Sporting clubs are the pillar of any community.
From soccer to tennis, athletics and lawn bowls, sporting clubs provide members with an opportunity to improve fitness, play a role in society and represent the community on varying scales.
As sporting clubs are often funded by donors, raising vital funds to keep organisations operational and improve the club’s performance can be a source of worry.
Implement a structured volunteer program
Volunteers are the lifeblood of any sporting club. From providing unpaid support at events to serving attendees at community events, a structured volunteer program is a must. Volunteer support can be just as (if not more) valuable as financial support. Consider a mailout or mass email to donors and potential donors to encourage support for volunteering to help the club raise more funds while reducing overheads.
Community open day
To showcase the importance of the sporting club for the community, consider regular community events such as an open day or fayre and make sure the whole town knows they’re welcome! Arrange friendly competitions or entice donations by selling raffle tickets and use the data as an excellent opportunity to prospect new donors.
Once someone has attended an open day, you’ve taken the first step to building the all-important donor-charity relationship. Collect personal information and add it to the database to begin the ‘warm’ communication with potential donors.
Sell event tickets online
Implementing an online ticketing strategy will help the sporting club reach more people, faster. The online payment options mean that the recipient of an email can purchase tickets and share event information with their network at the click of a button. Online ticket sales also mean you can follow up to make sure that recipients who haven’t yet bought tickets are gently reminded to do so.
Online auction and raffle
If you’re unable to hold physical events, an online auction or raffle is a highly effective way to raise awareness and funds for the sporting club without anyone needing to leave their home. Approach local businesses and ask if they’d like to donate prizes that can be used to appeal to potential supporters. When you use an integrated platform such as SupporterHub, you have access to live data and budget tracking to allow you to create awareness and generate excitement for those watching at home. Online auctions and raffles keep costs low but can contribute to some excellent financial outcomes for the club.
Look for sponsorship opportunities from local businesses
A two-way sponsorship opportunity can create sustainability for a sporting club while helping local businesses raise their profile. Create a sponsorship package that can help build a businesses profile (such as using business logos on kits and signage) and create a strong case of how this essential support will improve the presence of the club to provide advantages for the local community.
Remember to keep a record of all communication in the database to easily refer to it in future and analyse who you’ve already asked for support and their response.
Apply for grant funding
Community grants programs can often favour a sporting club that makes a positive impact on the community. Research available funding opportunities and highlight your case for financial support in a way that demonstrates the positive impact on the community for the organisation. When applying for grant funding, always contact the funder directly before applying to make sure your project meets the specific objectives of the grant.
Data, data, data!
When fundraising for a sporting club, always refer to your data.
Keeping excellent records will allow you to see who supports your cause, who doesn’t, and why. Gathering new data through open days, auctions and events will help you build a database to appeal for valuable support for years to come.
If you manage a sporting club and you’re looking for more fundraising tips, SupporterHub can help. Find out how the integrated platform can help build better relationships with donors and improve fundraising outcomes.To find out about our FREE trial (no credit card required) and learn how SupporterHub can help take your charity to the next level book a demo
