Fundraising

Fundraising for a team trip may seem like a daunting task but we are here to help you every step of the way, providing you with all of the materials and information to make it as easy as possible. So many of our low income teams have been able to successfully raise the money year after year to travel using our methods.

1. Getting Started

This is our comprehensive guide to be followed in order to start the fundraising process. If you follow these guidelines, we have no doubt you will be able to get your team on the road.

Deciding to Fundraise

Although this may seem simple, the first step in fundraising is making the decision to embark upon the travel experience. The clear goal is to raise money to allow your players and coaches to participate in a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel across the country to compete in a national sporting event. While few will argue that this is a worthy cause, it is important to have the support of everyone involved to make the trip a reality. This guide will help you have a better understanding of where to start the process in your community.

Get Permission

While many of these first steps will be taking place at the same time, it is important to confirm your eligibility to travel. This will include gaining official permission from your athletic director, principal, school district, local athletic league and/or other organizing bodies as appropriate in your area. All KSA games and tournaments are sanctioned at the state and national level, so the permissions you will be seeking involves student travel, missing school and scheduling.

Get Support

All you have to mention is "Taking Your Team On The Road" to your players to gain their support, however parents and booster clubs will probably require a few more details. Have meetings with key parents to discuss the trip and answer their questions before going public. The parents will do the majority of the organization to make everything happen, so keep them informed.

Get Organized

These key parents will help organize your fundraising efforts. Because many organizational details are hard to agree upon within a large group, the smaller group should serve as leadership for the effort. How leadership is chosen is unique to each school. Some coaches turn over this information page to their boosters and some take care of fundraising themselves.

2. Organization and Structure

Whether you have a formal booster club or just a group of parents ready to help with the tasks of fundraising, it is best to assign positions for team members. We recommend this hierarchy.

President

Oversees entire operation, sets meetings and works directly with the coaches and KSA representatives.

Treasurer

Manages finances. This includes the accounting of individual personal accounts, payments, deposits and monthly statements for players

Fundraising Chairperson

Coordinates all fundraisers and payment schedules

Grade Captains

Communicates with players and parents on account balances, motivates fundraising and parent tag-a-longs.

* Every assistant coach will be assigned a group of players (8-12) to monitor, along with the parents. This coach will be responsible and accountable for their group throughout the trip.

3. Leader Meeting

Orchestrate a meeting for the leadership team to define fundraising plans and goals.

Things To Be Determined:

Kick Off Meeting Date
Deposit Amount Requested
Communication method for statements, balances, etc.
Decide on fundraisers and the coordination and timing of each (Pick 4 Fundraisers)
Match fundraisers with payment dates

4. Top Fundraising Ideas (Pick 4)

Schools and communities differ throughout the country. Feel free to choose the best fundraisers suited to your schools needs. This is a list of the most popular and successful ideas used by the schools that we work with.

Team Marketing System
A direct mail fundraising application

Program Advertising Sales
Let the families sell additional ads for your game day programs and use a percentage of those ads

Golf Tournament
Organize a golf tournament in the spring or the summer

Hall of Fame Dinner
Bring back alumni for dinner, exclusively for your sport. Induct past players and make it an annual event to raise money for your program.

Casino Night / Texas Hold 'Em Tournament

Coaches Mixer
Wine tasting fundraiser with a silent auction or raffle

Local Coupon Books

Car Wash Voucher Sales
Use a local car wash to do the washing

Local Restaurants
Donation of a percentage of their profits on a given day

Rent-A-Player Community Service
Players doing work for families in the community, donations for their efforts go towards their trip

Corporate Sponsorships

Solicit Alumni to sponsor a player meeting certain criteria

Inventory Service
Have your team do inventory for a store

Personal Donations

ESPN The Magazine Sales
Keep $30 dollars or 75% of every subscription you sell

Pizza Or Spaghetti Dinner
Get your food donated completely or at a good price and charge admittance

Wholesale Foods
Use your tax exempt school district to purchase items such as hams or turkeys for the holidays, or baked goods at any time.

5. Sample Fundraising Outline

1. Two Way Sponsor Letter

Players will address 20 sponsor letters to family and friends and turn them into the office no later than [Month, Day, Year]. These letters must be legible, accurate and folded properly. These letters will be mailed from the school at no cost to the buyer. 100% of the donations received will go directly to that individual players travel account.

* A good portion (if not all) of your trip can be raised with these letters. This project should be first and foremost, as it requires the most time.

2. Program Ad Sales

Players selling advertising for our Game Day Programs will be given 75% of the money from that sale, and will go directly into that players account. We recommend approaching local businesses, or businesses owned by friends and family.

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Sample Ad Sizes, Cost and Profit

1/8 Page (Business Card) - $75 Price - $60 Profit
1/4 Page - $150 Price - $115 Profit
1/2 Page - $200 Price - $150 Profit
Full Page - $300 Price - $225 Profit
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Each player will be given 5 ad letters or forms to be used for these sales. This is another project that should begin right away. Businesses will be required to turn in their ad copy by [date]. Money will be due with forms as to keep the payment schedule on time for fundraising.

3. Time Shares

You do not have to buy a time share. However, any qualified couple that attends a 90 minute time share presentation through Avalon Marketing will receive $100 - $150 in the name of the represented player to be added to their personal trip account.

4. Personal Donations

If an individual (family member, friend, etc.) writes a check to [School Name | Sports or Performance Program] as a donation, that money will be directly deposited into your donor recipients account. Please include the name of the recipient in your letter accompanied with the check.

