting
constituency which enables the organization to carry out its mission. The constituency
relies on appointed or elected board members to govern the organization on its behalf.
Board members are ultimately accountable to the constituency and community that the
non-profit serves.
b. Monitor the management of the organization: Because board members are
volunteers who are not employed by the non-profit itself, the board must hire staff to
carry out the day-to-day management of the organization. The board will generally hire
an executive director and empower him or her to employ other staff as needed. The
director is accountable to the board, generally through the chairperson or executive
committee.
II. Duties of the board
a. Governance and accountability: The primary duty of the board is to govern
the organization in accordance with the will of the constituency, the needs of the
community served by the organization, and applicable state, local and federal laws. Much
like a congress or parliament, the board develops policy and ensures that it is
implemented, but does not itself execute that policy.
Since the board employs an executive director to carry out policy, it must also
establish proper accountability structures to ensure that policies are appropriately
implemented. Such structures will include financial and activity reports by staff to the
board. Without a steady stream of concise and accurate information from staff, a board
would soon find itself making inappropriate or irrelevant decisions.
b. Mission and planning: Since the board is ultimately responsible for ensuring
that the mission of the non-profit is carried out, it must define (and update as needed)
that mission. A “Mission Statement” of two or three sentences should clearly indicate the
basic purpose for the organization’s existence.
Plans are essentially the means of carrying out the organization’s mission and long-
range planning is one of the board’s most important (and neglected) duties. Annual plans
and budgets are usually developed first by staff, but are presented to the board for revision
and approval. Both provide essential data for judging the effectiveness of staff at fulfilling
the mission of the organization during a given time period.
c. Stewardship and fund raising: The title of many non-profit boards (“Board of
Trustees/Directors”) indicates that they have been entrusted by donors with the
responsibility of ensuring that funds and assets are properly managed. This stewardship
These guidelines can help your board members understand their responsibilities and how best to
help the organization.

responsibility is one of the most important functions of a board and may have legal
ramifications if improperly cared for. Because of the importance of good stewardship,
most boards seek to recruit some members with financial management experience.
While every board member shares responsibility for fund-raising, the full board is
responsible to ensure that income is adequate to meet expenses during any given budget
period. Just as the board should not approve unjustified budget requests, it can’t approve
unrealistic income projections. The Board’s stewardship of resources may include limits
on the amount or percentage of funds used for administration and fund-raising.
III. Responsibilities of board members
a.“Wisdom, work or wealth:” It’s often said that if you serve a non-profit board,
you should contribute wisdom, work or wealth. Ideally, a good board member contributes
all three commensurate with his or her resources in each area. Every board member is
expected to regularly contribute ideas and opinions, time and energy and financial gifts to
the organization. A prospective board member unable to make such a commitment
should probably decline the invitation to serve on a board.
b. A board member’s job description: New and veteran board members are
expected to meet the following qualifications:
1. Be committed to the mission of the non-profit. The first criteria is to
determine if you are personally committed to the basic purpose of the organization.
While it’s flattering to be asked to serve on a board, if you are ambivalent about what the
organization does, you will soon grow weary of the assignment.
2. Be free of conflict of interest. If you stand to gain materially from decisions
made by the board, you should not serve as a board member. Although there may be
instances where the organization chooses to purchase a good or service from a board
member, the use of influence for personal gain is both unethical and illegal. An obvious
conflict of interest is receiving a regular salary from the board on which you serve.
3. Possess expertise needed by the board. Many board members are recruited
based on the professional expertise they will bring to the board; areas such as legal,
financial, social service and marketing are generally assumed. Other needs may include
community or minority representation, sensitivity to client or recipient community and
skill in leading decision-making processes. The board recruiting you should specify what
special expertise it expects from you.
4. Attend and participate in board meetings. If your schedule is such that you
will miss most board meetings and never have time to read the minutes, you should
definitely decline the invitation to serve. A minimum requirement of board members is to
plan to attend all regularly-scheduled board meetings and to contribute your ideas.
Although other members recognize that unavoidable schedule conflicts may occur, your
board service must be a high priority. This will require preparation (eg. reading agendas
and reports) and follow-up) eg. fulfilling commitments made at the meetings.
5. Regularly contribute money and urge others to contribute. Every active
board member should make regular financial contributions to the board on which he or
she serves and participate in efforts to invite others to donate. Such contributions will be
commensurate with the resources of the individual member and could range from $5 per
month to $1000 per month. Board membership is somewhat analogous to membership in
a local congregation – you’re expected to put something in the offering plate on a regular
basis.
6. Realize that board membership is temporary. Boards benefit from the
presence of new members as well as veterans. The bylaws of your board should specify
term limits for board members; if not, recommend them.

The IRS 501(c)(3) Process

Tax-Exempt Status
Canadian Registered Charity
The process of obtaining tax-exempt or registered charity status can be a lengthy, very
time-consuming process. It is strongly recommended that you begin the process of filing
for this official status as early as possible in the start-up period of your corps. There are a
variety of on-line information sources which explain the process of applying and further
information can be obtained from the appropriate governmental agency, whether in
Canada or the United States. You may also want to consider retaining the services of a
public accountant familiar with the process of applying for non-profit status, as they can
be a great help in receiving approval of the application upon its first submission.
Because of the extremely detailed and lengthy nature of the application form, the
limited space of this publication does not make it practical to include a complete
boilerplate model; however, it is suggested that great care is taken during the application
process to provide information which is factual and well-planned, as the information can
be a major asset in helping to create a blueprint for the operation of your organization.
Developing a Policy Manual/

General Liability Issues
A policy manual is an invaluable tool for the corps director and board, as it concisely
outlines and details the corps’ official method of handling certain situations and provides
insight into the composition and management of the corps. It also enables staff and
volunteers to perform their roles more efficiently and effectively, as it clearly spells out
exactly what is expected of them in specific instances, especially when the director is not
present nor available.
It is important to have a policy manual with your organization’s rules and regulations
spelled out. Included below is a suggested list of topics you may want to cover in your
policy manual.
General Rules and Regulations

Health and Wellness Issues
Touring Expectations
Uniform Policies
Parent Guidelines
Fund-raising
Support Staff
Mission Statement
Legalities (Board of Directors, etc.)
Member Dues and Equipment Care
What is Drum Corps

Sample Corps Policies

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Policy
Although implicitly covered in the Code of Conduct, we explicitly state our policy. The
Blazing Bugles Drum and Bugle Corps has adopted the EEOC’s definition of sexual
harassment. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or
physical conduct of sexual nature is considered to be sexual harassment when:
• Submission to such conduct is made either directly or indirectly a term or condition of

employment or participation.
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment or
participation decisions which affect an employee, volunteer or student.
• Such conduct has the purpose or the effect of unreasonably interfering with an
employee’s, volunteer’s or student’s routine performance or creates an intimidating,
hostile or offensive working environment.
The following are some examples of conduct which may be considered sexual harassment
and, therefore, are prohibited by this policy:
• Repeated, unwelcome and offensive sexual flirtations, advances or propositions.
• Continued or repeated verbal abuse of a sexual nature.
• Continued or repeated graphic verbal commentaries about a person’s body.
• Display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures.
• Continued or repeated suggestive sexual comments or remarks.
• Continued or repeated insults, humor or jokes about a person’s sex or traits relating to
sex.
• Continued or repeated touching, pinching or brushing a person’s body.
Sexual harassment does not refer to occasional socially acceptable compliments. It refers
to behavior that is unwelcome, personally offensive or sufficiently severe or repeated that
it alters the conditions of employment or participation and creates an abusive
environment.
Disciplinary Action
Any employee, volunteer or student knowingly violating that policy is subject to
disciplinary action which may include reprimand, suspension or dismissal
VANDALISM/VIOLENCE
Policy
The Organization views vandalism against any property or violence against anyone by
corps members reprehensible. The cause of such misbehavior, often complex, calling for
careful study by the corps director, parent/guardians, corps staff and appropriate
community officials.
Procedure:
• All incidents of vandalism or violence shall be reported immediately to the director.
• Vandalism or violence of a criminal nature shall be reported to the local police
authority by the director or his designee.
• Identification of members involved shall be determined as soon as possible
• It shall be the responsibility of the director to decide on disciplinary action. Parents
shall be called for all minor corps members in order for restitution to be secured.

SMOKING
Policy
The organization supports the laws of the United States and the various states relative to
the use of tobacco and tobacco products by minors. All members are discouraged from
smoking at any time while involved in corps activities. Staff members are discouraged
from smoking while in the discharge of their professional duties.
Procedure
• All members of the organization are prohibited from smoking during corps activities
including, but not limited to; rehearsals, performances, fund-raisers, and during
transportation to and from the show.
• Under no circumstances may a member of the organization of marching age use
tobacco or tobacco products while with the corps.
• Staff members may smoke in designated areas only where regulations permit. Staff
members will not smoke in the presence of corps members, particularly during hours of
instruction.
MEDICATION
Policy
It is the policy of the organization to monitor the administration of prescriptive and over-
the-counter medications of its members. All medications will be monitored by the corps
nurse or designated chaperone.
Procedure
• At sign-in, all medication will be registered with the corps’ nurse or designated
chaperone.
• All medication must be packaged in its original container, including dispensing
instructions.
• It will be the determination of the corps nurse whether the corps members may self-
medicate, or if such medication will be distributed by authorized corps personnel.
• All medication doses will be logged in the official corps medical log book upon
dispensation.
• The only exceptions to prescribed medication procedures are inhalers, which the
member may keep with him/her and use as needed, and oral contraceptives.
BODILY FLUIDS & BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS

Policy
In accordance with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (O.S.H.A.) policies
regarding blood-borne pathogens and bodily fluids, The Organization has developed and
exposure control plan to comply with these regulations.
Procedure:
• When treating any open area, gloves will be worn.
• All contaminated materials will be placed in a plastic bag and disposed of in trash
receptacle.
• All incidents will be recorded in the corps official medical log book and signed.
• Blood spills must be cleaned, using a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water.
Fresh solutions must be made for each incidents.

SUICIDE
Policy
The Organization takes seriously all suggestions, demonstrations or communications of
suicide. The staff personnel also must increase their sensitivity to and awareness of the
subtle signs of suicidal ideation, and/or self-destructive behavior. When confronted with
life-threatening behavior or when suicide ideation is present, an immediate manifestation
of appropriate resources is essential. In any such situation, a commitment to member
confidentiality must be superceded by lifesaving intervention steps.
Possible Suicide Ideation
There are numerous possible signs or symptoms associated with suicide ideation, attempt
or completion. Sometimes just one sign is evident; sometimes a combination of signs is
associated with suicide. Listed below are some signs, however, no-list is all-inclusive.
• Family problems: broken home, death of a parent/guardian, alcoholism or abuse.
• Deteriorating peer relationships.
• Inability to form peer relationships.
• Broken romance.
• Preoccupation with death.
• Suicidal comments, sense of failure, isolation.
• Inability to concentrate.
• Depression, boredom, apathy, fatigue, prevailing sadness.
• Neglected personal hygiene.
• Sleeping disorders.
• Giving away personnel possessions.
Procedure
• Any staff member who has reason to believe a member has self-destructive tendencies
shall immediately notify the Director.
• Contact the parent/guardian at home or work to make them aware of the suicidal
ideation and recommend a mental health professional consultation.
• Confirm the telephone conversation in writing and recommend that a mental health
professional be consulted.
• At all times, until parents arrive, he/she shall be kept under complete adult supervision.
CHILD ABUSE
Policy
The organization has a responsibility to respond to all suggestions, demonstrations or
communications of suspected child abuse.
Procedure:
• Any staff member who has reason to believe a member is a victim of child abuse shall
immediately notify the director.
• In any such case, a commitment to the member’s confidentiality must be superceded by
life-saving intervention steps.
• The director will report all suspected cases of child abuse to the State Division of Youth
and Family Services who will then conduct an investigation.

