Navigating Individual Fundraising in Travel Softball: Perspectives on Allocation of Raised Funds

[Dallas Moore]

How do travel softball organizations typically handle individual fundraising? There's some debate within our small organization with three teams about where funds raised by individual players should go. Some parents advocate for funds going exclusively to their child's team, others prefer funds to benefit only their child, while some acknowledge organizational costs. What's the prevailing approach in the travel softball community regarding the allocation of individually raised funds?

 

[Lance Steckler]

if each player fee has been deemed to be say $850, then each person's individual fund raising efforts go against the $850.

Now is the org cost for misc admin, accounting, insurance etc, metered out to say $200 for each player on the 3 teams. IS that included in the $850 example? or in addition to? And are uniforms included? or purchased separately?

 

[4Martini]

I’ve seen where each player has to raise say $100 and anything above that comes off their own fees. I think that’s a good compromise- that helps families that need fundraising options without being too hard on others. And the org gets something to cover costs.

I think it discourages people when they put a ton of time and effort in and it gets peanut butter spread to kids that didn’t raise anything. But at the same time my family is all dead and I don’t want to ask my friends etc to pay for my kid’s very expensive hobby that I can pay for. But it’s good to have kids learn how to do it.

I definitely prefer something the kids can work for (my kid shoveled driveways and bought her own raffle tickets last time).

 

[Chris8]

Also check you state/federal rules as well, if you're a non profit org. IIRC our treasurer/accountant said you could NOT have player funds and they all had to be pooled together due to some legal issues associated with non-profit. Just an FYI

 

[Strike2]

In every activity my kids were ever engaged in, softball or otherwise, their personal fundraising effort directly offset their participation cost. Having individuals pay and THEN requiring them to individually raise more money for the "organization" is BS. Even worse, forcing younger teams to pay/fundraise for the older ones.

 

[Dallas Moore]

What about something like sitting in front of Walmart asking for money, but not all the girls participation. How do you handle that?

 

[FB Fool]

we have been on 2 teams. one was all team fundraisers and everyone raised as much money as possible and all the money went into one big pot. Some families were better at raising money than others, but there was never any hard feelings. the second team everyone was responsible for an amount that included tournament fees, jerseys, org fees, etc for the season. You could fundraiser on your own, get a sponsor, or just write a check. i prefer the second.

oh and yes part of our fees 14u included money that funds the national team.

 

[Lance Steckler]

Also check you state/federal rules as well, if you're a non profit org. IIRC our treasurer/accountant said you could NOT have player funds and they all had to be pooled together due to some legal issues associated with non-profit. Just an FYI

never heard of this with 501C3 orgs here in Ohio.

 

[erniekru]

Every team that DD has been part of (travel and HS) has been the same.. All fundraising funds get used by the team however they see fit. I've never heard of where the money goes or how it's used.

If you can't trust your team, what's the point?

 

[bsbs]

We have never fundraised but there have been options to fundraise to cover your direct cost.

Every team that DD has been part of (travel and HS) has been the same.. All fundraising funds get used by the team however they see fit. I've never heard of where the money goes or how it's used.

If you can't trust your team, what's the point?

I would think the point is, I have no interest in fund raising and you fund raise $5000, we shouldn't both benifit the same no matter where it is going.