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Select and travel baseball can be costly, so having creative ideas for a team fundraiser is a great option to cut down on costs. It will also help with kids whose families might have trouble covering the team fees. Depending on the team, the coaches may coordinate the fundraisers, or they may ask the parents to assist with that.
If your son’s team doesn’t have a fundraiser currently, it’s worth making the suggestion to the coaches. However, be ready for them to ask for your help in coordinating. To make this easier on the coaches and the parents, here are our top 10 recommendations for team fundraisers. The fundraisers below are in order of least time-consuming to most time-consuming to plan and coordinate:
#1: Company Sponsors for the Team
Asking for company sponsorship is an excellent way to raise money for the team. If there’s not already a team sponsor, each parent can be tasked with seeking sponsorship. It’s beneficial to have a goal in mind when approaching companies about sponsorship, along with different sponsorship levels set. For instance, Gold Sponsorship is $500, Silver Sponsorship is $300 & Bronze sponsorship is $100. Additionally, consider offering incentives for the companies at each sponsorship level. Such as:
- Posting a company banner at each game
- Adding a company logo to team uniforms or backpacks
- Expressing gratitude for their support on social media
#2: Dine to Donate Fundraiser
Dine to Donate is another fundraiser idea that doesn’t take a lot of time or coordination. In this option, each parent/player is tasked with reaching out to different restaurants to ask for their participation. Most restaurants are more than happy to participate as it’s also a great way to boost business for them. When asking for restaurant participation, be sure to ask what the donation percentage the team will receive.
Most restaurants typically contribute anywhere from 10%-25% of sales driven by the team fundraiser. To do this, they’ll have a code or coupon that will be required in order for proceeds to benefit the team. Lastly, the team needs to inform friends and families about the Dine to Donate date, along with the code or coupon they’ll need to use. This can be done in person or using social media to communicate the Dine to Donate event.
#3: Superbowl Squares Fundraiser
Superbowl squares are a fun and low-coordination fundraiser option. Numerous online template options are available for the team use, and we recommend utilizing a site like www.superbowlpoolsite.com, which streamlines the process for you. This website allows you to set up Superbowl squares for free. Once that’s completed, the link will be provided to parents and players to encourage friends and family to participate by purchasing squares. Incentives for the squares can be established during the set-up process, and parents and players should communicate the prizes when selling the squares, along with the drawing details.
One downside to this fundraiser is its availability only in January and February, leading up to the Superbowl. However, the team can leverage social media to effectively communicate with friends and family, making the sale of squares a much easier task.
#4: Monthly Calendar Fundraiser
A monthly calendar fundraiser has become popular with teams, primarily because it requires little coordination. To initiate this fundraiser, choose a month and provide calendars for each family to sell to their friends and family. Here’s how it works: each date represents a dollar amount for purchase (e.g., Day 1 = $1, Day 2 = $2, and so on). Incentives should be established for purchasing a date, and it’s recommended to set a team goal for calendar sales. Each family should aim to sell at least one full calendar, and from there, determine the prizes, which could include a cash prize or multiple prizes. Set a due date for calendar submissions and a date for the drawing, communicating these details as families sell their calendar dates.
In summary, there will be a drawing on a predetermined date and the person who purchased the drawn date is the winner. For example, if the date representing the 10th is drawn, the individual who purchased the 10th day of the month is the winner. Having a live feed of the drawing is great, allowing those who purchased dates to watch and see if they are winners.
#5: Online 50/50 Raffle Fundraiser
Conducting an online 50/50 is a relatively simple fundraising method. The team will need to purchase raffle tickets in advance, and each family can be designated specific tickets to sell to friends and family. A set timeframe should be established for selling the 50/50 raffle tickets, along with a date for the drawing. The team can host a live feed of the raffle drawing, allowing those who purchased tickets to watch and see if they are the winner. Additionally, it’s worth noting that a 50/50 raffle is an option that can complement any other fundraiser, helping to generate additional funds.