Music Licensing
Corps are responsible to secure permission to arrange and perform published works of
music. Royalties for the drum corps application of these works are usually nominal. Much
of the artist and publisher information on the vast majority of those works published can
be obtained on-line at the web sites of ASCAP and BMI. A member of the DCI
Administrative Staff serves as the liaison on matters concerning music licensing and can
be an invaluable resource in this regard.

The forms
shown on
these and the
following
pages are
standardized
forms for
obtaining
permission to
arrange and
perform
music for
your show.
Questions About Licensing

1. Why should I pay for playing music in public?
We often use the expression “they’re playing my song,” not always remembering that,
while we may have emotionally adopted the song, it still legally belongs to the songwriter
who created it and the music publisher who markets it. When you use other people’s
property, you need to ask permission.
Writers and publishers earn their living from commercial uses of their songs.
Payments they receive from “public performances” are their primary source of income. If
they were not paid, they would have to look for other work. This would deprive the world
of great music.
2. What is a public performance?

A public performance is one that occurs either in a public place or any place where
people gather (other than a small circle or a family or its social acquaintances). A public
performance is also one that is transmitted to the public; for example, radio or television
broadcasts, music-on-hold, cable television.

Generally, those who publicly perform music obtain permission from the owner of
the music or his representative. However, there are a few limited exceptions (called
exemptions), to this rule. Permission is not required for music played or sung as part of a
worship service unless that service is transmitted beyond where it takes place (for
example, a radio or television broadcast). Performances as part of face-to-face teaching
activity at a non-profit educational institution are also exempt.


This letter is a well-written introduction, not only to The Scouts, but to the drum corps activity in
general. It can be used as a general cover letter with many purposes, however in this application it
is being used as a cover letter for music licensing purposes.


Publications such as these will help your organization to obtain and maintain its tax-exempt
status. Many corps have libraries of resources information with various legal references.

SECTION 3 • INSURANCE SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 3
Insurance

Insurance and Risk Management

Contributed by Scott Stewart and Keith Ketterhenring
The topic of Insurance is extremely important to your organization’s security and

longevity. Unfortunately, it can also be very confusing and complicated. The best advice is
to find a competent agent specializing in commercial insurance that you can trust. Be sure
that they will work with you to get the correct coverages at the best prices. An
independent agent who has access to different underwriters for the many different types
of coverage a drum corps needs is by far your best bet. They also have the ability to
negotiate the best deal for your organization.
• Do not be afraid to go to several different agents and compare their personalities,
the interest they show in your organization and the premium amount.
• Be aware that required minimums, limits & premiums vary greatly from state to
state.
• The following information is very general but should give you a basic
understanding of the topic.
What is Insurance
Simply stated, insurance enables an organization to transfer the financial
consequences of a loss to an insurer. The insurer, in turn, pays the policyholder for
covered losses and distributes the costs of losses among all policyholders. Insurance is just
one technique that organizations use as part of an overall process known as risk
management. Risk management is the process of identifying, analyzing and managing
loss exposures in such a way that an organization can meet its objectives. A loss exposure
is a possibility of loss. The loss exposures to which commercial insurance responds
include both property loss exposures and liability loss exposures.
• A property loss exposure is the possibility that an organization will sustain a financial
loss as the result of the damaging, destruction, taking or loss of use of property In
which that organization has a financial interest.
• A liability loss exposure is the possibility that an organization will sustain a financial
loss as the result of a claim being made against that organization by someone
seeking monetary damages or some other legal remedy.
The Risk Management Process

Property and liability loss exposures can be identified and treated through the risk
management process. The risk management process consists of the following steps:
1. Identifying and analyzing loss exposures.
2. Evaluating the various techniques for treating the loss exposures.
3. Selecting the most effective technique or techniques.
4. Implementing the selected techniques.
5. Monitoring the program and making needed corrections or adjustments.
Insurance is only one of several risk management techniques and it is almost always
used in combination with other techniques. These non-insurance techniques include the
following:
• Avoidance. Avoidance occurs when an organization avoids an identified loss
exposure by choosing not to own a particular item of property or not to engage in a
particular activity.
• Loss control. Loss control includes any measure to prevent losses from occurring or
to reduce the size of losses that do occur.
• Retention. An organization that pays all or part of its own losses is said to retain or
self-insure its losses. For example, an organization might choose to self-insure
certain exposures or to purchase large deductibles on its insurance policies. When
an organization has the financial ability to absorb some or all of its own losses,
retention may be less costly in the long run than buying insurance to cover the
same losses.
• Non-insurance transfer. Non-insurance transfer occurs when an organization obtains
the promise of a second non-insurance organization to pay for certain losses that
would otherwise fall on the first organization. Also known as hold-harmless- or
indemnity agreements, non-insurance transfers are commonly included in a wide
variety of contracts, such as leases, construction contracts and purchase agreements.
Different types of Coverages

There are a number of different insurance coverages that you should consider for your
drum corps.
The term Commercial Property Insurance is insurance covering commercial

buildings and their contents against loss caused by fire, windstorm and other perils.
Commercial property insurance provides little, if any, coverage for property while in
transit or otherwise away from the insured location and omits most crime-related perils.
Commercial Crime Insurance covers property and perils that are not covered by
most commercial property policies. For example, money and securities are generally
excluded types of property and employee dishonesty is almost always an excluded cause
of loss in commercial property policies. Various commercial crime coverages are available
to insure: (1) money and securities against a wide range of perils (not limited to crime
perils); and (2) property other than money and securities against various crime perils,
such as employee dishonesty, burglary, robbery, theft and extortion.
Inland Marine Insurance includes a wide variety of risks such as property In

domestic transit, mobile equipment, buildings in the course of construction, property
essential to transportation or communication and many other classes of property that
typically involve an element of transportation. This is where your instruments, uniforms
and miscellaneous equipment would be covered.
Every organization, even one that has little or no property exposed to loss, faces the
threat of claims and lawsuits for damages arising from its acts or omissions. The basic
protection for this exposure is Commercial General Liability Insurance.
Commercial general liability insurance covers the loss exposure arising from an
organization’s premises and operations, its products or its work. It also covers various
other offenses that may give rise to claims or suits, such as libel, slander, false arrest and
invasion of privacy.
Commercial Property Insurance does not cover physical damage to vehicles.

Moreover, Commercial General Liability Insurance excludes the liability arising out of the
ownership, maintenance or use of vehicles in most circumstances. Both vehicle physical
damage insurance and vehicle liability insurance are available under a Commercial
Automobile Insurance policy or in the commercial auto coverage part of a package
policy. Various coverages can be added to an auto policy by endorsement, such as auto
medical payments coverage and uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage.

Workers compensation laws, which apply throughout the United States, obligate
employers to pay specified medical, disability, rehabilitation and death benefits for the
employees’ job-related injuries and diseases. The obligation to pay these benefits exists
regardless of whether the employer was in any way at fault. In theory, employees are
precluded from suing their employers for injuries or diseases covered by the applicable
workers compensation law. However, in some cases, employees are permitted to sue their
employers for work-related accidents. Workers Compensation and Employers
Liability Insurance provided two coverages: (1) coverage for benefits the insured
employer is obligated to pay under workers compensation laws, and (2) coverage for
employee claims against the insured employer that are not covered by workers
compensation laws.
Other property and liability insurance policies are available to supplement the more
common policies described above. These coverages include, but are not limited to, the
following:
• Directors and officers liability policies which cover the directors and officers of a
corporation against claims alleging damages resulting from wrongful acts of the
directors or officers.
• Umbrella and excess liability policies, which provide amounts of insurance in

addition to the limits provided by the insured’s commercial general liability, auto
liability, employers liability and perhaps other primary liability coverages. For example,
an organization might have limits of $1 million on its primary liability policies and an
additional $10 million limit on its umbrella liability policy.

SECTION 4 • FINANCIAL SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 4
Financial

Overview
As a not-for-profit corporation, it is extremely important that your drum corps be
managed efficiently, particularly with regard to financial operations. Competitive
advantages and individual egos cannot make the financial decisions for your group.
Frankly, if you cannot afford something, you will either have to do without or find
another way to achieve the desired end result.
Financial mismanagement has been a factor in the death of hundreds of drum corps.
Operating a negative budget is just simply unacceptable. You will need to either find a
way to increase your income or to cut your expenses.
Your budget is a financial blueprint for the year. It should be reviewed at least twice
during the course of the year.
Corps that are financially successful in today’s economic situation have varied income
sources and are managed by individuals who are sensitive to the challenges associated
with non-profit operations.

This information was used in a DCI workshop for corps directors. It is intended to spell out some
of the basic accounting principles.













Sample Division III Budget

Revenues 1998 1999 2000
Donations 28000 16200 33000
Events and Fund Raising 5750 4100
Merchandise 300 200 1000
Performance Fees 1050 5000 15500
Tuition 5300 22500 40400
Total Revenues 40400 43100 94000
Expenses
Administration
Postage, Supplies,
Communication, Regulatory 500 900 1200
Salaries - Management &
Administration 0 0 0
Equipment
Brass 8300 4700 3500
Costumes 3700 7400 1300
Guard 400 3100 2100
Maintenance 0 300 1500
Percussion 7200 8200 6900
Transportation-Vehicles 0 0 14000
Other 600 300 200
Education
Educational Supplies 1200 3200 3100
Food 2300 6000 17600
Insurance- Vehicles 0 0 4600
Rehearsal Facilities 1100 900 3800
Staff:Expense Reimbursement 100 7200 8000
Transportation 2300 13500 23100
Other 200 900 1000
Total Expenses 27900 56600 91900
Surplus 12500 (13500) 2100

This is a sample budget of an organization that currently operates two Division I corps and a
Division II corps.


Notice here how capital equipment (equipment used for more than one year) is not included in the
budget until the very end.

A sample of a senior corps budget.

SECTION 5 • RAISING FUNDS SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 5
Raising Funds

Overview
There is not a corps alive (or in the process of being started) that does not need to do
fund- raising. As a non-profit organization, you will quickly realize that money will never
be in excess. There are a number of fund-raising opportunities that are tried and proven
over the years. Success of these events will vary depending upon your geographical
location, state laws, personnel resources, etc.
The key to a successful financial structure is to have a variety of sources of income. If
your entire program is dependent upon bingo income, for example, and your state
changes the law to limit gaming, you may be forced to cut back on your game. This
scenario could cause a major problem for some corps. If your organization has four or five
other sources of revenue, you should be able to balance things off easier.
Included in this chapter are several ideas for proven fund-raisers. You may wish to try
a few of these and/or get creative and develop an idea or two of your own.
Over the years, some corps have had success at obtaining in-kind donations from
companies. This is where, instead of giving your corps money, the company opts to give
you goods or services. Corps in the past have received such things as free fuel, painting
and lettering, food and utensils, printing, vehicle and instrument repair work.
As talked about earlier in this manual, your corps should be registered as a non-profit
organization with the government. One of the biggest benefits of this is that you can tell
people and companies that their donations will be tax-deductible, giving them something
tangible in return.
Most fund-raisers, to be successful, are dependent on good leadership from someone
who has energy and good organizational skills. Some of the best fund-raising ideas will
not be work without a good organizational plan to begin with. Just as important is a good
system to keep track of funds there are professional fund-raising companies that can help
you get started and guide you through some accounting practices.
To make your fund-raising effort as successful as it can be, offer your members
incentives – credit towards their dues or fees, prizes for selling the most product, awards,
etc. These are all effective ways to increase participation and achieve your fund-raising
goals.

