# Fundraisers-  I hate them



## timbuck (Sep 21, 2019)

This could be pretty much any club.  I saw this posted on Instagram.  Name of club removed....

“Our golf ball drop yesterday raised $10k that went directly back to our Club families to help offset the cost of club soccer.  Great job by all involved”.


So parents donated money to the club to help reduce the costs that parents pay to the club?  (Yeah- they could have sold those golf balls to neighbors/friends/coworkers.  But we all know that’s not really how it works).


----------



## espola (Sep 21, 2019)

timbuck said:


> This could be pretty much any club.  I saw this posted on Instagram.  Name if club removed....
> 
> “Our golf ball drop yesterday raised $10 that went directly back to our Club families to help offset the cost of club soccer.  Great job by all involved”.
> 
> ...


Is "$10" a typo?


----------



## timbuck (Sep 21, 2019)

Oops. $10k.  Fixed it.


----------



## TangoCity (Sep 21, 2019)

Club fundraisers suck because we know where the money really goes... to pay the Club President and to pay scholarships for other people's kids.  Team fundraisers (where money goes directly to team) on the other hand are reasonable in my opinion.


----------



## timbuck (Sep 21, 2019)

Agreed.  If the team wants to buy some equipment (bench, ez up, etc), pay for extra tournaments, travel.  Go for it. 
 But club-wide fundraisers are lame. And un-original.


----------



## wsf (Sep 23, 2019)

This is the part I like the least about club soccer... or public schools ... or Girl Scout cookies.  With regard to my comment about public schools, my kids have been in both Charter and Public.  It's amazing what a Charter school can do with the same dollar allotment per kid sans all the bureaucracy the public schools are subjected to.  Sorry I went on a tangent but I'm so over fundraisers.  Also, if the point of this golfballdrop is to raise money for scholarships (players with financial hardship)... how does it make these specific scholarship kids feel when they can't satisfy the "mandatory" golf ball sales quota?  It's literally highlighted on the fundraiser site itemizing which kids met the goal (parents just bought them) and which kids cannot afford to.  I'm guilty, too.  I bought my kid's.  I did this because I prefer to keep my friends instead of inundate them with more solicitations.  Thanks for bringing this up Tim Buck.  Maybe there's another solution for the future so we're not all dreading this part of the season.


----------



## timbuck (Sep 23, 2019)

At least with Girl Scouts I get some cookies out of the deal.  With a golf ball thing-  I’m just giving them $100. And I’m pretty sure if you “win” the prize, it’s customary to not collect it and give it back to the club.


----------



## wsf (Sep 23, 2019)

timbuck said:


> At least with Girl Scouts I get some cookies out of the deal.  With a golf ball thing-  I’m just giving them $100. And I’m pretty sure if you “win” the prize, it’s customary to not collect it and give it back to the club.


Tim, don't get me started on the ingredients used today v. the ingredients used 35 years ago in addition to the ridiculous cost per box and how much the current CEO of GS makes (almost $200K).  The Boy Scout popcorn is a joke!  The BS CEO makes over $200K...because he's a boy, LOL.


----------



## timbuck (Sep 23, 2019)

I don't have an issue with a CEO of a large non-profit making that kind of money.  It's either got to be 100% volunteer based or you gotta pay someone who knows a thing about business.  (And I didn't look this up -  But BS and GS have to have nearly a million members each, right?  And probably an annual budget in the tens of millions, if not more.  Takes someone to know what they are doing to keep that thing running)


----------



## Emma (Sep 23, 2019)

timbuck said:


> I don't have an issue with a CEO of a large non-profit making that kind of money.  It's either got to be 100% volunteer based or you gotta pay someone who knows a thing about business.  (And I didn't look this up -  But BS and GS have to have nearly a million members each, right?  And probably an annual budget in the tens of millions, if not more.  Takes someone to know what they are doing to keep that thing running)


Their pay is fine with the work they have to do but the popcorn is the problem. Cookies are much more reasonable than the popcorn.  I want to support the boy scout but we've got to teach the kids that the product has to be priced at least somewhat reasonably.


----------



## wsf (Sep 23, 2019)

Back on point... I would prefer to raise money for our team, only... not the entire league/industry/whatever.


----------



## MWN (Sep 23, 2019)

I feel sorry for the young lads selling popcorn, who the f wants popcorn.  If the Boy Scouts did a "Beer of the Month" type club, I would buy that ... just saying.


