Grow Team Pride for Your School, Business, Team, or Fundraising Event
Author: Huddle Up Stores
Hello! My name is David Hardman and I’m the founder of Huddleup Team Stores. I started Huddleup because being a part of a team has always meant a lot to me. When I first joined the military, everyone looked different. Even something as simple as walking into boot camp with a different hairstyle created division among what should have been a team. We were faced with so many unknowns, had very little clue as to what our core values were, and felt stagnant without goals. The minute we received a buzzcut, we became unified. That haircut became our starting point; we instantly joined together as a team. We began to learn and create core values, accomplish goals side by side, and fight for freedom in unison. We embraced each other as family, recognizing the weight of a mistake within our team. It was no longer just my honor on the line, but the honor of those I cared for deeply.
Online fundraising is taking the fundraising world by storm. Today, more people are making their charitable donations online than ever before. That’s why it’s important to learn how to fundraise online, and leverage the internet to promote your cause and raise more money.
How to Fundraise Online
This post is a compilation of some of the best online fundraising ideas that can help your nonprofit raise more money in the digital age. We’ll discuss everything from peer-to-peer fundraising, to online fundraising stores and t-shirt fundraisers.
Peer-To-Peer Fundraising
This is a type of online fundraising that allows individuals and nonprofits to raise more money and acquire more supporters by enabling supporters to reach out to their networks. As a result, more people are introduced to your cause and mission, raising more funds in the long run. Many nonprofits choose to pair this online fundraising idea with events such as cycling, marathons and walkathons. Similar to small business, you can use social media to promote your fundraiser to peers and increase exposure.
T-Shirt Fundraising
One of the best things to sell when fundraising is t-shirts, as they are a great way to raise funds. All you need to do is design t-shirts as merchandise for your nonprofit and sell them online to your supporters. T-shirt fundraisers are successful because they allow supporters to support your cause while still getting something in return. It also allows supporters who may be unable to donate due to financial limitations to show their love for your cause without breaking the bank.
Online Store and Donations
Online stores offer a quick and easy way to raise funds for your organization. Most online online forms allow you to create special fields and brand your page. Since there are plenty of options to customize the form, you can create one that’s unique to your cause, such as a school. Another great advantage of online stores is that they can be mobile friendly, giving access to a wider range of supporters.
Bottom Line
Those are just some ideas and tips on how to fundraise online. Other fundraising options to consider include online auctions, local fundraising events, and more. Here at Huddleup Stores, our team can help you create an online store to sell custom t- shirts and fundraise online for your cause. The main takeaway is to go for an idea that sparks interest in the potential donors.
What can I sell to fundraise a project? If you’re a beginner in fundraisers, and are learning how to sell your product as a fundraiser, don’t worry. There are many items you can sell for fundraising, and very neat and simple fundraising ideas for schools, charities, community projects you can do. You just need to know your budget, design a strategy and begin.
What Can I Sell to Fundraise
This article will illustrate you some fun things to sell for fundraisers, along with some strategies for your fundraising ideas for schools, charities or any other project you’re currently enrolled in.
What is Your Role as a Fundraiser?
You, as a fundraiser, gather funds for a specific project. Your main duty is to create merchandise in order to increase awareness of your group’s work, goals, and monetary needs, and as such, your responsibilities include the following:
2. Designing powerful campaigns to appeal to donors.
3. Raising funds through all kinds of strategies.
4. Keeping a record of each donor’s information.
5. Training volunteers for the campaigns.
It sounds like a lot to do, but once you come up with a neat strategy, things will come together on their own. In order to design a good strategy, however, you need to know how to raise the money, and usually the best idea is to get fun things to sell for fundraisers.
Fun Things to Sell For Fundraisers
The most popular things to sell for fundraisers are:
1. T-Shirts
What Can I Sell to Fundraise
Relatively inexpensive and easy to get, this is a classic fundraising item you should consider. Because shirts are customizable, you can promote your group’s merchandise using the link to your online store. This can help people be able to support your cause, even if they aren’t local.
2. Lollipops
Inexpensive and easy to get, lollipops are incredibly popular among people (especially among children) and work in every season. Lollipops (or candies for that matter) are usually the best item to start with, if you’re completely new to fundraising.
3. Food
Pies, cookies, and pizza are some of the most popular fundraising meals around. The best part is that, in most cases, you can prepare the recipes yourself, or make a deal with people to make them for you. Neither cheap nor expensive, food will likely attract a large crowd to your stall. This is why bake sales are common.
