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Arizona RattleSKATE Invitational supports...
SEND THE BEST.
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FORMS
TOOLS
Local Fundraising Ideas:
- Auctions
- Autograph signing sessions
- Bachelor Auction
- Bake and craft sales
- Candy sales
- Car washes
- Hometown HerosTM Toolkit
- Marketing Send the Best merchandise
- Raffles
- Rent a Theatre for Private Showing
- Show 'n Tell
- Sponsoring races
- Team Cookbook
Skating can cost money, especially for travel. Following are some ways that have worked to fund skating adventures. Sometimes doing exactly what?s described below works well. In other situations, creativity is the key; apply the suggestions below in various combinations with your own ideas. If you?d like help with any of these, we?d be happy to provide, just let us know. And, if you have other ideas, or have noteworthy success with any of these ideas, we?d like to share the news, so please let us know.
Working
Just old fashion work is the first thing to consider. McDonalds? or such is one option if you are old enough. Better would be your local rink, a sporting goods store or department, or our city parks department; tell them you are a skilled and enthusiastic skater who wants to further his/her sport, and share similar interests with others interested in sport. If training schedules conflict with work, ask both coach and supervisor how you can do what is most important.
If a regular job isn?t practical, perhaps because of your age, consider asking neighbors and relatives what help they can use, perhaps baby sitting or lawn work. Tell them you want to work so you can do more in your sport; this goal, combined with your doing a good job when you do work, will often mean great results for you.
Asking
If it?s not practical to ask people to let you work for them, just tell them what you are trying to accomplish. Ask them what they think of your goals, and how they might be met. Pay attention to what is important to each person you talk with; some may think that a trip is more important than a new set of boots, some the reverse.
Have a long-term plan. Don?t first tell someone you skate when you ask them for money. Rather, start by telling friends, neighbors, and relatives about what you are doing skating, how it is helping you be a better person overall, and what your goals are. Later, after they understand how it is helping you, ask for their help.
Sponsorship
Being sponsored is a combination of working and asking. A sponsored skater or team does things for a sponsor in exchange for money and/or merchandise. Typically the sponsored skater/team advertises the sponsor by wearing their name on clothing and/or banners at events. Sponsored skaters/teams also often sell products and/or do other advertising for the sponsor. Be aware that there are specific procedures relating to advertising on competition uniforms at USARS events. Here?s more about sponsorship: http://www.growinlinespeed.com/sponsors.htm
Donated merchandise is also the key to auctions, but auction merchandise is usually unique, or relatively expensive. Equipment, which has been tried and not much, used, by well-known skaters, is appropriate, as are donated equipment and coupons. Most skating auctions are silent auctions at skate meets. Auction merchandise is displayed on a table, with a sheet of paper for each auction item or lot. Bidders write their name and bid amount.
This is an organized event where one or more World Team Members, or other skaters, make themselves available to sign autographs, usually on an item or items they are selling or giving away for donations. Great places for this activity include bookstores, car dealerships, local grocery stores or other markets, corporate events, charity events such as walks, gyms, sporting events, malls, schools, parade routes, and video stores.
Ask singles in the community, preferably high profile individuals such as doctors, dentists, athletes, or politicians, to be auctioned to the highest bidder in exchange for a date or even community service. Usually, the person willing to be auctioned will pay for the date with their own funds or will commit to a community service project with a pre-arranged time limit (e.g. 4 hours, 1 day). Secure a facility to house the event. Local schools, community centers, parks, VFW/American Legion halls, Fire House, etc. are all good options and will usually donate the space. Serve beverages/snacks or a light meal while singles are being auctioned. This type of event requires advertising and promotion to make it successful. Also, an exciting and entertaining auctioneer contributes to the success and profit.
OPTIONS :
Charge an entry fee or sell advanced tickets. ($1-$3 range.)
Solicit items to be given away as door prizes (door prizes can increase attendance if advertised alongside the auction).
The key to these events is obtaining donate merchandise from people who like to make things. This merchandise can be sold at skate meets, or non-skating venues.
Team members and friends sell candy, or anything, to friends. A major benefit of this type of sale is that vendors do much of the work, such as printing fliers describing the products being sold. Here are more suggestions: http://www.fundraiserhelp.com/
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Here are a few of the many vendors who can help you with such programs:
- http://www.worthingtonfundraising.com/index.html
- http://www.resourcefundraising.com/index.html
- http://www.chef-co.com/focus/school.asp
- http://www.buyforcharity.com/pizzacard.asp?gclid=CP6U1J_RkIICFUvhIgodGxJqew
- http://www.efundraising.com/php/pages/home/index.php?GTSE=GOOG>KW=school
- http://www.wolfgangcandy.com/index.html
- http://www.abcfundraising.com/
Car washes are fun ways to raise money. Usually there?s no charge, but do a good job and help customers have fun, and donations will give financial success.