----------



## multisportson (Sep 23, 2019)

MWN said:


> I feel sorry for the young lads selling popcorn, who the f wants popcorn.  If the Boy Scouts did a "Beer of the Month" type club, I would buy that ... just saying.


When my daughter played for the Lady Ducks, we did a fundraiser where every family donated alcohol (spirits, wine etc) with a value of at least $20. We then sold $5 raffle tickets for the massive basket of booze that we had collected.  It was a wildly successful fundraiser AND the girls got to keep 100% of the funds that they raised.  A cute little girl raising money for her girls hockey team was a no-brainer, especially when you added in booze.  Now THATwas a good fundraiser


----------



## End of the Line (Sep 23, 2019)

TangoCity said:


> Club fundraisers suck because we know where the money really goes... to pay the Club President and to pay scholarships for other people's kids.  Team fundraisers (where money goes directly to team) on the other hand are reasonable in my opinion.


Yes, we should all take a "what's in it for me" attitude when it comes to fundraisers and making charitable contributions.  F**k the kid who needs financial assistance and gets a scholarship, especially if she plays on a different team since she can't even help my daughter win important U10 soccer games.

If you don't want to help raise scholarship money for kids, don't participate in the fundraiser. If you're a conspiracy theorist who thinks your donation is being embezzled by some fat cat youth soccer club director to pay the mortgage on his hillside mansion, also don't participate in the fundraiser.


----------



## Zdrone (Sep 23, 2019)

multisportson said:


> When my daughter played for the Lady Ducks, we did a fundraiser where every family donated alcohol (spirits, wine etc) with a value of at least $20. We then sold $5 raffle tickets for the massive basket of booze that we had collected.  It was a wildly successful fundraiser AND the girls got to keep 100% of the funds that they raised.  A cute little girl raising money for her girls hockey team was a no-brainer, especially when you added in booze.  Now THATwas a good fundraiser


OK, to make this *really* interesting, present the basket to the winner at the beginning of a weekend long tournament with the objective of not having any by the end.

Sit back and film the sidelines, share said films with Offside on facebook, collect proceeds and funnel that back into the team.

Genius!


----------



## timbuck (Sep 23, 2019)

End of the Line said:


> Yes, we should all take a "what's in it for me" attitude when it comes to fundraisers and making charitable contributions.  F**k the kid who needs financial assistance and gets a scholarship, especially if she plays on a different team since she can't even help my daughter win important U10 soccer games.
> 
> If you don't want to help raise scholarship money for kids, don't participate in the fundraiser. If you're a conspiracy theorist who thinks your donation is being embezzled by some fat cat youth soccer club director to pay the mortgage on his hillside mansion, also don't participate in the fundraiser.


Just add $120 to my club dues and allocate that for a kids scholarship.  Don't mandate that each kid sells 12 golf balls.  
Do any clubs provide detailed financial statements that show where this fundraiser money goes?  I can look at a 990 form, but that doesn't tell very much.  It compares this year's reserves to last year's reserves.  It shows the total paid to coaches.  It shows how much was collected from dues and other activities.

(I for one don't think that running a club is a very good way to make a ton of money)


----------



## wsf (Sep 23, 2019)

End of the Line said:


> Yes, we should all take a "what's in it for me" attitude when it comes to fundraisers and making charitable contributions.  F**k the kid who needs financial assistance and gets a scholarship, especially if she plays on a different team since she can't even help my daughter win important U10 soccer games.
> 
> If you don't want to help raise scholarship money for kids, don't participate in the fundraiser. If you're a conspiracy theorist who thinks your donation is being embezzled by some fat cat youth soccer club director to pay the mortgage on his hillside mansion, also don't participate in the fundraiser.


I'm all about the scholarship to support those in need of financial assistance.  But like Tim said, just add it to my dues.  Also, with the Girl Scout boxes of cookies, only 15% of that goes back to the troop.  It would be nice to see what percentage goes to fund these scholarships.


