10 Sports Team Fundraising Ideas NZ | Easy Fundraisers
10 Easy Fundraising Ideas for Sports Teams & Clubs in NZ
Whether you're travelling to a tournament, buying new uniforms, replacing equipment or helping athletes cover competition costs, fundraising is a reality for many New Zealand sports teams and clubs.
The challenge is finding a fundraiser that actually works.
The best sports team fundraising ideas don't necessarily need to be complicated. A successful fundraiser should suit your target, the size of your team, the time your volunteers have available and the people you're asking to support you.
To help you get started, we've put together 10 practical fundraising ideas for sports teams and clubs in NZ, including events, sponsorships, product fundraising and online options.
What Are You Fundraising For?
Before choosing a fundraising idea, start with a clear goal.
Sports teams commonly fundraise for:
- Tournament entry fees
- Travel costs
- Accommodation
- New uniforms
- Sports equipment
- Training equipment
- Competition fees
- Team camps
- Representative trips
- Facility improvements
Putting a specific target around your fundraiser makes planning much easier.
For example, instead of saying:
"We're fundraising for our team."
Try:
"We're raising $6,000 to help our team travel to the national tournament."
A clear purpose also gives supporters a stronger reason to get behind you.
1. Toilet Paper Fundraiser
Toilet paper might not sound like the most glamorous sports fundraiser.
But that's part of its appeal.
Instead of asking supporters to buy something they wouldn't normally purchase, you're selling an everyday household essential.
Hygiene Direct offers sports teams, schools, clubs and community groups two different ways to fundraise with toilet paper.
Traditional Fundraising – Earn $10 Per Box
With the traditional option, team members take orders from family, friends, neighbours, workmates and other supporters.
Your team then places a bulk order and distributes the boxes.
Your team makes $10 per box sold.
For example:
- 50 boxes = $500 raised
- 100 boxes = $1,000 raised
- 200 boxes = $2,000 raised
- 300 boxes = $3,000 raised
- 500 boxes = $5,000 raised
For a team of 20 players, selling 10 boxes each would mean:
20 players × 10 boxes × $10 = $2,000 raised
That makes it easy to turn a large team fundraising goal into an achievable target for each player or family.
My Fundraiser – Earn $5.50 Per Box
If your team doesn't want to handle individual orders and distribution, there's another option.
With My Fundraiser, your sports team or club can register as a Good Cause and share its fundraising link.
Supporters order and pay for their toilet paper online, and their boxes are delivered directly to their door.
Your Good Cause receives $5.50 per box purchased.
Delivery is available across both the North Island and South Island of New Zealand, although rural delivery fees may apply.
This option has a lower return per box than traditional fundraising, but requires much less administration from your team.
Learn more about Hygiene Direct's toilet paper fundraising programme.
2. Sausage Sizzle
Few fundraising activities are as familiar to New Zealand sports teams as a sausage sizzle.
They're relatively straightforward, people understand what they're supporting and they can work particularly well in busy locations.
The basic formula is simple:
Selling price – food and supply costs = fundraising profit
Keeping costs down is therefore important.
Ask local businesses whether they're willing to donate or discount:
- Sausages
- Bread
- Onions
- Sauces
- Napkins
- Cooking supplies
You may also be able to run a sausage sizzle alongside a home game, tournament or club event.
The downside is that you'll need volunteers, cooking equipment and a suitable location, and you'll need to meet any relevant food-safety requirements.
Best for: Teams with willing volunteers and access to a busy location.
3. Quiz Night
A quiz night can raise money while bringing players, parents, supporters and sponsors together.
Charge teams an entry fee and organise an evening of trivia.
You can increase the fundraising potential by adding:
- Raffles
- Auctions
- Spot prizes
- Games
- Food
- Donated prizes
Local businesses may be willing to provide prizes or vouchers, particularly if your sports club already has good relationships within the community.
The key is to calculate your costs before setting ticket prices.
If you have to pay significant amounts for a venue, entertainment and food, a large portion of your ticket sales can disappear before you've raised anything.
Best for: Clubs with a strong social and supporter network.
4. Sponsored Fitness Challenge
If you're fundraising for sport, why not make the fundraiser sporty too?
Set your players a challenge and ask friends, family and supporters to sponsor them.
Depending on your sport, the challenge could involve:
- Running a set distance
- Completing a certain number of laps
- Shooting 100 goals
- Scoring 100 penalties
- Completing a fitness circuit
- Cycling a set distance
- Swimming a set number of lengths
- Completing a team relay
You can also turn it into a social media campaign by posting progress and encouraging supporters to share it.
