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Why should a school or community organization start a Builders Club?
Builders Club is a ready-to-go, student-led service leadership program that provides schools and organizations with all the materials, guidelines, and support to get a club started. Club materials are designed to build soft and hard skills, boost students’ confidence, and further social-emotional learning. Targeted for the middle years, Builders Club gives students opportunities to better understand themselves and their community and world. Members put their talents to use in meaningful ways through service projects and by leading in tasks or serving as an officer (president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer) or committee chair. Here’s information about how to Start a Club. The Petition to Charter form provides details about the chartering process.
How does a student join a Builders Club?
Builders Club membership is open to middle years/middle school students who want to help others and to learn how to be a leader in their school and community. To join:
Contact the school or organization’s Builders Club faculty advisor.
If the school or organization does not have a Builders Club, contact a local Kiwanis club to ask their help in starting a club. Use the Kiwanis club locator to find a club.
If there isn’t a Kiwanis club in the community, contact the Service Leadership Program staff at Kiwanis International by emailing us at to learn how the school or organization can start a club.
Can homeschool students, parents or a homeschool cooperative create a Builders Club?
Yes! Builders Club can be started by a homeschool group. The group will need the following to start (charter) a club:
Have a group of members ages 6-11. Kiwanis recommends 15 or more members, though Builders Clubs range from 10-150 members.
Provide an adult who serves as the faculty advisor.
Identify a community-based site where the club will meet.
Ensure that adults who serve as the faculty advisor and chaperones complete the required background check with Kiwanis International and Praesidium online training (see Kiwanis Youth Protection Policy) and follow any policies and procedures of the site where the group meets.
Determine if a local Kiwanis club will sponsor your homeschooler Builders Club. Use the Kiwanis locator to see if there is a club in your area and then contact the club with your request. If there is not a Kiwanis club available to sponsor your club, pay the club’s charter fees and annual renewal fee.
For more information, visit buildersclub.org/start-a-club/ and contact for questions.
What are the benefits of being a Builders Club member?
The middle years/middle school is a time when students want to understand themselves and their world. They need a place to belong. In Builders Club, students find this place as they make friends, have fun and gain confidence. Through club experiences, they get to know themselves and their talents better and put them to use. They learn a host of skills, including teamwork, problem-solving, public speaking, planning, marketing, fundraising, and – the most human skill – empathy. They learn about needs and issues in their school/organization and community and carry out high-quality service to help. Members and club officers learn that everyone can lead, in big and small ways. And when a Builders Club member graduates, they can continue their service leadership journey by joining a Key Club in secondary school!
How many members are needed to start a Builders Club?
We suggest that a club has 15 or more members. Clubs range in size from 10 to 150 members. Club size creates opportunities for advisors to adjust activities to the number of members involved. For instance, small clubs can invite other youth in the school or organization to help during service events. While larger clubs ensure there are additional advisors or adult volunteers to help members and keep them safe during off-campus service projects.
How much does it cost to start a Builders Club?
The cost to charter (start) a Builders Club is US$400 in North America and the Caribbean. For the cost to charter and renew clubs in other countries around the world, please contact . The Petition to Charter form provides details about the chartering process.
How much does it cost to renew an existing Builders Club?
The cost to renew a club is US$215 every year in North America and the Caribbean. This $215 annual renewal fee gives the club program materials, virtual advisor training and support from Kiwanis staff, and liability insurance coverage for club activities that happen outside the school or organization.
How much does it cost to reactivate an existing Builders Club?
The cost during the 2024-25 service year is $24 to reactivate a club.
What resources are provided for Builders Clubs to help with their work?
Kiwanis International provides many resources to help Builders Club advisors in every aspect of guiding a club and supporting officers, chairs, and members to conduct high-quality service. Builders Clubs receive a program kit when they charter, and annually when they renew (in North America and the Caribbean). The kit includes essential tools such as an Advisor Toolkit, Member and Officer Toolkit, Service Toolkit, member and officer buttons, and more. Check out the program kit flyer to see the list of items clubs receive and online resources available them at www.buildersclub.org/resources-main/.
How can the faculty advisor help the club receive its renewal kit quickly after the beginning of the school year?
The secretary of the sponsoring Kiwanis club is responsible for paying the Builders Club renewal fee each year. To receive the program kit at or near the start of the year, contact the secretary and your Kiwanis advisor before the start of the school year to ask the fee be paid and to provide the following information: (a) the anticipated number of members; (b) the faculty advisor name and contact information; and (c) learn where the program kit will be mailed – if the secretary is mailing the kit to your school/organization, verify the address and a phone number. Allow 2-4 weeks from time of payment to receive club materials.
If your club doesn’t receive the program kit, check first with your Kiwanis advisor and Kiwanis club secretary to ensure the fee was paid. If it was, contact the Kiwanis International member services team at 1-800-549-2647 ext. 411 or email .
How much time does it take to support a Builders Club?
Clubs can meet as often as they wish. Most clubs meet weekly or monthly for 30 to 60 minutes. Club meetings occur before school, after school, during lunch, or during a school/organization activity period. Depending on the number of service projects club members commit to doing, more time is usually spent outside of scheduled club meeting times to allow officers or other members to complete specific tasks.
Is the Builders Club program flexible?
