How to choose

Ask three questions: how many volunteers do you have, how much upfront money can the team risk, and how long until you need the funds? Ideas that need no upfront cost and little volunteer time suit busy teams. Ideas built around an event suit teams with lots of helpers.

Ideas to consider

• Custom team apparel store. Families and fans buy team-branded gear online, each item is printed to order and shipped to them, and the team keeps a share. No inventory or upfront order, and it keeps earning while you are busy coaching. Good for a whole season.
• Car wash or yard-work day. Needs volunteers and a location, but little money. Good for a single weekend.
• Restaurant night. A local restaurant donates a share of sales on an agreed evening. Needs the restaurant's agreement and a flyer for families.
• Skills clinic. Older players coach younger kids for a fee. Needs a gym or field and a parent to organise.
• Tournament or game-day concessions. Needs volunteers and food-handling permission from the venue.
• Sponsor board. Local businesses pay to be listed on a banner or a page. Needs someone comfortable asking for sponsorships.

Why apparel works well for many teams

Supporters get something they will use, players get to wear the team's identity, and one shared link replaces cash collection. Because gear is printed after it is ordered, the team does not guess sizes or store boxes. Read how to run a custom team apparel fundraiser.

Whatever you pick

1. Set one clear goal and say what the money is for.
2. Choose an end date and tell everyone early.
3. Give every player an easy way to share.
4. Thank supporters publicly when it wraps up.

More help: how to raise money for a youth sports team.

Compare in detail

See how an apparel store stacks up against candy and cookie-dough sales, crowdfunding, car washes and events and sponsorships, or read the Playbook post Benching the Bake Sale.