Money, Money, Money!

Looking for a great way to make some money for your team, build unity and camaraderie, and make an impact on your community? Dance teams and coaches have limited time so we have some BIG ideas to make the best use of your time fundraising.

1. Extended Junior Clinic: Many teams hold a one-day junior clinic for K-9th graders. This is a GREAT fundraiser. We suggest you take it one step further! Offer a month-long junior clinic that runs one afternoon or night a week for one hour, charge a reasonable drop-in fee, and throw in a t-shirt for fun. At the end of the month, invite the class to join your team in performing at a half-time game or parent show. For example, in the month of January, hold a one-hour class (can be jazz, hip hop, ballet…whatever your team excels at) for 6^th – 8^th graders. Each week, do a warm up, some technique and then teach a small combination. At the end of the month, the students will have more time to develop the skills they will need for tryouts in the spring. Let’s face it, if they wait until the free clinic in the spring, that isn’t enough! Your dance team will develop leadership and organization skills as well as a chance to inspire those younger dancers hoping to be on the team one day.
2. Sell Coffee: Check out the opportunities at Olympic Crest Coffee Company.
3. Wreath and Swag sales for the Holidays. One or two parents can help head this up and it is a great annual fundraiser your neighbors will begin to count on and plan for!
4. Baby sitting Clinic or “Parent’s Night Out”. During the Thanksgiving break, offer a half-day or evening baby sitting night for parents in the community to get some Holiday shopping done. Charge by the hour or by the child and make sure you set a safe age requirement and limit on the number of children the size of your team can handle. Bring crafts, games, balls, dress-up clothes, music, and play with the kids for a few hours. Your team will bond as they help entertain and keep kids smiling…certainly a memory! The community will appreciate your thoughtfulness to families.
5. Car Wash: Don’t have a car wash without pre-selling tickets! Standing out on the side of the street is great, but you get the most money for your time if you pre-sell tickets to your fellow students and community.
6. Community Dinner at a local restaurant: Talk with a manager at a local or chain restaurant to see if you can get a percentage of their profits in return for bringing large crowd to their restaurant one night or throughout a specific month. Some managers may be willing to make a deal to give you a percentage of their sales, or if you are really fortunate, 100% of the sales. A local MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group recently partnered with a well known chain restaurant, and was able to get a MOPS night at the restaurant (they had extra staff available, lots of balloons, and the restaurant mascot there to meet the children) and earned 100% off of dinner coupons the manager had given to the MOPS leader. It is always worth a try!
   
7. Sponsorship Books: Sell advertisement spaces to local businesses, and put together a booklet that dance team members hand out at school sporting events, and other activities at the school (plays, musicals, music concerts, etc). Have a picture of each team member in the booklet and a little information about him/her as well.
   
8. Rummage Sale: Organize a dance team family rummage sale with all of your old items. One person's junk is another person's treasure!
   

To find other ideas for fundraising, see this site. Some of these ideas might take a bit of effort at the start, but they will most likely have greater returns than smaller, more common fundraising ideas. We hope these BIG ideas help you start fundraising off right. Stay tuned to our blog for more fundraising, team building and other great ideas! Next month, we will be talking about creating successful parent booster clubs.