College Football Team Uses Community Service for Fundraiser
by Greg
(Oxford, OH)
I have used this particular fundraiser at three different colleges that I have been involved with. Our football teams at the lower levels of college sports are always strapped for cash to purchase new equipment, pay for travel to and from games, and to purchase fun things for the players like clothes, meals, and things like that.
This fundraiser was chosen because it costs very little to get started and there are zero costs of actually doing the work involved.
We had every member of the football team come up with 10 names and addresses to send a letter that one of our coaches drafted promoting this fundraiser. Each letter basically asks for donations from the friends, family, etc. of the individual player and why we need the money. We explain some of the community service efforts we will be doing around the local community. We also included postage-paid envelopes so people could send us checks, money orders, or cash as easily as possible. If you work with your alumni relations office, business office, or development office at the school, they usually can offer a form for people to provide credit card information and send this in as well.
While the players are sending out the letters and filling out the envelopes, the coaches are usually calling around the local community to set up 3-4 hours worth of community service projects. Retirement communities, churches, and homeless shelters are usually great places to start.
We split the team into around 5 or 6 smaller teams and each team would go to one of the assigned projects with a coach and begin working. Most of the time, the only tools you will need are rakes, shovels, and gloves. If you find one that requires more than that, it's easy to ask around campus to find the right tools to do the job. Be careful when people ask you to use a chainsaw to cut anything!
Within weeks, the money starts rolling in and the players feel pretty good about themselves. At one school we offered the team that raised the most amount of money a steak dinner at a local buffet restaurant. This adds for additional excitement, especially with the big lineman that love to eat!
This fundraiser not only raises a lot of cash, but it also promotes community service to young men. The local community is usually very appreciative and this doesn't hurt ticket sales by any means. You can also contact the local media outlets and let them know that the event will be taking place. Pictures of your players in the paper raking leaves always looks good.
Enjoy the fundraiser!