Hosting a Drum Corps Show as a

Major Fund-Raiser
The Corps Sponsored Contest Can be
a. A MAJOR fund-raiser
b. A MAJOR local publicity event
c. A MAJOR local recruiting event
The object of this presentation is to provide guidelines for the pre-planning and follow-
through of the corps-run contest. It is not our intent to guarantee profit, as circumstances
differ; however, it may allay some fears concerning need for loss.
NOTE: Everyone who has used this program has broken even at a minimum in their first
year, and gone on to bigger and better things in ensuing years.
We shall endeavor to lay out necessary steps in your project, job functions and personnel.
“You” have decided to have a contest. This is a MAJOR project in the corps year. “You”
need a “Project Director.”
PERSONNEL
1. THE PROJECT DIRECTOR: This is the overall coordinator of the entire project staff.
This person must be an organizer, and able to handle people. He must be prepared to step
in and do the job, if the volunteer cannot or will not.
The project director, in concert with the corps director and the executive, will plan the
where and the when of the contest, not later than October. (Ideally)
• Book the stadium – investigate free (donated) facilities, prior to agreeing to rent.
Whether rental or not, lock into a contract, all inclusive, some of which follows:
• field marking, or at least the use of the equipment

• G.E. box and access to it
• electrical outlets for G.E. judges
• microphone hook up for both box and field (if possible)
• moving of bleachers (if necessary)
• lights on when requested, not when stadium management thinks it’s necessary
• confirm security
• concessions – can you run it, or is it leased?
• can you post a “pre-contest” sign to advertise the event
• investigate insurance requirements
• dressing room facilities
See note on concessions on page 5.8.
Now you have a project director, the date of the contest and the site of the contest has
been selected,– you need a staff to work with the project director.

Please don’t let the number of positions following upset you. Some of the people with
positions on this staff, can handle more than one job.
1. PROJECT DIRECTOR: in place-supreme commander, responsible for every facet of

the endeavor.
2. FINANCE DIRECTOR: This person could be the corps treasurer, if they were willing
to keep a separate set of books for the duration of the project. The Finance Director will
oversee all expenditures and receive and bank all income.
a. advertising sales
b. ticket sales
c. cash on hand, sufficient to run whatever cash is required.
d. all other monies pertaining to the contest
e. look into insurance
• You always need protection when you are running an event that includes paying
spectators. You may find that you already have a blanket clause that covers this
contingency, but it is always safest to take out rain insurance. This is very
expensive, and consideration should be given to the actual loss if the show is rained
out.
3. ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR: Needs the will to approach businesses, service

clubs, politicians, etc., to advertise in the program. They should seek out their own sales
force. Of course, there is nothing to stop anyone from selling an advertisement, as long as
they are working within the sales director’s framework.
NOTE:
1. Do not accept any advertisements that are not “camera-ready.” You cannot make a
profit if you have to go to the expense of setting the ad.
2. After the contest, spend a stamp for each advertiser, saying thanks and outlining
the success of your show. Send a copy of the page on which their ad appears and
you can be fairly certain of a long-time customer.
4. PUBLICITY DIRECTOR: Needs to have a positive advertising bent. Produce posters,

write letters, do news releases, talk to radio and T.V. outlets.
FIRM SUGGESTION: publicity director releases absolutely nothing, without referring to
the project director, and to the printing coordinator, for terms of reference. Don’t have
contradicting statements. These items should be produced and printed by the publicity
director:
a. maps
b. order of appearance and timing
c. housing, if any
d. practice facility
e. C.B. channel to be used (if in use)
f. person to whom corps must report (see Housing Coordinator)
g. booster table information
h. time and place for critique
i. time and place to pick up sheets and tapes
They will set up trophy presenters and will be on hand at the contest to talk to reporters
and photographers and to coordinate presenters. If necessary, they will see that a permit is

obtained for a sound truck and that the truck is on the street one week before the contest
and on the day of the contest.
Sponsors – he will see that sponsors and other dignitaries have a chance to speak if they
wish to do so. NOTE•• “Drum Corps World” will reach the true Drum Corps enthusiast.
The true Drum Corps enthusiasts will not fill your “stadium.” You’ve got to reach “Joe.”
Joe is the ordinary citizen, who knows marching bands at half time shows, and Army
Cadet Drum and Bugle Bands on the street. You should strive to have newspaper coverage
before and after your event.
5. TICKET SALES COORDINATOR: to look after advertising of ticket sales, through

liaison with publicity director and printing coordinator. That is not to say that he
advertises, but just to say that he must make sure that his information is in ALL publicity
released.
They must be available for phone queries and mail orders and to be on hand and to
oversee ticket sales on the day of the contest (he will provide the ticket sellers). They will
also make sure that someone is at the advertised phone number until 1/2 hour before the
contest starts.
NOTE: – “Freebie” tickets are a great way to get free publicity and generate community
support for your event. You can give tickets to the following individuals:
a. Mayor
b. Newspaper editor
c. Radio station manager
d. Cable T.V. station manager
e. Local “lesser” politicians, especially parks and recreation
After discussion with the committee, the coordinator will give the “freebies” to the
publicity director for distribution along with invitations to the event.
Another consideration, should you normally have a number of empty seats each year, is
to issue tickets (the same number of tickets as you have empty seats) pricing those tickets
at about $3.00 or $4.00 more than you usually charge. Stamp these extra tickets
“complimentary” and give them to the publicity director for distribution to special
interest areas, such as local youth baseball teams, hockey teams, soccer teams, senior
citizens’ residences, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, etc. Obviously, these tickets must NOT find
their way into the hands of regular attendees.
Hopefully, these people, after their first free taste, will come back for more next year.
6. HOUSING COORDINATOR: to obtain whatever housing is required for visiting

corps. Changing areas for corps that do not need overnight housing as well as showers
and electrical outlets. Assign a person to stay with each corps, as their guide to help them
find fuel, food stores, etc. If overnight accommodation in a school or an arena is required,
it is generally accepted that a small fee be charged, to offset your costs (if any).
The housing coordinator is responsible for seeing that competitors are met and directed to
their facilities, practice fields, and given any last-minute changes (if any).

7. PRINTING COORDINATOR: Anyone having any printing done must clear it

through this person. The printing coordinator must record all printing being done, and its
status (when it is due from the printer). He must tie together all the printing requirements
of
a. Publicity
b. Program/ad book
c. Tickets
and to make sure there is no duplication of effort, or contradiction of time, place or price.
He must also research the cheapest possible means of printing. Someone might donate
printing, whereas they won’t donate dollars. Look within your own organization first.
Guard against the statement, “Well, if anyone had told me they wanted it done, I would
have done it for free.” Beware of “I’ll get it done for you,” without confirmation in
writing of the cost.
8. BOOSTER TABLE COORDINATOR: This person will organize arrangements for the
booster tables within the stadium. Each visiting corps should receive a packet of
information specifically for the souvenir people. This packet should be coordinated
through the publicity people to make sure the information is accurate. This person can
also coordinate taking care of the judges and their needs, as well as the runners for the
judging sheets.
9. CONTEST COORDINATOR: (Assigned to the show by DCI) Absolute Boss on the day
of the contest. He must rule on any penalties suggested by the chief judge, or brought
forward by the Housing Coordinator. He must see that the field is properly marked, and
that all staff is on hand for the contest. He must be sure that the Finance Director will be
on hand prior to the start of the contest. You may wish to suggest a meeting with all
contest staff several hours prior to the start of contest, or possibly even the evening before
the event.
10. ASSISTANT(S) to the CONTEST COORDINATOR: You might consider one or

two, to be the Contest Director’s representatives anywhere and for general assignments or
whatever needs attention.
11. GATE SUPERVISOR: (Can usually be obtaining through your local region, if
necessary) can be someone who has worked on something else up to contest date, but has
NO other duties during the contest. Should know something about the job as outlined by
DCI.
• responsible for moving corps from access gate, into starting field position, at given
times – suggest 17 minute time increments for each corps
• assist in setting retreat at the conclusion of the corps’ performances.
12. STADIUM STAFF COORDINATOR:

This could be one of the assistants to the contest coordinator. They will need:
a. gate control – at least 2 at each gate
b. lights on when needed
c. announcer’s mic on and tested
d. tabulator’s table and chair in place
e. judges tables (2 and chairs in place)
f. hydro outlets in place for judges and for tabulator

g. critique room (advise publicity director for package)

h. ticket sales space and protection (ticket sellers will be provided.)
i. special room with lock for finance director (if possible)
j. necessary G.E. box or cordoned area for G.E. judges
k. adult runner for ticket sales income – to finance director
l. space available for booster tables – liaison with booster table coordinator
m.stadium security – watch for fence jumpers, etc., suggest work with a local service
club. Ask them to provide this service in their regalia. Then make sure the
announcer recognizes this organization with effusive thanks.
n. trophies in place
o. liaison with publicity coordinator for presentations during retreat
p. tape of National Anthem(s) for announcer, with recorder
NOTE: If you have a guest unit from outside the U.S., make sure you have their
anthem too.
q. last one out of facility: see to it that all equipment that belongs to you is removed,
and all commitments to stadium management have been honored.
13. C.B. CLUB REPRESENTATIVE: to confer with the housing coordinator, to provide
guidance to visiting corps on the day of the show. This can be substituted for the person
assigned to the corps (see housing coordinator). Establish normally unused C.B. channel
and advise the publicity director so that he can include this information in the package to
the corps.
14. ANNOUNCER: (Can usually be obtained through your local regional circuit if
necessary) (also see “Announcer’s Guide,” produced by O.D.C.A.) The corps depend upon
a certain routine. Don’t saddle them with someone who can’t follow the routine. This
person can also be a local radio announcer.
15. RECRUITING TABLE: Throughout the evening (afternoon), have the announcer do
a spiel for new members to join your corps. Set up a recruiting table at the contest, with
sign-up information for prospective members.
Make sure you get their:
a. Name
b. Address
c. Phone number
d. Section of Interest
Display: —
a. Pictures and itinerary of tours you’ve taken, or places you’ve been
b. Pictures of rehearsals in progress
c. Pictures of the corps on parade
d. Trophies you’ve won
e. Layout of what you provide
i) instrument
ii) uniform
iii) instruction plus any additional items you can think of!
iv) transportation
v) travel

NOTE: Make sure someone calls these people who are interested in your corps. Thank
them for the interest, and let them know you will send a note to tell them where and
when rehearsals begin. You may also want to send them the results of improving scores
and placements during the season. Make sure that they go on the mailing list for your
corps newsletter. If you can, take them along on a short trip, if its feasible.
TIMING
October — Select a Project Director and his committee
Starting in January, news releases must go to the media-local newspapers, radio and T.V.
January, March, May and June, “Drum Corps World” should be hit with another up-
date on the progress of your event. If you should lose a corps and replace it with another,
inform the media.
January – Begin advertising sales

Publicity director should send letters to visiting corps confirming appearance and asking
for housing requirements by March 1st. (as per housing coordinator)
Project director should order judging panel
• ask Politicians to reserve time for your event, giving them starting and finishing
times (don’t miss any – you may need them all sometime)
• ask mayor to present a city/town flag to the winners
May
• Publicity director – send final package to visiting corps
• begin laying out your program book
• place write-ups and advise corps that may not have sent theirs that publishing date
is _________________
• if a corps does not give you a write-up, give them a space in your program, with the
notation that no write-up was provided by the corps at the time of publication.
Don’t leave this out, as corps members will hold you to blame if their write-up is
not shown and there is no explanation.
DEADLINES
• try to get the program book to the printer one week prior to the arranged time.
• two weeks before contest and again one weekend before contest, get flyers on the
street and posters in the stores in the area of the contest.
• banner across the major roads streets near the contest site one week before the
contest
• trailer signs and like sign boards in use wherever available for the week of the show.
DON’T STOP PUBLICITY UNTIL THE CONTEST ACTUALLY BEGINS!
WRAP-UP
Finance director – announce to all workers the financial results of their labors, as soon as
possible. If you can do it before everyone goes home, so much the better. People who
have worked so hard should not have to wait for a week the results.