* The donation is tax deductable and if for any reason, the donor reciepient is unable to make the trip, money will be refunded to the donor.

5. Trip Cost.

The cost per person includes air, transfers, hotels, most meals, admissions to parks and theaters, insurance, game registration and other items.

Samples of How I Can Get This Accomplished

Using any combination of our fundraisers should easily pay for the trip.

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Sample A

Sponsor letters average $20 per letter x 15 letters = $300
Sell 2x business card ads, 1x 1/4 page and 1x 1/2 page age = $425
Have 2 couples visit a time share presentation = $200 - $300
Have one hole sponsor 2 golfers = $240

Total = $1165 - $1265
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Sample B

Sponsor letters average $25 per letter x 16 letters = $400
Sell 2x full page ads and 1x 1/4 page ad = $540
Have 3 couples go to time share presentation = $300 - $450

Total = $1240 - $1390

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6. Kick Off Meeting Agenda (Pick 4)

Goals Of Travel
Trip Inclusions
Trip Itinerary
Player Costs
Fund Raising Opportunities
Tag-A-Long Fans
Introduce Chairpersons for the Trip
Timelines and Deadlines
District Policies For Travel Forms
Q&A
Volunteer Sign Ups
Tag-A-Long Sign Ups
Collect Initial Deposits

7. Frequently Asked Questions

This section covers common questions to be considered prior to the presentation. The principal, other administrators and parents will most likely raise some of these issues during the approval process. The answers below are generally accepted, but as stated earlier, your school may need to make different decisions based on the needs of your community.

Parents will want to know what to expect for their child if they do not make the Varsity team. This question is great motivation for taking your JV team. That way, even if a player who has fundraised does not make the Varsity team, they will still participate with the JV team. It also allows interaction between both teams, promoting a strong program. On the other hand, some coaches require all students considering trying out for Varsity to fundraise as if they were going. If by some chance that player does not make the team, their fundraised money will stay in the Booster Account (See next question for dettails) but they will not be used for someone else's trip.

This one is easy. From a legal standpoint, most state's tax laws tell you that any money that is raised for a school-related event cannot be given back to the student should they decide not to travel. If any parents had given money for the cost of their student's travel due to lack of fundraising, that money may be refunded. Also, keep in mind that penalties often apply for last minute cancellations.

This is up to your booster organization. Many schools say that the student can go if they are able to pay for the trip and if not, they obviously make the team but are not on the traveling squad for the trip. On the other hand, some booster clubs keep a reserve of over fundraised money on hand to assist in a case like this. Also, be aware that often if someone moves in, there may have been someone that has recently moved out. In this case, the travel package may be transferred for a small name change fee.

This will happen. You can handle it in one of two ways. First, all money raised over the amount of the individual student's trip goes into the booster account for future use or to assist anyone who falls short in their fundraising. Or second, you are allowed to give a stipend ($10 to $50/day) out of fundraised money for traveling expenses. If someone fundraises over the amount of the trip cost and stipend, that money must stay in the booster account for future use to assist others to travel. Specifically, the player that has over fundraised may wish to grant his or her money to one of their friends that has not yet finished. Some coaches require the entire team to over fundraise for the purpose of handing out a stipend while on the trip.

This can be handled a few different ways. However, it is important to make the distinction between a player that doesn't try and falls short and a player that works as hard as he can and falls short. In many cases, a player that doesn't try will be left at home (and sometimes off the team) due to lack of effort. However, parents can make up any amount still owed after all of the fundraisers have been completed.

From the outset, some schools require a portion of the amount to be personal money to insure a high level of commitment.

If a student tries hard and still falls short in fundraising, it is important not to leave them behind. The extra money needed for their trip may come from over fundraised money, corporate donations or a variety of other locations.

Generally the trips are assigned to the coaching staff since they have the chaperoning responsibility. However, it is a good idea to have this conversation before anything beginds. While it may not be appropriate to have this conversation in front of everyone, it is a good idea to estimate how many complimentary trips you will receive from the school, how many you will receive through parents traveling and assign them prior to fundraising (calculate one free trip for every twenty traveling).

Typically any package put together by KSA Events will include everything you need except a few lunches. However, there are a few things on your end that you may want to consider. Often, if a team chooses any of these things, they will simply raise the total amount needed to be fundraised by the appropriate amount. Things you may want to consider include the following:

Team Shirts, Warm-Ups or Travel Bags
Bus transportation for the team to and from the airport from the school (This might not be necessary for all schools)
Extra cash to hand out as a travel stipend
A small amount to cover students that try hard but fall short in their fundraising
Extra money to pay for your last room that may not be filled to quad occupancy
A small amount to cover something that you cannot foresee at this time

Make sure you are aware exactly what is included in your travel package, as this will be an important question from the parents and administrators alike. The travel package that was proposed by KSA Events is based upon many years of working with high school team travel. If you have any questions about the itinerary or inclusions, please aska and we will be glad to explain the reasoning behind it. If you would like to make changes, just let us know.

Different from the questions of who will be on the Varsity or JV team, it is important to know everyone who you will want to travel with the team. These people include: players, coaches, managers, trainers, team doctor, scorekeeper, ball boys, a person to film your game, administrators, cheerleaders, drill team, band or a member of the community that supports your team. All of these people will travel with the team as school affiliates. Remember that spouses or family members of these people should sign up for the trip as Tag-A-Long fans.