Funding sports teams and programs can be challenging, especially for nonprofit organizations and schools operating on tight budgets. Beyond equipment, uniforms, and travel costs, maintaining facilities and paying coaching staff require substantial resources.
Organizing successful fundraising initiatives is crucial to ensure young athletes have access to high-quality sports opportunities.
This guide presents over 20 innovative and engaging fundraiser ideas to help sports teams and programs secure the financial support they need to thrive.
Our Top 21 Fundraising Ideas to Help Sports Teams
- Field Day
- Youth Sports Camp
- Punish the Coach
- Student Teacher Face-Off
- Shoe Drive Fundraisers
- Bowl-a-Thon
- Car Wash
- Run a Raffle
- Walk-a-Thon
- Obstacle Course
- Sponsor an Athlete
- A Classic Bake Sale
- Organize Fitness Classes
- Potluck
- Auction Sports Memorabilia
- Team Rental
- Restaurant Night
- Viral Video Fundraiser
- Sell Exclusive Merchandise
- Crowdfunding Campaign
- Online Concert
Fundraising Ideas for School Sports Team
1. Field Day
Sporting events can unite communities and stir up excitement. Capitalize on this by organizing an "On-Field Extravaganza" – a lively celebration of athletics and camaraderie. Here are some simple tips to organize a successful field day fundraiser:
- Secure a suitable venue, such as a local football field or park.
- Invite students, families, and community members to participate.
- Use social media or distribute flyers to spread the word about the event.
- Organize several engaging activities, from traditional favorites like tug-of-war and potato sack races to innovative obstacle courses and skill challenges.
- Sell tickets for individual games, directing all proceeds towards supporting your nonprofit sports team.
- Offer exciting prizes, which can be sponsored by local businesses, fostering a sense of community engagement.
- Include refreshment stalls, selling lemonade, ice cream, or other treats, which will provide an additional revenue stream.
This event raises necessary funds and strengthens the bond between your sports program and the community it serves.
2. Youth Sports Camp
Consider organizing a youth sports camp as an engaging and impactful fundraising initiative for your school sports teams. This can be a week-long summer camp or a weekend workshop tailored to your community's preferences and schedules.
Open the doors of your sports facilities to aspiring athletes, allowing them to learn new techniques, enhance their abilities, and gain invaluable exposure to the disciplines you represent.
By charging a reasonable enrollment fee, you can generate substantial funds to support your team's endeavors while inspiring the next generation of athletes. To maximize participation and ensure a successful event, consider offering early registration discounts, which can incentivize families to commit.
Free online ticketing platforms like Zeffy can streamline the registration process, minimize administrative costs, and enhance the overall experience for attendees.
For example, Dysart High School Spiritline Booster Club, Inc. created a registration form for their camp with Zeffy. The organization raised over $5000 from camp registrations, saving $250 on fees.
Beyond the financial benefits, a youth sports camp can serve as a powerful recruitment tool, identifying and nurturing promising young talent who may one day contribute to the future success of your sports programs.
3. Punish the Coach
Brace yourselves for a sports fundraising idea that will delight players and ignite a competitive spirit within the community.
Introduce the "Coaches' Challenge," a captivating event where coaches must participate in a series of silly and challenging tasks as punishment for reaching specific fundraising goals. Whether it's a pie-eating contest, a dunk tank extravaganza, or a quirky obstacle course, the possibilities are endless.
As players witness their coaches' unwavering commitment to the cause, it reinforces the values of sportsmanship, dedication, and teamwork at the heart of athletic endeavors.
Here are some fun “punishment” ideas:
- Set up a ‘dunk the coach’ tank
- Make coaches run laps or do burpees
- Organize a dodgeball competition
Pro Tip: Add a fundraising thermometer to your donation page to boost engagement and encourage donations with every task the coaches complete.
4. Student Teacher Face-Off
Organize a healthy competition between your sports team and the teachers. For an engaging fundraising event, include sports competitions, fun games, and trivia contests.
