It’s no secret that Americans are becoming increasingly aware of their health. And over the past couple decades, there’s been a spike in healthy fundraising activities (Think: Turkey trots, fun runs, neighborhood triathlons) to support a number of great causes!
While we’ve previously listed numerous great booster club fundraising activities, such as bake sales and candy drives, we want to share some ideas for healthy fundraising activities. These ideas can even work while socially distancing!
The Key to Booster Club Fundraising
Maybe the lacrosse team needs new practice goals, the theater club needs materials for set design, the band needs transportation to a concert, or the basketball team needs a specialized coach. Whatever the trouble it may be, your booster club can help fix it by fundraising.
The key to fundraising is specificity. People want to know where their money is going. And if they have the answer, they’ll be more inclined to donate. Identifying the specific need will help your booster club think of creative, fitting ways to bring people in. Likewise, advertising the specific need will persuade potential donors to help.
So, before your booster club begins brainstorming healthy fundraiser ideas, ask yourselves: “What is it that we need specifically?” And allow the answer to guide your planning and make the exact need (“Tennis Team needs New uniforms!”) very clear in your advertising. With the basics out of the way, we have come up with a number of healthy fundraising activities you can easily implement to support any activity!
Easy Healthy Fundraising Activities: Booster Club Fun Runs
Fun runs are one of the most popular healthy fundraising activities. Whether it is a 3K or a 5K, people love the idea of donating to a good cause and getting fit in the process.
When planning a fun run it’s important to plan weeks, or even months, in advance. This time frame allows your booster club to set the trail, including the start and finish lines, choose volunteers, advertise, create a way for people to sign-up, and determine the official rules.
If you’re planning healthy fundraising activities such as a fun run around a school campus, make sure to contact the school leadership for their permission to use the space. If planning a fun run in a local park, be sure to contact the local Parks and Recreation Department to adhere to any policies they may have regarding the space.
There are many ways to monetize fun runs. The most obvious is charging a reasonable entry fee to each participant. Another could be selling handmade or customized T-shirts at the finish line. Similarly, the booster club could set up a concession stand and sell athletic drinks at the start and finish line.
Finally, there are also countless goofy ways to monetize fun runs. Your booster club could select a team of ‘elite fundraisers’ who volunteer to do extra tasks to make money. Others can pay to have a booster club member run the race in a funny outfit. Or pay to spray them with water as they run. Or anything else that you can think up that a booster club member might volunteer for!
Planning a fun run is sure to draw in a large crowd. Promote inclusion in your fun run, inviting moms with baby strollers, intense athletes, people who walk, and children to all join in the fun and the healthy activity. The more people, the more successful the fundraiser will be. What’s more, is that it’s a healthy fundraising activity that the whole community can be involved in!
Booster Club Wellness Auction
Auctions are excellent fundraisers because people get to go home with things. This may sound vague, but when you see a basket filled with all your favorite things and wrapped in a bow, you’ll be quick to place a bid. And there are plenty of healthy, big ticket items.
As we look further into healthy fundraising activities another option is having specifically healthy bundles at a booster club auction. Auctions do not need to be stand alone events. In fact, it may be easiest to draw in a crowd when there is already a large gathering of people. Instead of hosting a Swim Team Booster Club Auction on a Saturday night, perhaps consider setting up a small auction of raffle in the lobby at a big swim meet.
One popular raffle item could be a large, appetizing fruit basket. Buying one or more seasonal displays from a group like Edible Arrangements, and selling raffle tickets to game attendees can be an easy and healthy way to fundraise. Plus, people get hungry at tournaments and can grow tired of eating unhealthy vending machine snacks.
Another potential auction item could be time spent with the players or musicians themselves. For this, the booster club would need to coordinate with the team or organization they support and ask for volunteers. If they’re willing, team members could give a personalized, short lesson to an auction winner. For example, a lacrosse player may offer a one hour lacrosse training session for up to three youth players.
Another way to make the most of healthy fundraising activities, would be to coordinate with local restaurants. Maybe there are Jamba Juices, Sweet Greens, or Vitamin Shoppes in your neighborhood that would be willing to supply gift cards or coupons if your booster club reached out. Consider contacting local, healthy restaurants asking if they would like to collaborate for an upcoming fundraiser.
Hosting an Open Practice
Finally, consider mixing a bit of community fun into healthy fundraising activities. Reach out to the coach of whichever sport (or head of whichever on-campus entity) you support. Ask him or her if they’d be willing to host one “open practice” where relatives could join in with the players, theater troupe, band members, or whoever, and learn something new.
Charging $5 for any community member to join in could result in slews of parents showing up, intent on embarrassing their children at soccer practice or younger siblings being inspired to join the band when they enter high school. When you open the doors for an ‘open practice’ fundraiser, you never know what you’re going to get!
In Summation
There are many different ways for your booster club to host healthy fundraising activities. You can organize a fun run that’s open to the whole student body and local community. Or raffle off healthy treats at a game or tournament, auction off lessons from an athlete or musician, contact local restaurants, or invite others to join an ‘open practice’ at one point in the season! There are countless ways for your booster club to host wellness fundraisers and get the community up and running!