4. Scratch Cards & Raffles
The idea of getting a prize is tempting, which is why people are willing to buy scratch cards, raffle tickets or coupons in order to test their luck. Granted, this item is not easy to sell like the previous items, but they’re cheap to get.
Summary
What are Some Ways to Raise Money for a Fundraiser?
Although our list is by no means an extensive list of all the ideas you can come up with for a fundraiser, they’re good starters for simple fundraisers. We recommend you to try some of them, and you’ll get new and innovative ideas along the way.
What is a Fundraising Activity?
It’s an event or campaign whose primary purpose is to raise money for a cause. They also work as a means to increase visibility and support for an organization.
In Conclusion
So, what can I sell to fundraise a cause? Shirts, raffles, food and so on are some of the fun things to sell, and some of the best fundraising ideas for schools, nonprofits and more. If you are looking for ways to sell apparel for your cause, our team here at Huddleup Stores can help you setup your own online store.
Schools need to raise funds for various reasons. Whether you’re fundraising for a school trip or planning to renovate an old pitch, it’s important to have the right fundraising ideas and know how to make the fundraiser a success. Here are a few school fundraising tips to keep in mind when planning your next school fundraiser.
School Fundraising Tips
When it comes to organizing a fundraiser, it’s important to plan as early as possible. You’ll want a solid team with you, as well as have good communication between your team and your donors. Here are some tips to get you started:
Think Ahead and Start Early
Starting your fundraiser early increases the chances that you’ll raise more money. Start planning your fundraiser a few months before and lay the groundwork for a successive campaign. For instance, you can start planning for your spring fundraiser after the new year so everything is set in motion and ready to go when springtime comes. You’ll also want to think of what you want to sell, whether in person or on your team store.
Build a Solid Team
Create a team of like-minded individuals who bring different skills to the table. At the very least, you need to have a people person, someone good at counting and keeping track of the funds, and a task master who is good at logistics.
Set Clear Goals
Your fundraiser should state clearly the reasons for raising money and the amount you need. Clear goals will motivate potential donors and keep things on track. It also helps to heavily promote your goal (art supplies, new sports uniforms and bands can work wonders).
Pace Yourself
Avoid the temptation of trying to do everything at once. Come up with a reasonable task list for volunteers and a realistic timeline for the fundraiser. Stick to your timeline but don’t forget to leave some room for a few changes here and there. Things may not always work according to plan.
Ensure Clear Communication
Clear, concise communication keep things going according to plan and helps to avoid surprises. Remind students periodically and give parents advance notice so they’re ready for the fundraiser. If you’ll be hosting other potential donors, send out invitations in advance and reminders if necessary.
Relate the Fundraiser to Your Values
Share your mission with the community and relate the fundraiser to your values. People love to relate what you stand for with why you’re raising funds. As such, demonstrate how the fundraiser can make a difference and move you closer toward your goals and objectives as a school.
Expand Your Reach
you can raise the potential of your fundraiser by reaching out to people beyond your own school community. Most people will be happy to chip in and offer their support for your school. You can share your team store’s link to share the fundraiser with those who aren’t local. This will help you when looking for as much support as you can get.
Thank Your Supporters
Don’t forget to show your gratitude for any support given. You can show your appreciation with a luncheon after the fundraiser or with cards from the kids. Community announcements or thank you notes can also go a long way in letting volunteers and supporters know that you appreciate them.
Bottom Line
Raising funds for your school can be easy with the right school fundraising tips. Having a team store will help your fundraiser by receiving funds from supporters who aren’t local.
Raising funds can sometimes be a bit of a hassle, especially if you’re on a tight budget. While it’s always great to throw a large fundraiser, there are plenty of other ways you can raise more money. Adding your own touches and making the fundraiser fun can go a long way in helping you to reach or even exceed your fundraising goals. No matter your project, you should be able to find some fun and profitable fundraising ideas. Here are a few fun things to sell for fundraisers.
Fun Things to Sell for Fundraisers
A few fun things to sell for fundraisers include t-shirts, a design challenge, coupon books, bake sale, a popsicle stand, or an international food festival.
T-Shirt Fundraiser
Designing and selling T-shirts is a great and fun way to raise money for both individuals as well as organizations. Design themed t-shirts to represent your project or cause. Once you launch your campaign, spread the word via social media, email and word of mouth. One of the best ways to run a t-shirt fundraiser is to find a fundraising platform that will allow you to sell apparel and ship them for you.
