I hate fundraising.There's sacred and profane domains. If I could write "hate" on every grain of Sahara sand, that wouldn't be enough. If it costs 225 bucks to play in a preseason tournament, I'd rather pay the money myself than nickel and dime the parents who are already paying for uniforms and participation fees.
During the pandemic with economic displacement and families struggling to pay rent and avoid hunger, fundraising takes a back seat to basic needs. Better to fundraise for food pantries or shelters than basketball this season.
I'll list some of the ways teams have raised money with the caveats above. Let's hope that some semblance of normalcy returns soon. Always check local rules, legality, and tax implications (if any).
Still, some fundraising coordinators have demonstrated rainmaking success with these approaches.
Car washes. Patrons give a donation for a free car wash. This has often been combined with raffles in the "two birds with one stone" approach. It's a team building activity that doesn't require an enormous capital outlay and is conducted in the school parking lot.
Canning. This is the equivalent of panhandling... not a fan. The girls deploy around the community (permit required?) in team gear with coffee cans.
Comedy club night (portion of sales go to the team). We had several area comedy clubs which fundraisers could reserve for meal service and comedy. It's a more expensive night out and completely driven by parental (and other booster) attendance.
Food and beverage stands/sales during games. With a newer gym, the only sales allowed are bottled water and candy. Again, this is often coupled with team gear sales and sometimes raffles (lottery ticket "trees" seem popular).
Poker nights/casino nights. I've only attended one. I am among the world's worst poker players. Outside vendors and facilities ("Community clubs") are needed as well as registration as a charity, police presence, and more. This is an expensive, labor intense way to go. As I recall, the cost was around $100 an entrant.
Program book/Team Guide. The "program book" is a giveaway that is printed with pictures of the teams, players, and advertisements. The cost of advertisements varies with the size and location. For example a quarter page ad costs less than a half page and the back cover is the most expensive. It means soliciting businesses and organizing "the book" for printing by a printing company. Some families also buy ads to support "Susie" or "Johnny" and the team. My wife served as a coordinator for several years and fortunately has gotten off the meds needed to survive.
Raffles. Only your imagination is limiting.
Restaurant discount cards. Team members have modest discounts from restaurants (e.g. $5) and group them (e.g. ten restaurants) and trade the cards for 10-20 dollars. Everybody gets something - the team, the restaurants (business), and the buyers (if they use the cards). It's based on the "reciprocation principle" from Robert Cialdini's "Influence" for those academically inclined.
Restaurant night (guests designate small amount of sales at a restaurant for a defined two or three hour period). Again, raffles often accompany.
Team merchandise sales (hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts). How much demand has there been for team merchandise? At one point, it was a lot when the local girls team won ten consecutive league championships including five undefeated seasons.
Youth basketball camps (e.g. holiday break camps run by players and coaches). This lucrative fundraiser has become beyond onerous as directors now need a medical advisor, a massive handbook of policies and procedures, and proof of immunization of participants (in Massachusetts).
There's value beyond fundraising with team-building among parents and boosters. But it's not all sunshine and roses. Rivalries and competition among players can spill into booster clubs.
Lagniappe. Coach Castellaw always with good stuff, here on shooting.