Sell tickets for the showdown and collect funds for your youth sports team.
You can also organize a teacher vs student fashion show and ask attendees to vote for the best look.
Pro Tip:
- Take the competition further by launching a peer to peer campaign alongside your event and encourage teams to share it in their network for contributions.
- Secure sponsorships from a local business to generate more revenue through the event.
5. Shoe Drive Fundraisers
Looking for easy but effective fundraiser ideas for sports teams? Organize a shoe drive to collect donations with minimum investment.
Encourage community members to donate used, unwanted, or new shoes. Kids outgrow their shoes very fast. Parents will be delighted to donate these shoes that are as good as new.
You can then get the shoes recycled or traded to raise money.
Alternatively, you can run a shoe drive to collect sports shoes for your team. Supporters will jump at the opportunity to clear their old running shoes from their closets.
This fundraiser also works for supporters who want to contribute but need more financial capability. They can support your team with in-kind donations.
College Sports Team Fundraising Ideas
6. Bowl-a-Thon
Embrace the creativity and excitement of a bowl-a-Thon, one of the most engaging and enjoyable sports fundraising ideas. Like walk-a-thons, participants can secure pledges from supporters based on the number of pins knocked down or a flat donation amount.
This event offers flexibility, allowing individuals to participate solo or form teams and fostering a sense of friendly competition and camaraderie. The allure of bowling transcends age and skill level, ensuring a diverse and enthusiastic turnout that can boost your fundraising efforts.
To maximize the success of your bowl-a-thon, consider partnering with a local bowling alley. Many establishments are eager to support community initiatives and may offer complimentary lane reservations or discounted rates during off-peak hours.
7. Car Wash
Car washes are one of the classic and popular sports fundraising ideas. You don’t need additional funds or a specific venue to organize one. Just a bit of planning would do!
The fun your team will have while washing cars will be a plus.
Pick a good location for the event. Talk to local businesses at good locations that remain closed on weekends. They may let you use their parking area for the car wash. You can list them as your event’s sponsors.
Get everyone on the team involved and promote the fundraising event. Design and distribute attractive pamphlets, create posters, and do online promotions.
Use Zeffy’s Tap-to-Pay solution to ease payments and encourage more donations. No terminal is needed, and you collect donations without any transaction fee.
8. Run a Raffle
Exploring fundraising ideas to delight your supporters? Host a raffle with an attractive basket as the prize. Your team can fill the basket with items your supporters may need for your games, such as a team jersey, tickets, or a rally towel.
Thoughtful touches like a reusable water bottle or cushions for the game will be a plus.
Get a charismatic host on board to make the event engaging.
You can also organize a 50/50 raffle and share half of the funds raised as a prize. There is no need to procure a separate prize, and you can prompt more ticket sales.
Promote the event excessively and encourage people to buy multiple tickets to increase their winning chances. More ticket sales will translate to more funds for your team.
9. Walk-a-Thon
Walk-a-thons and 5k races are great fundraising ideas for individuals to show their support for your sports team.
Incentivize the participants for their efforts by giving them gifts for a specific amount collected. For instance, you can gift them something for every $100 they collect.
Walk-a-thons are suitable for anyone to participate in and the up-front costs are not much. Invite your community to join the campaign and get fit in the process.
Pro Tips:
- Create a free event registration page with two ticket options—one for participants and one for spectators. Charging an entry fee for both will help you raise more money.
- Supplement pledges and donations with sponsorships or by selling branded merchandise.
10. Obstacle Course
Ignite friendly competition and camaraderie with an exhilarating obstacle course fundraiser! Secure a spacious field and get creative with obstacle designs using ropes, tires, nets, and more. Offer varying difficulty levels to ensure inclusivity and maximize participation.
Charge an entry fee, with proceeds supporting your sports team. Offer prizes to top performers, fueling their competitive spirit.
This event generates vital funds while strengthening community bonds and fostering a spirit of sportsmanship, determination, and unwavering support.
