Best Fundraising Ideas for Youth Sports Organizations

List of the best fundraising ideas for youth sports organizations looking to cut costs for families and daily operations. 

Running a successful youth sports club, league, or organization requires many things: time, dedication, organization, communication, supportive technology, and many more. It also requires proper funding. 

Youth sports organizations need to cover a lot of rising costs like equipment, uniforms, facility rentals, tournament fees, insurance, and season dues. Managing these rising costs through effective fundraising is often a priority for organization leaders. But, with a neverending task list, it can be difficult to give this responsibility adequate time and resources. 

What are the best strategies to maximize your fundraising efforts? In this guide, we’ll explore some of the top fundraising strategies, specifically in youth sports.

Top Fundraising Strategies for Youth Sports Clubs, Leagues, and Organizations 

How to Host Successful Fundraising Events for Youth Sports

Organizing community fundraising events is a fun place to start. There are many great event ideas like bake sales, car washes, pancake breakfasts – which bring the community together while also generating revenue for your teams. 

One idea is to organize a themed fun run. This could include a small entry fee, a partnership with several local sponsors, and maybe even a prize for the fastest runners. Bonus tip; consider using your TeamSnap for Business platform and TeamSnap app to organize the event registration and management of communication and planning pre- and during the experience. 

Using Online Crowdfunding Platforms to Fund Your Youth Sports League

There are also many online platforms designed to fundraise for various causes. In this article, we discussed the top online fundraising platforms including RallyUp, Givebutter, and FlipGive. Online platforms make it simple to connect with a larger audience than your immediate community and easy for monetary collection. 

When using an online fundraising platform, we suggest telling the compelling story of your club or league, prioritizing an important “why” to help shape this story, sharing the link on social media, with family, and friends, and encouraging everyone to spread the word. 

One of TeamSnap’s best online fundraising features is the HundredX Fundraising program. TeamSnap partners with HundredX for a fundraising program. Under the HundredX Fundraising program, sports clubs and teams can raise an average of $2,500 by having members and their parents participate in 60-second surveys over 30 days.

Selling Custom Youth Sports Merchandise to Raise Money

Selling merchandise from your specific club, league, or team is a win-win. Not only does it raise money for your organization, it builds local community spirit. And there’s nothing cooler than a youth athlete seeing their team’s logo out and about the local town. 

There are many options when it comes to creating merchandise – such as t-shirts, uniform tops, hoodies, water bottles, and more. You can work with local business owners or find an online vendor. For example, TeamSnap has partnered with SquadLocker to create a versatile, user-friendly, and shareable shopping experience. With a team shop designed for your entire team, family, and fans. Located directly in the app, this provides a constant and convenient hub for your team’s storefront, always at your fingertips.

Organize a Sports Tournament or Camp

Players will love tournament days, trust us. Plus – this is a fantastic way to raise funds for your organizations. Charge entry fees, secure sponsors, and sell concessions to maximize the fundraising efforts. 

Hosting or running a sports tournament is seamless for TeamSnap for Business users. For example – here’s an in-depth guide on running a basketball tournament. Writing this blog in January… hoops season is on our minds! 

The TeamSnap Tournaments feature provides industry-leading tournament organization and execution. Some of the best capabilities include:

• Customized standings and game rules
• Assign officials and support coach requests
• Built-in scheduling supporting pools & brackets
• Easy event-day communication & website results

Best Sponsorship Tools and Ideas for Youth Sports Teams

While these one-off fundraising events and strategies are a great way to help fundraising efforts, there’s nothing better than a season-long sponsorship partner. That’s why TeamSnap Sponsorship is the No. 1 solution on this list. In 2024, TeamSnap Sponsorship unlocked over $4 million for youth sports organizations.

TeamSnap Sponsorship is the only service that connects you with sponsors who provide direct payments to offset the cost of running your programs. 

Plus, our sponsorship team works for you. We help match you with potential sponsors, manage the fine details of activating your sponsorship, communicate with sponsors to keep them in the loop, and create all promotional materials in partnership with them.

On-Demand Webinar: How To Gain More Sponsors With Less Stress In 2025

This on-demand webinar is your ticket to building a financially secure future for your youth sports organization. Let’s make 2025 the year your organization thrives — more sponsors, less stress, more of the funding you need to succeed, and more time at the practice and gameday fields!