#6: Popcorn Fundraiser
Who doesn’t love popcorn? This is why a popcorn fundraiser is always a successful option for a fundraiser. There are many different popcorn vendors the team can work with for the fundraiser. We recommend Double Good. Not only is the popcorn delicious, but the team can keep up to 50% of the sales and there are no minimum sales requirements or fees. Each family can reach out to their friends and family to purchase the popcorn, that will be delivered directly to them.
#7: Online Bake Sale
This is giving an older fundraiser option a new twist. With an online bake sale, the team can pre-determine the baked goods they will offer. Capture vivid images of these treats to showcase on social media, along with the respective prices. Subsequently, set up a team fundraising site to involve friends and family. A drawback to this option is the team’s commitment to baking goods based on the sales obtained, along with the additional challenge of delivering the purchased items. To address this, consider specifying a location for baked goods pick-up on a designated date and time, in addition to indicating when the sale closes. It’s advisable to communicate all of these details in advance.
#8: Krispy Kreme Fundraiser
Everyone loves Krispy Kreme and they offer great options for teams to fundraise. With these options, up to 50% of the proceeds will be given to the team. There is a minimum of 25 items that must be sold. There are 3 options available:
- Online: With Krispy Kreme’s Digital Dozens, the team can sell Original Glazed dozens virtually to friends and family via social media. There will be redemption codes distributed via email. Those that purchase will then be able to redeem in-shop.
- Pre-sell: With this option, the team will purchase only as many products as they need. There’s a pre-sale order form available via the Krispy Kreme website to keep track of the donations. Once the fundraising window closes, the doughnuts will need to be provided to those that purchased doughnuts. The team should communicate where to pick up the doughnuts with a specified date and time, along with when the sale is closing. It’s recommended to communicate all of this when selling the doughnuts.
- One-Day Sale: With the One-Day Sale option the team will pick a date, location and purchase a selection of available Krispy Kreme products ahead of time to sell. There is a minimum lead time of 72 hours for all fundraising orders.
#9: Silent Auction Fundraiser
While holding a silent auction requires considerable coordination, it remains a fantastic opportunity to fundraising. To organize this event, set a date and choose a venue. The team can decide whether to sell tickets or invite friends and family with no entrance fee. Additionally, consider providing food and drinks or specify that attendees should bring their own.
Each team family can be responsible for a silent auction basket at the event. Ensure each basket has a list of its contents and an overall value to drive up bids. Place bid sheets next to each basket for participants to place their bids. Set a closing time for the auction, and whoever bids the most on each basket at the close is the winner. Here are some ideas for auction baskets:
- Bakers Basket
- Barbeque Basket
- Book Lover Basket
- Camping Basket
- Chocolate Lover Basket
- Date Night Basket
- Home Decor Basket
- Movie Night Basket
- Music Lover Basket
- Spa Day Basket
- Sports Memorabilia Basket
- Video Gamers Basket
#10: Trivia Night Fundraiser
Similar to the silent auction, holding a trivia night fundraiser requires substantial coordination, but this shouldn’t deter you, as it’s always a lot of fun for parents or even for the entire family. To organize this event, set a date and choose a venue. Each family will be responsible for selling tickets for at least one table, with 8-10 people recommended per table. Once the tables are sold, the team can determine the top cash prize for the event. The team can plan to provide food and drinks or specify in the event details everyone should bring their own.
An emcee will be needed to read the questions, and printed pages on each table will allow participants to write down their answers for each round. If the team has a projector, you can display where each trivia team ranks after each round. There are numerous online options for trivia questions that can be selected prior to the event. It’s advisable to choose a category for each round and find a list of questions for each. Many online sites, such as Trivia Bliss, provide both categories and questions, along with other helpful information for hosting a trivia night.
Summary
In summary, any of the fundraising options listed above can be excellent choices for your team. Depending on the planning and coordination, the team may even opt for more than one fundraiser.
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