11. Sponsor an Athlete
Elevate your fundraising efforts with the "Sponsor an Athlete" program, which unlocks both short-term and long-term benefits. Rather than raising funds for the entire team, this initiative allows supporters to sponsor individual players.
Community members are usually unaware of the total cost of playing sports. These include:
- Equipment costs
- Membership fees
- Travelling costs
- League insurance
- Facility rentals
Educate potential donors about these costs and encourage them to sponsor an athlete.
Sponsoring an athlete will give donors the satisfaction of impacting youth sports, and you will secure recurring donations for the players. You can also send regular updates about sponsored players and write thank you letters to your supporters to maintain the relationship. It will help you boost donor retention.
Fundraising Ideas for Sports Clubs
12. A Classic Bake Sale
Tap into everyone's love for freshly baked treats with a classic bake sale fundraiser. Rally your teammates, families, and supporters to showcase their baking talents by contributing a variety of homemade goodies.
Set up an enticing stall in a high-traffic area, like outside your school or in front of a busy store. Offer a vibrant array of sweet and savory items, including cupcakes, brownies, cookies, breads, and more.
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Remember to cater to diverse dietary needs by including gluten-free and vegan options at your food fundraiser. Watch the delectable treats disappear as the mouthwatering aromas waft through the air and the funds accumulate for your sports team's cause.
13. Organize Fitness Classes
Combine the pursuit of fitness with fundraising through athlete-led fitness classes. Use the expertise of your sports club members by having them teach sessions related to your sport or popular activities like Zumba, HIIT, CrossFit, yoga, running, or climbing.
Secure a suitable location, such as a park, school gym, or community center, ensuring ample space to accommodate participants.
Instead of offering free donation-based classes, charge a participation fee or strongly suggest a basic donation amount to maximize fundraising potential.
You can also collaborate with local fitness trainers who may volunteer or offer discounted rates to support your cause.
14. Potluck
Foster a sense of community and raise funds with a potluck picnic. Find a picturesque outdoor location, such as a local park or school field, and obtain the necessary permits.
Create a form detailing dishes to ensure a diverse array of meals come to the table. Encourage participants to bring healthy options like salads, juices, and vegetable-based dishes, aligning with the sports theme.
Promote the event through various channels, and create an online event page with ticketing platforms like Zeffy to secure funds through direct sales. This family-friendly gathering will bring people together, celebrate culinary talents, and support your sports team's endeavors.
15. Auction Sports Memorabilia
A silent auction is an excellent way for sports teams to raise funds while engaging their community. As a team, you can leverage your connections and popularity to secure unique and desirable auction items that resonate with sports enthusiasts and fans.
Reach out to local businesses, professional athletes, or sports personalities to donate autographed memorabilia, game-worn jerseys, tickets to sporting events, or exclusive experiences like meet-and-greets or behind-the-scenes tours. These one-of-a-kind items will attract high bids from avid fans and collectors.
Collaborate with team members, coaches, and parents to create themed baskets or packages related to your sport. For example, a baseball team could auction off a basket with batting gloves, a personalized bat, and other baseball gear signed by the team.
Assign bidding numbers to participants and display the auction items prominently, allowing attendees to place silent bids throughout the event. Set reasonable minimum bid amounts to ensure a successful fundraising outcome.
Use Zeffy’s auction features for managing the event without spending a dime on platform or transaction fees. Get 100% of the donation amount without any hidden fees.
16. Team Rental
Hold an auction and invite people to bid for your team members. The amount raised in the auction will go to your team’s funds.
The auctioned-off players can perform chores for their bidders like cleaning the yard, mowing lawns, or walking dogs. You can prepare a list of available tasks to make the process easier.
To tweak this idea a bit, you can rent out your team for a set price to perform these tasks. You may charge per hour or half.
17. Restaurant Night
Tap into the universal love for food and community spirit with a restaurant night fundraiser. Partner with local eateries and agree on a percentage of the day's earnings to be donated to your sports team.