----------



## End of the Line (Sep 23, 2019)

timbuck said:


> Just add $120 to my club dues and allocate that for a kids scholarship.  Don't mandate that each kid sells 12 golf balls.
> Do any clubs provide detailed financial statements that show where this fundraiser money goes?  I can look at a 990 form, but that doesn't tell very much.  It compares this year's reserves to last year's reserves.  It shows the total paid to coaches.  It shows how much was collected from dues and other activities.
> 
> (I for one don't think that running a club is a very good way to make a ton of money)


This is the attitude of someone who has money and values their time more than the fundraising cost.  It's certainly fine to have money and value your time more than the fundraising costs, but there is something very wrong with failing to consider that many others don't have the money to pay another $120 to club dues, plus another $120 for girl scout cookies, plus $120 for PTA candles, plus all the other nickel and dime fundraising stuff for kids that, when added up, isn't a blip on the radar for you but which can be significant for many.  Why is it so important for you to deprive others of options that allow them to keep their own costs down and continue participating in something they might not otherwise be able to afford?  There is nothing stopping you from just writing the $120 check you'd prefer to write.  You can even let the club keep the golf balls if having them makes you so angry.


----------



## wsf (Sep 23, 2019)

End of the Line said:


> This is the attitude of someone who has money and values their time more than the fundraising cost.


For me, it's more about keeping my friends as my friends.  You said it yourself with the, "...another $120 for girl scout cookies, plus $120 for PTA candles, plus all the other nickel and dime fundraising stuff for kids that, when added up, isn't a blip on the radar for you but which can be significant for many."  I'm so sick of my friends asking me annually for same things... I support your school, you support my school; I support your team, you support my team; I support your troop, you support my troop.  It's EXHAUSTING.  Additionally, the MiddleSchool Fundraiser (Step It Up) got "smart" asking for cell phone numbers.  I get reminders (at least 10 a week, currently) from kids reminding me to donate in their name on my phone AND in email.

There has got to be a better way to fund raise than this kind of pressure and with a higher percentage going to the actual cause.


----------



## timbuck (Sep 23, 2019)

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, all of the stores start to ask for donations for various charities -  feed the children; feed the animals; sports donations to fund youth fields, etc  (actually -  I think this is really more year round now.  But I notice it more over the holidays).  I pick 1 week between Thanksgiving and Christmas and I say "yes" that entire week.  If I see a guy on the street with a sign, I hand him a few dollars.  
That's about the extent of my giving throughout the year.  But if a kid on my kid's team needed money to cover dues, uniforms, travel -  I'd help cover it without blinking an eye.


----------



## MWN (Sep 23, 2019)

End of the Line said:


> This is the attitude of someone who has money and values their time more than the fundraising cost.  It's certainly fine to have money and value your time more than the fundraising costs, but there is something very wrong with failing to consider that many others don't have the money to pay another $120 to club dues, plus another $120 for girl scout cookies, plus $120 for PTA candles, plus all the other nickel and dime fundraising stuff for kids that, when added up, isn't a blip on the radar for you but which can be significant for many.  Why is it so important for you to deprive others of options that allow them to keep their own costs down and continue participating in something they might not otherwise be able to afford?  There is nothing stopping you from just writing the $120 check you'd prefer to write.  You can even let the club keep the golf balls if having them makes you so angry.


My son joined a club this year that operates in an area that is economically depressed with a high immigrant population.  Our club dues are ridiculously low from what they once were.  The DOC called in the parents to talk about fundraising.  Of the 16 kids, 4 or 5 of the parents showed up, all women.  My wife (non-Spanish speaker) listened to the fundraising pitch presented in Spanish then translated to English.  The other mom's got real excited about coming up with fundraising ideas and were planning the tamale making element when my wife asked "Exactly how much are you trying to raise?"  The answer was "$40k this year."  That is a whole lot of f'ing tamales.

You make a good point.  For some, investing $40 in masa and pork to make $100 in tamale's is all they can do.  For others, take my "$150 donation" and be gone.  That $150 is a day and a half wage for some, for others its an hour of work.

My biggest disappointment in this, is I think the number scarred the hell out of the moms so there goes my opportunity to buy some kick-ass tamales.


----------



## End of the Line (Sep 23, 2019)

timbuck said:


> Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, all of the stores start to ask for donations for various charities -  feed the children; feed the animals; sports donations to fund youth fields, etc  (actually -  I think this is really more year round now.  But I notice it more over the holidays).  I pick 1 week between Thanksgiving and Christmas and I say "yes" that entire week.  If I see a guy on the street with a sign, I hand him a few dollars.
> That's about the extent of my giving throughout the year.  But if a kid on my kid's team needed money to cover dues, uniforms, travel -  I'd help cover it without blinking an eye.


Wow, you sound like a real philanthropist, but that still doesn't explain your animosity toward the club holding a fundraiser to help defray the club dues for the needy. Or why you're so opposed to letting others to sell golf balls instead of having to write a check. 

