Youth sports are great for teaching children valuable social skills while keeping them active and healthy. However, between the necessary sports equipment, shirt printing for jerseys, and travel, they also can be somewhat expensive. That’s why so many teams choose to host fundraisers to help parents cover the costs. The following ideas have been proven to help raise the money.

How to Raise Money for Youth Sports Teams

1. Anything-a-Thon

Whether it’s dancing, swimming, or running, you can choose an activity that people participate in for a set amount of time and use it to raise funds for sports equipment and travel. There are two ways to have people donate. Either do a set cost up-front, so each athlete knows how much of the activity they must do. Or, you can have sponsors pay per the number of activities completed and collect the money after the event.

2. Potluck Picnic

All the parents of the team can pitch in to create a delicious potluck meal, and you can sell tickets to the community to help raise the money for the sports equipment for each player. Local parks are a great place to host the event but be sure to reserve the location and ensure you have the necessary permissions. You can also incorporate fun activities and competitions and provide custom shirts to garner more interest.

3. Selling Candy

Everyone loves candy, and when you buy it in bulk, you can sell it to the community for a profit. It’s also a great way to instill a strong work ethic among the children. The candy can be sold anywhere from public parks to schools, church events, or simply in your local neighborhood.

4. Crowdfunding

People are increasingly turning toward the Internet to raise money for a variety of causes. Just set up a page on one of the popular crowdfunding websites, set a target monetary goal, and explain what the funds will be used for. Then you can have all the parents and players share the page on social media to raise money throughout your networks.

5. Parents Night Out

You can partner with a local bar or bowling alley to help raise the funds. Many local companies will share a percentage of the proceeds generated on a specific night with your organization because they know it’ll draw more business for them. Include extra events like a raffle or silent auction to generate more interest, then invite friends and family of the team’s parents for a fun and productive night.