Sports Fundraising Ideas

By PATRICK BAHR/The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

Saturday, August 29, 2009

A key for athletics in Mesa County School District 51 this school year will be creativity.

How can the four Grand Valley high schools spread the nearly $700,000 that was budgeted to be spent on athletics this year, and still not end up with a huge deficit in May?

“We are trying to be creative in ways to give kids the opportunities to participate and play while lowering some of our costs at the same time,” District 51 Athletic Director Paul Cain said.

With 22 sports offered in the district, it’s easy to see why Cain is trying to be creative to stretch every dollar to best serve the four high schools.

One area that is the easiest to save is in the sub-varsity level. Sports like football, volleyball, basketball and baseball have a freshman team in addition to a junior varsity and varsity team. In football and baseball, it’s been a money saving effort to cut back the number of sub-varsity games and keeping them close to home.

For example, Central’s freshman football schedule includes a home and away game with Grand Junction, Fruita Monument and Montrose. The Warriors’ other two games are home contests against Palisade and Eagle Valley. Grand Junction’s baseball team played only two games outside of the Grand Valley last season, both in Montrose.

But for football, in addition to not traveling far during the season, all of the sub-varsity teams have only eight games, which is two less than what’s allowed by the Colorado High Schools Activities Association.

“They cut the games back and that was definitely a budget thing,” Central football coach Vern McGee said. “As a head coach I would like to see them play 10 games because that’s what’s allowed by the rules.”

McGee said he understands why cuts were made a few years ago, but wishes he had those games for younger players.

“They cut six games from the four valley schools, and that’s 24 games where you don’t have to pay officials and that type of thing,” McGee said. “Yet 70 dollars is still the participation fee, so that was a way to catch up.

“But as a coach you want to play the maximum number of games that you can at the lower levels for the experience.”

McGee has a valid point given the fact his opponent Friday night, Grandview High School, has two freshman teams, one having nine games on its schedule, and the other with seven. By the time both groups get up to the varsity level, Grandview has the upper hand when it comes to playing experience.

“We are playing less than other teams around the state,” McGee said. “There are schools in Denver that have two freshman teams both getting 10 games. So that’s 44 kids getting starting time for all those quarters, and we are getting 22 kids for those quarters.”

Although teams might be taking a hit in the amount of time they see on the field, some of that has to do with the proximity to other schools.

In the Southwestern League, freshman volleyball teams have gone to quadrangular tournaments where four teams will play each other at one site. Cain said in the Western Slope League, varsity volleyball teams are doing something similar.

“We are tampering with some ideas that we are going to see if it’s going to work, because it’s kind of a trial period,” Cain said.

Palisade has that exact thing happening on Oct. 10 when the Bulldogs face Battle Mountain and Eagle Valley in the same day.

But the budget is a tricky thing. It’s trying to balance how much is being spent with how much is being brought in through athletic fees, gate receipts and other revenue. The school district could raise the cost of athletic fees to the athletes, but that could create other problems, Cain said.

“We understand it probably needs to happen,” Cain said. “But on the flip side, a lot of families can’t afford it. So you don’t want to put (the fees) up so high that we are having to scholarship more kids.”

In the end, it’s about the athletes on the field or court getting the same opportunities as other high school athletes around the state. The district helps as much as it can, but quite a bit of the money spent comes from the teams’ own fundraising.

“We fundraise like crazy,” McGee said. “Country Jam is a big one for us, we’ve worked that the last 13 years as a way to make some money. We sell discount cards like everyone else, we worked the Fourth of July for the city. We work bingos with our booster club. But we need to do all of that because we spend at least $12,000 in fundraising money every year.”

McGee added a big part of that amount of money is for keeping the kids well equipped. Even in tough economic times, McGee said he still makes sure his players have quality equipment.

“When I was an assistant we had a lot of kids getting hurt with shoulder injuries,” McGee said. “I made the commitment to buy the best shoulder pads and helmets that we can to try and prevent injuries. So fundraising has helped us afford to get six or seven new shoulder pads every year that are top of the line.”

Individual teams’ and schools’ fundraising is also helping the district offset a rise in transportation cost. Cain said everyone has been working together to keep the economy from affecting the sports programs.

“Our transportation costs have gone up and some of the coaches are having to supplement meal money out of their fundraising to help us out,” Cain said. “They’ve been great so far to work with that. So we are making it work, and it’s a joint effort.”

26.08.2009 | Author: admin | Posted in Fundraising

Looking for some tips on improving your youth sports fundraising? Every youth sports league must fundraise to cover expenses and keep fees low. So, how do you raise more funds? Focus on these seven factors and you can easily double your results.