The reality is I called you out for being selfish and thoughtless, and now you're just trying to convince yourself that you're not as big a jerk as you actually are.


----------



## timbuck (Sep 23, 2019)

Oh no. Im totally a jerk.


----------



## Not_that_Serious (Sep 23, 2019)

timbuck said:


> Just add $120 to my club dues and allocate that for a kids scholarship.  Don't mandate that each kid sells 12 golf balls.
> Do any clubs provide detailed financial statements that show where this fundraiser money goes?  I can look at a 990 form, but that doesn't tell very much.  It compares this year's reserves to last year's reserves.  It shows the total paid to coaches.  It shows how much was collected from dues and other activities.
> 
> (I for one don't think that running a club is a very good way to make a ton of money)


last club I was at did that. Added $200 for golf bale. Then they also added another event they used to fund the gold event - which is a giant party for certain folks. How many folks can take a day off in the week to drink half a day?

So the golf fundraising went from mandatory $200 down to $100 + event that had mandatory food/drinks/other items donations by teams. Then coaches and managers got hounded that “fundraising” was down and coaches got threatened Their pay would be withheld if numbers were not met. To top that off they made team donate baskets with min values for NEW golf tournament auction. They hammered the lack of fundraising- even though the fundraising was already completed due to hike in dues. So all was just gravy, managed another $100k in cash/items and told everyone fundraising was down from previous year. Maybe some clubs use the fundraising for scholarships or to cover kids who ended up not paying dues, but some just use it to make more profit and give certain admins (real owners) more money


----------



## Kicknit22 (Sep 23, 2019)

timbuck said:


> At least with Girl Scouts I get some cookies out of the deal.  With a golf ball thing-  I’m just giving them $100. And I’m pretty sure if you “win” the prize, it’s customary to not collect it and give it back to the club.


F@&# THAT!


----------



## Not_that_Serious (Sep 23, 2019)

Maybe some clubs use the fundraising for scholarships or to cover kids who ended up not paying dues, but some just use it to make more profit and give certain admins (real owners) more money

i fundraise for kids outside the club system. A few people I know do it even at pro/semi pro level. Very few of the bigger clubs that offer the highest level of play will work with giving kids full scholarships. They can’t afford to, but some really not in business to help kids


----------



## timbuck (Sep 23, 2019)

We’ve done team fundraisers in the past that have included;
1.  Super bowl pool, World Cup bracket and March madness brackets with 50% of the pot going towards the team.
2. Clothing/shoe drive to an organization that pays by the pound. 
3.  OC register newspaper sales where the Register gives a great payback for a minimal subscription. 
4.  Sales of mugs with college and pro sports logos with a nice return to the team. And those that buy the cups get something they can actually use. 
5.  As a coach, I’ve also given several hundred dollars per year for players that exceed expectations in training on their own during summer.  ( I’ve also taken less pay to fund players who needed some help covering their club dues.)
 7. For a few travel tournaments, my wife and I personally paid for multiple hotel rooms for  kids who’s parents couldn’t afford to attend. 

Our team has also volunteered time and money for the following:
1. AYSO VIP league for special needs players.  
2. AYSO VIP tournament. 
3. Christmas shopping for military families with over $2,000 spent over 2 years.  And several hours spent shopping, wrapping and delivering gifts. (In lieu of a team Christmas gift exchange/party). 

So when I say “I hate fundraisers”,
I’m talking about mandatory, club wide requirements that nobody knows how the money is actually used.


----------



## multisportson (Sep 24, 2019)

timbuck said:


> So when I say “I hate fundraisers”,
> I’m talking about mandatory, club wide requirements that nobody knows how the money is actually used.


THIS!  Exactly!
Seriously though, I think more clubs should do the booze fundraiser.  It was a GREAT way to have my daughter understand that she had some skin in the game, given that she worked hard for her opportunity to play for a team and she valued those dollars.  Every dollar she raised went directly to her team dues.


----------



## jpeter (Sep 24, 2019)

multisportson said:


> THIS!  Exactly!
> Seriously though, I think more clubs should do the booze fundraiser.  It was a GREAT way to have my daughter understand that she had some skin in the game, given that she worked hard for her opportunity to play for a team and she valued those dollars.  Every dollar she raised went directly to her team dues.


I like a good drink & gambling just like the next person..

Do booze & gambling like fund raisers have some potential legal & liability ramifications possiblly?  not to mention moral ones but maybe the legal hawks can chime in on this one?


----------

