Youth & Adult Soccer is Expensive: Here’s A Look At Options For Raising Money
There are lots of unique fundraising ideas which can provide a fresh new way to raise money for playing the world’s favorite sport — but when it comes down to it, fundraising is not always a lot of fun.
Fundraising — especially in youth sports — can be time-consuming and not particularly rewarding. While many fundraising efforts are great learning experiences, if you really need the money it is important to plan your fundraising efforts carefully. The most important tip? Start early. Start as soon as you form your team or plan to travel to a soccer tournament.
At SoccerToday, we get lots of emails asking for advice on how to raise funds to cover costs in youth and adult soccer. When teams win state championships, coaches email us asking how to help raise funds to cover the team’s travel expenses to continue in the competition.
When a team wants to compete overseas in the Gothia, Iber or Donosti Cups, we receive emails asking how to finance scholarship players. Now, we are launching a new section on SoccerToday – FUNDRAISING – which will look at various options to help!
Here is our first article in the new series:
Diane Scavuzzo interviewed Steve Croth, Co-Founder and CEO at FlipGive – a man who believes in being a socially responsible entrepreneur who is dedicated to building businesses that do good and make money – and when asked, “What are the worst mistakes people make when fundraising.” Croth had some interesting thoughts on an industry he knows well.
Related Article: FUEL THE GAME WITH FLIPGIVE
Diane Scavuzzo: What are the top mistakes people make when fundraising?
Steve Croth: In general, and speaking to fundraising as a category, there are a few common mistakes people make.
1. People don’t consider “cost per dollar raised”. Many people can spend an enormous amount of time, effort, and energy to raise their money. Nothing is free. People’s time and energy costs money. So people need to consider the true cost (# of people, amount of time, etc.) they spend for the return they get.
This is crucial to understanding your ROI on a fundraiser.
If people actually did this, many would realize they actually lose money on their fundraisers.
2. Not getting everyone on the team onboard and active with fundraisers. Everyone needs to participate and be held accountable for a certain level of contribution. Parents need to ensure there is buy-in from the other parents on the team and that everyone has committed to a minimum level of contribution. And people need to pick when they will be active. Fundraising needs periods where people “actively push” to raise money.
3. Choosing a fundraiser based on payout percentage; without understanding the amount of effort required to hit the goal. If something pays out at 50%, but you have to sell 500 units to reach your $1,000 goal, it’s probably not a wise choice. And people shouldn’t just do what was done before because it’s easier. They should match the fundraiser to their need and timing.
4. Lack of planning. To run a great campaign, people need to have a detailed plan of who does what, when and how they’re going to reach their goal. A well planned and orchestrated campaign will lead to better execution, and more dollars raised.
5. Mis-timing their fundraising. People need to consider how and when to raise money based on how people normally behave/shop, etc. This means you don’t sell chocolates after Halloween. You should raise money in a way that compliments what people are doing anyway. A great example is a Back to School Fundraiser for your soccer team. Raise money when people shop for Back to School clothing and supplies; something they already are planning on purchasing.
Diane Scavuzzo: Why is this better than selling a product like a chocolate bar?
Steve Croth: FlipGive is better than most product fundraisers for several reasons:
Support Choice – FlipGive allows a supporter to choose what they want to buy – we call this supporter choice. With FlipGive, supporters don’t get a product “pushed on them” and feel obligated to buy something they don’t want or need.
Conscious Consumption – FlipGive allows for conscious consumption. This means we aren’t buying things for the sake of raising money. We’re buying things we actually want and need from a broad base of retailers with great products.
Greater Reach – FlipGive expands the supporter base. Because FlipGive is web-based, it allows people to use technology to reach more people. This means you can have friends and relatives in OTHER states support you simply by shopping online for things they want and need.
No Upfront Costs – There are no upfront costs or order quotas.
It’s Easier – All the fundraising is done at your fingertips – using your smartphone or computer. And all the supporting is done this way as well. And we provide all the tools and resources you need to be successful.
Year-Round – FlipGive is not seasonal – can be done at any time of the year and all year long. Chocolate bars, cookie dough, wrapping paper, etc. and other products are generally seasonal in nature.
Diane Scavuzzo: How can people make this an ongoing, long-term fundraising effort? Can a youth soccer club use FlipGive for raising scholarship money?
Steve Croth: Yes. Fundraising can be done as a Team or Club. Fundraising can even be done in support of a specific athlete.
Fundraising examples include scholarships/financial assistance, raising money to turf a field, or contributing to a fund for a new clubhouse. And all they need to do is to visit their fundraising page first, then shop online to raise money. It’s as simple as that.
Diane Scavuzzo: What do you love about soccer?
Steve Croth: I have played soccer most of my life and started when I was 4 years old. I played regularly in a club and on competitive teams until university. I continued to play in rec leagues and on a corporate team (Microsoft) for several years.
I love the game because it requires a high level of skill, fitness, intellect, and communication – to be successful as a team and as a player. It’s the ultimate team game; and is exciting for both players and fans. I agree that soccer is “a beautiful game.”
Diane Scavuzzo: What is your favorite soccer team? Who do you root for behind closed doors?
Steve Croth: Right now, I’m a big fan of the Toronto FC – mainly because I want the game to take off professionally in North America and because we have some exciting players in Toronto; Sebastian Giovinco, Michael Bradley, and Jose Altidore to name a few.
I’m also a big fan of my son’s team; the NT Nitros. And when I can, I try to catch a Premier League game on TV. But most of all, I love the World Cup. And can’t wait for it to happen again. It’s some of the best and most exciting soccer around.
FlipGive is the new way to shop for great deals as you raise money for your scholarship or fundraising goals. FlipGive is a digital marketplace that connects shoppers to retailers through fundraising. The platform revolutionizes both grassroots fundraising and corporate giving; helping people raise more money faster by driving sales, loyalty and positive social impact for brands.
FlipGive is a fundraising platform where people raise money by doing what they do every day — just shop online with popular retailers. This is the easiest solution we have ever seen.
How well does this program work? Well, shopping online has enjoyed a double-digit year-over-year growth rate.
What part of your wallet do you send online? According to the think tank Forrester Research, “By 2020, the online spend per buyer will reach $2,500.” That is huge.
By the way, more than 80% of the American online population own a smartphone and yes, they use it to shop and yes, shopping online with FlipGive is easy.
