OT: High School Sports Fundraising

[Wordbomar]

I just recently took over coaching a high school baseball program in my hometown, and we badly need some upgrades for our program. Currently, our jersey's are T-Shirts, our batting cage has so many hole's in it that it is unsafe and unusable, and our L Screen's and Batting Turtle have completely rotted out and are also unusable. These are just a few of the major needs.

Recently we did a fundraiser selling Moe's cards to try to raise some money, but really as you can tell we need a lot more money to make the necessary upgrades. Anybody have any suggestions on good fundraising idea's or companies that would be looking to make a donation? Thanks for the feedback.

 

[beachin]

I would try to get a logo company to sponsor, if your high school would be willing to advertise on jerseys. Honestly, don't even know if that is allowed in high school but would assume could be an easy way to gain some funds

 

[temery]

Get as many parents as you can to stack the booster club. They have the clout to get the district to fund a programs needs.

 

[Northbound]

My business is about 90% in high school sports - not fundraising, but I've seen a ton of fundraising schemes. Gold cards, cookie dough, apparel, Etc.

Look at Dlyted.com - zero cost to you beyond promotion of the program and you and your kids arent selling anything.

 

[Minicoop69]

I have heard from a friend of mine who used to coach at a different high school that they sold trash bags as their fundraiser. He said that they made a lot of money, but of course you need a lot of it. It won't come in one year. It is a multi-year effort, and then you will have what you need. Good luck.

 

[Northbound]

General booster clubs are going away. Its all going sport specific and they don’t have the juice to influence school districts - sorry thats not the way it works, not in any school district that takes athletics seriously.

You have to appeal to the booster club if you have one but for big schools you’ll have to make a presentation to get funds.

I know a state championship football progeam in the largest division in NYS that has to make big presentations every year to get thngs like youre talking about.

If you are ina district with a high HHI you will not have these issues.

 

[temery]

General booster clubs are going away. Its all going sport specific and they don’t have the juice to influence school districts - sorry thats not the way it works, not in any school district that takes athletics seriously.

You have to appeal to the booster club if you have one but for big schools you’ll have to make a presentation to get funds.

I know a state championship football progeam in the largest division in NYS that has to make big presentations every year to get thngs like youre talking about.

If you are ina district with a high HHI you will not have these issues.

It's the opposite in my area, at least at my school. Teams are prohibited from raising funds for their own use. It's BS as far as I'm concerned, but that's the way it is.

 

[HooperScooper]

Every sport at our high school has to do a fundraiser. Most of them sell cards (Home | Adrenaline Fundraising and Savings Shuffle App are 2 my sons' teams have used). I've seen other teams sell popcorn (Fundraising Programs, Double Good).

Other teams have done car washes (seems to be a big money maker). The town allows the teams to use the DPW building and parking lot which just happens to be next to the town transfer station so there's a steady stream of cars coming through all day. They charge $5 for each car. Good team building exercise also.

Other teams have done bake sales. Just have to make sure the parents of the kids on the team are willing to help out with that.

One other suggestion takes more work but if your school district allows it you can sell advertising on the outfield fence. I did that for a few years for our town's Little League program. Raised about $10,000 each year. But it was a lot of work calling all the businesses in town, designing the banners and having them made, and then hanging them.

Good luck!

 

[casual-yardin]

I just recently took over coaching a high school baseball program in my hometown, and we badly need some upgrades for our program. Currently, our jersey's are T-Shirts, our batting cage has so many hole's in it that it is unsafe and unusable, and our L Screen's and Batting Turtle have completely rotted out and are also unusable. These are just a few of the major needs.

Recently we did a fundraiser selling Moe's cards to try to raise some money, but really as you can tell we need a lot more money to make the necessary upgrades. Anybody have any suggestions on good fundraising idea's or companies that would be looking to make a donation? Thanks for the feedback.

Pound the pavement with local businesses to sponsor you. Ask for $200 and then buy a banner for $40 and put it on the outfield fence. The more they give the bigger the banner.

NCAA pool every March. Superbowl squares every February.

Hit a thon or some other type of marathon one day event where kids get pledges (like a jog a thon at school)

I believe Dicks gives money away to leagues / schools every year. Hit them up.

Order all your gear from one supplier like Wilson and ask for a credit i.e. $100 credit for every $1000 you spend.

Have a local batting cage or other business donate their space on a Friday night for a parent event. Find someone to donate beer, food etc and charge $25 per head.

Sell team gear like t-shirts and hats. Your cost is $15 sell them for $18 etc.

Summer camp. Summer / Fall league where you charge kids above and beyond the cost of the actual league. Run your own league?

Rent your fields out to other organisations.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

50/50 raffles work pretty well

 

[Danzz]

Southington HS used to sell oranges to fund an annual trip to Florida for a baseball tournament. I'm not sure if they are still doing it but I know they still go to Florida every Spring. Raising money is no problem for them because the parents are engaged and the team gets whatever it wants. The parents would never stand for sending the kids out on the field in tee shirts.
Even when I coached youth leagues in town we had the best uniforms. Why don't you call other coaches from successful programs and you may get some ideas. The key is engaged parents and booster club. Best of luck to you and your team!

