As tight municipal and state budgets pummel scholastic sports programs, painful spending cuts threaten the health and wellbeing of students. Although arts, music, and extracurricular activities also face cutbacks, school officials more often wave the budget ax over the athletic department.
While it’s true that music and art programs add a vital component to a child’s education, school sports play a key part in keeping students healthy, busy, and motivated. Children who participate in sports build character, learn teamwork, and forge friendships. Students learn it’s not about winning and losing — it’s how you played the game that really counts.
Yet, there’s a very big fly in the ointment: Scholastic sports programs cost a bundle. Take football, for example. A bare-bones football program may run as much as $25,000 a year, and some districts lay out $100,000 or more. Each helmet may cost $250, and the average football uniform averages around $150. Factor in travel expenses, and it soon becomes apparent that ticket and concessions sales rarely offset the costs of operating a sports program.
What about boosting athletic fees? These already average $100 a season, nationally. Raise the costs, and you’ll quickly see how many students are forced to drop off the sports team.
That’s where fundraising comes into play. Those candy bars, raffle tickets, and the ubiquitous car-wash fundraising drive, often provide funds to send the band on a trip, or the cheering squad to the nationals. There is only so much money to go around. If schools want to keep those extracurricular activities, it means students, parents, and community members all have to pitch in to raise the money.
Consider the steps that will make your sports fundraising campaign a success. In a nutshell, you need to identify a goal, do your research to determine which fundraising idea will help you reach that goal, and then spur your team to go out and make it happen.
There’s no shortage of successful fundraising ideas. School sports fans will especially appreciate how easy it is to sell discount cards, which save school fans a significant amount of money at local stores and restaurants. Or, if you’re looking for other high-profit items, consider cookie-dough promotions, or offering fans buckets of gourmet popcorn. Candy bars will hit that sweet spot — raising money as well as satisfying that sweet tooth.
Regardless of what fundraising idea you choose, always keep in mind the key to any successful fundraiser starts with proper planning and execution. Offering quality products will increase your chances of success and keep your donors coming back year after year. Lastly, the most important element in fundraising is boosting that school spirit. Ramp up the excitement with a fundraiser kick-off in the gym, and then get out there and make it happen!