Design Challenge
A design challenge offers a great opportunity to introduce custom merchandise into your fundraising project. A design challenge is also a great way to boost interest and get potential donors more excited to purchase your items. Ask your supporters to submit design ideas for a logo or t-shirt, for example, and then either let everyone vote on their favorites or choose a winner. Design challenges are great for sports teams, schools, nonprofits and church groups.
Coupon Books
Coupon books are a fantastic fundraising idea especially for community-based groups such as churches, neighborhood associations and churches. Approach local businesses to arrange special promotions and deals that will only be available via your coupon books. Businesses will appreciate the promotion and donors will enjoy the deals.
Bake Sales
Fundraising bake sales have been there for a while but they’re still definitely fun. The trick here is to make your bake sale stand out with a theme that reflects your fundraising focus, whether that be for a school club, sports team, or another organization. For instance, consider baked goods made from locally sourced ingredients to promote local farmers. Alternatively, you can put a twist on the classic bake sale by hosting yours online.
Popsicle Stand
This is a summer fave. You can freeze just about anything on a popsicle mold. Come up with creative flavors and you’ll be sure to attract more donors.
International Food Festival
If you aren’t sure how to get your supporters excited about your potluck-style fundraising event, consider organizing an international food festival. You can invite participant volunteers to bring home-cooked dishes or invite local restaurants to participate. Global food culture has been gaining popularity over the years and it’s an exciting way to get people excited about your cause.
Bottom Line
Regardless of the items you choose to sell for your fundraiser, be sure to let potential donors know why and how much you’re planning to raise. Plan the fundraiser early enough and make sure you market and promote the event as much as possible. With these fun things to sell for fundraiser, you can be sure to have your donors excited enough to purchase your items and contribute to your cause.
Whether you’re in the chess or drama club, there are tons of ways to raise money for your school club. Maybe your club needs to hold an event or requires funds for an upcoming school trip, you can always reach your goal if you plan how to get funding. Here are a few tips on how to raise money for a school club.
How to Raise Money for a School Club
There are a few different ways you can raise money for a school club. You can choose to either host a fundraising event, or do a more continuous route. Below are some of the many ways you can raise money.
Bike-a-Thon
Cycle events are a great way to raise funds. Simply have your participants ride in teams to a common goal. Teachers can ride with their classes, or parents can compete with the school management. The best part is that many of your supporters already have their own bikes.
Chess-a-Thon
This can be a lot of fun, offering a great way to introduce students to the classic game of chess. Set up chess boards in a hall or library, for example, and have people compete in a tournament of skill and strategy.
Team Store
What better way to show your support for a school club than to have a team store? This is a great way to raise money, as your supporters can purchase merchandise from the team store, and a portion of the sales contribute to the club. This also allows family members who aren’t local to contribute towards your fundraiser.
Color Run
There are countless pictures of color runs online, so why not take the opportunity to host a color run at your school. Students and adults alike will enjoy racing while wearing white t-shirts and getting sprayed with colored powder at intervals. You can charge people to participate.
Bake Sales
Bake sales are a popular way to raise funds for a reason. They’re fun, easy and cost-effective, not to mention, who would resist sweet treats for a worthy cause? Bake sales are also flexible so you can tweak it in several ways to make it more interesting. Consider an interactive bake sale where students are allowed to make their own masterpieces or holiday-themed or seasonal.
Spelling Bee
Spelling bees offer numerous ways to raise funds. You can ask students to get sponsors for them to participate or sell tickets for people to attend the finals. It’s great for students of all ages. And you can scale the difficulty of the words by the participant’s ages.
Pajama Day
A pajama day fundraiser allows students as well as parents to donate to a good cause for the excuse to show up to school in their pajamas. It’s a creative way to raise money, keep things easy and works well for the colder months when everyone just wants to be cozy and warm.
Bottom Line
There are plenty of ideas on how to raise money for a school club. Fundraising does not have to be boring, make things fun and creative and you’ll reach your targets in no time. Once you reach your goals, be sure to thank your donors. When it comes to raising money for your club, our team here at Huddleup Storesis prepared to help you raise money with your own team store.
