For sports teams, fundraising is not just about covering costs—it's about making sports accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial background. Online fundraising platforms have become indispensable. This guide will help you choose the perfect fit to maximize your fundraising efforts.
In 2022, the number of children participating in more than one team sport grew by 2.1% to 128.9 million. Much of this was due to the COVID-19 pandemic coming to an end, but involvement in numerous sports has been a trend for a while now. Fundraising for sports has become common for children of every age, and finding the best online fundraising platform is necessary to get the most out of these activities.
Regardless of the sport, being part of a sports team can be expensive. Without fundraising, the cost may limit engagement. Kids living in lower-income households can’t participate if they don’t have access to the required equipment.
Online fundraising platforms for schools are an easy way for sports teams to raise a lot of money in a short period of time. Online fundraising has several advantages over other fundraising activities, including:
Before you start fundraising online, you must do your due diligence to find the best online platform for schools or your sports team. Some of these needs will be specific to your needs, but there are a few features that every sports team needs.
The foundation of online fundraising is your team’s donation form. Donation forms should give donors options on how much to give, where to donate, and how. It’s critical to find an online fundraising platform that allows customization. Some of the best ways to do this are with your team’s branding and team images and logos. You can also customize by adding different donation amounts and highlighting specific options for donors to support, like paying for uniforms or offering student scholarships.
Another exciting way to raise money online for your sports team is with peer-to-peer campaigns. The popularity of this fundraising trend is unmatched. Nonprofits and individuals have quickly raised thousands of dollars. Sports teams have excellent potential to raise money with these campaigns because it is based on personal connections. Team members can contact their friends and families via email and social media to share their experiences and solicit funds.
Events remain a primary fundraising tool for sports teams. Today’s events often combine in-person and online activities. It’s crucial to find an online fundraising platform that allows you to sell event and raffle tickets, run in-person and online auctions, and do other activities.
Fundraising is relationship building. Online fundraising platforms for schools must have donor management systems that help you segment donors based on their interests, personal connections, and ability to give. It’s also necessary to find a tool that allows you to send targeted communications and automated receipts.
Donorbox has a host of features and prices for every sports team size, including:
If your sports team doesn’t have a website, Donorbox has hosted donation pages for teams to customize with branded images and text. Your team can share a compelling story with pictures to catch donors’ attention.
Donorbox also offers peer-to-peer and crowdfunding fundraising options. Your team can create a campaign and encourage teammates to join the fun by:
Donorbox donors can manage recurring gifts and give online from any location with Donorbox Live™ Kiosk and QuickDonate™.
If you’re looking to take your fundraising to the next level, Donorbox Premium offers additional fundraising guidance with a dedicated account manager, access to quality donor management, and AI tools.
There are no sign-up or monthly fees for Donorbox’s standard package. There is a 1.75% + $0.30 platform fee for donation forms, peer-to-peer organization pages, and Donorbox live. Events, memberships, and peer-to-peer supporter pages have a 2.95% + $0.30 processing fee. Donorbox allows donors to cover these fees (almost all do). Pro and Premium packages start at $139 a month.
GoFundMe is a popular peer-to-peer fundraising tool used by individuals and teams. The best feature of this platform is its team fundraising tool. With GoFundMe, team members can do the following:
GoFundMe makes it simple to invite team members to the fundraiser, assign team roles, set a schedule, and check in on the campaign’s progress.
All donations with GoFundMe have a 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fee deduction. This fee covers credit and debit charges, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay transactions.
Givebutter is an excellent and affordable fundraising platform, but sports teams may benefit most from its online and in-person auction features.
With mobile bidding, Givebutter makes it easier for supporters to view products, place bids, receive notifications, and check out from a mobile device (no app required). Sports teams can seamlessly add, categorize, and manage the auction and buy-now items before, during, and after the event. Thanks to automated auction pages updated in real-time, sports teams and supporters can keep track of bids, winners, payments, and item fulfillment.
GIvebutter calls itself a free product, but it charges a 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee on all donations. Donors can cover these fees (95% of donors do).