Product Selection
In youth sports fundraising, it’s so important to select the right products to sell. The right selection is one that has mass appeal, an above average price point, and good profit margins.

Don’t sell what’s always been sold every year. Consider choosing items that meet the criteria below.

Product Price Point
Your product offering should be at an attractive price point. This means it should be neither high nor low, but rather right in the comfort zone that encourages people to open their wallets.

If you’re selling a low-priced product, you are at a disadvantage because you aren’t maximizing your revenue from each prospect. In this situation, try bundling a small quantity together and ask for more dollars.

For example, if candy bars are being sold for $1 each, put together variety three-packs or a family ten-pack. Get your prospect thinking bigger numbers. Many of them will step up to the bundle.

Product Profitability
It’s important that your fundraising product has a high profit margin. Ideally, you’d like to make 80% or more if you can. This would be products like discount cards for two-for-one deals at fast food places.

Many standard items have a profit margin of 50% and that’s OK. It just means that you’ll have to pump up the volume to make the same net that you would with higher profit items.

If the product chosen is one with a lower profit range of say 40%, then it needs to either be a higher-priced item or it needs to be likely to inspire quantity orders from each prospect. For example, cookie dough is often in this range, but price points are $10 & up. Many families will buy two or three units.

Sales Script
Don’t send your sellers out unprepared. Part of youth sports is teaching and helping kids with their sales skills goes a long way toward building self confidence.

Here’s what to tell them:
1 – Make eye contact, smile and introduce yourself.
2 - Say one sentence about why you are raising funds.
3 – Say second sentence that asks for their help.
4 - Make sure that sentence includes the word “because”.
5 – Extend sample item, catalog, or order sheet.
6 - Suggest a personal favorite item or bundle.
7 - Always ask for the order.

Prospect, Prospect, Prospect
Now that your kids know what to say, they have to have prospects for their sales pitch. You can’t set sales records without having a large supply of prospective customers.

Have everyone make a list of their potential customers. Have them do it as a team exercise and make sure they write them down. It’s very important to do this and to have each seller commit publicly to doing their part.

Have each seller stand up in front of their teammates and state how many prospects they have. Then have them make a commitment to raising a certain financial amount. Set minimum amounts and encourage competition by offering prizes for various achievement levels.

Location, Location, Location
Another way to boost your youth sports fundraising is by going where the prospects are. Your group can reach incredible numbers of people just by setting up fundraiser sales tables at entrances to high-traffic retail locations.

Grocery stores, home improvement stores, and mass merchandisers are all places where hundreds of prospects are available. Get permission well in advance from the store manager.

Set up a small table to display your fundraising product items. Staff your spot with two adults and two kids for each 90-minute shift.

Decorate the area with league banners and large-lettered signs explaining your offer. Your signs must inform them well in advance of reaching your display and sales table. That way, those interested in helping your sports team will be primed to stop and will be more receptive to hearing each youth’s sales pitch.

Example:
“New Uniform Fundraiser”
“Tasty 3 lb. Cookie Dough – $10″

Imagine how many potential prospects there are at those locations who are completely outside your normal range of contacts. Now, go out there and sell them something!

Have Fun
Always make raising funds fun for the kids. Their emotions are subconsciously communicated to each potential prospect.

If they are smiling while cheerfully communicating your team’s need and asking for help, then chances are good they’ll get a favorable response.

If they’re looking down and mumbling some garbled sales spiel, then chances are more people will pass on the offer. The way to get them involved is to have some competition going, have some fun activities built around the process, and have some rewards waiting for success.

For example, post a list at each team practice of the top sellers. Everybody loves to be recognized!

Do a fun activity just for those who help out by working the retail location sales table. Take the participants bowling or to a batting cage or a golf driving range. It’ll bond fathers and sons and encourage increased participation.

Have a rewards party after the fundraiser wraps up. A simple pizza party or group picnic is sufficient. Just make sure that everyone gets recognized for pitching in.

Allow the kids time to run around and enjoy themselves. After all, isn’t youth sports all about having fun?

Follow these seven tips and your team’s fundraising effort will be a big success.

Monday, August 17 | 10:40 p.m.

BY PAUL DANZER
COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER

The blunt truth: The all-stars from Evergreen Little League didn’t have enough pitching to compete with the best teams at the Little League Senior Baseball Western Regionals.

But it would be an ugly lie to say the team lacked pitchers.

For starters, you don’t win a state championship, as these 15- and 16-year-olds did, without a few guys who can toss a baseball pretty well.

But winning that state tournament, as it turned out, wasn’t the most daunting pitch job for this team. That came in the days following their triumph.

