Do you have connections with a local sports team in your community? Perhaps you play for one or are a volunteer that coaches young kids, for example. If so, you are probably aware that amateur sports clubs and teams are always on the search for money. The professional and college leagues enjoy a lot of financial investment, but it’s not the case for local organizations.
Really, that’s a shame. After all, for many small towns and cities, these sports clubs are a valuable asset to their communities. They give kids and adults alike an outlet for physical exercise and are often an integral part of the local scene.
Without funding however, they will simply cease to exist. So we have put together a few ideas for you if you need to raise money for your community sports club. Let’s take a closer look.
Be vocal
First of all, make sure you are vocal about your club’s need for financial help. A lot of people in your community will be happy to help, but if they don’t know about your problems, they won’t be able to dig deep. A few announcements in the local newspaper and community websites will help.
Make sure you let people know about how valuable you are to the community. A local journalist might fall in love with your story and give you plenty of space to talk about your financial woes.
Contact your state
There is often public funding available for amateur sports teams, but you won’t get it if you don’t seek it out. Contact your local authorities, apply for a grant, and you might get lucky. There are no guarantees of course, but it will highlight your plight. If you can prove you are a valuable asset to your local community, it might just pay off.
Host an event
One-off events can help raise quick cash for your club. And, in the vast majority of cases, they are easy to set up. You could hold a quiz night, for example, at a local community hall. You could charge people for entry, set up a bar, and find some prizes to make it worth their while.
Try looking at an Online Sports Memorabilia Auction to see if you can find any bargains. Or, contact professional clubs to see if they can lend a hand. A signed shirt from a current or retired professional athlete can be a tempting prize for sports enthusiasts.
Find new sponsors
Sponsors are a great way to raise regular funds. You can approach local businesses and ask them to sponsor your team’s shirts, or to advertise on giveaways at your stadium, park, or field. It will help out with many of the costs of running a sports team, from shirts and kits through to paying for venue fees.
And, if you strike the right deal, it can lead to a constant income stream for more than one or two seasons.
We hope one or more of these ideas can help. Feel free to chime in with one or more strategy of your own.