A challenge closely connected to your sport can make the fundraiser feel more personal and engaging.
Best for: Teams wanting an active fundraiser with player involvement.
5. Raffle
A raffle can work particularly well when you have access to appealing donated prizes.
Start by approaching businesses connected to your club.
You might be surprised how many suppliers, sponsors, parents' workplaces and local businesses are willing to contribute something when they understand what you're raising money for.
Potential prizes could include:
- Restaurant vouchers
- Accommodation
- Sports equipment
- Gift hampers
- Experiences
- Retail vouchers
- Services donated by local businesses
Combining several donated items into one larger prize package can make your raffle particularly attractive.
Before running one, make sure you understand and comply with the rules that apply to your particular raffle.
Best for: Teams with strong connections to local businesses and sponsors.
6. Team Car Wash
A car wash is simple, visible and gives the players themselves an opportunity to do some of the fundraising work.
Find a suitable location with permission, water access and plenty of passing traffic.
Promote the event beforehand through:
- Club newsletters
- Team group chats
- School newsletters
- Community Facebook groups
- Friends and family
Rather than setting a fixed price, you could consider asking for a suggested donation.
A car wash can also be combined with another fundraiser, such as a sausage sizzle.
Best for: Teams with plenty of players willing to get involved.
7. Club Merchandise
If your team or club has a strong identity, supporters may be interested in purchasing merchandise.
Options might include:
- Supporters' shirts
- Hoodies
- Caps
- Beanies
- Drink bottles
- Sports bags
- Scarves
The important part is managing stock carefully.
Ordering large quantities before knowing whether people want them can tie up money and leave the club with unsold merchandise.
Where possible, take pre-orders before placing your main order.
This reduces financial risk and gives you a better idea of the quantities and sizes required.
Best for: Established clubs with a strong supporter base.
8. Community Sports Day or Tournament
Use the thing your team already knows best: sport.
Organise a social tournament, community sports day or fun competition and charge an entry fee.
For example:
- Five-a-side football
- Touch rugby
- Three-on-three basketball
- Social netball
- Golf day
- Indoor cricket
- Mixed social tournament
- Parent-versus-player competition
You can generate additional fundraising income through food, raffles, sponsorships and other activities on the day.
A tournament takes considerably more planning than a simple product fundraiser, but it can potentially attract people well beyond your immediate team.
Best for: Larger clubs with facilities and plenty of volunteers.
9. Local Business Sponsorship
Fundraising doesn't always have to mean selling something.
Local businesses may be willing to sponsor your team, particularly when you can offer something valuable in return.
That might include:
- Logo placement on uniforms
- Signage at your club
- Social media recognition
- Newsletter mentions
- Website exposure
- Naming rights
- Recognition at events
Rather than sending businesses a generic request for money, create a simple sponsorship proposal explaining:
Who you are
What you're raising money for
How much you're looking to raise
What the sponsor receives in return
Who will see their brand
You can also offer several sponsorship levels to make it possible for both small and larger businesses to participate.
Best for: Teams with good community visibility or an established supporter network.
10. Online Fundraising
Online fundraising can make it easier to reach supporters outside your immediate community.
Players can share a fundraising link with:
- Family
- Friends
- Workmates
- Former players
- Club supporters
- Social media contacts
This can be particularly useful for representative teams where players have friends and relatives living in different parts of New Zealand.
There are different types of online fundraising, including donations, crowdfunding and product-based fundraising.
With My Fundraiser, for example, supporters purchase toilet paper online and choose the Good Cause they want to support.
The supporter handles their own order and payment, their toilet paper is delivered directly to them, and $5.50 per box goes to the selected Good Cause.
That means your team can concentrate on promoting the fundraiser rather than collecting money and distributing individual orders.
Visit My Fundraiser to learn more.
Which Sports Fundraiser Is Best for Your Team?
There isn't one fundraising method that's best for every sports team.
Compare your options based on the amount you need to raise and the resources available.
| Fundraising Idea | Volunteer Effort | Organisation | Upfront Cost/Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toilet paper – traditional | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Toilet paper – My Fundraiser | Low | Low | Low |
| Sausage sizzle | Medium | Medium | Low–Medium |
| Quiz night | High | High | Medium |
| Sponsored challenge | Medium | Medium | Low |
| Raffle | Medium | Medium | Low if prizes are donated |
| Car wash | Medium | Low–Medium | Low |
| Club merchandise | Medium | Medium | Medium–High |
| Sports day/tournament | High | High | Medium |
| Business sponsorship | Low–Medium | Medium | Low |
The right choice depends on your circumstances.
