Youth sports fundraising ideas
Whether you're a coach, parent, or passionate supporter, we've got the best fundraising ideas for youth sports teams to help you build up the next generation of athletes. Check out all kinds of activities like selling team apparel or hosting a baseball clinic to get you inspired!
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Basketball bonanza









Night at the museum









TikTok dance-off
Challenge participants to create a dance and post their video to social media. Each person must tag someone and donate once they’ve completed the challenge.
For easy and simple sharing, create a custom fundraising page that’s optimized for mobile!









Peer-to-peer fundraising
Multiply your reach with a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign in which individuals reach out to their own networks of family, friends, and coworkers to solicit donations for your cause.
Create teams to add some fun competition into the mix—and bring in more donations!









Board game night
Host a pay-to-play fundraising event where participants can compete against their friends in games like UNO or Sorry. Sell goodies for competitors to snack on to make this event extra sweet.









One for one pledge
Whether you’re offering branded merch, boxed lunches, or other appealing products, incentivize even more donations for your cause by pledging to give away one “reward” item for each one purchased. (For example, for every pair of cozy socks sold, you’ll donate a pair to a local shelter.)
Showcase this cycle of generosity on your donation forms using custom labels and donation amounts to make it clear you’ll be making an in-kind donation for every monetary donation received.









Donation matching
Build relationships with local businesses and major donors that can offer matching donations to feature during your next campaign.
Matching gifts create an enormous incentive for supporters who understand that they can automatically double (or even triple or quadruple!) their impact for your cause.









Flamingoed
Invite supporters to make a donation to have lawn flamingos placed on their friends’ yards. Volunteers will sneak them onto recipients’ lawns so they awake to a pink surprise!
To make pulling off this silly fundraiser a breeze, create custom fields on your donation form, like the address of the Flamingo recipient.









Naming rights
Offer supporters the chance to name a bench, tree, sculpture, or pathway in recognition of their gift.
Create custom labels on your donation form for different naming tiers (e.g., $100 = named brick in a sidewalk).









Mother’s Day brunch
Charge a small ticket fee for this fundraising event and offer a selection of refreshments, sandwiches, and sweet treats.









Text-to-donate
With text-to-donate, raising funds is as easy as sending a text. Display your shortcode at fundraising events, share it on social media, or add it to signs so your supporters give using their mobile devices right on the spot—no matter where they are.
See for yourself how easy it is! Text “DEMO” to 53-555.









Guest speaker event
Host a webinar or TED-style talk with an interesting topic and a captivating guest speaker sourced from your network.
Raise funds for your livestream by selling tickets and include upgrades like signed copies of books to bring in even more donations.









Best seat in the house
Auction off tickets to the best seats at an upcoming performance, sports game, gala, live concert, or other experience your group is hosting.
Use Givebutter to create unlimited types of event tickets—perfect for customizing your VIP packages.









Used book sale
Reserve a space and ask your community to donate their gently used books for a cause. Set a price for each book and use scan-to-donate or Venmo to easily accept payments on the spot.









Golf tournament
Golf tournaments are an incredible way to build relationships and raise funds for your cause. Charge teams an entry fee, secure sponsorships, and enjoy a day on the green with your community.
Check out our guide to discover how to make your next golf tournament even more profitable.









Online bake sale









Street painting competition
Ask a local business to donate painting supplies, then invite the community to vote for their favorite design by making a donation ($1 = 1 vote) using a scan-to-donate QR code.









Virtual scavenger hunt
For this totally remote fundraising event, charge a registration fee and ask participants to use their computer or mobile device to complete various challenges. Share instructions and updates and announce winners from a livestream hosted right on your event page.









Cupcake wars
Have kids prepare their favorite cupcake recipe to sell at a cupcake-only bake sale. To add some friendly competition, invite attendees to vote on their favorite by making a donation to the tastiest cupcake’s team fundraising page. Use a leaderboard to show real-time votes and award prizes for the winning bakers!









Improv night
Invite community members to try their hand at comedy while earning money—and a few good laughs—for a cause. Sell tickets and raise even more at your event with snacks and drinks.









Karaoke night
Host an unforgettable night for your community to come belt out their favorite songs. Charge a small entry fee or accept donations for participation.
To encourage even more donations during the party, display mobile giving options and your progress toward your goal using live display.









Virtual auction
Use auction software that makes the bidding process smooth and simple for you and your donors.









Pancake breakfast
There’s nothing like pancakes to bring a community together. Charge an entry fee for an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, or ask a local restaurant to sponsor the event to make it even sweeter.









Count the jellybeans
Fill a jar with jellybeans (or another candy) and have guessers write down their number estimation alongside their name.
Use scan-to-donate or other mobile payment options to accept donations for each guess and award a prize to the person whose comes closest!









Reverse raffle
Before you start planning, be sure to check for any state regulations on raffles where you live!









Frequently asked questions
How do youth sports teams raise money?
Teams raise funds through various activities like hosting car washes, bake sales, tournaments, and even live auctions. Additional easy fundraising ideas for youth sports teams include hosting a team apparel sale or running a concession stand.
What are the best youth sports fundraising ideas?
Some of the best youth sports team fundraising ideas get team members as well as their family members and friends involved. This might include organizing fun events like sports-themed trivia nights and mini-golf tournaments—and offering prizes for the winners!
Peer-to-peer fundraising, selling custom merchandise, and seeking sponsorships from local businesses are also effective ways to get your community invested and interested in donating.
How do I ask for youth sports sponsorships?
Asking for sponsorships is a great way to meet your school’s sports fundraising goals. You can do this by reaching out to potential sponsors with a clear sponsorship proposal that outlines key benefits and how their support will directly impact the team. These benefits might include logo placement on team uniforms or banners, recognition at events, and mentions on social media.
And of course, don’t forget to express gratitude for their consideration and support!
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