Over a four-day span, the fate of this club went from destined to stay home to Dodger Stadium.

Over a four-day span, Evergreen Little League went from pretty much broke to having enough money to fly 11 players and three coaches to Southern California for a week-long regional tournament.

That it happened is a tribute to the generosity of Clark County folks. Never mind that the team went 1-3 in playing four games in four days against champions from California and Canada.

When word got out that Evergreen Little League didn’t have funds to send its state championship Senior Baseball team to the regionals, it was fair to ask: How come? Other area leagues and teams had planned ahead and had the resources to complete their journey to regional tournaments without begging for help at the last minute.

But Evergreen Little League’s situation was different. Prior to this season, when the league moved to a new home at the Hockinson Community Park, much of its money went to make lease payments at Wineberg Park just to keep the league in business. This season, the league enjoyed its new home park. But there is no concession stand or clubhouse for the league there — the permitting process continues. The sale of snacks and soda is a main revenue source for many leagues, and Evergreen had none of that in 2009.

Sure, Evergreen had the usual in-season fundraising projects. But most of those wrapped up before the Senior Baseball season started. Its schedule runs later because many of its players are involved with high school ball through May.

In this difficult economy, raising funds is more challenging than in better times. Little League is a non-profit organization. Every Little League coach, umpire, board member is a volunteer. But it still needs money for equipment, uniforms, insurance. And, if its teams are successful, travel.

The Evergreen Senior Baseball all-star team — the best players from the league’s two regular-season teams in the 15-16 age group — spent more than a week at the state tournament in Bothell. Some of them camped. Others commuted. A few rented hotels and ate in restaurants.

And, according to the team’s manager, Greg Stegmaier, about half of the players were from families impacted by job layoffs.

Having invested so much time, money and emotion into the state tournament, the players and families were hurt to learn there were no funds to send them to the regionals.

They got the news six days before the team’s first scheduled game in Ontario, Calif. Knowing the odds were long, the players and some parents fanned out across the county and made their pitch for help. They also told their story to The Columbian and to area television stations.

A fairy tale ending might have seen the team wing its way to California and keep winning all the way to Bangor, Maine for the Senior League World Series. But playing four days in a row limited how much Stegmaier could use his best pitchers, and the manager said his team seemed both tired and timid at times during the regionals. So it ended.

Which hardly means it was a wasted trip. Their fundraising brought in more than the $15,700 needed to make the trip. The final tally isn’t in yet, according to Evergreen Little League president Kyle Smith, who said any money left over would go into a fund to support travel for teams in future tournaments.

Smith said the experience re-connected some former players and volunteers with Evergreen Little League. It also gave Smith a chance to make a pitch for Little League programs by explaining that Little League now accepts players who also play ball elsewhere, be it with their high school teams or independent clubs.

Those involved believe this team’s story will have a lasting impact.

“I don’t think they’ll realized what they accomplished until some time in the future,” Stegmaier, the manager, said.

He wasn’t talking only baseball. He also was reflecting on how everyone pitched in to make the regionals experience an unforgettable reality.

Paul Danzer covers Community Sports for The Columbian. He can be reached at 360-735-4521 or by e-mail at paul.danzer@columbian.com.

Looking for some tips on improving your youth sports fundraising? Every youth sports league must fundraise to cover expenses and keep fees low. So, how do you raise more funds? Focus on these seven factors and you can easily double your results.

Product Selection
In youth sports fundraising, it’s so important to select the right products to sell. The right selection is one that has mass appeal, an above average price point, and good profit margins.

Don’t sell what’s always been sold every year. Consider choosing items that meet the criteria below.

Product Price Point
Your product offering should be at an attractive price point. This means it should be neither high nor low, but rather right in the comfort zone that encourages people to open their wallets.

If you’re selling a low-priced product, you are at a disadvantage because you aren’t maximizing your revenue from each prospect. In this situation, try bundling a small quantity together and ask for more dollars.

For example, if candy bars are being sold for $1 each, put together variety three-packs or a family ten-pack. Get your prospect thinking bigger numbers. Many of them will step up to the bundle.

Product Profitability
It’s important that your fundraising product has a high profit margin. Ideally, you’d like to make 80% or more if you can. This would be products like discount cards for two-for-one deals at fast food places.

Many standard items have a profit margin of 50% and that’s OK. It just means that you’ll have to pump up the volume to make the same net that you would with higher profit items.

If the product chosen is one with a lower profit range of say 40%, then it needs to either be a higher-priced item or it needs to be likely to inspire quantity orders from each prospect. For example, cookie dough is often in this range, but price points are $10 & up. Many families will buy two or three units.

