"...Wouldn't it be great to have raised enough money so that everyone going on tour can go for free?.."
We are keen to assist where we can, and encourage teams to share their fundraising experiences. From the initial approach to parents, to setting up a fund raising committee and the organisation of events. We have produced sample letters and notes to assist in the process.
Fundraising
"……….. There aren't many opportunities in life where you can legitimately raise funds to cover the costs of your own fun filled weekend away with the kids". Obviously the world is your oyster when it comes to fund raising and sponsorship, but we normally advise getting sponsorship for the players and fund raising for the parents/managers/siblings.
If you have been successful in gaining player sponsorship funds for the tour, the fundraising will help with the parents, management and family fares, and will allow you to consider tour T shirts, jackets, hats etc.
Fund raising is a great opportunity for the players, families, management and friends to get together to raise money and have fun at the same time. Most of the fund raising events and ideas that we have come across are generally good fun and will bring people together.
It is usually a good idea to organise a group or committee to take responsibility for fund raising and to coordinate the sponsorship efforts.
Sponsorship Ideas
If you were lucky enough to find a local wealthy benefactor who was prepared to pay for the whole tour, that would be a great achievement. In return for his generosity, you might agree to put his name on the tour T shirts, jackets, hats or feature him in a tour handbook or in the local media. This is what sponsorship is all about.
Although it is unlikely that you will be able to find a single sponsor for the tour, it is highly possible to find a number of sponsors who may be prepared to help.
A tried and tested method might be to find one sponsor for each player, because if each player can obtain sponsorship for his/her fare, this will cover a major part of the tour cost.
There are a number of ways that sponsors can be found. When it comes to youth sport, people will generally support the efforts of voluntary organisations and clubs when asked. There is a general feeling that sport and touring is good for the kids, and the local business community is often keen to be seen to be helping.
In our experience, the key to successful sponsorship is down to the clarity of the approach and the offer of something in return. In other words - twang the heart strings and make it hard for them to say no.
Obvious targets would be for players to approach their parent's employers, associated businesses or companies associated with the club. Kit suppliers, Electricians, Builders, Local Sports Shop/s, PA suppliers etc.
General Fundraising Ideas
As we build up our fundraising ideas section, you will be able to see examples of how others have generated funds and had fun along the way. In the meantime, we are pleased to list out some of the activities clubs have got up to to raise money. If you would like to know more, or would like to be put in touch with other clubs/teams, please let us now.