NOTES:
CONCESSIONS: There is always profit in food. Hamburgers, hot dogs, cold drinks, coffee,
etc., are not difficult to provide and barbecues can be used for cooking if necessary. Best of
all, anything left over, becomes “camp food.” Don’t include a lot of “junk” food, such as
chips, etc., as these may become “give aways” rather than profit if not sold.
FIRST AID: It is a good idea (though not compulsory) to have “first-aiders” on hand.
Volunteer fire departments are usually pleased to provide this service.
THANK YOU: Two insignificant little words that can mean the world of difference.
Thanks must go to all the workers, the advertisers, presenters, dignitaries and to donors of
goods, services or money.
• From the project director to volunteers
• From advertising sales director to advertisers (with a tear sheet)
• From the publicity director to all presenters and dignitaries who attended
As soon as possible after the contest, bring together all the workers. As the project
director, give your personal thanks to everyone. Let the corps director talk about the
impact of the event on the corps. Make a list of things to improve upon for the next year.
The most important item to get started is to decide what kind of show you want to
host. Is there a circuit available to help you with promotion and organization of your
event. Basically, the bigger the show you want, the more money it will take to run it.
Once you have a date and place to hold it, you are ready to put together your line-up
of units for your event. Again, here the association you are working with can help you
with this. It is important to know what level of corps you are looking for. Generally, the
bigger the corps, the more money they will require to perform at your event.
Once your lineup is set, you can (and should) begin advertising and getting the word
out. Most media sources have what they call public service announcements (PSA’s). PSA’s
will run for free for non-profit organizations. It is possible to get PSA’s on radio, television
and newspapers around your area. These should be used to their fullest. Most media
company’s will give you more PSA’s if you actually purchase some paid advertising as well.
There are many, many unique and creative ways to advertise your event in your area.
A good idea is to put together a committee to look at different ways to advertise. Do you
want to advertise in the activity’s newspapers (Drum Corps World and DCI Today). Is that
money going to bring in any more people and is it worth it to you?
Some corps have had great success in getting local companies to help sponsor the
show. A lot of times companies are looking for a tax write-off and to be seen in the
community as a company that supports the youth of the area. You can use this to your
advantage.
Some corps have used sponsor money to help the cost of bringing the corps to the
city. Five different companies can sponsor five different corps.
Most corps-run shows are also responsible for providing the corps with one night of
housing. This can prove to be very expensive and extremely difficult to secure. Your local
band directors can be a great source for this. Also check out local churches, YMCA’s and
community associations. Local band directors may also help you secure a stadium for the
event for a reasonable cost.
There are a number of organizations that can also help you sell tickets - your local
convention and visitor’s bureau or department of tourism. Local bands should be invited

to attend, maybe at a discounted ticket price. Your corps newsletter can also be a great
place to get information out to your parents and supporters.
A budget should be put together to keep your chairman or committee on task. This
budget should be reviewed as needed and will be your working tool to help you sponsor a
successful event.
Giving complimentary tickets to local radio stations for giveaways is a great way to
get them to talk about your event on the air. Do you do a band clinic with your teaching
staff for area band students the day of your show to encourage them to come to the show
at night? Maybe a free pair of tickets to band directors in your area will help encourage
participation in your clinic. This can come back to you in recruiting in the fall.
Coordinate what time the ticket booth will open and make sure the ticket people are
in place by that time. Also make sure you have enough change for ticket and program
book sellers.
Radio and television talk shows can be a great way to get the word out about your
event. They are free and it just takes a little bit of leg work to set them up. Make sure the
person who is representing your corps during the interview is going to project the image
that you want for the corps.
You will need to get tickets printed. This can be very easy and simple, or very
complicated and expensive. Depending on your needs and the stadium you are dealing
with, the best decision for your organization should be made. A reserved section of the
seating is a great way to sell tickets for a premium price.

“Quick-Tick” is a national company that can print tickets for any stadium configuration. They
are one of several vendors who offer competitive pricing on short-run custom ticket printing jobs.

Your show flyer should include: date, time, location, ticket price and where to buy tickets. The
poster needs to capture the interest of the reader.

Charitable Gaming (A Fancy Name for BINGO!)

Tom Peashey, CFO Rochester Patriots
To varying degrees, many corps have been able to support their organization through
the operation of bingo. Before you assume that this may be of assistance to your
organization, you must be aware that charitable gaming regulations vary greatly from
state to state and that many states don’t allow it at all. A simple check with your local
municipality should tell you quickly whether or not this is something you should pursue
further.
Even on a limited scale, bingo becomes a large undertaking in itself. Before
considering it further, you should ask the following questions:
• Is bingo allowed in my state and municipality?

• Does my state have domicile laws, which would restrict where I could run bingo?
(Domicile is simply a legal term for your legal place of residence.)
• Does my state require that our charity be in existence for some period of time
before trying charitable gaming? Many states do requires a one or two year waiting
period before licensing a charity for gaming. The gaming period may vary
depending on the type of gaming. In New York, it is one year for bingo, but two
years for raffles and pull-tabs. Be aware that you may have to prove that you have
been a functioning charity during the waiting period.
• Do I have enough volunteer support to take on such an undertaking without
dealing a possibly lethal blow to our corps’ start-up attempts?
• Do I have access to the necessary gaming knowledge to begin such an operation
successfully?
If you haven’t been scared off yet, then you’re ready to hear the good news. Charitable
gaming can be very profitable. It can become the staple of your entire organization. The
litany of corps that successfully run bingo is large: Blue Devils, Santa Clara, Madison
Scouts, Capital Sound, Colts, Pioneer, Patriots, Mandarins, Spartans, East Coast Jazz,
Americanos and more. Since these operations run the gambit from one night a week to
seven days a week halls, it may be prudent, at this point, to remind everyone that it was
necessary to learn to walk before you could run.
OK, I’m Interested and It’s Legal, How Do I Get Started?

Starting bingo is no different than starting any business. You must get the legalities out of
the way first. In many states, you need to apply for a charity gaming identification
number before you can even begin to look for a hall. If this is required in your area, you
might as well get it out of the way first before you spin your wheels needlessly, only to
find out that your organization doesn’t qualify under the laws of your state. The most
common place to find out what is required and get the necessary forms is the municipal
clerk’s office in the locale where you expect to be domiciled.
Location is critical. Most states allow charities to rent space from other charities or from
commercial halls. Do some homework. Find out who is successful in your area. Do they
have space available to rent for a new game? Don’t forget those domicile rules mentioned
earlier. Finding space in an existing hall is by far the easiest and cheapest way to begin
bingo. Generally, the bingo equipment and everything else needed to start the game is
included in your rent. If you’re lucky enough to find such as location, it may be merely a
matter of applying for a local license and starting to play. Instant success and truckloads
of money may be yours, but chances are, even in a currently successful hall environment,
it will take a lot of hard work and perseverance before the cash starts flowing.
Once I Have Bingo Open, How Else Can I Make Money?

In almost every state that allows bingo, there are a number of other gaming activities
frequently available to you to make additional income. The most common of these are
pull-tab tickets (bell jar tickets) and raffles. Both of these items lend themselves well to
bingo. Your bingo players are ready-made customers for these forms of gaming and the
best part is that they make the bingo session more entertaining and much more
successful. Some states also allow some form of “Monte Carlo–” or “Las Vegas Nights.”
• Pull-tab tickets (Called bell jar tickets in some states) – These are small cardboard
tickets with pull open windows that reveal various designs. Get three designs in a
row and win something. Basically, they are a paper slot machine. They can be very
profitable. In many states, it is not unusual to make as much net profit from pull-
tabs as from bingo. At the very least, they are an excellent augmentation to your
bingo income.
• Raffles – Most areas allow raffles in some form. These are frequently used to create
a more festive atmosphere at bingo and make things a little more interesting.
Although not usually challenging bingo or pull-tabs as a revenue source, they can
provide significant income. It is common at many games to run a quarter raffle for
prizes ranging from inexpensive knick-knacks to TV’s as well as a separate 50/50
raffle. Special larger raffles can be run over the long term. Large scale items such as
Las Vegas trips are an easy-sell raffle item at bingo. The best part is that you have
your ready-made audience already in place for bingo and they love to spend their
money on these other items.
• Monte Carlo (Las Vegas) Nights – Where these are allowed, they can be very
profitable. They are also a lot of work and not without risk. You are basically
operating a casino. Anyone who opens a casino had best know what they’re doing.
I would be hard-pressed to recommend these unless someone in the organization
has a lot of experience in this area.
OK, I Have A Location-Now What?

The choice of when to play now becomes critical. Naturally, if you’ve just taken an open
spot in a current hall, this may be a moot point, but if options are open, there are several
considerations:
• Some may not think so, but the first consideration is when you have volunteer
workers available. If you plan on soon being a touring corps, it may not be prudent
to start a Saturday night game if your worker pool consists of staff members who
will be on the road with the corps.
• From strictly an attendance standpoint, the following order would list the potential
game times in descending order of highest expected attendance to lowest (all are
evening unless stated otherwise) Saturday, Friday, Saturday Afternoon, Sunday,
Sunday Afternoon, Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday and Monday. Monday through
Friday daytime games in a large hall can be profitable in a large population area, but
they are very problematic from both a volunteer worker and player attendance
standpoint. They should only be considered after careful deliberation of all other
options.
• Competition must be evaluated and considered. You must know where the games
in your proposed area are and when they play. You should know the success (or lack
thereof) of your potential competition. In almost all states, bingo records become

public knowledge. It may be as simple as stopping by city hall and asking to see
their records. Some areas may require you to file a FOI (Freedom of Information)
form and pay a small fee. This simple exercise in evaluating bingo in your area is
critical. A good example of what you may find out might be a scenario like this. You
may find that there are three games every night of the week and on weekends in
your area, but only one on Monday. Now, earlier we mentioned that of all the
possible nights, statistics show Monday to be the worst attended night. However,
here’s where good leg-work pays off. Competing against only one other game as
opposed to three more than offsets any “Monday” negative. The worst bingo night
might very well be your best choice.
• Search out and seek the advice of your local “bingo experts.” In every area where
bingo is legal, there are bingo suppliers anxious for your business. It is in their best
interest for you to succeed. These suppliers include both bingo paper sources and
operators of “bingo” specific newspapers or magazines. These people are making
their lives off bingo and they will see you as a newfound source of increased
revenue. You should find them to be knowledgeable and eager to help. Naturally,
they’re looking to ensure your future business. These people can save you a lot of
time by providing you with the “local” knowledge and resources necessary to
succeed (or even begin). Caution! They probably have many friends running games
in the area. Until everything is public knowledge, be careful. You should be using
them for information – and not find them using you.
OK, I’ve Selected A Night – Now What?