Sales Script
Don’t send your sellers out unprepared. Part of youth sports is teaching and helping kids with their sales skills goes a long way toward building self confidence.

Here’s what to tell them:
1 – Make eye contact, smile and introduce yourself.
2 – Say one sentence about why you are raising funds.
3 – Say second sentence that asks for their help.
4 – Make sure that sentence includes the word “because”.
5 – Extend sample item, catalog, or order sheet.
6 – Suggest a personal favorite item or bundle.
7 – Always ask for the order.

Prospect, Prospect, Prospect
Now that your kids know what to say, they have to have prospects for their sales pitch. You can’t set sales records without having a large supply of prospective customers.

Have everyone make a list of their potential customers. Have them do it as a team exercise and make sure they write them down. It’s very important to do this and to have each seller commit publicly to doing their part.

Have each seller stand up in front of their teammates and state how many prospects they have. Then have them make a commitment to raising a certain financial amount. Set minimum amounts and encourage competition by offering prizes for various achievement levels.

Location, Location, Location
Another way to boost your youth sports fundraising is by going where the prospects are. Your group can reach incredible numbers of people just by setting up fundraiser sales tables at entrances to high-traffic retail locations.

Grocery stores, home improvement stores, and mass merchandisers are all places where hundreds of prospects are available. Get permission well in advance from the store manager.

Set up a small table to display your fundraising product items. Staff your spot with two adults and two kids for each 90-minute shift.

Decorate the area with league banners and large-lettered signs explaining your offer. Your signs must inform them well in advance of reaching your display and sales table. That way, those interested in helping your sports team will be primed to stop and will be more receptive to hearing each youth’s sales pitch.

Example:
“New Uniform Fundraiser”
“Tasty 3 lb. Cookie Dough – $10″

Imagine how many potential prospects there are at those locations who are completely outside your normal range of contacts. Now, go out there and sell them something!

Have Fun
Always make raising funds fun for the kids. Their emotions are subconsciously communicated to each potential prospect.

If they are smiling while cheerfully communicating your team’s need and asking for help, then chances are good they’ll get a favorable response.

If they’re looking down and mumbling some garbled sales spiel, then chances are more people will pass on the offer. The way to get them involved is to have some competition going, have some fun activities built around the process, and have some rewards waiting for success.

For example, post a list at each team practice of the top sellers. Everybody loves to be recognized!

Do a fun activity just for those who help out by working the retail location sales table. Take the participants bowling or to a batting cage or a golf driving range. It’ll bond fathers and sons and encourage increased participation.

Have a rewards party after the fundraiser wraps up. A simple pizza party or group picnic is sufficient. Just make sure that everyone gets recognized for pitching in.

Allow the kids time to run around and enjoy themselves. After all, isn’t youth sports all about having fun?

Follow these seven tips and your team’s fundraising effort will be a big success.

Kevin Trudgeon, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/04/2009 09:40:45 PM PDT

By KEVIN TRUDGEON

Staff Writer

REDLANDS – Every season, Redlands Junior All-American Football buys jerseys and updates equipment for each new crop of future gridiron warriors.

But this year, for the first time in a long time, that new equipment may have to be put on hold.

“Right now, in terms of sponsorships for all of our levels and teams, we’re nowhere near where we’ve been in the past,” said Redlands JAAF president Dan Carranza, who said that at a time when JAAF hoped to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000 in sponsorships, they are sitting closer to $7,000.

“Year in and year out, we try to give kids new jerseys and we try to make sure that we don’t play with equipment that’s more than two years old, for safety reasons. But right now, we’re getting to the point where we just can’t spend the money because we don’t have it,” he said.

It is a problem in no way unique to Redlands JAAF. In a story on struggling car dealerships in San Bernardino County, Redlands Daily Facts reporters interviewed many youth sports leagues from Pomona to Yucaipa and found a growing trend.

Businesses, especially the bigger contributors from years past, are being forced to pull back on their sponsorship dollars as they struggle to keep their doors open.

But while some may view a dealership being forced to close as a sad story for just employees, the truth is that the impact is felt throughout the community.
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Restaurants, family businesses and corporations pour thousands of dollars into nonprofit organizations in their neighborhoods, especially youth sports organizations.

And nowhere is that more evident than in Redlands, where JAAF, Redlands Baseball for Youth, National Junior Basketball and the American Youth Soccer Organization provide leagues, teams, coaches and a sporting outlet for youth.

“One of the biggest things we try and do with the sponsorships we get is offer scholarships to kids who would not otherwise be able to afford to play,” said Redlands NJB co-chapter director Mary Wilson.

