How to start or reactivate a Key Club

Key Club is a great opportunity to take your passion for serving others, organize it and make it available to others. If your school doesn’t have a Key Club, then follow the steps below to start a club.

Start here if you are ready to submit a new club charter petition online or download, print and mail in the new club charter petition. Use the club chartering roster document or create your own.

Please do not submit both an online petition and mail-in petition.

Clubs that have previously been chartered but have become inactive can apply to petition for reactivation.

Clubs that have previously been chartered but have become charter revoked can submit a petition to re-charter.

Read more about club status here, “Club Status Explained.”

Steps to start a club

Step 1 - Determine if a sponsor is available

Decide which community organization you want to enlist to be your sponsor. If you don’t know where to start, we can help connect you with local organizations that are familiar with these programs. If you have a contact already with a local Kiwanis club, start there. If not, reach out to Key Club International, and we'll help you find a sponsor.

I need help finding a sponsor.

Step 2 - Find an advisor

Identify one or more faculty/staff members to be the club advisor. You might consider someone who has a particular interest in service or leadership development, or perhaps someone who was a program participant when they were a student.

What does an advisor do?

Step 3 - Recruit your members

Anyone who is a member at the start of the club is a charter member, and the initial set of officers are charter officers. Find those students at your school who share your passion for helping others and ask them to embark on this creation process with you. To be chartered, a club must have 11 members.

How do I recruit members?

Step 4 - Set aside funds

There is a chartering fee, and members are expected to pay dues. Make sure you're up-front with potential members about this fact. Also, a sponsoring community organization or Kiwanis club might be willing to cover some of these costs.

How much are dues?

Step 5 - Complete the chartering form or reactivation process

After the steps above are completed, you can submit your chartering document to Key Club International.

We're ready for the chartering document.

Step 6 - Hold a chartering ceremony and celebrate!

When you receive your chartering kit, plan a ceremony to install the new club and officers. Invite potential new members, family members, school officials and members from your sponsoring agency or Kiwanis club to join the celebration!