Now the hard work begins. You must design a game, order paper, publicize the game,
recruit and schedule workers, decide what ancillary items you will offer, (pull-tabs, raffles,
etc.). The details are too extensive to spell out here, but the following represent a few
axioms many of us have found to be true.
• Think all PAPER games. A few areas still use reusable hard boards. Don’t even think
about it. All paper is much more profitable. Three on (three deep) cuts are
recommended. These have become the industry standard. Avoid four on cuts that
are common in some areas. They waste valuable space and probably make your
paper more expensive.
• Fewer games and higher prize pay–outs are generally more successful. In some areas,
bingo has developed to be so complex that it discourages new players. Simple can
be better…
• Bingo players hate to be crowded. Use 8-foot tables and they’ll complain if more
than four people sit there. Use 6-foot tables and four people will fit nicely. The
obvious answer is that the old “industry” standard of 8-foot by 30-inch tables is a
waste of critical space. If you have a choice, use 6-foot by 30-inch tables. Never use
36" wide tables. They’re a waste of space, too.
• Tables and chairs are one of your largest expenses. Yes, you may have a fixed budget
for opening and the temptation (indeed necessity) may be there to go cheap, but be
sure to weigh the options. You may be buying a $33.00 table that will last three
years when a $45.00 table will last 10 or more years and work better for you. A $7
folding chair versus a $17 padded chair may have a similar lifetime ratio and (even
more critical) become a negative when trying to attract players. Light colored tables
reflect light and improve the bingo atmosphere. Players use scotch tape to secure
their papers to the table. It’s useless to try and stop them from doing this as it just
angers them. At the very least, it causes them to spend less money or, at the worst,
go elsewhere. On a cheap laminate table, the tape will quickly cause the laminate to

peel at the edge. Bingo dauber ink is also the scourge of tables. When selecting your
tables, you may want to run a little dauber test to make sure it can be cleaned off.
• Some areas do not have intermissions. Intermissions should be seen as your
opportunity to make more money. Always schedule an appropriate intermission
and use that opportunity to make the most of your ancillary sales.
• If you have the ability to sell pull tabs, offer enough variety and open enough deals
at once to make it nearly impossible for players to track large winners. If they figure
out that all the large winners are gone, they will stop buying the deal. Remember:
they are slot machines! It is critical that you work the floor and cause the turnover
necessary to make them work for you. Slot machines require volume sales. You
must make this happen. Within a very small window, how much money you make
on bingo is directly proportional to the number of players – not the number of
workers. Pull-tabs as slot machines are just the opposite. The more workers
dedicated to them, the more money you make. It is critical that you identify the
minimum number of workers necessary to cover the bingo operation and then put
the maximum number of people possible on the ancillary sales (Naturally, bingo is
your “hook.” You must find that minimum point where bingo is adequately
covered with the minimum number of workers.) Pull-tabs are a control and
paperwork nightmare, but they are a tremendous income potential.
• Advertise – set an appropriate budget for the number of games and anticipated
income and stick to it. You are starting up a business. Advertising pays. Not
advertising becomes a self-fulfilling direction toward failure. Be sure to check on
what legal restrictions may apply in your area on advertising.
• Use modern bingo equipment. Players have come to expect such modern amenities
as seeing the ball on TV monitors and having winners verified electronically. The
game flows smoothly and more quickly and there is a perception (and a reality) on
the part of the players that you are “playing a cleaner game.” The equipment also
reduces the number of volunteers required or at least allows you to assign them to
other money-making ancillary items.
• Atmosphere is critical. Always present a happy and festive atmosphere. Decorate for
holidays and run holiday specials. A very small percentage of your customers will
actually win money during your game (and they’ll be quick to remind you of that
fact). Therefore, it’s critical that they are comfortable and have a good time.
Otherwise, they’ll try somewhere else the next time they want to lose money.
• Friendly and courteous workers are essential. The customer is always right. Even
when they’re wrong, they’re right. Cliche? Yes! True? Yes! One of the reasons drum
corps have been successful at bingo is that we are often competing against church
and other games that are run by a predominantly senior citizen work force. This
creates a huge problem for these charities. We, on the other hand, have a generally
young volunteer force. They have the physical ability to work harder. They tend to
be far more courteous, especially to the large senior citizen clientele and they are
passionate about their drum corps and this shows even at bingo. The players sense
this and react very favorably. There is also something to be said for the older players
that simply enjoy being around young people.
• Bingo players are gamblers – hopefully controlled gamblers – but gamblers
nevertheless. In a time when we see statistics as low as 25% of the adult population
smoking, gamblers, for whatever reason, bust that trend and you will find that
upwards of 70% of bingo players smoke. There is hope – these numbers do seem to
be declining as the years and politics take their toll.

• You must be aware of the needs of both the smokers and non-smokers. A main
room that is unbearable to even the smokers is unacceptable. Smoke eradication is a
business that is full of charlatans. Beware! Check their references when considering
any company. There is no set answer. A combination of proper ventilation and
smoke eradicators seems to be the solution. Our experience is that the chemical
HEPA filters are the best. Unfortunately, they are also the most expensive. Not
having a separate room for the non-smokers is missing a major opportunity to
market your game to a large segment of the population. This is a very difficult
situation. To complicate this, you must be aware of any smoking legislation that
may be either in effect or proposed for your municipality or state. These laws are
very fashionable and are tipping the industry upside down. Be clear on one thing,
no-smoking bingo in our current market DOES NOT WORK. Do not try it unless the
entire state has gone no smoking and you have no choice. States and municipalities
that enact these laws without some consideration to the smokers are simply
guaranteeing the success of Indian gaming and bingo.

This is an example of a letter sent to potential boosters and supporting alums.


Booster Groups & Alumni Associations

Once your corps is established, you will be able to encourage both alumni and fans to
contribute to your organization. You should have an organized booster club they can join
for a small annual donation. The same would apply for your alumni, or maybe you have
one group for both sets of supporters. You may want to put together a phoning
committee to get a hold of these people and let them know what is going on with the
corps and encourage them to become involved.
By putting together a newsletter, even a couple of times a year, you can also reach
these people and give them information such as the corps’ schedule and what your needs
are.
The corps’ appearances during the summer are a perfect time for people to get excited
about the corps. You have them as a captive audience at your local show. What can you
do to capitalize on that? They will see the corps in front of them, you can ask for people
to sign up as boosters and alumni or maybe even get them involved as bingo workers or
cooks and drivers.
To encourage their further involvement with the corps, you may want to offer
different levels of giving. For a $15.00 donation you will get the newsletter three times a
year and a booster membership card. For $30.00 you also get all of the above as well as an
invitation to the corps’ year-end banquet. For $50.00 you also get a wall plaque and for
more than $100.00 you get two tickets to the summer drum corps show. Hopefully this
will motivate your supporters to give more to the organization. Above all, you want them
to feel like they are really making a difference with their donation. Can they sponsor a
member’s involvement in the program? Can they buy a uniform or a new horn? Bringing
them to your year-end banquet ensures that they are part of the group.
Grants/Community Outreach
Grants can be a good way to generate some much-needed money for your corps, it is
also a good way to generate interest in what the corps is doing within the community.
When writing grant requests there are certain things that the person reading your request
wants to see – so you must make sure that you follow the application instructions exactly.
Grant-writing can be time-consuming, but well worth it in the long run. The more
visible your corps is in the local area, the more successful your grant-writing campaign is
going to be. You may want to try to schedule some special appearances in your local area
during the summer to help with community awareness and give your town a sense of
what the corps is all about.
You may want to look at recruiting a few people to your board of directors from the
business community. This would help with awareness and also be a good tie-in to the
business world for your organization. Many cities give money to non-profit youth
organizations. If you can show a demographic breakdown of local youth involved in your
program, these are the types of information that should be included with your grant
request.
Souvenirs
Souvenirs can be a great way to not only make money, but foster interest in your
corps as well as give your members and fans a way to show their pride in their favorite
organization. It can also be a huge financial drain on your resources. Quite frankly, there
are only a handful of corps in America that can sustain a healthy income from souvenir

sales. It is strongly suggested that souvenirs should only be operated by established corps
with the available resources to sustain this project year after year.
You should evaluate your market and lay out a plan to expose your operation to that
market. Will you sell to only your members and parents? Will you sell to high school
band students? Do you sell at every show or select certain larger shows at which to sell ?
Most corps in the activity should only consider a souvenir operation after they have
successfully built up most of the other areas discussed in this manual. Having someone
completely trust worthy and creative to run this operation is essential! They will be
dealing with money and inventory on a daily basis. Strong caution should be used before
delving into this project.

This form can help members obtain sponsorships from individuals and/or companies to help
offset their costs of participation.

SECTION 6 • MEMBERSHIP SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 6
Membership

Membership Recruitment through

Networking & Relationship Building
Recruiting is one of the most important forms of public relations for a drum corps.
Before you start recruiting, you must identify your target market for membership (ie. age,
geographical location, amount of touring, etc.) and make sure that you stay true to that
target market. You are providing a service to your members and you should feel that you
are attracting the type of person that you want in your program.
1) The Presentation
Here we are going to concentrate on how to make your presentation as effectively as
possible. Remember, you are representing your corps. Most people that you come in
contact with will base their opinion of the corps on their opinion of you. You don’t need
to go out and buy a new suit necessarily, but you do need to present a professional image.
You should be wearing clean clothes and be well-groomed.
As mentioned earlier, you should already have an idea of what kind of person you are
hoping to attract to your program. If you are after high school students then you have to
go where high school students are – high schools! Do they need to have music experience
or is your staff willing to train them from scratch? You also have to present drum corps to
them in a way that high school students are going to get excited about. You don’t need to
tell them that they are going to be sleeping on gym floors and eating while sitting on a
curb in a parking lot. Tell them they will be traveling around the country, with a group of
people that quickly will become their second family, performing in front of thousands of
people and having the time of their life!
The time of year is very important to the effectiveness of your presentations as well.
There is no need recruiting heavily if your rehearsals do not start for another three
months and your staff has no music ready for the members to work on. You will also want
to stay sensitive to the concert season of the bands that you will be visiting. Most
directors are less likely to give you time out of their rehearsal schedule right before a
concert than right afterwards. Also, the length of your presentation is an important aspect
as well. Consider the students attention span as well as the band director’s valuable
rehearsal time.
You probably don’t want to take a lot of things with you to the schools, but the
students will enjoy seeing pictures of your group (or any drum corps for that matter) as
well as instruments and video tapes. The band director should be able to provide you with
a video player and TV for your presentation. DCI Division II/III has a great recruiting
video highlighting the II/III corps. This is available for you to use by contacting DCI
directly.
You should do as many presentations as possible each year. Can you use some of your
instructors as presenters? For most corps this is the most effective recruiting tool.
Most corps do other kinds of presentations as well. Depending on what your target
market for membership is, you can have access to kids in shopping malls, through the
Boy Scouts of America, etc.
Parades and local performances can also be a great source for members once your
corps is up and going. Your corps should always perform in uniform and always perform
like the President is watching. This must be stressed throughout your entire organization.