Offering a positive, character-building activity to kids, and helping get them off the streets, is one of the main functions of youth sports organizations.

Yet that function is being tested as sponsorship dollars appear to be drying up.

Wilson said she is struggling just to find businesses willing to donate prizes for NJB’s upcoming summer basketball camp.

“It’s frustrating, because a lot of places won’t even call you back or tell you `no’,” Wilson said. “They just keep saying that it’s being looked into or that it is being processed. We know that a lot of places are having trouble financially, but at least give us an answer.”

The news is not all bad for the four major Redlands youth sports organizations. There are no plans to cancel seasons or divisions – and some, like RBY, have exceeded their goals for this year.

“We’ve always tried to keep our fees low, so that kids from all over Redlands can afford to play,” said RBY treasurer Dave Eason. “And we’ve been able to do that because we’re very aggressive in our fundraising.”

“We used to bring in around $19,000 in sponsorships, but about eight years ago, we decided that any player who can get a sponsorship for their team will get their registration refunded. And since then, we’ve been right around $30,000.”

Eason said RBY lowered its sponsorship goal to $25,000 for last season, with an eye toward the struggling economy. RBY has currently exceeded that goal by more than $11,000.

“I would say, offhand, that for our regular season, we’re not hurting at all,” said Eason, who said postseason All-Star teams are responsible for raising their own funds.

“We have about 180 sponsors and I would say that about 40 or 50 percent of those come from outside of town, from parents of kids who work in other cities,” he said.

Redlands AYSO also lowered its expected expenses in anticipation of a drop in sponsorship dollars heading into last season.

“Redlands AYSO always strives to be a fiscally responsible and fiscally conservative organization,” said sponsorship coordinator Mary Ambriz. “We felt that funds coming into the region from sponsorships last season would probably be less that years prior so we adjusted our expenses to reflect this downturn.”

“We budgeted for a 5 percent reduction and ended up with about a 4 percent reduction in income from sponsorships. So we were thrilled that we exceeded our conservative, budgeted income for sponsorships.”

Ambriz said it helps that “soccer is not a sport that needs a ton of accessories or equipment” when it comes to lowering the expense budget. And receiving help from all involved in AYSO for sponsorships is a great asset, she said.

“As sponsorship coordinator, I do a lot of legwork but also rely on my coaches, team managers and wonderful community partners,” Ambriz said. “I think it’s important to note that we promote sponsorship as a way to actively support the children and youth of our community.”

Carranza said there has been a lot of brainstorming in JAAF, trying to come up with ways to raise funds to offset the drop in sponsorship dollars.

“Football is probably the most expensive sport to play, so we really rely on sponsorships to make sure we can get kids on the field,” Carranza said. “So it’s tough right now because everyone is a little hesitant to give money. Nonprofit organizations like youth sports go off of fundraising and sponsorships, and if there’s nothing there, a lot of us are going to struggle to survive.”

Wilson said parents of NJB players have had to help cover lost revenue from sponsors leaving, but the league is keeping its head above water.

“We’d like to get more sponsors, so we can offer a few sponsorships to some kids and help pay our gym fees,” Wilson said. “But for now, we’re just making do with what we have.”

All four league spokespeople said a prolonged downturn and deepening recession would eventually impact all the youth sports organizations – with the hope that improvements in the economy occur sometime in the near future.

“Research has shown that participation in youth sports is a significant contributor in helping our kids grow into responsible, caring young people,” Ambriz said. “It’s just a good thing to do and we are lucky enough to live in a community where the citizens see that investing in our youth reaps great rewards.”

To donate or find out how to become a sponsor for the four youth sports organizations in Redlands, visit their Web sites:

www.redlandsayso.org/

www.leaguelineup.com/redlands/

www.redlandsnjb.com/

www.eteamz.com/rby/

E-mail Staff Writer Kevin Trudgeon at ktrudgeon@redlandsdailyfacts.com

“In planning its first fundraising dinner and silent auction for July 31 at Antioch’s Roddy Ranch Golf Club, All Out is seeking donated gift baskets, gift cards, products and monetary help from area merchants for the auction and raffle. The Concert on the Green event will launch a campaign to build an East County youth center that will provide a game room, computer center, tennis, football, basketball, cheerleading and batting and golf cages.

The state-of-the-art facility will provide varied opportunities for study, sports and play. The 6-to-10 p.m. fundraiser will feature musical entertainment from 2009 American Idol contestant and Brentwood resident Ashley Mendez, a putting contest and food from Brentwood Fine Meats.”

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12704346