from varsity.com:
School, practice, games, and other afterschool activities can sometimes get in the way of fundraising. Your team may be asking yourselves if you even have time to fundraise. It may be difficult to find the time, but for your team to purchase uniforms, attend camp, and compete, you have to get the money from somewhere!
Have you ever considered doing all of your fundraising over the weekends? Weekends are a great time to fundraise. Take some of these ideas and not only will you see your cheer or dance team’s funds grow, you’ll get to spend the weekends with your best friends!
• Ask for donations in front of Wal-Mart, a grocery store, or a gas station. You can even have your team split up and go to three or four different places. Let people know exactly what you are raising money for and wear your uniform, so they’ll know your affiliation. You will also need permission from the store.
• Work at college and professional football games. Whether selling programs, tickets, or concessions, this fundraiser has worked for teams all over the country. Clinton High School in Tennessee has been working the concessions at one of the University of Tennessee football games for years, and during their most recent season, they cleared close to $12,000.
• Have a “So You Think You Can Dance” contest. Ask each contestant to pay a $5-10 fee to enter and charge spectators a $2 entry fee. You and your teammates can be the judges. Andrean High School in Indiana held three rounds in their dance-off: 1) Home Routine, 2) Already Know Dance (Soulja Boy, Cupid Shuffle, etc.), and 3) Freestyle, and it fully entertained the crowd.
• Have a car wash. This is another common fundraiser but one that always brings in the big bucks. Make sure you pre-sell tickets to this car wash. Coach Smith from Lincoln Middle School in Indiana ran this with her team, and they raised more money than they ever had.
• Dance club donations. Go to a local dance club and ask them if they will donate half of their profits one night to your team. Offer to help them with set-up or clean-up. Pierce Community College in California sold the tickets to a local night club, and they got half the profits of what they sold!
• Help with local marathons/triathlons. Events like these are always looking for hard workers. St. Helena High School in California helps out with two to three of these each year, and they say it’s not only a huge money-maker but lots of fun and great publicity for their school and squad.
• Host a Parent’s Night Out. Spread the word to people in your community 21 and older. South Lyon East High School does this trip every year where they get buses to shuttle people to and from the casinos in their area. They sell tickets for $35, and always make a lot of money!
• Have weekend garage sales. People love rummaging through old stuff, and like they say, “one person’s trash is another’s treasure.” Many teams have been successful with this fundraiser throughout the years. A UCA employee recently organized charitable garage sell, and came up with some great ideas that raised $102,000! Read her ideas on the UCA website.
• Have several bake sales. These are pretty traditional fundraisers, but they are so easy and fun. On a Friday night, have team moms (and domestically inclined dads!) help you and your teammates whip up a specialty or two! Find a local grocery store or business that will allow you to sell your masterpieces in front of their businesses on Saturday morning. Don’t forget to ask the store’s permission first!
• Sell frozen lemonade or refreshments at local Sporting Events/Tournaments. Every city has little league baseball, football, and basketball teams, and they are usually either practicing or playing over the weekends. Take advantage of the events by setting up a lemonade stand or refreshment booth with popsicles or ice cream. People will appreciate such great refreshment options!
• Open a hot dog stand. Use your local Publix, Kroger, Wal-Mart, or mall and set up a stand outside. Shoppers are sometimes too busy to stop anywhere to have lunch, so a quick hot dog and drink will be the perfect solution! One team did this, selling hot dogs for $5, and drinks and chips for $2 each. After a full day of work, they raised $600. Be sure to get their permission first for this one!
• Hold a golf tournament. People love golf – it’s just a simple fact. When the grass is perfectly green and the weather is just right, host a golf tournament. Require an entry fee to play and give away prizes for the top scores. Your community will love you for hosting this fundraiser! Carl Albert High School in Oklahoma City did this for big money!
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