2) Follow–up
There are two steps to following up on a prospective member. One is to give each
prospective a phone call. This really gives a personal touch that has been proven
successful with many groups. You have to understand that you are playing the odds when
it comes to the amount of initial inquires and the amount of new faces you will actually
see at your rehearsal. Don’t get frustrated, it’s just a fact of life. Concentrate on the people
that do show up to your meeting and make sure you follow up with these people and get
their questions answered.
Some corps have had success by not having the new members attend a rehearsal, but
to have them come to a membership meeting first. This is a great way to get the parents
involved as well as answer questions in a non-intimidating setting. This meeting could be
at a school or if you want to present a real professional image, you could rent a hotel
meeting room for this purpose.
Once you get kids to show up to a rehearsal, what you do to keep them interested and
excited about the program is critical. As soon as someone walks in the door for rehearsal
there should be someone to greet them. A smiling face can go a long way to relieve scared
feelings. The staff need to be organized, professional and have things for the members to
work on at each rehearsal. They will be a key factor in whether members come back to
their second and subsequent rehearsals.
After their first rehearsal, each new member should receive a letter in the mail
thanking them for coming out and encouraging them to come to the next rehearsal. This
is the second step in getting that prospective member into your corps. This letter should
go out in the mail as soon as possible after their first rehearsal (you want to catch them at
the peak of their interest). Within your time and personnel constraints, a phone call to
follow up on their first visit is a great way to foster interest as well. Phone calling is very
time-consuming and must be done in the evening hours to catch both the members and
the parents to see if they have any questions about your program.
3) Band Shows
Marching band shows are a popular recruiting source for most corps. Not only are you
exposed to kids that already understand the marching music activity, but you also have
the opportunity to get to know the band directors and get them excited about your corps
as well. You can set up a booth at most band shows across the country. Some do charge a
fee, however. Check with the sponsor of the show to work out the details. You will want
to use some pictures and instruments to make your booth attractive and inviting. Also,
make sure you have a way for interested parties to get some information about your
group. A good looking brochure comes in handy here. Also, have a place where they can
sign up to get on your mailing list.
Your instructors can really help out on a day like this. The kids really enjoy meeting
them and they can be a great source of information for prospective members.
4) Band Directors
What better way to have access to band kids than to get a band director involved with
your corps. There is probably a band director in your area that marched in corps and
would love to get back involved with the activity. Once they come out to rehearsal and
see that some of the music would really work well if there were two more baritones, they
can go to work and bring in two of their kids from their program.

The other benefit to your program is that having professional educators on your
teaching staff looks good to new parents who may be a little hesitant to drop their child
off for a Sunday afternoon or a weekend when they really don’t know much about the
program.
Once the band directors are involved, they can also help educate other area band
directors and build bridges between your corps and their programs. It indeed is great to
see your corps jacket on a band director of a band at a show in front of thousands of
people.
5) Final Thoughts
Simply put, everyone in the organization must recruit. That includes management, staff
and, most importantly, the members themselves. Use some organized way of managing
your recruitment contacts and follow up with those people who have expressed an
interest in your program. With a concerted effort, your recruiting will take off and start to
show progress.

October 1998
Dear Fellow Music Educator:
Galaxy Drum and Bugle Corps is excited to

announce the start of our 2002 season with our
organizational meeting and first rehearsal on Sunday,
December 19, at East High School beginning at 1:00 PM.
Galaxy is open to anyone 14-21 years of age.
This program is designed to enhance and

complement your band program — not to compete with it.
The Corps’ active season is the summer months and,
though rehearsals are held during the school year,
members are expected to honor their school commitments
first. Our schedule is specifically designed so that our
members can stay involved in other activities and still get
all the benefits out of the drum and bugle corps training.
The corps’ specialized program of musical, performance
and leadership training is taught by dedicated
professionals with extensive backgrounds in their
respective fields.
We would appreciate it if you would make your

students aware of the exciting opportunities that Galaxy
offers. Enclosed are several brochures and posters for
their information. Also enclosed are some postcards that
your students can send back requesting more
information, as well as a copy of our rehearsal schedule
up to June 1. If there are any questions that you may
have, or if we can be of any help to you, please do not
hesitate to call me at (703) 555-1467.
Thank you for your time and assistance and best

wishes to you for a successful and rewarding school year.
Sincerely,
Bob Johnson, Director

Galaxy Drum and Bugle Corps
A letter to local band directors should stress that your corps is not in competition with the band
for members. This letter should be mailed out each year before rehearsals begin.

An information packet to prospective members should be inviting as well as informative.



This sheet has information for prospective members as well as their parents. Notice the first
parent quoted is an attorney… intentionally utilized to establish and bolster credibility with the
incoming parents.





This recruitment poster was targeted toward alleviating some of the various common
misconceptions about joining a corps. The focus was determined by asking prospective members
who expressed an interested in the activity, but who expressed that they were in some way
intimidated by what they saw.

Here are two separate recruitment posters targeting high school students (with the top poster) and
college students (with the bottom poster). These were sent to be hung on bulletin boards in the
band room area.

This form gives your members a chance to communicate with you about their experience. Use this
information to refine your program from year to year.


Application forms should be concise, but should still include all information deemed appropriate
by your organization. Following are a few examples.






Having members sign a “contract” assures you that they understand the commitment they are
making to your organization. Examples follow…




Medical history/release forms should be concise. You may want to take a draft of your form to
your local emergency room to see if it contains all of the information you would need in the event
of an emergency. It is better in these situations to have too much rather than too little
information. Several examples follow…








Retention of Members
When groups talk about recruiting new members, they often forget the fact that, if
they have a good retention rate of eligible members from year to year, they are well ahead
of the game. You must be sensitive to give the members of your corps a rewarding, well-
rounded experience. That is something that is very easy to talk about, but must also be
thought about on a daily basis to be successful.
What can you offer your members that they will not be able to get elsewhere? Drum
corps certainly can be an experience of a lifetime for members if they are in a good
environment.
Do your members get enough sleep? What is enough sleep? Does eight hours on a bus
constitute a good night’s sleep? Food, down time and camaraderie are also elements that
can make or break a member’s summer.
Another very critical element in member retention is the teaching staff. These people
have the most contact with the marching members. They have the opportunity to foster
very positive feelings about the corps and ultimately have a huge amount of influence on
whether or not they come back the following year.
Drum corps demands a high level of discipline and sacrifice from the members. If you
are not giving them a rewarding experience for their sacrifice, why should they come
back? There are so many other activities that young people can get involved with these
days. Drum corps can – and must – give them something they can get no place else.
A good target goal to shoot for is 60%-75% of eligible members to return each year
(not including age-outs). If you are not achieving this, there may be serious issues within
your organization which need immediate attention.

SECTION 7 • PUBLIC RELATIONS SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 7
Public Relations

Marketing & Public Relations

Contributed by Tony Rother
A fine line exists between marketing and public relations. Marketing generally refers to
efforts and items geared toward encouraging people to purchase a product. Public
relations deals with building and maintaining a rapport with members of an organization
as well as people not directly involved with the organization. Marketing and public
relations are strongly related and should be viewed from a holistic standpoint. This
section will examine several marketing/public relations techniques, including why and
how such strategies may benefit a drum and bugle corps.
DEVELOPING A MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN:

THE FIRST STEP
Three Simple Questions

To develop a viable marketing and public relations campaign for a drum and bugle corps,
it is extremely important to first determine for whom the drum and bugle corps exists.
The groups an organization serves are traditionally referred to as clients. In the case of a
drum and bugle corps, however, it is more accurate to refer to such groups as
constituencies because few drum corps constituencies actually directly purchase the
product. Instead, most drum corps constituencies receive benefit from the corps indirectly
in ways such as satisfaction and increased civic pride.
To determine what constituencies a drum and bugle corps serves, the organization’s
management must first answer three simple questions:
• Who are we?

• Why are we here?
• What is of value?
These questions must be answered as simply as possible, and the answers must get to the
root of the corps’ existence. This type of ground-floor approach will help a corps develop
a more effective marketing and public relations campaign and provide solutions that are
custom-tailored to the specific organization.
It is easy to begin searching for solutions before specific needs are clearly defined. Such an
approach often leads to inefficient solutions or, in the long run, can end up creating more
problems than originally existed. Let’s look at the analogy below:
When told that the floor is dirty and then asked what is needed, most people’s response is,
“we need a mop,” or, “we need a vacuum cleaner.” What is needed is not a mop or
vacuum cleaner. The need is a clean floor. Both the mop and vacuum cleaner are means to
an end, not the end itself.
The above example may seem like of case of stating the obvious. However, this approach
can help a corps define its needs at the most basic level without jumping ahead to finding
solutions before those needs are clear. To illustrate, if the dirty floor in the example above
were a grease-stained carpet, neither a mop nor a vacuum cleaner would be an effective
solution. By asking questions and collecting information on an issue, the best possible
solutions to a corps’ needs can be found. The three-question approach can help a drum

and bugle corps develop a marketing and public relations campaign that will be more
effective in the long run and make more efficient use of resources.
Who are we?

Determining the people who make up a drum and bugle corps and its constituencies is
essential if the next two questions are to be accurately answered. Many new corps
directors are surprised to discover how many people the “we” in this question includes.
Beyond the corps’ members, teaching staff, support staff and management, the “we” can
be extended to include several other groups:
• The many volunteers who contribute their time and effort during the off-season
sewing flags and uniforms, fund-raising, maintaining vehicles and other
equipment, and organizing shows.
• Drum corps fans who support corps with their cheers and by purchasing show
tickets and corps merchandise.
• Family members of those involved, who often make sacrifices so that a corps can be
successful.
Many corps set out to be very exclusive and attempt to create an image that is
intimidating to outsiders. However, the more people a corps includes in its list of “we,”
the more people a corps can impact and the farther that corps’ influence is felt. Also, that
inclusion is invaluable to helping a corps achieve a sense of community and identity that
will serve as the corps’ legacy for years to come.
Why are we here?

