The Northwest Missouri State University Department of Athletics is adopting its Bearcats Bleed Green Fund as the primary source of philanthropic funding for the athletics department in place of the Bearcat Booster Club.

"For several decades, the Bearcat Booster Club has helped every sport program, our strength and conditioning and athletic training staffs, and affected the experience of every Bearcat student-athlete," Director of Athletics Dr. Andy Peterson said. "As times have changed, with the college athletic landscape in a state of dynamic change on a regular basis, we believe this is the best path forward to maintain Northwest's athletic excellence."
 
The Bearcats Bleed Green Fund will offer giving levels similar to the Bearcat Booster Club with accounts maintained by the Northwest Foundation; donations to these funds are charitable gifts. Each Northwest sport, as well as athletic training and strength and conditioning, have accounts, as well as a general athletic fund and the Bearcat Athletic Scholarship Fund.
 
Donors may receive benefits based on their level of giving or may choose not to receive tangible benefits to make their entire gift tax-deductible. If donors choose to receive benefits, the market value will be deducted from the gift receipt. Donors who give at higher levels will receive the benefits awarded at lower giving levels as well. A gift to any account within the Bearcats Bleed Green Fund is eligible to receive recognition for a level – general athletics, the scholarship fund, or a specific sport or area.
 
One important new opportunity offered through the Bearcats Bleed Green Fund is the ability to make gifts at any time of the year, during the Bleed Green Athletic Day of Giving, or be setting up a monthly payment plan.
 

Minimum Donation	Giving Level	Benefit
$600	Bearcat	Autographed item
$1,500	All-MIAA	Autographed item, football VIP Parking
$3,000	All-American	MIAA Network access, autographed item, football VIP parking
$6,000	National Champion	Personalized stewardship from athletic staff, in addition to previous tangible benefits
$12,000	Legacy	Personalized stewardship from athletic staff, in addition to previous tangible benefits

                         
With season ticket sales for football opening soon, the transition to the Bearcats Bleed Green Fund will simplify the process. The $50 per ticket  Booster Club donation added to previous season ticket purchases will now be rolled into a single,  seamless transaction through the HomeTown Ticketing website.  Donations will be directed to the Bearcats Bleed Green Fund for general athletics, supporting all student-athletes just as the Bearcat Booster Club did.
FAQ

• Why did this transition from the Bearcat Booster Club to the Bearcats Bleed Green Fund happen?
  • The Booster Club was a great asset to the athletics department and served its purpose for many years. As times have changed, and people want to be more strategic with their giving, we are making the change to be more accessible to varied groups of people and provide different ways for people to support the Bearcats.
• What happens to my previous giving to the Bearcat Booster Club?
  • The Bearcat Booster Club board regularly listens to requests from coaches  and voted to dispense money from the fund to support purchases and initiatives within the athletics department. As the 2025-2026 fiscal year came to a close, all Booster Club money had been dispersed and to uses within the athletics department.
• When does the Bearcats Bleed Green Fund launch?
  • The Bearcats Bleed Green Fund was launched in the summer of 2025. You may have seen it during the Bleed Green Athletic Day of Giving last fall. By dissolving the Bearcat Booster Club and moving some benefits to the Bearcats Bleed Green Fund, the new giving structure  will be the primary way to support Bearcat athletics.
• Do I have to give to football to get VIP parking at football games?
  • No. You can give to any of the athletic department funds, including all the teams, general athletics, athletic training, strength and conditioning, or the Bearcat Athletic Scholarship Fund.
• Do I have to give my gift as a one-time gift up front?
  • No. Since the Bearcats Bleed Green Fund is maintained by the Northwest Foundation, donors can access its online giving platform and  set up a monthly recurring payment.  The online giving platform allows donors to spread out a larger donation into smaller, more manageable monthly payments and still participate at higher giving levels.
• How can I support all athletes, like the Bearcat Booster Club did?
  • Giving to the Bearcats Bleed Green – General Athletic fund helps Dr. Andy Peterson, Northwest's director of athletics, to support all areas, all athletes, and use donations   in the most equitable way,   toward the department's most pressing needs.
• Do I have to choose one sport for my donation in order to get the benefits from the Bearcats Bleed Green Fund?
  • No. The benefit levels are calculated based on total giving to any athletic funds. You can give to multiple sports or areas, and those gifts will be totaled to calculate your total giving level. For example, giving $500 each to soccer, basketball and tennis places you at the $1,500 All-MIAA level.
• What if I want my whole gift to be tax-deductible, and I do not want any of the tangible benefits from the Bearcats Bleed Green Fund?
  • Since the IRS requires us to remove the value of any benefits you receive  through your gift, some people do not want to receive benefits, so their whole gift is a tax-deductible charitable gift. When you make a donation, you can check the box indicating whether you want to receive the tangible benefits.