Without a doubt, managing a team can be quite expensive regardless of the type of sport. Unfortunately, the club membership and registration fees are not sufficient to cover all the needs that a youth sports team may have. While your team members can regularly contribute to pay for some of the costs like buying new equipment or jerseys, you’ll ultimately need much more money to participate in various tournaments and to cover for travel expenses. One of the most effective ways of raising enough funds for youth sports teams is to organize a fundraiser. Below are a few fundraising ideas for youth sports teams that you can utilize to raise some money.
Fundraising Ideas for Youth Sports Teams
A few fundraising ideas for youth sports teams include hosting a car wash, producing and selling branded sports merchandise, offer lessons, and sharing your facility.
1. Car Wash
One good way of raising funds for youth teams is to organize a car wash. You can organize the car wash in your neighborhood where your team members and even fans will offer to clean the cars for their community members and neighbors. To do this, you’ll need a few supplies such as sponges, rags, soap, towels, and buckets which are easily available. Use social media and flyers to promote the event and ensure you choose a day when the weather is good. This method will not only help your team raise funds, but it will also establish a good relationship with the members of your community.
2. Produce and Sell Branded Sport Merchandise
Selling branded sports merchandise is another great way of raising funds for your team. Fans usually like wearing jerseys that feature their favorite teams color and logo and will shell out money to purchase them. You can take advantage of this by producing jerseys, water bottles, phone cases, hats, and t-shirts that sport your team’s logo. Thankfully, producing these sorts of merchandise is relatively inexpensive, and when you do, you can begin selling them for a profit at events, as well as in online stores if your team has a website. By doing this, you’ll raise enough money for your team while also strengthening the bond you have with your fan base.
3. Offer Lessons
Another effective idea to raise funds for youth sports teams is to teach others the skills you have for a small fee. Believe it or not, there are always people including your fans who are willing to learn what you do. When you’ve decided to use this method, advertise your offer in advance on your team’s website, magazines, notice boards or in the local newspaper. Your target parties could be individuals, schools, kindergarten classes, or corporations who are looking for team building activities. Just think about anything that your team can teach. For instance, if you play water polo, you cangive swimming lessons. If you play football, you can offer fitness classes, and so on.
4. Share Your Facilities
If you own training ground, odds are you don’t use it all the time. If so, why don’t you rent it out to others for a profit and raise some money? Just create a schedule of the days you don’t use the ground and find other teams which might need to use it. This does not apply to a training ground only, but you can rent other things you don’t use all the time.
In Conclusion
Looking for some fundraising ideas for youth sports teams? The pros at Huddleup Storesmention that there are many other ways of raising funds for youth sports teams such as fundraising events, crowdfunding, etc. Just use the ones that will work best for your team.
Nothing compares to the feeling of tearing open your long-awaited box of uniforms, finding your number amongst your teammates’ (“I can’t believe that freshman actually got number 69…”) and finally pulling your fresh jersey over your head for the first time.
This tradition, shared by ultimate teams around the country each year, is an integral part of team identity and program culture. Unfortunately, looking fly doesn’t always come cheap.
However, it is possible to get your team outfitted at an affordable price, and there are a couple of tips you can use to save that scrilla, no matter who you use to produce your ultimate uniform.
It’s quite easy to do once you know how. Let’s get to it!
Avoid Sublimation
Savings: depends on outfitter, but substantial
There is no denying the gleeful absurdity of a sublimated jersey, but screen printing will almost always be a cheaper option.
Screen printing forces you to sacrifice unlimited colors and full-garment designs for a lower price, but nine times out of ten you’ll end up with a cleaner, more composed look for your team.
Plus, you’ll be walking in the footsteps of many great programs, like Revolver, Riot, and Ironside, who all favor the clean lines, sharp contrast, and cheaper prices of screen printed kits.
Make Your Screens Count
Savings: ~ $3 per person for every color you don’t use
In the simplest terms, a screen is one color in one location. All companies charge by the screen, and price will vary depending on who you use (at Five, we charge $3 per screen).
To save money, simply limit the number of printing locations and the number of colors in your logo. Easy right?!
Pro tip: watch out for hidden fees! Some screen printers will quote you the price per screen, but leave out some of the fees associated with customization.
You probably won’t need to worry about shyster tactics like this if you use an ultimate apparel outfitter. But if you’re planning to use a local screen printer to customize your gear, make sure you ask up front if you’ll be charged for set-ups, screen changes, or color changes.