The reasons for a corps’ existence will set the tone for the entire organization, including
how the corps is perceived and, ultimately, the corps’ success or failure. When
determining the “why” in this question, it is important to consider everyone who makes
up the “we.” The needs of different groups sometimes conflict with one another and
focusing on one group’s involvement will only lead to answers that selfishly serve that
particular group. For example, many corps directors have aspirations of competitive,
score-based succuss. This ego-driven approach easily leads to decisions made to achieve
short-term success while often ignoring the long-term growth and development of the
organization. For years, thousands of drum and bugle corps served their members and
communities by providing a source of pride, education and discipline for their members
and a source of entertainment and civic pride for their communities. This approach, while
less glamorous, favors long-term success over short-term gain to ensure that the drum and
bugle corps activity can once again flourish.
What is of value?
Having identified the groups of people who comprise a drum and bugle corps and the
reasons for their involvement, it is time to ask the third and final question that will lay
the foundation of a successful marketing and public relations program. The following
exercise can help you better understand your organization as it currently exists or the
needs that exist in your community for a corps that has not yet been established.
Get three sets of 3 x 5 note cards, each a different color. Distribute the cards to corps
members, staff and community, each group receiving the cards of one particular color. Ask
these people to write three things that they believe is of value to the organization.
Transfer the responses onto one large piece of paper for each group, and rank them based
on the number of similar responses. You should not be surprised to find that the three
groups value things very differently.
Share the top five answers from each group with a smaller focus group equally comprised
of members from the three larger groups. Ask that group to consolidate the top responses
from each original group, rank the list of values and finally, determine if any critical path
exists. A critical path exists when one belief or goal must be satisfied before another can
be addressed. From the results of this focus group, you should be able to develop a
mission statement for your organization that directly responds to the original three
questions.
Your mission statement will become the foundation for many of your marketing and
public relations efforts. It may also serve well as a guiding principle for decisions made
outside the realm of marketing and public relations.
MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS TECHNIQUES

• Brochures
All drum and bugle corps should have a high-quality brochure. Brochures are a relatively
simple and inexpensive way to communicate many details to a wide variety of people.
When developing this important piece of literature, it is vital to consider: 1) for whom is
the brochure designed and 2) what you want to tell these groups of people. How to
communicate those ideas should also be discussed.
Brochures can help immensely in recruiting new members. A brochure gives a young
person something concrete to put in his or her pocket and carry around. They often end
up inside instrument cases or taped to the insides of lockers. They can serve as reminders
of your organization for days, months, even years. In targeting potential membership, the
benefits of belonging to your corps (travel, new friends, having fun, being a part of
something unique) should be conveyed. Because most young people will not take the
time to read every last word of the brochure, this information aimed at them should
easily stand out. Photographs, for example, are a great way to communicate your ideas in
an interesting way.
Parents of members should also be considered in designing your corps brochure. Parents
place a great deal of trust in the hands of corps staff and management. And unlike their
children, parents will take the time to digest every piece of your brochure. Your brochure
must appear professional. The brochure’s appearance alone may say enough about your
organization to determine whether or not the parent even reads it. Mention should be
made of the corps’ mission statement.
• Electronic Communication
Registering at each one separately could take hours, but for about $40.00 and an hour of
your time, you can automatically register your site with over 300 search engines by
visiting “http://www.register-it.com.” A web site can also communicate a great deal of
information in an extremely organized manner. Information from brochures and
newsletters can be reinforced using a web site. Video and audio clips can also be used to
attract interest and increase excitement about your corps.

Both e-mail and a web site help to establish the legitimacy of your organization. They also
open up a whole new world of communication the previous generation of drum corps
never knew.
• Band Directors
It is a good idea to establish a positive rapport with local band directors. You can do this
by politely keeping them informed about the corps’ activities and consulting with them
prior to recruiting their students. Make sure you provide them with a set of
complimentary tickets to your corps show. If they attend a rehearsal, make sure they feel
welcome. Be sure any comments or suggestions made by band directors concerning your
corps’ show or educational value of the organization are received with the utmost
professional courtesy. In many ways, the goals of a drum corps and the goals of band
directors are very much the same. By recognizing this fact, and by working with one
another instead of against each other, the goals of both can be best realized.
• Media
Local media may be willing to run articles or news clips concerning your corps. However,
you must recognize that the corps which may be the most important thing in the world
to you may be of no interest at all to the media at any given time. The media will support
your corps when it is important to them. To get the support of the media, you must do
four things:
• Use an appropriate method for contacting the media. This generally includes a press
release mailed to media outlets no more than 30 days and no less than 10 days
prior to an event. A proper press release should be less than one page in length;
double-spaced; specific as to time, place and expectations; and include a contact
name and number in case the media should have any questions.
• A representative from your organization should contact the media the day prior to
or morning of the event to see if they will be attending. Some media outlets inform
you in advance if they plan to attend an event, while others show up unexpectedly.
• Thank the media representatives who cover your events.
• Develop a positive relationship with members of the media.
Don’t be frustrated if your first few events are not covered by the media. Make sure your
press releases are meaningful and worth the media’s time; do not attempt to invite the
media to every single rehearsal your corps has.
• Local Performances vs. Touring

Building strong community support takes time. You can’t expect a community to
instantly warm up to a new drum and bugle corps if they have not seen the corps
supporting the community. Be sure to include as many free local performances as
possible. In addition to marching in the local 4th of July parade, put on a free concert
afterward in a local park. This will give the community another opportunity to view the
corps and develop a sense of loyalty. Make sure your corps is in all local drum corps shows
and report this schedule to local media. If your community has an amusement park or
tourist attraction, develop a strong relationship with this organization. Local
performances at such an attraction often help your organization establish itself in the
community and at the same time perhaps generate some performance revenues.

Long-distance and long-term touring can be fatal to a drum and bugle corps. Very few
drum corps are developed enough to benefit from such touring. Yet, it has become the
“standard” to which most corps aspire. The result has been devastating to the drum corps
activity: hundreds of corps have folded in the past 30 years! Touring has caused corps to
lose sight of the very essence of their strength — local community involvement. It is this
community involvement and identification that is ultimately responsible for a drum
corps’ success or failure.
• To Sum Up
With the proper direction, a well-conceived marketing and public relations program can
greatly assist a drum and bugle corps, especially a drum corps trying to establish itself.
These efforts must take their direction from the corps’ mission statement. Firmly planted
in the corps’ philosophy, a solid marketing and public relations program can help a drum
and bugle corps attain success now and for many years to come.











Ms. Susan Snappy, Music Chairperson

Blue River “Celebrate America!” Waterballoon Festival
Blue River Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry
222 Paradey Street
Fall River, OK 12345-6789
3 April 1998
Dear Ms. Snappy:
Thank you for your invitation to join your community

for this year’s Waterballoon Festival. Unfortunately,
scheduling conflicts will prevent us from having the
opportunity to join you this year for what sounds like
a wonderful event. Please keep us in mind for future
activities; we would love to have the opportunity to
give our members the chance to perform in Blue
River sometime in the future.
Thank you again for honoring us with the invitation.
Warmest regards,
Joe Smeck,
Executive Director
js/pn
A simple letter to organizations requesting your group’s participation in their events is an effective
PR tool and an excellent example of attention to detail. It lets them know you received their
request and you are interested in their event for the future.


Attention to Detail
As already mentioned in this section, good public relations do not happen overnight.
It takes persistent, good-quality communication and attention to detail. Corps that have
survived for decades in the same community sometimes struggle to have a simple press
release printed or aired.
You may have someone involved with your group that has some connection to the
media. If not, this should be developed. Once this is in place, you should have one person
in your organization be the public relations chairperson. They will take care of all of the
public relations details as far as press releases, interviews, etc.
All information that goes to the media from your organization should be consistent
and accurate. All printed materials must be concise and time-sensitive.

SECTION 8 • HUMAN RESOURCES SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 8
Human Resources

Staff Overview
Assembling a qualified, talented, caring staff is an important part of any successful
drum corps. Not only are these the people that will interact with the members on a
regular basis, but they are also the voice box for your organization. It is important that
these people realize their importance and that it is vital that they prove themselves to be
reliable, honest, caring and trustworthy.
There are basically three areas of staff involvement: design, teaching and support. All
three are equally important to a well-run program.
The design staff will be responsible for putting the show together for the performers.
They may or may not be part of your teaching staff. Most corps have a staff/program
coordinator who would oversee the designing of the show. If you use a designer or design
team that is not part of your teaching team, it is important that the designers understand
the scope of the program that they are writing for.
The teaching staff will be responsible for the teaching and cleaning of the show. They
have the opportunity to develop close bonds with the members and should be good
ambassadors for your organization.
A good way to recruit design and teaching staff is to call other corps to see if they
have recent age-outs that are not involved anywhere. Local band directors can become
great staff members as well and should prove to be a valuable asset to your program.
The support staff will be responsible for the driving, sewing, food service and fund-
raising aspects of your program. Most corps rely heavily on parental involvement in this
area. Parents can also be used to help with the administrative operations of the corps
however, you should make sure that the parents that are involved in this area have a good
understanding of the mission and direction of your program.
When on the road, support staff coordination becomes tricky at times. Some corps
have a tour manager who looks after organizing and coordinating the support staff. A
support staff manual or written guide can help your volunteers understand their
responsibilities before they agree to help the corps. Topics that should be considered for
inclusion in this manual include: your corps’ mission statement, what to pack, a typical
day’s schedule, communication, expectations and responsibilities, corps vehicle policies,
history of the group, etc.
Recruiting support staff is an area that is not overly time-consuming, but one that is
most important to a well-run program. You already have a captive audience in your group
of parents. Parent meetings are a good idea, especially for a new corps or ones that have
younger members involved. Parents will enjoy traveling and getting involved with the
corps because they get to watch their son or daughter experience the joys of drum corps,
but they also will enjoy meeting new people and getting caught up in all of the
excitement of your program.
Volunteer Recruitment
For most drum corps, the parents of your marching members are a natural place to
begin to assemble a volunteer base. Alumni and other supporters are also a good source to
look at. It is important to keep in mind that you have to be very specific in what you are
asking them to do and be responsible for. Most times you will have a volunteer
coordinator that can be responsible for all volunteers. Each event or function should have
one person in charge to make decisions and to be the communication center. This person
can recruit the necessary helpers to make the event happen.
When someone volunteers to help your group — USE THEM! The worst thing you can
do is not take advantage of their offer. If they come to you and ask to help, they already
have an interest in your group. All you have to do is find something for them to do. In
some situations, volunteers have become disgruntled by an organization because of a lack
of things to do. Obviously there is a fine line where you can give someone too much to
do, but you do want to keep your volunteers busy when they are there to work.
Some corps are getting into situations where they are paying their drivers and even
their cooks as they travel around the country. This is certainly a good situation in some
respects, but has some big negatives as well. On top of actually figuring out where the
money is going to come from to pay your helpers, it also sets a precedent and could
alienate your other helpers that do not receive any compensation for their time. Deciding
where to separate paid and non-paid positions can be very tricky.
Non-paid volunteers can also have advantages as far as really wanting to work for the
organization and not only working for the pay check. Sometimes their motivation is
better because of their desire to help the group for altruistic reasons.
Employees or Independent Contractors?

The following are the 20 common-law factors used to determine employee status.
Workers are generally considered employees for Federal tax purposes if they:
1. Must comply with employer’s instructions about the work.

2. Receive training from or at the direction of the employer.
3. Provide services that are integrated into the business.
4. Provide services that must be rendered personally.
5. Hire, supervise, and pay assistants for the employer.
6. Have a continuing working relationship with the employer.
7. Must follow set hours of work.
8. Work full-time for an employer.
9. Do their work on the employer’s premises.
10. Must do their work in a sequence set by the employer.
11. Must submit regular reports to the employer.
12. Receive payments of regular amounts at set intervals.
13. Receive payments for business and/or traveling expenses.
14. Rely on the employer to furnish tools and materials.
15. Lack a major investment in facilities used to perform the service.
16. Cannot make a profit or suffer a loss from their services.
17. Work for one employer at a time.
18. Do not offer their services to the general public.
19. Can be fired by the employer.
20. May quit work at any time without incurring liability.
Being considered an independent contractor has certain benefits. You must be very
careful in this area and it is best to consult with an accounting professional or your local
IRS (or Canadian equivalent) office for assistance.