Absolutely. Each club is run independently and can adapt to the needs of the school or organization’s schedule, and needs of advisors, officers and members.
What if the school or organization cannot find a faculty advisor for its Builders Club?
If the club is unable to find a teacher, counselor or other staff member to serve as a faculty advisor, a parent can volunteer to serve in this role. The parent will need to meet volunteer requirements established by the school, have the approval of the principal, and adhere to Kiwanis Youth Protection Policy before working with a Builders Club. This includes adhering to any other policies or rules for the school or community organization to serve in this capacity and passing a criminal background check with Kiwanis International and completing Praesidium online training.
How does a school or organization find a Kiwanis club to sponsor a Builders Club?
Use the Kiwanis International Club Finder to locate a local Kiwanis club in your area. Contact the Kiwanis club about your interest in having them sponsor your Builders Club. If you’re unable to locate a Kiwanis club in your area, contact the Kiwanis Member Services team at for help.
What if there isn’t a local Kiwanis club in our community to sponsor the Builders Club?
A Builders Club can be established by a school or organization without Kiwanis club involvement. The sponsoring school or organization is responsible for paying the club’s charter and annual renewal fees and may need to assign more than one staff member to serve as advisors. Although the Builders Club does not have a Kiwanis club affiliation, paying its annual fee gives it access to support from Kiwanis International staff and many benefits, including liability insurance that covers off-campus activities.
Are there award opportunities available for Builders Club?
Yes, each year Builders Club members, officers, advisors and clubs are recognized for the outstanding service, performance, and club activities they complete. Check out current award and contest opportunities and guidelines for participation. Entries must be submitted online by the April 1, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S. and Canada) deadline.
What if a member or advisor is injured during a club meeting or event?
Club members and advisors who are included on the club’s official membership roster are covered by Kiwanis International liability insurance. Kiwanis insurance is designed to offers protection for claims of property damage and bodily injury. Refer to page 32 of the Builders Club Advisor Toolkit for information on insurance coverage.
Is there Builders Club branded merchandise available for purchase?
Yes. The Kiwanis store offers Builders Club branded merchandise. Clubs and members can order branded custom items by using Kiwanis International’s approved vendors at ShopKiwanis.com.
Information for Kiwanis Clubs
What are the responsibilities of the Kiwanis club to the Builders Club it sponsors?
The sponsoring Kiwanis club is asked to support the Builders Club in the following ways.
Pay the annual Builders Club renewal fee to Kiwanis International and maintain an expense line item in the Kiwanis club budget to support the Builders Club’s fee and, if possible, to help with its service activities.
Appoint a Kiwanis advisor to the club. Ensure the advisor receives adequate training, which includes passing a criminal background check conducted by Kiwanis International and completing online Youth Protection Training courses every two years. Visit Kiwanis Youth Protection for more information.
Ensure the Kiwanis advisor attends Builders Club meetings and events and assists the faculty advisor with training club officers after they are elected. Many Kiwanis advisors also help the Builders Club make connections to potential service partners in the community.
Meet with the school principal or organization leader before or after the club charters and when there are changes in faculty advisors.
Host or participate in joint service or celebratory activities involving the officers and/or members of the Builders Club.
Invite Builders Club advisors, officers and/or members to attend Kiwanis club meetings.
How and when should a Kiwanis club secretary pay the Builders Club’s annual renewal fee?
Payment must be received by Kiwanis International before a club program kit will be shipped. To ensure your Builders Club receives its program kits at the beginning of the school year, the sponsoring Kiwanis club’s secretary should work with the Kiwanis advisor to gather the bulleted information below from the faculty advisor and then renew the Builders Club by:
Logging into the Secretary Dashboard at org/login. Scroll down to Sponsorships. Select the pencil icon next to the name of the Builders Club that your Kiwanis club sponsors and:
Enter the estimated membership count for the Builders Club. A member count above 10 must be entered.
Verify or update the mailing address to which the kit should be shipped.
Enter the name of the person the kit will be shipped to and their phone number. If a mailing address is not verified or updated, the kit will be mailed to the Kiwanis club secretary.
Pay the renewal fee by credit card. The invoice appears on the dashboard under the Finance tab beginning on August 1. If the secretary pays by check, still go into the dashboard to enter the information requested above in #1 and print the invoice to mail with the check.
If your Builders Club has more than 60 members, you will need to order one or more supplemental kits. Each kit costs US$50 and provides Builders Club Member and Officer Toolkits and member buttons for an additional 30 members. The supplemental kits can be ordered through the secretary dashboard or by phone at 317-875-8755 or 800-KIWANIS, ext. 411 (U.S. and Canada).
Allow 2-4 weeks from time of payment to receive club materials. Payment by check will take longer about 1 week longer to be shipped.
How many Kiwanis volunteers are needed to support a Builders Club?
The main Kiwanis volunteer that supports a Builders Club is the Kiwanis advisor. Other Kiwanis club members can help the Builders Club with service projects, if invited by the faculty advisor. All Kiwanis volunteers involved with the Builders Club must pass a criminal background check with Kiwanis International and must complete Kiwanis Youth Protection training before working with a Builders Club. Visit Kiwanis Youth Protection for more information.
Have more questions?
Contact the Kiwanis International member services team at 1-800-549-2647 ext. 411 or email . or contact the Service Leadership Program staff at .