Make this season one to remember with RaiseRight sports team fundraising

RaiseRight gift card fundraising is popular among sports teams due to its simplicity and effectiveness—you can earn up to five times more than traditional methods with less ... effort. Simply buy and use gift cards for everyday purchases, like gas, groceries, sports gear, dining out, or travel, and your team receives a percentage back (1-20%) with every gift card purchase. With hundreds of brands available, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Nike, Adidas, Amazon, and more, it’s easy to integrate this fundraising solution into your daily routine.

If you haven’t been to one before, you’re in for a treat. A live auction, with a fast-rapping auctioneer and flashing paddles, can be a raucous occasion. The excitement of ... bidding, combined with knowing the money is going to your cause, can lead to excellent earnings for your sports team. To make it a success, include at least one big-ticket item to promote, hire a professional auctioneer, sell items that attendees can see or easily understand, or schedule a preview time for everyone to inspect the goods beforehand. 

Enhance your youth sports fundraiser with a silent auction—pair this with other events like live auctions, restaurant nights, or end-of-season banquets. ... Collect one to three dozen donated items, ranging from practical to quirky, like themed gift baskets, vacation rentals, artwork, photography sessions, or singing telegrams. Reach out to contacts or local businesses for donations to ensure a diverse and exciting array of auction items. 

If your team members and families are willing to get their hands dirty, how about a chore squad? You can either ... advertise or auction services for set dates and send several volunteers to handle big chores in a single day. Chore ideas include seasonal yard cleanup, window cleaning, garage or basement clean-out, or even a full housecleaning. 

Tap into your team's family connections, professional networks, or locally owned businesses for sponsors. Cold calling can also ... yield fruitful partnerships. Sponsors could benefit from logo placement on uniforms or banners, or ad placements on website ads or social media. Or, partner with local businesses for use of their establishment, such as post-game group meals at a restaurant. Look for a volunteer with marketing or sales expertise to head up this effort. 

If securing ongoing sponsorship is challenging, propose one-day or one-week events to local businesses. They would ... donate a portion of sales during that period, while team supporters attract customers. This approach enhances the business’ community presence and can effectively convert visitors into loyal customers. Pitch this to places like restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores, or sporting goods stores. 

Utilize community spaces like schools or churches with kitchen facilities to organize dining events (and skip the middleman). Offer options such as ... pancake breakfasts, chili dog lunches, spaghetti dinners, or ice cream sundae bars. Maximize attendance by aligning meal events with pop-up events or sporting events. For this idea, you’ll want to enlist someone who knows how to coordinate mass dining (think caterer or restaurant manager) to plan the budget, shop, prep, and manage volunteers to make it come together. 

Consider hosting a golf tournament for fundraising if you have access to a course, knowledgeable volunteers, and a sizable participant pool. Ensure thorough ... planning, advertising, and prizes for winners. Alternatively, explore mini golf, Scrabble, bowling, axe throwing, or basketball tournaments if golf isn't of interest.

Host a ticketed tailgate party before one of your team's events or a professional sporting event near you. Tailgate fundraisers range from ... simple hot dogs to catered affairs and are adaptable based on level of promotion and prep. Enhance the tailgate with games (like cornhole, beer or water pong, or Jenga), face painting, raffles, or a bounce house. Sell merchandise like battery-operated fans or team sweatshirts if venue regulations allow. 

Among youth sport fundraising ideas, team photo calendars are a tried-and-true practice. Take it a step further by ... offering other photo-based gifts like holiday ornaments, t-shirts and clothing, blankets, mugs or water bottles, or canvas prints. It's easy to work with an online vendor to expand your sales potential and add variety to your fundraising efforts.