Sports teams of all shapes and sizes come to GoFundMe to raise money for their clubs. Whether it’s a youth sports team or an adult amateur sports team, there are plenty of ways to raise money to support the winning team.
Our fundraising platform can be used as your main source of fundraising or as a way to accept donations to supplement your ongoing efforts. Whether you’re seeking ways to cover travel expenses or purchase new equipment and gear, here are some creative fundraising ideas for sports teams to help you get started.
Trusted by both organizers and donors, GoFundMe has become a safe and reliable place to give and receive help for your good cause.
Watch this video for a quick look into fundraising for your sports team
Tips for planning your fundraising efforts
Set clear fundraising goals
Determine what your sports team is raising funds for (travel fees, equipment costs, new jerseys, etc.), and then estimate how much money is needed to cover these expenses. Having an idea of a goal will help motivate donors to give. Keep in mind that your fundraising goal can always be changed later.
Share your fundraiser story
Be transparent and thoughtful in sharing information about your team as well as why your team is fundraising. In writing your fundraiser story, include additional details such as how the funds will be used and a request for people to share your fundraiser with their own networks.
Set up your GoFundMe fundraiser
Now that you know what you’re fundraising for and have the details you need, set up a fundraiser to help your team reach your goals. Many sports teams use crowdfunding as a way to either as their primary fundraising method or as supplementary to other fundraising programs (such as T-shirt sales, fast food nights, etc.) because it is an easy and trusted way for people to donate. Starting the fundraiser takes only a few minutes.
Leverage GoFundMe’s unique fundraising tools
GoFundMe’s ‘Teams’ Feature is an effective way to fundraise for a sports team and practice teamwork. Work together with other parents, coaches, and teammates in managing your fundraiser to help accomplish your goal. While assigning teammates to the fundraiser is not required, it’s a great way to collaborate on posting updates, thanking donors, and sharing the fundraiser.
Promote your fundraiser on social media
Take to social media to promote your fundraiser far and wide. Use your official team account and encourage team members to share posts on their personal accounts to amplify the message. You can also encourage fans and supporters to spread the word, too. Choose social media platforms that speak to your target audience and that your sports team already has a presence on.
Share your fundraiser link
Keep the link to your fundraiser on hand so you can share it with others at any given moment. Additionally, consider making a QR code that links to your donation page so people can easily scan it with their phone or tablet. If you are planning a fundraising event, having a printed QR code that links to your GoFundMe fundraiser is an effortless way to collect donations.
Fundraising ideas for sports teams to hit your goal
There are plenty of ways to fundraise for your sports team. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorites below. For more check out our guide to creative fundraising ideas.
1. Car wash
For an easy fundraising idea, host a car car wash. All your team needs to do to prepare is to pick a time and place (a parking lot would be perfect), spread the word about your event, and gather the necessary car wash items.
Remind people that you’ll be collecting donations in person and online to go towards your sports team. Make it fun by having the athletes wash the cars themselves. You might even get interest from rival sports teams looking to put yours to work.
2. Talent show
Does someone on your team play an instrument or have some magic tricks up their sleeve? Is your coach a secret magician? A talent show is the perfect opportunity to showcase those talents, build community spirit, and raise money for your sports team.
During the event, share your fundraising campaign link with attendees and kindly ask them to donate to support your organization.
3. Karaoke night
Get local community members involved with a karaoke night. If you have access to a gym or clubhouse, these can provide a big enough space for attendees to gather. Your sports team can even work with a local business to help host this event.
Don’t forget to remind people that the reason for karaoke night is to raise money for your sports team. Charge a small entry fee and sell refreshments to raise extra funds. Remember to have a collection box and the link to your fundraiser ready to go so guests can donate to your program online or in person.
4. Field day
Tap into the friendly competitive team spirit by hosting a field day event. Set up classic games like tug-of-war, three-legged race, and obstacle course, and watch the fun times roll. Charge a small entry fee and open a concession stand to make some extra cash.
