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7+ Proven Fundraising Ideas



Fundraising is a necessity if you are in a travel sport, dance, school or club.  Sometimes if feels like you are always asking your friends and family for money. I know that is how we feel sometimes.  After being in a travel organization for 4 years, here are a few ideas that have been successful to help us raise money.  The key is to only do 1-2 a year, per sport.  The goal is to raise the most money you can with the fewest fundraisers!  A profitable and creative fundraiser is always the goal!


Here are fundraisers we have done ourselves of other local teams have had great success at.


1.  Football Squares

This one very profitable, but it does seem that every Fall/Winter sports team does them.  Most teams do them for the Superbowl but don't forget you can do them for ANY football game. We did this fundraiser when the Bill's played on Thanksgiving in years past and right before Christmas.  Any other idea can be for rivalry games.  A game that will have lots of attention anyways is aways a fun game to also play football squares on.  

We have had success on $20.

Payout:

Q1 - $150

Q2 - $350

Q3 - $150

Q4 - $350

(or a combination to add up to $1000)

Using this combination - 1 board could raise $1000!  


We have also found success by using this website to "fill" the board.   It's $5 to host, but worth it.


2.  Raffle Ideas:

LOTTO BUCKETS / LOTTO TREE RAFFLES

We just did this fundraiser for soccer.  We asked all families to donate $10 or drop off $10 in lotto tickets.  The team also contributed $20 ticket.  We had enough tickets to create 2 buckets.  

Then we made tickets for each family to see.  We did 1 ticket for $5 or 5 for $20.  One side of the ticket had the person put name, phone number and player.  We set a certain date that all families had to turn in the tickets.  Then draw names!

TIPS:  Put the largest lotto ticket (cost wise - example $20) front and center.  

I made these buckets with supplies from the Dollar Tree.  I bought a bucket, wooden skewers, floral foam and basket filler.

  - We taped the lotto tickets to the skewers. 

 - Floral foam shoved in bucket.  We did have to cut to size.

 - Varied height of tickets so they were visually appealing.

 - Topped off with hot glue and filler.

TIP: The soccer bucket I picked up a few months before Easter.  They are actually Easter baskets!




MEAT RAFFLE

Work with a local butcher or farm to see if you can get meat donations. If you can't, have families either donate meat (filet, ribs, etc) and sell raffle tickets.  

** I have never personally done this raffle by my husband said its very popular where he grew up.


COOLER RAFFLE

Everyone on the team donates a bottle of liquor or money towards a cooler. (It's best to set a min dollar value of the liquor.)  

TIP: If you call around to local stores you may be able to get the cooler donated.  That would allow you to fill it with more liquor.

Team members sell raffle tickets to try and win the prize!

TIPS:  It's best to get a name brand or high-end cooler to further entice people.  Even if someone isn't a liquor drinker, they may be willing to spend $10 on a raffle ticket for a $200 Yeti cooler! 

TIP:  These have been successful before a major holiday (Thanksgiving or Christmas) where you would need /use the liquor



VACATION HOME / AIR BNB

Does anyone on your team have a lake house, vacation home or time share they are willing to raffle off?   This could generate a lot of cash if marketed correctly!  



4.  Local support

FLOWERS

      - Our school had luck contacting a local flower farmer.  We sold flower baskets for them, and it was a huge success.  We did mums in the Fall and hanging baskets in the Spring.  The farm will sell them to you at $X, mark them up a few dollars and sell!


RESTAURANTS

    - Contact your local pizza place.  See if they will offer a promotion where on an advertised day, if someone orders AND mentions your team, club, etc then the team receives a percentage of the profits.   We have a few local pizza places and a burger place in our area that offer this.  Chipotle also offers this!  If couldn't hurt to call a few of your favorite restaurants and ask!


INDEPENDENT CONSULTANTS

  - Ask if there is a parent or family member on the team that sells a product.  Think Mary Kay, Color Street, Tastefully Simple, etc.  Sometimes they are willing to host a party and donate a percentage to the team.  This benefits everyone!  The person selling makes new contacts that are purchasing or may want to host a private party in the future AND the team benefits as well.  


6. Sell Products

 - Coupon books typically very successful.  Research Save-Around books as an option.  This brand has a good portion going back to the team or player.   We have used this for the last 4 years.

- Krispy Creme donuts offers fundraising options

- Searching for candy or coffee fundraising online.  

- Fun Pasta is a cool one for sports teams.  We did this for school a few years in a row and my kids and family loved it.  It makes great gifts!  www.funpastafundraising.com


7.  FlipGive

FlipGive we are using for my son's soccer team.  This is similar to Ebates or Ratukan.  The team signs up for an account and asks family members to sign up as well.  Then if you make an online purchase through the app, a small percentage of the sale goes to the team's account.  This is at no cost to the person purchasing.  They have tons of stores such as Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Macy's, Dick's, Under Armour, Adidas, and more.  Check it out and sign up your team today. This is a passive, easy fundraiser.  

Check it out!  FlipGive


8.  Activities

BOTTLE AND CAN DRIVE

We have a few recycle centers in our area that will set up a team account.  Therefore, if you return bottles and can's there and give them your team name, the money from the bottle returns goes into an account for that team.  This is not fast growing fundraiser unless you do a bottle and can drive but it is a passive one.  Just keep reminding the parents and players that 

CAR WASH


RAKING LEAVES


I hope you were able to find a couple new creative ideas with this list.  

What has your team done in the past that was successful in raising money?  I would love to hear!

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I am a working mother of 2 little ones, a wife, career woman, novice gardener, and a lover of all crafts! Grab a glass of wine and enjoy a happy place on the internet.