We never charge hidden fees at Five, but we do require a minimum order quantity of 15 items for new orders and 10 items for reprints. If you want to learn more about the screen printing process, check out our post from a few weeks ago: What every college captain should know about screen printing.
Choose Free Art
Creating a logo for your jersey is no easy task. It requires time, an artistic eye, and some fancy software.
The industry standard price for graphic design is $40 / hour. If you think that sounds like a ridiculous amount of money to charge a college kid who just wants her jersey to depict a rainbow piercing through a majestic flying unicorn, then we’re on the same page.
So how do you get amazing designs on your swag at an affordable price? Well, you’ve got two options:
Use an art major
Got an art major on your team? Good. Do they know the ins and outs of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator though? Uh-oh, better go recruit from the graphic design department!
Email Five Ultimate!
Yes, this is a shameless plug, but it’s hard not to plug yourself (…) when you’re truly proud of what you offer. We will give you unlimited free art assistance every time you order, because we know that looking fly is imperative.
That means you can come to us with a vaguely formulated idea for a jersey design. Say, for example, something that combines your team’s love of Pokemon, Lord of the Rings, O Brother Where Art Thou, and flannel shirts.
We’ll absorb and internalize all of that ridiculousness, and hit you back with this for free. That design represents four hours of Karl’s life that any other company would charge you $160 for! We’re just thankful that Karl works for us.
Opt For A 2 In 1 Reversible
Like shampoo and condition, buying 2 in 1 light and dark jerseys will also save you money and time. Money, because you’re only having to buy one base item and time because you won’t have to search for your other jersey when your team loses the flip!
USAU’s 2017 Uniform Requirements state that, “Teams must have two jerseys of distinctly different color, one predominantly white and one predominantly dark” (USAU Uniform Requirements). This rule might make you scratch your head and ask, “Does that mean my team can’t wear Reversibles?” Luckily, we’ve checked with USAU and it is perfectly fine for teams to wear Reversibles at Sectionals, Regionals, and even at Nationals.
Think Reversibles don’t allow for creativity? We can’t speak for other companies, but our Reversible Tanks come in 5 different color options! (Dharanidharan Ramamurthy made us aware that if we added pink, all of the Power Rangers would be represented – thanks!)
Keep in mind that the only option for printing on reversibles is screen printing. On the bright side, that will keep you away from the temptation of sublimation. However, fear not, you can still do quite a bit with a couple screens! Check out these Air Traffic Control Reversibles that we did back in 2015.
All right, let’s be frank: unless you play for Oregon Fugue or Pitt, you probably won’t get your gear completely free. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t sponsorship savings to be had for teams like yours. Most ultimate companies offer sponsorships to college teams at specific times of year, and they advertise these opportunities on their social media and their homepages.
For most outfitters, college sponsorship season begins in August and lasts till September or October. You can stay up to date on all of the offers if you follow your favorite outfitters on Facebook and Twitter, or check in on their homepages frequently. Our window for college sponsorship applications is in the fall.
It is far more important to get your application in on time, and focus on communicating your team’s unique personality, values, Spirit, and traditions. Don’t be the team that comes calling in the middle of January with a one-line email asking for a sponsorship.
Once you’ve submitted your application, just sit tight and daydream about designing this year’s logo while you wait for a response. The outfitter will get back to you shortly with an offer that you can accept, decline, or negotiate.
Who knows? You may just end up with a sweet discount to take back to your team!
Start Your Order Early So You Don’t Have To Pay For Rush Shipping
Know your chosen outfitter’s specific production timelines! If you can’t find the info on their website, ask them to estimate how long it’ll take to print your gear. (Learn about Five’s production timelines here!)
Five will produce and ship your gear 3-4 weeks after you finalize and pay for the order.
If you need your gear quick, you can save time with rush shipping, but it costs a pretty penny. Assuming standard FedEx shipping from Seattle, you’re looking adding 1-5 days to your timeline depending on your distance from Seattle. All that considered, get started way ahead of time!
Takeaway: start your order as early as possible, because waiting till the last minute can be costly.
Ask About Cheaper Fabrics
Some ultimate apparel companies offer a lower quality fabric or cut for teams who really want to save money. If you are interested in hearing about these options, email your preferred outfitter and ask about they have available.
At Five, we only make and sell gear that we want to play in ourselves. That’s a high bar, and we have yet to find a jersey fabric that is both high performance and cheaper than Electro.
Huddle Up Stores 