Mightycause’s purpose is to bring together teams to fundraise. This platform provides sports teams with customizable websites to showcase campaigns and highlight sponsors. Teams can control the look and feel of each campaign page with branding, sponsorship details, and team member access.
Mightycause also provides tools like fundraising templates and leaderboards to help onboard team members and encourage healthy competition.
Mightycause is the most expensive on this list, with plans starting at $79 a month for peer-to-peer fundraising, donor management, and more.
Bonfire is unique because it’s entirely based on product sales. Sports teams can design and sell t-shirts, hats, and more to raise funds. Bonfire stands out from other similar online platforms because of its peer-to-peer campaign option.
Your team supporters can create and share t-shirt fundraisers on your behalf by:
Your team can choose which campaigns you want to display on your official Bonfire profile and link it to your website. Bonfire also makes it easy for nonprofits to track sales and collect donor information with mobile-friendly reporting and seller dashboards.
All money raised is sent directly to your sports team and products are shipped to donors by Bonfire.
Bonfire prices depend on the product, design, and the number of items ordered. To keep prices low, Bonfire recommends using fewer colors and selling more t-shirts.
Successful online fundraising campaigns require time and effort. There are various steps you can take to ensure your campaign raises money, including:
Before you start a campaign, it’s crucial to look at past campaigns to see where you succeeded and where you can improve. Look at your target audience and choose a few goals to meet during your campaign, like:
With so much competition, sharing your team’s story is essential to fundraising. Donors want to know who you are, your mission, and how you stand out from other teams in the area. The best way to tell your story online is with testimonials, images, and personal written or video stories.
Another necessary item for online fundraising is a quality platform. People have limited patience for technological issues, so you must ensure that your website is:
Peer-to-peer campaigns rely on social media to spread the word. Popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and others help teams and supporters tell engaging stories, regularly update their donors, and strengthen personal relationships.
Your team can also use social media to send targeted ads to reach more people worldwide.
Remember, it’s essential to build and strengthen relationships with donors before, during, and after your campaign. Here are a few things to include in your online fundraising efforts:
Peer-to-peer fundraising requires participation. One of the best ways to encourage team members to create their own campaigns is with competitions and prizes. Share each team member’s success on social media and thank them for their participation. Solicit local businesses for an exciting prize for the winner.
Pro Tip: Use this as an opportunity to start a relationship with potential sponsors for your team.
During your campaign, you must monitor metrics like donation amounts, click-through rates, and conversion rates. This will help you better understand your success and adjust your strategy when necessary.
Do you have supporters with a strong online following? Do you have connections with any influencers? These individuals can help your team reach a larger audience during peer-to-peer campaigns. Contact individuals with a personal connection to your team, school, or location and ask them to create a campaign page to raise funds and share your story.
Your volunteers and donors have limited time and patience, so you must ensure that sharing their campaign page is easy. Be sure to include social media sharing buttons on your website. Onboard and train your team; help them feel prepared with pre-written messages and templates.
Successful online campaigns create a sense of urgency. One of the best ways to do this is with a matching gift campaign. Find a major donor or sponsor willing to match contributions in exchange for extra marketing. Be sure to keep team members and supporters updated on this campaign.
Thanking volunteers and donors is the most important part of an online campaign. Personal appreciation can mean the difference between a small one-time gift and a lifetime supporter. Most online fundraising platforms provide automatic receipts to donors when they give online, but it’s essential to send personalized letters and handwritten notes if you want to make a good impression. Public acknowledgments throughout the campaign can also go a long way!
Choosing the right online fundraising platform for schools can significantly impact your sports team’s ability to meet its financial goals and ensure that every player has the chance to participate. With features ranging from customizable donation forms to peer-to-peer campaigns and event management, these platforms offer a variety of tools to cater to your specific needs.
To navigate the world of online fundraising successfully, consider leveraging resources like Donorbox’s blog for expert tips and tools that can elevate your fundraising strategy. Selecting the right platform and choosing effective strategies will enhance your team’s fundraising efforts and help you focus on what really matters – bringing your team together and achieving success on and off the field!
Kristine Ensor is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience working with local and international nonprofits. As a nonprofit professional she has specialized in fundraising, marketing, event planning, volunteer management, and board development.
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Kristine Ensor