Fundraising for the New Season
Fundraising for the New Season
This is my second in what will be a series of articles relating to the fundraising efforts and exploits (and hopefully success) of my son's travel hockey team. We just had our first brainstorming meeting and will start to formulate a plan for the coming 2008-2009 season.
After reading some of the ideas, and my responses, brainstorming may not be the right description for the meeting. In attendance were the coaches, team managers, and a half dozen or so of the returning hockey players. The players on the team range from 15 to 18 years old and are not in to going door to door or anything like that. You can read my article, Is Your Team “Fundraised Out”, for more on last year exploits.
Our goal this year is $10,000 for the team. It is more than last year, but a reachable goal.
Here are some of the ideas that were presented.
Pin-Up Calendar – One of the boys brought up the idea of doing a pin-up calendar and selling it at the various schools that the boys attend and online. It was explained that although making a calendar was a good idea, putting a bunch of teen boys on a calendar might be considered a little “Michael Jackson-ish” and we did not want that reputation. The player then explained that he did not mean that the players should pose, but that their girlfriends and sisters should pose in bikinis. No. See previous explanation.
Car Wash – Every school organization does a car wash and they just get to be a pain for the adults who have to be there. Of course, one of the boys said that they could get their girlfriends and sisters to wear bikinis and that would bring in the donations. Are you starting to see a recurring theme from the players?
Skate Drive – Similar to the boot drives that the fire department does at traffic intersections. Depending on the local fund drive ordinances; this may not be a bad idea. Have the boys in their jerseys and collect at red lights. Of course we have the “risk” factor and I’m sure the Board would not approve it.
Candy for Ransom – Wait for Halloween and then take kids candy and hold it for ransom. Needless to say, this was a “no”. But at least it did not include the use of girlfriends and sisters. This one was just illegal.
Garage Sale – This idea is brought up all the time. The big problem is…at whose house. This is where the idea usually dies a quick death.
Ungarage Sale – This was an idea that another team did a few years ago. Instead of a garage sale at someone’s house, the team collected items from the parents and gave them to a local EBay type store to sell. Though the team typically receives only 60ish percent of the money, there is no real effort expended and you just wait for the check to arrive in the mail. It was pretty successful with the previous team. We may give this one a go.
Sonic Car Hop – Here we go…back to the girlfriends and sisters car hopping in shorts, no bras, and tight shirts for tips.
Of course there were the usual ideas of:
Inkjet Recycling – Being done by one of the players.
Corporate Sponsors – This is handled by the organization.
Pampered Chef, Arbonne, etc. – One of these will done later in the year before the holidays.
Raffle – Raffle off donated tickets to various sporting events through out the season.
Internet Advertising – Several of us have websites and we donate the money from ad revenue to the team. Though this isn’t a biggie, everything helps. When on of us receives a check from Google, Commission Junction, Adbrite, etc., we give it over to the team treasurer.
Internet Ideas – Other internet ideas were selling pixels on a page that when purchased, would reveal a picture underneath. Yup…you guessed it…girlfriends and sisters. What are they teaching in high school business classes today?
Online Begging – This one I’ll leave up to the readers. If I were to put an address on my blog to send a dollar, or a couple of dollars, to, would you send? We do not want to get in to setting up a PayPal button, or check processing. So I’m asking for your opinion. Would you send a dollar or two in the mail to help sponsor the team?
Well, of to do some letter writing and start preparing for tryouts in seven weeks. The tryout process is an article unto itself. Stay tuned.
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I like the eBay idea and I'm always open to fresh fundraising ideas. I help at a local Equity (non-profit) theater as well as try to help several animal organizations. (None of which would go for the young girls in bikinis idea).
Please post ideas as you get them as I'm sure there are lots of folks out here in cyber-land that would love to "steal" all the ingenuity you can muster!
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For the eBay fundraiser, my friend said that golf and tennis equipment went really well. Next was old telephones (rotary are appently collectibles) and real typewriters.
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"Real" typewriters? I have access to an old AT&T electric typewriter. (Yes, at one point AT&T bought Olivetti-Underwood and sold typewriters.) We've been wondering what to do with it!
Rotary phones are collectibles? Now I really feel old. (Until I was in junior high, when we picked up the receiver, we heard, "Number please."
*sigh*
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We still have an IBM Selectric at the office. There is one government form we have to occasionally fill out that is 3-part carbon.
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Oh this definitely made me laugh....the highly intellectualized thoughts of males in their youth it's like something off of animal planet. Those were the meanderings of young males correct, from an anthropological perspective it can be difficult to differentiate between the young and adult male species.
I am not sure if money in the mail would work, who uses regular mail anymore? Would Paypal really be that bad? I also like the ad clicks revenue, is it permissible to blast out something about your click revenue going to a good cause?
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I'm pretty sure if you send out an email (or post an article) advertising the product it's okay. And it is also okay to have them click a link for more information or to purchase the product. I'll have to try a few of those.
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Let me know what you do and how it goes. you need to raise some money to keep those girls out of those bikinis.
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Hi Stewart,
Thanks for the encouraging comments you left on my blog!
Fundraising is always a problem, isn't it?
We have a fundraising partnership program on our website which some organisations have found really interesting - and at least it's something out of the ordinary.
For a start, it's not a one-off hit of cash, it's ongoing monthly income, plus it helps the kids develop a better understanding of business for their future prosperity.
Anyway, check out the "Fundraising Partnerships" link on the inside of our site ... and good luck!
Jenny
http://www.cash-smart-kids.com
Blogging at http://RaisingEntrepreneurs.org
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Jenny,
I'll be sure to check out the partnerships page on your website.
One of the hardest jobs as a parent is teaching kids how to handle money.
Take care. - Stew
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