Fundraising for team sports today is a necessary evil. For 80% of teams, it’s the difference between a full season and a season cut short by budget limitations. The fundraising weapon of choice–peer-to-peer crowdfunding–can be hard to do unless you use the top assisted fundraising providers. By searching “assisted fundraising,” or going to LeagueNetwork.com, you can find your way to an assisted fundraising resource.
But if you haven’t yet found a way to work assisted fundraising into your team or league activities, the good news is that fundraising doesn’t have to be the same old car washes and bake sales. Here are 3 group activities that might just fit the bill for your team or league.
1. Hotdog Cookout
While you may be thinking that this is a little too much like a bake sale to be new and different, many sports leagues don’t take advantage of how much more valuable a hotdog cookout will be to their coffers.
The problems with bake sales and sports league are two-fold. One, sports is widely an outdoor activity, and it makes sense to hold your fundraising outdoors as well. Many sweets are iced or of a consistency that means it’s possible for them to melt, creating a mess (or becoming a health hazard).
Two, many people don’t associate eating sweets with sports. If you want to make steady money during a game, for instance, fans and family members aren’t likely to want to eat a cupcake while they’re watching. Instead, something like a hotdog can be more easily enjoyed. There’s a reason they’re a popular stadium staple, and that’s the kind of popularity you want in on when trying to raise money.
Of course, while sweets and hotdogs are popular kid staples, they might not be your first choice for health reasons). A yearly League Cookout – whether as a fundraiser or a gift to the community – is an excellent way for the families and volunteers to meet, and welcome new families. A huge community benefit!
2. Pie the Coach
Coaches and athletes often have a playful, friendly bond, which is what makes this kind of fundraising so successful. Set up a raffle like fundraising event where all the athletes have a duty to raise funds. For every $5 they raise, they receive a raffle ticket. At the end of the fundraising period, shuffle through the raffle tickets and pick on. The child whose raffle ticket is picked gets to pie the face of their coach.
3. Monthly Themed Socials
Communities are benefited by the presence of sports leagues, but it isn’t often that the community as a whole gets invited to interact with teams and athletes. Sometimes the simplest way to raise money is to boost awareness of the league itself within the community, as well as how youth sports impact the community as a whole.
Do this by throwing open-invite socials, and make it fun by including a theme. This can include food themes, monthly holiday themes or even themes that the athletes vote on themselves. Monetize tickets, food or both – but make sure that there is a call to action to donate involved.
The main way you’ll start to see more fundraiser cash come in is by inspiring others to donate. When someone feels like their money will be spent well and it’s going to something they believe will better the community, they’re more likely to give.
Don’t forget that League Network can help you raise money for tournament fees, equipment and general fund. Contact us!