High schools consist of many moving parts that make each school unique and special. From the classroom to extracurricular activities, schools have a lot to offer their students! So many other notable organizations get lost in the shadow of “revenue sports” such as football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and baseball. As amazing as those sports are, they wouldn’t be as amazing if not for the band, color guard, or dance team. Then, there are groups and clubs like Student Council, DECA, Debate, and so many others that impact students with a wide variety of interests and abilities.
Raising Money for Sports and Clubs
Here at Fundraising University, we provide a tailor-made, proven fundraising method to maximize your chances of raising money for your sport or organization. Many unique groups of students get overlooked by the more prominent or common sports, but that doesn’t mean you are any less critical. Spotlight sports may get a lot of attention, but other groups and supports are developing students in ways that are just as important!
Band instruments, track equipment, and traveling for your club are costly parts of an organization’s budget. With our fundraising experts, you can sit back and let us take the ropes to show your group how to raise money. With budget cuts, smaller sports and organizations are taking the biggest hits. You don’t have to be a team full of football stars or a baseball team that wins state every year; we offer equal services for every group of kids to help set them up for a better future.
How it works
STEP 1: LAUNCH MEETING
Our partnership with your organization is what kicks it off. The meeting sets the preliminary plan of action. It hashes out ideas for sports teams and clubs, followed by multiple sessions to solidify the plan, iron out the exact process, and set expectations.
STEP 2: HOST A KICKOFF
Organize a meeting with your group to inspire them to impact their community and build relationships. A kickoff unifies your team or group and equips them to get out and start raising money!
For example, setting the expectation that each member MUST sell 25 cards helps motivate the participants and gives them a clear direction towards success. Fundraising U discusses the game plan for how to execute on sales. Being clear and firm on the attainable fundraising goal helps everyone achieve it in the end.
STEP 3: DIVIDE INTO TEAMS
From there, the group splits into equal teams led by senior leaders building additional teamwork and a sense of friendly competition. In fact, this process often helps drive home skills you’re already coaching or teaching to your students and athletes.
STEP 4: THE BLITZ
The blitz is one final push that rallies the kids together to inspire them to sell more. This meeting is the final fundraising effort to sell the last products. If any member has not sold all their product by the set date, his whole team is required to go out and finish selling to reach their goal. It’s teamwork at its finest!
STEP 5: PRIZES & CELEBRATION
To celebrate a successful fundraiser and the hard work of the club members, we award prizes your kids actually want.
- Awards for the Top Seller
- Awards for the Top Selling Team
- Money Grab for those teams that completed selling their products before the Blitz.
Why a High School Fundraiser is for You!
So many booster clubs for different organizations are running on a thin budget because of the opposing external forces of the past year and a half. Now that the world is getting back on its feet, it’s putting people in the giving mood. There are so many members of your community who would love to donate to your cause. You might have been forced into online classes in years past and missed out on so many experiences from face-to-face interaction. The time is now to get back on track, raising money to make those everlasting memories and skills learned from each organization.
Typical Needs of a High School Sports Team or Club That Can Be Met with Fundraisers
High school sports teams and clubs face various financial challenges that can hinder their ability to operate effectively and provide a quality experience for their athletes. Club and sports fundraisers can help meet these essential needs, ensuring that teams can focus on training and competition without the burden of financial stress.
Here are some typical needs that fundraising efforts can address:
- Uniforms and Equipment: Teams often require new uniforms, protective gear, and sports-specific equipment, which can be expensive. Fundraisers can help cover these costs, ensuring athletes have the necessary gear to compete safely and effectively.
- Travel Expenses: Participating in away games or tournaments typically incurs travel costs, including transportation, lodging, and meals. Fundraising can alleviate the financial burden on families and help teams participate in more competitions.
- Facility Rentals: Many teams need to rent practice facilities or gymnasiums, especially during off-seasons. Fundraising can help cover these rental fees, allowing teams access to the spaces they need for training.
- Coaching and Training Staff: Hiring qualified coaches or trainers can enhance the development of athletes. Fundraising can provide the funds necessary to attract and retain quality coaching staff.
- Game Day Supplies: Teams require various supplies for game days, including water, snacks, first aid kits, and promotional materials. Fundraisers can help cover these miscellaneous but essential costs.
- Tournament Entry Fees: Competing in tournaments often comes with entry fees that can add up quickly. Fundraising can ensure that teams can participate in valuable competitions without financial worry.
- Sports Clinics and Camps: Offering skills development clinics and camps can elevate the team’s performance. Fundraising can help subsidize these programs, making them affordable for all athletes.
