T-Shirt Fundraisers - How to Derive Maximum Profit?

JAD · Jan 2, 2017

gdc03120 said:
We're not going after corporate sponsors. We are NOT a registered not-for-profit - we're too small/not worth it to register (according to my tax person). We're strictly going after local businesses - mom/pop type places. We've also got 2 other fundraisers planned: A car wash and bake sale/BBQ in May, as well as a youth kickball tournament for a Saturday afternoon in June.

My plan is, during my information meeting (before tryouts) is to show what our budget is (stands at about $1100 give or take) and challenge the girls to surpass that total. I do NOT charge my players to play. The only thing they pay for is their uniforms ($41) when they first join, then they pay for anything else they need on their own (cleats, etc.) All of our funds come from sponsorships, donations, fundraising, etc.

I was using the term corporate sponsorship to refer to all businesses. You do not have to be a registered 503c for a business to support your team, but it may give them some additional write offs if you are. Our HS booster club just completed the process.

Not sure what the plans are for your team this season, but high level TB team fees in our area usually run $1000-1500 per family with 12-15 players/team. A parent can figure to spend 4-5X that amount when they factor in private lessons, travel, hotel expenses. Going to a big National tournament at the end of the season can also add another $2000-3000/family. Lower level TB can be significantly cheaper when you eliminate a lot of overnight tournaments that require travel.

gdc03120 · Jan 2, 2017

We advertise that donations/sponsorships can be write-offs as advertising expenses (which is 100% correct). Hence our focus on making sure to advertise the businesses that support us (including by logos on the t-shirts, back to the original question/problem of this thread).

The other nice thing - We're not travel ball. We're just a rec-type summer league that runs typically from the last Monday in June to the end of July/first week of August. Teams are community-based, we play everyone in the league (depending on divisions/numbers) + playoffs. The money raised covers many of the bigger payments, like insurance ($112/year), game balls ($14/home game), umpires ($88/game for 2 blues), etc.

WARRIORMIKE · Jan 3, 2017

Host a lot friendlies and skip the shirt thing. Also whats worked for us is selling Worlds Finest Chocolate. See if they can add your team logo to the wrapper. Generally we would get half of each box profit.

JAD · Jan 3, 2017

WARRIORMIKE said:
Host a lot friendlies and skip the shirt thing. Also whats worked for us is selling Worlds Finest Chocolate. See if they can add your team logo to the wrapper. Generally we would get half of each box profit.

I know some teams in our area that made a lot of money selling Krispy Kream donuts door to door on Saturday mornings. Hint - hit the closet apartment complexes and cluster homes. If the girls are in uniform when they go door to door it is more convincing.

WARRIORMIKE · Jan 3, 2017

JAD said:
I know some teams in our area that made a lot of money selling Krispy Kream donuts door to door on Saturday mornings. Hint - hit the closet apartment complexes and cluster homes. If the girls are in uniform when they go door to door it is more convincing.

NASCAR is another great one.

Greenmonsters · Jan 3, 2017

WARRIORMIKE said:
NASCAR is another great one.

Isn't it kinda dangerous to be selling donuts on the track with those cars all bunched up and flying by at 200 mph??? Maybe just during cautions?

WARRIORMIKE · Jan 3, 2017

Greenmonsters said:
Isn't it kinda dangerous to be selling donuts on the track with those cars all bunched up and flying by at 200 mph??? Maybe just during cautions?

They learn to move quick after a couple of tires to the feet.....

gdc03120 · Jan 3, 2017

Unfortunately, on both accounts, the closest Krispy Kreme to where I live is over 200 miles away (I live in the southern Adirondacks of NY), and the closest NASCAR track is either Watkins Glen or New Hampshire (big NASCAR fan until Gordon retired. Le sad.)

EDIT: I considered KK as my mother brought back 2 dozen after a trip to Philly, then I realized the closest KK to me is either Montreal or Mohegan Sun and I figured that's a far distance for doughnuts, even KK's doughnuts.

Greenmonsters · Jan 3, 2017

gdc03120 said:
Unfortunately, on both accounts, the closest Krispy Kreme to where I live is over 200 miles away (I live in the southern Adirondacks of NY), and the closest NASCAR track is either Watkins Glen or New Hampshire (big NASCAR fan until Gordon retired. Le sad.)

Given your location, I would think you'd be able to come up with something to take advantage of race season in Saratoga

gdc03120 · Jan 3, 2017

That could be a possibility. I've thought about seeing what it would take to get some kind of special package for seating during the season (like box seats/clubhouse seats for a big race day) to raffle at one of our earlier fundraisers.

I think I'm subconsciously staying away from anything where I believe we'll be turned down because we're not a registered 501(c)(3) and nobody can get a write-off on us (such as going to big organizations/retailers like Dick's, etc., or places where we'd be asked for a Tax ID number that we don't have). Call it "grassroots" if you want, that's how it appears and I wouldn't say you were wrong.

T-Shirt Fundraisers - How to Derive Maximum Profit?

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

JAD

gdc03120

WARRIORMIKE

Pro-Staff Everything

JAD

WARRIORMIKE

Pro-Staff Everything

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner

WARRIORMIKE

Pro-Staff Everything

gdc03120

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner

gdc03120

Similar threads

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Share this page

Online statistics

Forum statistics