Late June and early July every year, our youth football team’s coaches meet to discuss the upcoming pee wee football season.  We discuss last season’s wins and losses, returning players, play books, football clinics and the dreaded fundraising budget issues?  Argh!

Just as important as all the other things in youth little league football, a team’s fundraising capabilities can increase their chance of success on the playing field almost as important as their youth football play book.  Having the right equipment is a huge benefit to any youth football team.  Like my dad always said, “if you look good, you play good.”  But, it’s not just about having the right uniforms but also practice equipment, like blocking dummies, practice vests, footballs, blocking sleds, first aid equipment, water jugs, ice and don’t forget the helmet awards.  Our young football players love them!

Coaches also need coaches shirts, hats, whistles and clinics and educational materials should also be budgeted into fundraising.  Let’s not forget the end of the year banquet and any extra football tournaments.  Once you look at all these necessities, you can have a team fundraising budget anywhere between $1,500 and $15,000 depending on your tastes and needs. Well I should say wants.  The $15k budget would be for a top Select youth football team.  No, that’s not a lot, go talk to your Select baseball and soccer parents.  If you’re a recreational football team, you might get away with a zero budget, but even then the coaches will probably spend $500 out of their own pockets to fund the team.

For the last few years, my youth football team’s fundraising budget has been around $7,500. We have scrambled every year to make the budget and been lucky to meet our budget requirements.  Here are a few fundraising ideas for your youth football team:

1. Sell a product like Candy or Cookies door to door
2. When selling door to door ask for donation if they do not buy product
3. Car Wash and pre-sale tickets in case it rains or they just don’t show up
4. Team Dinner Night Percentage of Restaurant tickets
5. Applebees has a Team breakfast program
6. Casino Bus Trip – Percentage of each Passenger
7. Texas Hold’em Party
8. Ask Parent employeer Corp HR Departments – Community Service Programs / Donations / Sponsorships
9. Team Garage Sale
10. Sweepstakes for a donated item (Sports Autograph)
11. Sell Breakfast Burritos, Gatorades, Donuts at games
12. Pass Score Cup after each TD, parents put in $Dollar/TD
13. Sell Team game wear with a mark-up
14. Set up a PayPal donation account
15. Set up an Affiliate account on website, get % of sales from purchases
16. partner with local sporting goods store and get % of purchases from team

Our largest fundraisers were the Casino trips and Texas Hold’em parties.  We were also able to get at least 3 sponsors that would donate $2k in cash.  We would usually make $350 to $500 from a car wash and $300 from the Team Dinners / Breakfasts.

Don’t worry if you can’t raise thousands of dollars.  The kids won’t mind, but I know from experience, that if you plan and develop your fundraising budget, you can raise the money for your youth football team.  Plan and prepare just like it was your Super Bowl.  You will be glad you did.

Good Luck with your fundraisers!