State Association Onboarding Checklist

National High School BBQ Association®

(Licensed Division Setup & Compliance)

National Organization: National High School BBQ Association® (NHSBBQA®)
State: __________________________
Proposed State Name: __________________________
Onboarding Lead: __________________________
Target Launch Date: __________________________

PHASE 1 — PRE-APPROVAL (REQUIRED BEFORE ANY PUBLIC USE)

☐ State Interest & Alignment Call Completed

• Educational mission reviewed

• School-based (not commercial) intent confirmed

• Understanding of licensed-division model confirmed

☐ State Lead Identified

• Primary contact named

• Background aligned with education / youth programs

• No conflicting commercial use identified

☐ Naming Review Approved

• “[State] High School BBQ Association” format approved

• No alteration or abbreviation of national marks

• No competing or confusing brand names in use

☐ Territory Defined

• State or region clearly identified

• No implied national or multi-state authority

PHASE 2 — GOVERNANCE & LICENSE SETUP (MANDATORY)

☐ State License Agreement Executed

• Confirms “licensed division” status

• No ownership transfer

• Revocable and standards-based

☐ Quality Control Addendum Attached & Acknowledged

• Safety standards

• Educational standards

• Oversight rights

☐ Non-Franchise Acknowledgment Signed

• Confirms educational license

• No business opportunity created

☐ Oversight Authority Confirmed

• National review rights acknowledged

• Compliance and corrective action process understood

PHASE 3 — BRAND & PUBLIC PRESENCE (NO EXCEPTIONS)

☐ Website / Page Language Approved
State page must include:

• “Licensed division of the National High School BBQ Association®”

• Non-franchise language

• Link to:

  • Governance & Licensing

  • Safety & Standards

  • Legal Notices

☐ Required Governance Paragraph Placed on State Page
(One-paragraph notice provided by NHSBBQA®)

☐ Logo & Branding Use Approved

• Only approved logos used

• No modified marks

• No standalone HSBBQ branding

☐ Social Media Accounts Approved

• Naming convention approved

• Bio includes licensed-division language

• No implication of national authority

PHASE 4 — SCHOOL & PROGRAM READINESS

☐ School Participation Process Understood

• Schools approved individually

• No blanket authorization

• District authority respected

☐ Safety & Supervision Plan Confirmed

• Adult supervision standards acknowledged

• Age-appropriate programming planned

☐ Program Scope Defined

• Educational focus

• Non-commercial operation

• Alignment with CTE where applicable

PHASE 5 — LAUNCH AUTHORIZATION

☐ Final National Review Completed

• All required documents on file

• Website language verified

• Branding compliance confirmed

☐ Written Authorization Issued by NHSBBQA®

• State association authorized to operate

• Effective date documented

☐ State Listed on National Website

• Linked from /state-associations

• Uses approved description

PHASE 6 — ONGOING COMPLIANCE (POST-LAUNCH)

☐ Annual Review Scheduled

• Program compliance check

• Safety & standards confirmation

☐ Reporting & Communication Channel Established

• Single point of contact

• Incident reporting process understood

☐ Renewal & Continuation Requirements Understood

• Authorization tied to ongoing compliance

• No automatic or perpetual rights

RED FLAGS (AUTOMATIC STOP)

No public use of marks before approval
No claims of national authority
No commercial sponsorship sales without approval
No sublicensing to schools or third parties
No altered or shortened branding

“Each State High School BBQ Association operates as a licensed division of the National High School BBQ Association®, subject to national standards, oversight, and approval.”

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