For every skater who makes the World Team, he or she is the "Hometown Hero"! To increase awareness of our sport and to support local efforts in fundraising, Send the Best has created this additional resource. We encourage each skater to visit their local businesses to seek sponsorships of $50 or more. Sponsorships will be rewarded with an advertisement in the 2007 Skating Calendar plus a "Thank You" in an upcoming issue of
Numerous tools are available to you through this program:
- Letter to the Business Sample - Business Letter
- Individual Skater Bio Sample - BIO
- Description of Roller Sports Sample USARS Press Release
- Sponsorship Collection and Reporting form Sponsor Collection Form
- Receipt for Donation Sample - Receipt
- Appreciation Certificate for the Business Owner/Operator Sample - Certificate
- Support TEAM USA/Inline Speed Skating sticker Sample - Sticker
This program ends July 11th, 2006
Marketing merchandise from Send the Best
Use the order form from the web site to solicit pre-orders from your team, neighbors, friends and family. Email is also a good way to seek support. Post and distribute flyers, advertise, and post on web sites. Here are a few ideas to spark your interest.
- Post at schools, parks, rinks, community centers, gyms, college campus, malls, grocery stores, and Y?s.
- Distribute at Graduation parties, end-of-school year socials, block parties, birthday parties, session skates, kid-friendly establishments such as Chuck E Cheese, and malls.
- Advertise in local papers, T.V. News channels, and radio; Don?t forget the local High School TV and/or radio stations. Most of these are free, especially to non-profit organizations.
- Post information on web site(s): team, business, school, and community.
Raffles have been very successful in raising money at skate events. They are so popular that the first step should be to ask the Skate Meet Director if it?s OK for you to hold a raffle, so there will not be too many competing raffles. Traditionally, raffles have benefited World Team skaters for travel, or the team hosting the meet, so don?t be too disappointed if your cause isn?t OK?d.
Some skating raffles are for donated equipment, typically a few very worthwhile items, and additional smaller items. If you are giving skate boots, remember that they?ll not fit most winners; a way to exchange them for a desired size would be great, as would be giving a coupon which allows the winner to select the size he/she needs. Often local businesses will give coupons for a free meal, or a significant discount on a purchase of whatever the store sells. These are good prizes for a local winner, not as good for someone who lives far away and is only in your city for a race. One way to get items to raffle is to ask local vendors, such as sporting goods stores; offer, in exchange, to give their business publicity, such as by distributing fliers.
Often skating raffles are 50-50, which means that half the money received from ticket sales is kept for the cause the raffle supports, and half given to the winner. It?s not unusual for the winner to give part of the winnings to the cause.
The only supplies needed for raffles are a roll of tickets and someplace to store the money. Tickets are often available from office supply and party supply stores. Here?s some on-line vendors of tickets (the first 2) and of print-your-own software (the last 2)
- http://www.nationalticket.com/Ticket_Printing/raffle-tickets.asp
- http://www.trophycentral.com/raffletickets.html
- http://www.printbox.com/
- http://www.paper-paper.com/raffle-tickets.html
Rent a theatre for a private showing of a ?New Release?, popular movie, or ?oldie but goodie?. Usually, the theatre owner/manager donates the rental once they know the cause. Invite locals to view the show for $10 ? this includes entry and popcorn. (Popcorn is usually donated too.) Owner/manager makes money off snack bar sales and receives positive publicity.
Show 'n Tell
Click Here (Courtesy of Grow Inline Speed)
A skate race is a great event to raise money for a skater or a skate team. Here are some ideas for an outdoor event:
http://www.growinlinespeed.com/outdoorpromote.htm For an indoor race, talk with your coach, rink manager, and meet directors at events you skate.
Pre-sell copies if possible. Solicit 1-2 favorite recipes from each skater. Enter into word processor such as MS Word. Add clip art or team photos; Proof/Edit; Print; Add creative cover with team colors & clip art. Copy (try to order the amount you think you will sell the first time where the cost per copy is lowest; 2nd printing will be more expensive if you do not need the same amount of copies). Bind (keep cookbook under 20 full 8 ? x 11 pages so it can be stapled instead of bound which keeps the cost down).
Copying and binding services available through:
- Staples
- Kinkos
- Local printer
- http://www.mealmaster.com/
- http://www.livingcookbook.com/
- http://www.microblast.com/downloads.htm
