Sports and fundraising go hand in hand. Expenses like travel, uniforms, equipment, and field use can quickly add up, and many community or school sports teams must devise creative ways to raise that money.

We’ve gathered a bunch of awesome sports team fundraising tips into one helpful article so you can put together an effective campaign. These ideas will not only help with raising donations but will also boost team spirit and morale!

Fundraising for your team doesn’t have to be a stressful or boring process. With these great fundraising ideas, you can gather community support and fund the entire season! Let’s get started!

Tips for sports team fundraising online

Though sports team fundraising is often done in person, there are many ways to make the process easier with online fundraising. By utilizing online sports team fundraising tools, coaches and volunteers can save time and energy while raising money to support their athletes. Here are a few tips to make your online fundraising event a huge success.

Create a donation page

Fundraising online is the way to go if you’re looking for a convenient, low-cost method of collecting donations. The first thing you must do is create an online donation page where people can easily donate to your team. Make sure it’s designed in a way that is professional yet inviting and include information about the team and why donations are important.

With MaxGiving, you can customize your page to match the look and feel of your team’s brand, share stories from athletes, parents, and coaches about why they love the team, and thank donors for their support. This page is a great central spot for all of your fundraising efforts and will help you track donations coming in.

Start a crowdfunding campaign

Crowdfunding is a great way to get the word out about your team’s fundraising goals and attract potential donors. Use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube to post regularly scheduled updates so that everyone can follow along and stay connected.

Make sure you post about upcoming fundraising events, fundraisers, and other special opportunities for the team. You can also ask people to share your posts with their friends and family members to help spread the word! This is a great way to reach a large audience and raise funds from many supporters.

Collect pledges

One of the simplest youth sports fundraising ideas is to collect pledges from each team member and their friends, family, and community members. It’s easy to do this online using a donation page, and it can help you collect some quick donations.

Make and sell apparel for sports team fundraising

Making custom T-shirts, jerseys, and other apparel with your team’s logo is a great way to show off your team spirit while raising money. Get creative with designs and offer them in different sizes and colors. You can also have fun with slogans, mottos, and quotes that best represent your team!

Use an online fundraising event software to track, manage, and sell your apparel, so you don’t have to worry about manually managing orders or inventory. Team members can sell in person, or you can choose to sell totally online and promote your items through social media. Or both!

Tip: This can be a high upfront cost. Instead of making too much apparel and ending up with hundreds of unsold items, take preorders so that you know exactly how much to create.

Add sponsorships to donation page

Get creative and offer special sponsorships opportunities to local businesses. Businesses and corporate sponsors often love the opportunity to support a team, especially if it’s something meaningful to them like an old high school or community club. Add these sponsors’ logos to your donation page with to make sure they get full recognition for their generous donations.

Host a sports themed auction

A sports-themed auction is an enjoyable way for teams to raise funds. Have team members donate items, and other donors can donate signed memorabilia or tickets to sporting events. Contact local businesses for donations.

Host your auction with an online auction software like MaxGiving to easily track donations from donors, list items for bidding, and update auction records as bids come in. Plus, you’ll have access to secure payment processing and mobile bidding, making it easier for your donors to give.

Utilize text-to-give campaigns

Text-to-give campaigns are an easy way to raise funds quickly and allow donors to give on their own terms. All you need is a simple keyword, such as your team’s name, which donors can use to make donations directly from their phone in seconds!

Tip: You’ll need a donation management software that supports text-to-give options. MaxGiving is a great all-in-one solution for mobile donation needs!

Take advantage of matching gift drives

Matching gift drives are a great way to increase the number of donations your team receives. Ask local businesses, corporations, and other organizations to donate matching funds this way. Your team can double their fundraising efforts with less time and effort!

Other sports team fundraising ideas

There are many other creative ways to raise funds for sports teams in person, such as hosting a car wash, selling concessions at games, holding a bake sale or raffle, offering sponsorships and advertising opportunities, and more.

Plus, it is easy to manage and sell tickets to these fundraising events through your online fundraising software — helping you stay organized and on top of donations. 

Here are a few ideas to get you started!

Organize an “a-thon”

One of the most popular fundraising event ideas for sports teams, a walk-a-thon is easy to organize. All you need is permission from your local municipality and sponsors from local businesses to help cover the cost of supplies. Teams can pledge money per mile they complete and get supporters to donate.

While a walk-a-thon may be the most popular fundraising “a-thon”, it certainly isn’t the only one. Organizing a dance-a-thon, read-a-thon, bowl-a-thon, or swim-a-thon is just as easy and can be even more fun! With a little creativity, you can come up with a fundraising event that will get the entire community involved and excited.

Team up with local restaurants

Partnering with local restaurants can be a great way of fundraising for your team. Reach out and ask if they’re willing to host a “team night” where they offer discounts and either donate some of their profits or give you a cut from sales that evening — it’s a win-win situation.

Host car washes and other fundraising events

Car washes are an easy way for teams to raise money as it’s relatively cheap and quick to organize, plus you don’t need any special skills.

Host a sporting fundraising event or tournament

Hosting a tournament or sporting fundraising event is one of the most successful sports team fundraisers. Invite local teams and charge entry fees for each participant. You can also ask local businesses to sponsor the fundraising event and offer prizes for winners.

Sponsor an athlete fundraising program

Have team members reach out to friends, family, and local businesses asking them to contribute by sponsoring an athlete on the team. This fundraising event idea works well because donors like to know who they are supporting and that their donation goes directly to an individual team member.

Make sure to keep donors updated on their athletes progress by sending emails and newsletters. Connecting with those who have previously donated is essential if you want them to continue supporting your team. And, make sure athletes send out personalized thank you letters so that donors know their contribution has been appreciated — this will go a long way in building up relationships with current and future donors.

Organize an exercise class

Organizing an exercise class is a fun and unique way of raising money. Invite local fitness instructors to teach classes such as yoga, Zumba, spinning, or pilates — you could even incorporate team drills into the class if your team is up for it! Charge attendees a registration fee and use the profits for your fundraiser.

Hold a competition

Hold competitions such as trivia nights, sports tournaments, or bake-offs and charge admission fees for entry. Don’t forget to offer prizes that will draw in more participants!

“Punish” the coach fundraising

This is a great way to have some laughs while raising money. Have your team come up with different “punishments” for the coach, such as wearing a silly costume or getting dunked in a dunk tank. Set a fundraising goal, and once it is reached, the coach has to face the consequences!

Sports team fundraising letters

Writing letters to potential donors is one of the most popular ways of fundraising and can be tailored specifically for your sports team. Have your team members write personalized letters to family, friends, and neighbors explaining why they need donations.

Kids sports camp

Hosting a summer sports day camp or clinic is a great way to bring in revenue for the team and keep kids active during the summer months. You can charge a registration fee and teach kids about different sports and host fun games throughout the day.

Sell food at concession stand

One popular sports team fundraising activity is selling food items or snacks at games or events. Popular snacks to sell include candy, popcorn, pretzels, ice cream, and hot dogs. Clubs can also offer special deals or discounts for purchasing multiple items. 

Make your fundraiser a home run!

Sports team fundraisers can be exciting, creative, and rewarding. Create a fundraising committee to brainstorm ideas, set a goal for the team, and focus on having fun while you reach it! 

Fundraising online doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it can be a lot of fun as long as you have the right tools. Choose a fundraising event platform like MaxGiving to help keep your sports team fundraiser organized, sell tickets, collect donations, create custom donation forms, and manage your auction — all from one place. Click here to find out more about how we can help.