 

[CTBasketball]

Southington HS used to sell oranges to fund an annual trip to Florida for a baseball tournament. I'm not sure if they are still doing it but I know they still go to Florida every Spring. Raising money is no problem for them because the parents are engaged and the team gets whatever it wants. The parents would never stand for sending the kids out on the field in tee shirts.
Even when I coached youth leagues in town we had the best uniforms. Why don't you call other coaches from successful programs and you may get some ideas. The key is engaged parents and booster club. Best of luck to you and your team!

Oranges stopped after my sophomore year I believe. Same with the Florida trip.

Southington now has home/away, and a few alternate jerseys. The field still sucks though it needs to be re-sodded and infield needs to be leveled. But these are nice to have’s. Southington is one of the better funded programs in the state.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

At my schools, kids parents make "donations" to the booster club to help pay for stuff. This is in addition to other fundraisers we do as well.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Most likely a combination approach.

You didn't mention economics of the area or how many fans you get per game. That is a real factor in what approach you take.

Sell signage for companies to promote their company on outfield wall or behind back stop.
Car washes are quick cash infusions. A couple of Saturdays should get you towards real jerseys for games.
Hitting up parents goes towards pay to play but it's amazing how creative parents can get when a $250-$300 requirement per family is required.

You can try writing grants for the equipment you need.

Finally, if there is safety involved with the cages and stuff, you could always get someone from the district involved who understands liability.

 

[JMick]

50/50 raffles work pretty well

The problem is that you need fans and you don't get many at HS baseball games. I'd get in touch with local lower level sports like minor league baseball and see if they'd let them do it on a Friday or Saturday night

 

[beerfan]

The theater/music department at my daughters school just did a mattress sale fundraiser. I was a little skeptical (who would buy a mattress at a local school), but they raised $8,000 in one day. Basically the company comes in and sets up in the school cafeteria for a Saturday and does basically all the work.

It was though a company called - customfundraisingsolutions.com

 

[mauconnfan]

Oranges stopped after my sophomore year I believe. Same with the Florida trip.

Southington now has home/away, and a few alternate jerseys. The field still sucks though it needs to be re-sodded and infield needs to be leveled. But these are nice to have’s. Southington is one of the better funded programs in the state.

Played in the same league was one of the best, if not the, on school campus fields when first built. And I hated the fact they were able to go to Florida every year and I wasn't. Fontana always had it figured out in those days, unless he was refereeing basketball games.

 

[Danzz]

Oranges stopped after my sophomore year I believe. Same with the Florida trip.

Southington now has home/away, and a few alternate jerseys. The field still sucks though it needs to be re-sodded and infield needs to be leveled. But these are nice to have’s. Southington is one of the better funded programs in the state.

What year did you graduate?

 

[the Q]

Played in the same league was one of the best, if not the, on school campus fields when first built. And I hated the fact they were able to go to Florida every year and I wasn't. Fontana always had it figured out in those days, unless he was refereeing basketball games.

Him and the guy in Berlin. Amazing coaches. Nothing but respect for those 2 guys.

 

[HooperScooper]

Forgot one. Some of the teams hold one week camps for young kids during the school vacation weeks or during the summer. You do drills with the kids for 3-4 hours a day M-F. Parents seem to always look for things to keep their kids busy during school vacation periods. And it's pretty easy since there's no cost to your team except their time to work the camps. Just need to come up with a good plan to keep the campers happy and engaged the whole time so parents think it was worth it.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Rockville High lax was just collecting cash outside of Stop&Shop on Sunday. Not sure how effective that is these days as I feel like most people don’t carry cash.

 

[temery]

Rockville High lax was just collecting cash outside of Stop&Shop on Sunday. Not sure how effective that is these days as I feel like most people don’t carry cash.

It's all pretty messed up. No team should ever have to raise funds unless it's for some thing they want, not need. My district went thru all of this, and ended up raising user fees to cover more of the costs.

 

[Dibbie]

We did 2 golf outings, each raised over $5K
Synch up with your LL program, they're typically swimming in cash. Winter clinics are big money makers, make a deal with them to have your players coach the little ones, and get 1/2 the money
Sell team apparel, with some proceeds going to the program
Annual baseball social, again split with your LL/town program if possible. Include silent raffle, have local restaurant donate the food, etc.
LL families want to suck up to the HS coach, as they will be in HS one day!!
Car washes, bake sales, etc

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I heard two coworkers talking about pay-to-play. How common is that? One said her daughter had to pay $195 for middle school track. Sounds outrageous but she does lie a lot. I think back when I was in HS (2002-2006) this concept was fairly new and it may have been like a $60 fee that covered you for the year for all sports.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

I heard two coworkers talking about pay-to-play. How common is that? One said her daughter had to pay $195 for middle school track. Sounds outrageous but she does lie a lot. I think back when I was in HS (2002-2006) this concept was fairly new and it may have been like a $60 fee that covered you for the year for all sports.

If I had to geuss, I would say the vast majority of high schools in ct have pay to play in some capacity.