Promote the event on social media platforms and in your community, encouraging supporters to dine at the participating restaurants on the designated night. This win-win initiative raises funds for your team and provides valuable marketing and promotional opportunities for the restaurants.
You can foster community engagement, enjoy delicious meals, and raise crucial funds for your sports programs.
Online Sports Fundraising Ideas
18. Viral Video Fundraiser
Create a fun, easy-to-do viral video challenge featuring your team. Post it online and encourage people to participate, donate through an attached form, and tag others to spread it further.
A creative idea with a strategic social media plan can drive significant donations. Making viral videos can be a perfect fundraising idea for larger sports teams to have fun while raising money.
Take inspiration from the viral Ice-Bucket Challenge in 2014, which helped raise $115 million for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association.
19. Sell Exclusive Merchandise
Design and sell branded merchandise featuring your team's logo, such as jerseys, bottles, mugs, caps, and backpacks.
Take pre-orders to avoid excess inventory. Selling merchandise can help you raise funds and also serves as free marketing for your club or school sports team.
Your team or club gains more visibility without extra effort.
Set up an online storefront and promote it through email and social media. With Zeffy, this is completely free—there are no overhead costs.
20. Crowdfunding Campaign
Rather than attracting sponsors through traditional channels, launch a crowdfunding campaign online to reach a broader audience.
Choose a suitable crowdfunding platform and create an online page. Highlight your team’s story and success. Display impactful photos and videos of winning moments or team members working hard. You can also share videos of players describing what inspires them about their chosen sport.
It will give supporters a chance to get to know your team better. Allow them to understand your team’s journey and share your passion.
A crowdfunding campaign will also enhance your team’s profile and increase your fanbase.
Your campaign should reflect your fundraising goals. Incentivize people for their contribution and support them in reaching the desired donation amount faster.
21. Online Concert
Collaborate with aspiring artists to host a virtual live music concert. Charge registration fees and promote the event through your website, social media, and email lists, providing a memorable experience for supporters.
Give your supporters this experience from the comfort of their homes.
Summing Up the Top Fundraiser Ideas for Sports Teams
Raising funds for your sports team goes beyond securing financial resources—it's an opportunity to foster community engagement and strengthen bonds with dedicated supporters.
Our curated list of innovative fundraising ideas is your gateway to unlocking success for your sports fundraisers.
As you build on your next fundraising campaign, consider assembling a dedicated committee to divide responsibilities and ensure a seamless execution.
Regardless of your fundraising idea, elevate your efforts using Zeffy’s 100% free fundraising tools.
With a user-friendly interface, you can create customized donation forms, sell tickets, manage donors, launch membership campaigns, and more.
FAQs on Fundraising Ideas for Sports Teams
What is the most profitable fundraiser?
Fundraisers involving food, like a potluck, bake sale, or food truck carnival, can attract many attendees. People love delicious food, and supporting a good cause adds to their satisfaction. Food fundraising ideas create the most profitable opportunities.
How do you fundraise for sports?
Sports teams usually opt for crowdfunding or peer-to-peer campaigns to raise money for their needs. These methods can be supplemented by other fundraising events, such as:
- Merchandise sales
- Silent Auctions
- Raffles
- Car wash
- Sports camps and more.
What is the best fundraising site for sports teams?
There are several popular fundraising sites for sports teams, like Donorbox and Classy. But Zeffy is the most convenient and cost-effective option, as it’s completely free and has a user-friendly interface!
Sports clubs and teams can use its tools to fulfill their fundraising needs and accept donations without any transaction fee. If a supporter contributes $100, it goes straight to your team’s bank account.
How do you organize a fundraiser for a sports team?
Some of the best team fundraiser ideas include:
- Walk-a-thons
- Filed day
- Student vs Teacher/Coach contests
- Auctions
- Sport tournaments and more.
Get the whole team involved in the event, from organizing the setup to managing participants and donations. These team fundraising activities also boost a sense of community and supportiveness.