- Awards and Recognition: Celebrating achievements with trophies, medals, or other forms of recognition can boost team morale. Fundraising can provide the necessary funds to reward athletes for their hard work and dedication.
- Community Engagement Activities: Many teams wish to engage with their local communities through outreach or service projects. Fundraisers can provide the funds needed to support these initiatives, fostering goodwill and team spirit.
- Insurance and Safety Equipment: Ensuring the safety of athletes is paramount. Fundraising can help cover the costs of liability insurance and necessary safety equipment, such as helmets and pads.
Creative Fundraising Ideas for Sports Teams and Clubs
Raising funds for high school or youth sports teams and clubs requires creativity and engagement.
Here are ten innovative club and sports fundraising efforts to help your winning team generate the necessary funds while fostering community involvement and team spirit:
- Sports Clinics: Among the most popular ideas for sports teams is hosting a clinic where team members teach younger kids the fundamentals of their sport. Charge a fee for participation and provide them with a memorable experience.
- Team Merchandise Sales: Design and sell team-branded merchandise such as t-shirts, hoodies, and hats. You can even create a calendar featuring team photos! This not only raises funds but also promotes team spirit and can even be an opportunity for the entire team to show off their artistic skills.
- Cook-off Challenge and Bake Sales: Organize a cook-off or a bake sale where team members or parents compete in various food categories. Charge an entry fee and let attendees taste and vote for their favorites.
- Raffle Drawings: Gather donations from local businesses to create a raffle basket. Sell tickets and draw winners at a home game or during a special event.
- Car Wash Fundraiser: Among the most popular club and sports fundraising ideas is setting up a car wash at a popular location and inviting team members to participate. Offer to wash cars in exchange for donations, showcasing the team’s hard work and dedication.
- Game Night Fundraiser: Host a game night featuring board games, video games, or sports video games. Funds come from ticket sales for this special event or from selling concessions.
- Silent Auction: Collect donated items from local businesses or team members and host a silent auction during a home game or community event. It can be anything from antiques donated by families or sports memorabilia. You can also make it an online auction or virtual yard sale if a venue is not available.
- Fitness Challenge: Another good idea for sports teams is to create a fitness challenge where participants collect sponsorships for completing various physical activities. Bring out the competitive spirit of the entire team and community by including running, cycling, or even doing push-ups.
- Field Day Fundraiser: Create a field day, which is a more fair-like experience, by adding a dunk tank, rides, viral video challenges, or other fun activities on top of fitness challenges or short sports championships.
- Karaoke Night: Organize a karaoke night at a local venue, like a local community center, where participants pay an admission fee to sing. Offer concessions and create a fun, supportive environment.
- Pet Wash Day: Similar to a car wash, offer a pet wash service for community members. Team members can wash dogs and other pets in exchange for donations.
- Bowling Alley Fundraiser: A very special but successful fundraising event idea can be to rent out a bowling alley! Just ask your local bowling alley to rent one or several lines for a night, and part of the proceeds can be channeled to your fundraising goals, or you can ask participants to donate an amount for the night, pledge an amount for every pin they knock down, or just grand total for the entire night.
- Online donations: Another effective fundraising idea is the now common crowdfunding campaign through online platforms. These crowdfunding platforms can be used year-round and not be tied to any special or community event, ensuring a way donors can help their favorite team or youth sports leagues constantly.
- Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign: This is another online fundraising strategy where team members can excel at fundraising through competition in a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, similar to crowdfunding. After selecting a platform, each member creates a personal fundraising page to share with friends and followers. Donations collected will support the team’s goals. Many of these peer fundraising platforms have gamification tools like badges and leaderboards to track participation and consider rewarding the top fundraiser with recognition or a prize.
Another tip to take in mind for any sports club fundraising idea is to have fundraising letters prepared for all team members. Not only does it teach members keywords to use when asking for donations, but it also can save time and be a nice touch for many hesitant donors.
With these fun and engaging fundraising strategies, all types of youth sports clubs or other groups can cultivate support from their community and team spirit while covering essential costs for uniforms, travel, and equipment.
Get Started Today!
Don’t wait! Any time of the year is excellent for getting out into the community and selling cards. If you want to earn extra money for your organization while making an impact on your community, Fundraising University’s strategy is the right fit for you. Whatever great fundraising ideas for sports clubs appeal to you, from going out and selling cards or tickets to other products, allows your footprint to be left in the community; the more people you have supporting you through your high school fundraiser, the more of a difference you can make. The best high school programs come from the strongest communities, no matter the team or group.