A simple form for prospective volunteers can assist you in the organization of your supporters.


Volunteer responsibilities should be clearly outlined and communicated before someone becomes
involved with your organization. This will avoid frustration and confusion later.


Staff Member Version
Having a staff agreement or contract assures that communication of responsibilities and

expectations has taken place.

Caption Head Version




SECTION 9 • TRANSPORTATION SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 9
Transportation

Transportation Overview
Your corps’ transportation needs are very important. You want to make sure that
everyone who is traveling with the corps is safe and comfortable. You also want to make
sure that you are not spending money on things that your group does not need to
operate.
The decision to tour or travel (or not) is a very important one for most groups. You
must consider many elements including: your members and staff (do they want to tour?),
your financial resources and who will be responsible for the corps while they are on the
road. You will also want to consider how many members you plan on having in the corps
to determine your travel needs.
Most corps will need to have an equipment truck to transport your equipment to and
from rehearsals and appearances. You should plan on your truck carrying all of your
equipment and uniforms. No matter what you do, your truck will soon be too small
unless you keep it clean and uncluttered on the inside. You will also want to consider who
will be driving this vehicle. Most of the tractor trailer units used by corps require a special
CDL license to drive.
Most corps that own a semi trailer for their equipment lease tractors for the summer.
This works out well and there are companies that offer decent lease rates for the summer
months. You must also consider if you need to run your vehicle in the winter for
rehearsals. It may be better for you to own a vehicle if this is the case.
If you own, you will have to deal with maintenance on that vehicle. Here again, is it
possible to get a local company to offer in-kind donations to help you with service?
If you are planning on traveling long distances, it is suggested to look at diesel
engines over gasoline. The cost of fuel is cheaper and the engines run better, longer.
When considering member and staff vehicles, you will want to look at buying or
leasing. Depending on whether you are looking at coaches or school buses there are some
good lease programs available. Unfortunately, the time of year you will be needing these
vehicles is usually when the company’s busiest times are as well.
Some corps directors have felt that by purchasing a coach-type bus, that would
eliminate the need for “potty stops” while on the road. This is not the case at all as bus
lavatories tend to be quite smelly if used and very expensive and difficult to find a place
to empty them. The other thing about rest stops is that they are very good for the drivers
to help keep them alert and safe, especially during long runs.
If you are looking into leasing, consider whether you need a driver or will you be able
to find volunteer drivers elsewhere.
As with a truck, if you are buying a bus, you will want to make sure you have a person
to service it that you can trust. Also look into where you will store it over the winter
months.
Other vehicles that you may or may not need include a food vehicle and a souvenir
vehicle. These should only be purchased if you are planning on doing long touring and
are in a position to afford them. The more vehicles you have on the road, the more
drivers you will need and the more maintenance costs you will run into.
You probably should consider doing most of your needed maintenance on your
vehicles as soon as the season is finished. This will help keep all of your expenses in the
same fiscal year as well as being the best time from a cash-flow standpoint. This would
also give you time to do any necessary major repairs.

Creating Your Drivers’ Manual

Following is a suggested list of topics to be included in your drivers manual.
Communication with your drivers on a daily basis while on the road is vital to a smooth-
running operation. Personnel issues and vehicular concerns should be addressed in a
drivers meeting.
CDL classifications
Priorities - safety, courtesy, getting answers
Safety procedures
Vehicle inspections
Using the radios
Rules of the road
Toll money and credit cards
At housing/show sites
Cleaning vehicles
Drugs and alcohol
Supplies
Problems – breakdowns, flat tires, wrong turns, people problems
What to bring on trips
Why do we do this?
Appendix - spec sheets for each vehicle in the corps’ convoy.

In order to comply with DOT requirements, as well as the safety of your corps members and staff,
accurate driver’s logs are an essential component.





SECTION 10 • TOURING & FOOD SERVICE SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 10
Touring &
Food Service

Touring & Food Service Overview

The decision as to whether or not to tour is one that should not be taken lightly. The
challenges undertaken by touring are many and can prove to be overwhelming if you are
not prepared for them. Not only do you want your corps to rehearse and perform to their
fullest potential, but you are also involved for their safety and well-being every time you
leave your home base of operations. Read this chapter carefully before making your
decision to travel and tour. If you decide to take your corps on the road, make sure your
organization has a solid plan to overcome the many obstacles which will arise.
Breakdowns, flat tires, overheated engines, border crossings and the like are just a few of
the things which you can’t foresee and which can add many hours to your travels, and
take many dollars out of your bank account.
While on the road with the corps you will need to assemble a group of people to help
you with the various “behind the scenes” areas of operation. This will be your support
staff. You need to establish a line of communication with these people on a daily basis.
These unsung heroes will become your best friends and will help you ensure that touring
is a positive experience for everyone in the organization if they are treated with respect &
dignity.
A support staff manual will help lay out what your expectations are of these people
and help maximize their effectiveness while with the corps. Listed below is a suggested
table of contents for this manual. If you do not have expertise in these areas, you should
seek out the appropriate person or group of people that can serve as your information
source. The better your planning in advance, the smoother the tour experience will be for
everyone and quite often, this will translate directly into the ability for your corps to
retain its membership from year to year. Remember, also, that the tour is usually the last
memory the members will have of a given season. So in many ways, the better the tour,
the better the perception of the entire year. Do not underestimate the positive and
negative impact of your tour operations on your overall program.
Things you might want to consider adding to your Support Staff Manual include:
• Touring-How to prepare yourself: physically, mentally and emotionally
• The Food Service Program: who, why, where and how much!
• First Aid Essential
• Daily Schedules, Meetings, Etc...
• The fine art of packing for tour
• How the corps travels – What to expect
• Drivers, Cooks, Uniform People, Etc: Can We All Get Along?
• Phones, Email and Mail Drops
• Conduct: Expectations of the Chaperone and the Touring Corps Member
Most corps rely heavily on parents and boosters for their support staff. It is important
for each support staff member to know his/her role within the corps and their
responsibilities. Clear communication of your expectations is the key to success!







A food survey can let the members communicate their desires as far as your food program goes.

Sample of a housing request form. These should be concise and include: arrival times, departure
times, number of people travelling with the group and the facilities desired.

These guidelines should be given to all parents before the corps starts to travel in the summer.

This five page packet should be given to all marching members before you leave on tour. It should
be stressed that all members read this along with their parents.




















After reviewing these five points, if your organization decides it is in it’s best interest to proceed
with a tour, the following pages will provide information to help you plan and succeed at tour.

























SECTION 11 • REFERENCES & RESOURCES SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Section 11
References &
Resources

SECTION 11 • REFERENCES & RESOURCES SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE
Reference and Resource Materials

Following is a listing of people and organizations that can be used as a resource for
helping you achieve success with your drum corps. As much as possible all resources have
been included, but none were omitted deliberately.
Drum Corps International & DCI Championship Sponsors
DCI Division II & III
Fred J. Miller, Inc.
470 South Irmen Drive
http://www.fjminc.com/
Addison, IL 60101
Director’s Showcase
Tel: 630-628-7888
http://www.dshowcase.com/
Fax: 630-628-7971
Email: dci@dci.org Sibelius Music Software
http://www.dci.org http://www.sibelius.com/
Vic Firth, Inc.
Drum Corps International http://www.vicfirth.com/
Corporate Partners The Band Hall
Pearl Corporation http://www.thebandhall.com/
http://www.pearldrum.com/ Pro-Mark
Yamaha Corporation of America http://www.promark-stix.com
http://www.yamaha.com/band/ US Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Corps
US Airways http://www.drumcorps.mbw.usmc.mil/index.html
http://www.usairways.com/
Disney Magic Music Days DCI Strategic Partners
http://disney.go.com/disneyyouthprograms/ Bands of America
http://www.bands.org/
DCI Summer Music Games Winter Guard International
Tour Sponsors http://www.wgi.org/
Avedis Zildjian Company Sponsors of Musical Enrichment
http://www.zildjian.com/ http://www.someinc.com/
Remo Drumheads and Drums Jolesch Photography, Inc.
http://www.remo.com/ http://www.jolesch.com/
DEG Musical Products
http://www.degmusic.com/ Other resources
BLAST! Drum Corps World
http://www.blasttheshow.com/ http://www.drumcorpsworld.com
US Army Drum Corps Planet
http://www.goarmy.com http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com
C.G.Conn/United Musical 21st Century Drum and Bugle Corps Foundation
http://www.unitedmusical.com/ http://www.drumcorpsworld.com/foundation.cfm
Evans Drumheads George Miller & Sons Ultimate Equipment
http://www.EVANSdrumheads.com/ http://georgemillerandsons.com/
Marching Arts Directory
http://www.marchingarts.com/

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INTRODUCTION SUCCESSFUL DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS MANAGEMENT • A REFERENCE GUIDE

Successful Drum and Bugle Corps Management

To The Reader: Please Note

©2002 Drum Corps International i Revised 12/2002

About the Information Included in this Guide

©2002 Drum Corps International ii Revised 12/2002

Successful Drum and Bugle Corps Management

Section 2 — Legal Guidelines

Section 3 — Insurance and Risk Management

Section 5 — Raising Funds

Section 7 — Public Relations

Section 8 — Human Resources

©2002 Drum Corps International iv Revised 12/2002

Section 10 — Touring & Food Service

Section 11 — Reference and Resource Materials

©2002 Drum Corps International v Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 1.0 Revised 12/2002

Adopting An Organizational Philosophy

©2002 Drum Corps International 1.2 Revised 12/2002

New Corps Startup Checklist,

Total Expenses 33,250.00

The Mission Statement, Overview

Sample Mission Statements

©2002 Drum Corps International 1.4 Revised 12/2002

Answers to a Few Frequently Asked Questions

How much time will it take?

How can I recruit members and instructional staff?

How soon should I start touring?

How can I raise money?

Where can I get help?

The Boy Scouts of America &

©2002 Drum Corps International 1.6 Revised 12/2002

Annual Timeline for the

©2002 Drum Corps International 1.7 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.0 Revised 12/2002

7. File Applicable State Charitable Solicitation Questionnaires. This form is

General Legal Considerations

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.3 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.4 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.5 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.6 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.7 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.8 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.9 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.10 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.11 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.12 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.13 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.14 Revised 12/2002

Ten Questions for the Thinking Board Member

2. Is the management information provided to board members timely and

EXHIBIT 2-1 Summary of Board Reports

3. Are there written policies regarding board member responsibilities and

4. Do the agency’s public financial statements accurately and completely

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.15 Revised 12/2002

5. Is there an adequate human resource development program for the agency

6. Is there a long term financial resource plan?

7. Do the budgetary and actual expenditure procedures reflect fairly the

8. Is there a periodic board review of the key financial control mechanisms by

9. Is there a vigorous administrative improvement effort underway that

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.16 Revised 12/2002

Aspen’s Board & Administrator-Special Insert

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.17 Revised 12/2002

©2002 Drum Corps International 2.18 Revised 12/2002