You’ll need a bit of space for your field day, so consider connecting with the local high school or a local park. You could turn it into a friendly competition with prizes for the winner. Why not set up a podium and make medals for the winners? This could create more opportunities for people to post on social media and drive more awareness to your donation page. Check out our guide for more fundraising ideas for kids and teens.
5. Food fundraiser
What better way to bring people together than through good food? Whether it’s a bake sale, pizza night, spaghetti dinner, or potluck dinner, a food fundraiser brings people together for a good cause.
You can do it yourself, ask the community to help out, or call on local restaurants to support you.
No matter if you decide to have a serving station or a plated dinner, have your fundraiser link or QR code visible on your setup tables so that people can quickly access it. Charge people an entry fee or per plate. Chef’s kiss.
6. Letter writing campaign
Put pen to paper for a great fundraising idea and have your sports team write heartfelt, handwritten letters to family members, friends, and other potential donors. The primary goal of these fundraising letters is to ask for a donation, but it’s also important to personalize each letter to make it more meaningful.
For example, letters written by the athletes can include details about what position they play, their background of how they got into the sport, or any other information that will show people how much this sport and team means to them. If people can emotionally connect to you and your story, this can help drive donations.
7. Fitness challenge
Make achieving fitness goals fun by creating an exercise challenge that players, parents, and coaches can join in on. There are many different challenges for a sports club including a 5k race, walk-a-thon, fitness class, and contest to see who can complete the most push-ups, sit-ups, or squats.
Make participants pay a small registration fee and offer prizes for the winners. If someone doesn’t want to take part in the competition, let them know that they can still show their support by donating to your fundraiser.
8. Concession stand
Use a home game to your advantage by running a concession stand. Offer a variety of food and refreshments such as candy, hot dogs, popcorn, water, soda, and any other snacks people can enjoy while they’re watching the game.
When people are paying for their items, ask if they’d like to make an additional donation to your team’s fundraiser.
9. Sell merchandise
Talking of selling goods, have you thought about team merchandise? You could tap into your supporters by creating caps, t-shirts, tote bags, and water bottles with your sports team logo front and center. It’s not only a great fundraising idea, but will also help boost the community spirit for the team.
You could also host a raffle for limited edition signed merchandise. Sell raffle tickets ahead of the event and draw the winners at the event to help draw a crowd. If you don’t sell all of your merchandise on the day, you can always set up an online store to sell to those who aren’t able to make it.
10. Local business collaboration and sponsorship
Local businesses are known for loving to give back to their community. Maximize your fundraising efforts by teaming up with a local business such as a sandwich shop, cafe, or an ice cream parlor and ask if they would be willing to support.
There are plenty of ways to work with local businesses. An easy fundraising idea would be to ask them to sponsor the team in exchange for a logo on the team’s jersey, on marketing materials, or in the clubhouse. Another fun idea is to have them offer an “item of the month” in honor of your sports team with a portion of the proceeds donated to your cause. You can also ask if they’d be willing to put a stack of your fundraiser flyers or a collection box at the cash register so customers can give their support.
11. Flyers around town
Speaking of fundraiser flyers, expand your reach wide and far by putting them up around your neighborhood. Consider posting the flyers on bulletin boards in community centers, tire shops, cafes, or other local stores as well. Instead of just listing your fundraiser link on your flyers, add a personal note asking the community members to help, and be sure to include a QR code for faster digital access. Check out our other tips on fundraising without social media.
12. Nextdoor app
Tap into that local community spirit through the Nextdoor app. Sharing your fundraiser link and message on this platform can help increase awareness and boost online donations. People are usually inclined to support their local sports teams so spreading the word about your fundraiser on Nextdoor can help connect you with potential donors.
Start raising money for your sports team today
Build camaraderie while having fun with these fundraising ideas for sports teams. The best part is that you don’t have to fundraise alone—parents, coaches, and athletes can all combine forces to reach your team’s fundraising goal. Start an online fundraiser today for free and get your team on track for success.