Basketball fundraising ideas
Winning on the court takes more than skill—it takes resources. From uniforms to coaching to competition costs, fundraising for basketball teams is essential to keep things running strong all season long.
The good news? Rallying support doesn’t have to be hard. With the right basketball fundraising ideas, you can energize your community, raise money creatively, and keep your team thriving.
Below, explore fan-favorite fundraisers that turn teamwork into impact—and your fundraising goal into a slam dunk.
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Three point contest
Request a minimum donation for event attendees to participate. Each team shoots shoots from behind the three-point. The winning team is the one with the most points when the time goes off.









Cornhole tournament
Gather your community for a friendly cornhole tournament. Set a donation amount to participate, and don’t forget prizes for the winning team.









Sell merch
Branded T-shirts, sweaters, shorts, or water bottles are a great way to raise cash and advertise your organization. Set up an online store and sell merch at community events.









3-v-3 tournament
Whether it’s soccer, volleyball, or basketball, organize a fast-paced 3v3 tournament where teams compete to hit a set score or time limit. Require a minimum donation to enter and sell tickets for spectators to cheer them on.









Calendar fundraiser
Design a calendar featuring fun or themed photos from your community, event participants, or volunteers. Sell it for a set donation amount, or use it as an auction item or giveaway prize.









Singing telegram
Unleash your inner performer with a singing telegram! Cast willing team members to be singers, and and sell performances for a set donation amount.









Skills clinic
Offer a skills clinic for your team members and their friends. Charge a registration fee, and accept donations during the event. Don’t forget to sell concessions and merchandise!









Sponsor my uniform fundraiser
Bring your A-game to a uniform sponsorship drive!
Create a fun, easy sponsorship form so players can rally support from friends and family to help cover uniform costs——because looking sharp on the field starts with a little team spirit (and a lot of love from your biggest fans).









Locker room tour
Offer fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience that brings them closer to the team. The tour can feature team rituals, player gear, strategy boards, and even pre-game routines.









Tailgate party
Invite a local restaurant to contribute or have volunteers create a menu for a tailgate. Sell entry tickets and offer some fun merch or special treats at an additional price to bring in extra dollars.









Shoot-a-thon
In this basketball fundraiser, each contestant pays a small entry fee to see how many baskets they can make in a short amount of time.









Car wash
Gather volunteers, soap, and plenty of rags to wash cars in exchange for donations. Collect onsite donations easily with a scan-to-donate QR code that lets donors to select from a variety of payment methods.
Sprinkle some extra magic into this classic fundraiser by giving it a theme! Encourage your group to dress up in costumes representing ‘80s icons, classic Disney characters, superheroes—you name it.









Social media challenge
Choose a theme and a hashtag, encourage supporters to post their video or picture, and then tag others to challenge them to do the same—and donate!
Learn more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.









Color run
Spray participants with brightly colored powder along the course of your charity fun run. By the end, runners will be rainbow-ed! Set up a photo booth at the finish line for selfies, and encourage donations on social media via a scan-to-donate code.









Coach dare
Challenge your coach to do something wild (like shaving their head!) if your team reaches their fundraising goal. Have supporters watch the fundraiser’s progress—and create some exciting anticipation—with an engaging fundraising page that features a live goal bar.









Jersey auction
Auction off game-worn jerseys from your team or donated professional jerseys either online or in person. Take advantage of free silent auction software for simple and easy bidding, custom item descriptions, and more.









VIP cushioned seats sale
Create and sell custom VIP event ticketsthat offer access to front-row, cushioned seats (and maybe some special team swag) at your next home game for your biggest fans and supporters.









Concession stand
Use an existing stand or create your own and sell items like popcorn, candy, and sunflower seeds. To boost sales, create custom tickets with mouth-watering pictures of available treats!









Sell swag or merch
Raise some extra funds for your organization or club and spread the word about your cause by selling branded swag like totes, stickers, and t-shirts.
With advanced ticketing features, you can offer each item on a mobile-friendly platform and add an image and available amount so supporters can easily purchase and share their sizing info, too!









Team sponsorship
Ask local businesses to sponsor your team in exchange for logo placement on jerseys, in programs, or on stadium banners. Be sure to follow sponsorship proposal best practices to make the most of this partnership!









Chili cook-off
Invite participants to prepare their best chili for attendees—and offer prizes for the winner! Create team fundraising pages for each chili recipe/culinary team. There, supporters can cast their vote with a donation and watch the live leaderboard to see which chef is in the lead!









Shoe drive
Ask your community members to donate gently worn or newly purchased pairs of shoes that you can sell at a pop-up shoe drive.
Make transactions easy with scan-to-donate and multiple payment options, including Venmo.









Basketball tournament
Host a basketball tournament between different schools, teams, or departments. Sell event tickets and offer drinks, snacks, and merch using Tap to Pay.
Step things up by challenging each team to see who can raise the most. Encourage them to create team fundraising pages to track their impact and build momentum toward game day.









Fitness challenge
Participants commit to completing a certain number of workouts and collect pledges for each milestone achieved using personal peer-to-peer fundraising pages.
Watch as donations come in through the leaderboard in real time and friends and family share words of encouragement on the supporter feed.









Frequently asked questions
What is a basketball fundraiser?
A basketball fundraiser is a way for basketball teams to collect donations for resources, coaching, competitions, and more.
A basketball fundraiser might also refer to a basketball-themed fundraising campaign hosted by any organization to help raise money for their cause. For example, a 3v3 tournament for suicide prevention or a basketball shootout for an animal shelter.
What are some good fundraising ideas for youth basketball teams?
Effective fundraising ideas for basketball games are ones that bring your team members together with their local community members to raise money for your team. This could include a shoe drive, social media video challenge, bowl-a-thon, bake sale, or community cook-off.
What are the best fundraising ideas for basketball teams?
The best fundraisers for basketball teams include events like car washes, bowl-a-thons, uniform sponsorships, and sponsored walks.
Selling raffle tickets or merchandise is another great way to raise money for your team. Ideally, you’ll want to focus on family-friendly events to help build community and maximize participation and revenue.
How do you raise money for a basketball game?
Often, the best way to raise funds for a basketball game is to capitalize on friendly competition and team spirit. This might look like hosting a basketball tournament or a cook-off for family and friends.
You could also consider how to monetize what you’re already doing—for example, selling concessions during games, merchandise sales, or charging entry fees to spectate practice games.
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