Music Boosters

** The suggested amount of donation for 2024-25 for each student is $450 **

Our main source of funding comes from your annual donations made during the annual band program registration timeframe, plus your corporate matching on donations and/or volunteer hours. 

• Please read carefully for instructions on different scenarios. 

• Please save a screenshot or transaction ID as your donation records.

• Please contact our Treasurer at bandboosters@ihsvikings.org if any questions.

Donation with Corporate Matching

• • IHS Vikings Music Boosters is a non-profit 501c3 organization with EIN 82-1535625.

    • • Donations with matching go to IHS Vikings Music Boosters' account. We discuss fund allocations with Mr Rodda at board meetings and update the financial reports regularly. This fund is accessible by our Music Boosters.

  • Donate through Online Portals: 

    • • Please search for IHS Vikings Music Boosters with EIN 82-1535625 on your employer's donation match portal, and verify that the account is correct and valid. 

      • Our music booster's bank account is ready for accepting donations/matches on the following platforms: Benevity, YourCause, BrightFunds, CyberGrants, etc.

  • Donate by Paypal:

    • • Use the Paypal Donation Link or Send $450 directly to bandboosters@ihsvikings.org

      • Please put your student's name/grade/instrument in the notes and save the transaction ID

  • Donate by Check:  

    • • Please make your $450 check payable to “IHS Vikings Music Boosters”, put your student's name/grade/instrument in the notes, and mail to our Treasurer's address below. 

Music Boosters

4760 Valpey Park Ave

Fremont, CA 94538

• Volunteer Hours Matching: 

  • • Some companies offer matchings for volunteer hours. Please help us find out whether your company does it, and contact us if you need help with volunteer hour verifications. **Please note that sometimes after your volunteer hour is honored by your company, you will only get a dollar credit in your online donation account, in which case you must process the credit towards an organization by a deadline or lost it. Your extra effort will greatly benefit our kids!

• Nominating a new organization: 

  • • If our music booster is not listed on your employer's matching list, it doesn't mean it won't qualify. Instead, it could be just that nobody has nominated it yet. You may send a nomination request to your employer and try to get it added. If you need help with nominating our music booster, please feel free to contact bandboosters@ihsvikings.org to get all the necessary IRS documents. 

Donation without Matching  

• • Paypal or Check: Please refer to the above section for instructions.

  • Vikings Store: Donations made through Vikings Store will go to IHS Band account under the administration of Irvington High School ASG. **Please note it is only accessible by your student on 5starstudents.com. 

Setting up a payment plan

• • If you have financial difficulty and prefer to set up a payment plan, please discuss with Mr Rodda directly. There will be an option of 3x installments of $150 each, due in Fall, Winter & Spring. 

If you cannot volunteer,

• It is desirable that each family volunteer at least 8 hours or two shifts in the season. If any family find themselves unable to volunteer at any events, please consider donating an EXTRA $250 in addition to the suggested amount, by mailing your check to our Treasurer's address. 

Field Trip Forms

• You will sign field trip forms at the beginning of the school year. If you have already made the suggested annual donation of $450, you don't need to add any more donations. If not yet, you are expected to attach a check payable to "IHS Band" to cover at least the bus trip fees.

Donation Receipts

• If you need an official donation receipt coming from IHS Vikings Band Boosters, please fill out this form and contact bandboosters@ihsvikings.org for help. 

Why is your $450 suggested donation so important for Irvington Band Programs? Because Irvington Band Programs need $100K~$120K in annual donations to maintain basic operations, including but not limited to:

• Coach Stipends estimated at $35K 

  • Our coaches for the Marching Band, Color Guard and Drumline are not paid by FUSD. Instead, they are paid part-time hourly stipends out of parent donations. 

• Bus Rentals estimated at $50K

  • Our Marching Band and Color Guard will participate in six band review trips each season, plus music festivals & various performance in the year. For all the band trips, we need about 30 buses to carry all students and instruments. Each bus may cost $1500~$2000 daily, depending on distance & duration. Occasionally when the district runs short of bus supplies, we have to rent Charter buses which are much more expensive. 

• Misc Expenses estimated at $25K

  • Uniform Dry Cleaning. The nice blue uniforms in wool fabric are dry cleaning only. ~$8K

  • Food Supplies for all band review Trips. ~$5K

  • Truck Rentals + Gas, when our trailer drivers do not own a truck, or when we need space for instruments. ~$4K

  • Movie Night aka Senior Night food catering. ~$2K

  • Competition Registration Fees ~ $5K

  • SmartMusic Accounts ~ $5K

  • Color Guard Equipment Maintenance ~ Varies, e.g., replacements of costumes, shields, flags or rifles. 

  • Marching Band Equipment, e.g., drum major ladders, duffle bags, cloth racks, water carts, etc.

  • Drumline Equipment, e.g., wagons, harness, mallets, drum head and accessories.

  • Instrument Repair, Cleaning & Replacement ~ Varies

  • Music Sheets

  • Facility Rentals

  • Maintenance & Upgrading of Guard Costumes and Marching Uniforms, etc.

Adding all of the above, the total estimated expenses for Irvington band programs are $100K~$120K each year. With 250+ students in total, the suggested annual donation of $450 is based on all the reasonable expenses expected. 

Although Irvington band programs have very limited funding and poor field conditions, we do have:  dedicated and experienced teachers & coaches who have been working here for 10, 20 or 30 years, hardworking and talented students who always try their best, super supportive parents behind the scene of each brilliant show. If you don't already know, Irvington Marching Band and Color Guard consistently have won the best prizes at band review trips among competitors in Northern California.

If you are proud of Irvington Band Programs, excited to start the new season,  and willing to offer your best support, please consider making the suggested annual donations, helping claim donation matches whenever possible, plus signing up to volunteer!

Your support is critical, essential and highly appreciated! Thank You!

****Notes: You will sign field trip forms at the beginning of the school year. If you have already made the one-time suggested donation of $450, you don't need to add any donations. If not yet, you are expected to attach a check payable to "IHS Band" to at least cover the bus trip fees.  

IHS Vikings Music Boosters is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with EIN# 82-1535625

• The organization has been formed specifically to lend all possible support (educational, moral and financial) to the Instrumental Music Department of Irvington High School, to cooperate and assist those in charge of the Music Department, and to promote the general activities of the Music Department in order to provide a positive experience to Irvington High School students through the Marching Band & Color Guard and the Instrumental Music classes/performances/competitions. 

Board of Directors 2024-2025

• Director: Charlie Rodda

• Marching Band: Benjamin Benavides

• Color Guard: Jessica Toro

• Harrison Cheng

• President: Jinghua Hu

• Secretary: Nabeha Khan

• Treasurer: Haiyan Gu

• Volunteer Coordinator: Nicole Lu

• Uniform Coordinator: Wendy Chen

Board of Directors 2023-2024

• Director: Charlie Rodda

• Marching Band: Benjamin Benavides

• Color Guard: Jessica Toro

• Harrison Cheng

• President: To-Quyen Tran

• Secretary: Isabella Chen

• Treasurer: Sophia Li

• Volunteer Coordinators: Jinghua Hu

• Uniform Coordinator: Wendy Chen

Parents volunteers are essential to make our band programs successful. 

• Volunteer shifts are announced on the Google Form during annual signup, and more will be available when the events come up. 

• Spots are limited, especially for the bus chaperones, first come first served. 

• Each family is expected to volunteer for at least 8 hours or two shifts. 

• For more details, please visit the page of Volunteering for IHS Band. Thank you very much!