There’s nothing quite like team travel — exploring faraway countries, competing against international teams, and (most of all) bonding with your teammates. Of course, it can be challenging to pay for your travel expenses, but luckily, there are plenty of ways to subsidize the cost. And fundraising is one of the most effective ways to do so!
Without further ado, here are 10 of our favorite ideas on fundraising your team travel.
1. DONOR AUCTIONS AND EVENTS
It goes without saying: your donors are some of your team’s biggest fans. They believe in you and want everyone on your team to become the best athlete and teammate possible. And since that’s the case, many of them will be very enthusiastic when they hear about your team’s travel plans.
You could partly (or even fully) pay for your team travel by hosting a donor auction or similar event. As far as your auction items go, the sky’s the limit! You could offer up anything from front-row tickets to team-branded gear to private coaching sessions. Be creative, and let your donors show you how much they care about your team.
2. TOURNAMENTS
This is a fun way to fundraise! Although it will take a lot of planning, it will pay back dividends and help you pay for a huge portion of your team travel.
You’ll need to begin by deciding on the group you’d like to invite to participate in your tournament. Maybe you’d like to work with children living near campus. Maybe you’d like to invite donors or former team members to participate. Maybe you could work with your college’s intramurals organization to co-sponsor a tournament for your fellow students.
However you decide to run the tournament, one thing’s for sure — you’re guaranteed to have fun with it!
3. SPORTS CAMPS AND CLINICS
There’s a good chance that your team hosts a youth sports camp every summer. It’s a great way to help young children have fun, work on their game, and learn valuable life lessons — and on top of that, it’s a lot of fun for the college athletes themselves.
This year, you can talk to your coach about allocating your team’s camp earnings to your travel expenses. It’s a fun way to band together and fundraise your trip!
4. DINNER, DANCE, AND AUCTION
If you decide to host a dinner, dance, and auction, you’re in for a lot of planning and a lot of fun! You’ll need to remember that you’ll have to pay for food (whether you cook it yourself or hire someone else to do so), and you’ll probably need to pay for a DJ (or sound equipment) and decorations, too.
Even with those costs, this is still a lucrative fundraising idea, but again, it will require lots of thought and lots of effort. You’ll need to stick to your budget and work hard to sell as many tickets as possible. Good luck!
5. SPORT-A-THON EVENT
This fundraiser will really let your team’s talent, skill, and athletic ability shine! Whether you choose to stage a dance-a-thon (a great option for dance teams), a fun run or jog-a-thon (a good choice for track and cross-country teams), or something else entirely, this is an easy way to raise money doing what you love.
6. RAFFLE
Luckily for your team, it’s not very difficult to plan a raffle! All you’ll need are a few hundred numbered tickets, a large bowl, a way to contact the winner, and a prize.
Your team can either come up with the prize on your own, or better yet, you can find a local business that’s willing to donate a prize. It would be a great idea to talk to businesses that your team has previously worked with: a sports equipment store, your on-campus fan store, a team sponsor… Good luck!
7. NIGHT AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT
Does your team have a favorite restaurant? Ask the manager if you can team up for a one-night-only event.
The manager will probably choose an evening when business is usually slow, and it’ll be up to you and your teammates to invite your family, friends, roommates, classmates, and donors to eat dinner at the restaurant on that night. In return, the restaurant will donate a percentage of its profits to your team!
Of course, the manager might also ask you and your teammates to work for the profits — you might need to show guests to their tables, refill water glasses, or clear up after meals. Either way, this should be a fun night and a great way to strengthen your team’s relationship with a local business.
8. SALES CAMPAIGNS
Remember the days when you used to sell Girl Scout cookies? Or when your high school team asked you to sell wrapping paper or coupon books or cookie dough to raise money?
It’s time to dust off your old sales pitch! Whether you and your teammates decide to sell car decals, calendars, water bottles, or something else entirely, you’ll need to work hard to make this fundraiser count. Of course, social media might make your job easier — you might just need to post about the fundraiser to your friends and followers, asking them to support your team travel by making a one-time purchase. Good luck!
9. CARWASH
This is a classic fundraiser, and like many of the ideas on this list, it’s an easy way to raise money for your team travel. You’ll just need to find a parking lot you can use, as well as some soap, hoses, sponges, buckets, and towels. With this idea, you can easily raise hundreds of dollars in a single day!
10. CROWDFUNDING
Did you know that GoFundMe has a platform for teams and groups that are planning their next big fundraiser? It’s true! The platform allows you to build your page, keep track of which team members are bringing in donations, and ultimately reach your goal!
No matter which idea you choose, please remember to coordinate your fundraising efforts with your coach, who can make sure that your plans are in line with team rules, university protocol, and league regulations.
Acanela Expeditions is your number one resource for your team travel needs. We can help you customize the perfect itinerary, coordinate your overseas tournaments and games, and truly immerse your team in the destinations you’ll be visiting. Taking one of our affordable trips will become one of your absolute favorite college memories.
We’ve done everything from showing a wrestling team around Japan, to taking a basketball team to Eastern Europe and Italy. And we’d love to work with you and your teammates next!
Contact us — expeditions@acanela.com — to start planning your team travel!