A small team travelling to a tournament might benefit from giving every player an individual sales target.
A large sports club might have enough volunteers and supporters to run a major event.
And a team short on volunteer time may prefer an online fundraiser that requires less administration.
How Much Does Your Sports Team Need to Raise?
Before choosing your fundraiser, calculate your actual target.
Imagine a football team needs $8,000 for a tournament.
The costs might include:
- Tournament entry: $1,000
- Transport: $2,000
- Accommodation: $4,000
- Other team expenses: $1,000
Total fundraising goal: $8,000
If you have 20 players, that's:
$8,000 ÷ 20 = $400 per player
That figure might initially sound intimidating.
But break it down further.
With a fundraiser returning $10 per sale:
$400 ÷ $10 = 40 sales per player
You can then decide whether that's realistic or whether you should combine several fundraising activities.
For example, you might use a product fundraiser as your main campaign, then supplement it with a sausage sizzle, raffle or quiz night.
Don't Rely on Just Your Players' Parents
One of the most common mistakes in sports fundraising is repeatedly asking the same group of parents to contribute.
Think beyond the immediate team.
Potential supporters include:
- Grandparents and extended family
- Friends
- Neighbours
- Workmates
- Former players
- Club alumni
- Local businesses
- Sponsors
- Supporters of the club
- The wider community
This is one reason practical product fundraising can work well.
A player isn't necessarily asking someone to simply give them money.
They're giving that person an opportunity to purchase something while supporting the team.
Make It Clear What the Money Is For
People are generally more motivated to support a specific goal than a vague request for fundraising.
Compare:
"Please support our fundraiser."
with:
"Help our U13 football team get to the national tournament in Wellington."
The second tells supporters exactly what their contribution is helping achieve.
Use that message consistently across:
- Social media
- Order forms
- Emails
- Posters
- Newsletters
- Fundraising pages
You can also update supporters as you get closer to your target.
"We're now at $4,700 of our $6,000 goal!"
Progress can encourage people who haven't yet contributed to get involved.
Set Individual Fundraising Targets
For team fundraising, individual targets can make a large overall goal easier to manage.
Suppose you need to raise $5,000 and have 25 players.
Your average target is:
$5,000 ÷ 25 = $200 per player
With Hygiene Direct's traditional toilet paper fundraiser:
$200 ÷ $10 per box = 20 boxes per player
That gives every player and family a clear goal.
Some may sell fewer and others considerably more, but the target makes it easier to track whether you're on course.
Combine Fundraising Ideas
You don't necessarily have to choose just one idea.
In fact, combining different fundraising methods can reduce the pressure on any single campaign.
For example:
Main fundraiser: Toilet paper sales
Event fundraiser: Quiz night
Game-day fundraiser: Sausage sizzle
Additional income: Local business sponsorship
Different supporters also prefer different ways to contribute.
One person may happily buy a box of toilet paper but have no interest in attending a quiz night.
Someone else might own a business and prefer to sponsor the team.
Giving your community several ways to help can broaden your supporter base.
Toilet Paper Fundraising for NZ Sports Teams
Hygiene Direct has experience helping New Zealand sports groups fundraise using an everyday household essential.
The Kerikeri High School AIMS Football Team used Hygiene Direct's toilet paper fundraiser to help supplement its other fundraising activities.
Their experience demonstrates an important point: sports fundraising doesn't always need to involve inventing something new.
Sometimes a practical product people already buy can provide a straightforward way for families to approach friends, relatives, neighbours and workplaces.
Today, sports teams have two Hygiene Direct fundraising options.
Want to Earn More Per Box?
With traditional toilet paper fundraising, your team takes the orders, purchases in bulk and distributes the boxes.
Your team makes $10 per box.
See how traditional toilet paper fundraising works.
Want Less Administration?
With My Fundraiser, supporters order online themselves and their purchases are delivered directly to their door.
Your Good Cause receives $5.50 per box.
Delivery is available across New Zealand's North and South Islands, with rural delivery fees potentially applying.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sports Team Fundraising
What are some easy fundraising ideas for sports teams?
Some of the easiest options include online fundraising, product fundraising, raffles, car washes, sausage sizzles and sponsored challenges.
The best choice depends on your fundraising target and how much volunteer time your team has available.
How can a sports team raise money quickly?
Start by setting a specific fundraising target and dividing it by the number of participating players.
Choose an activity that can be launched quickly and give every player a clear target.
Combining individual fundraising with a team event can also help you reach your goal faster.
What can sports teams fundraise for?
Teams commonly fundraise for travel, tournament fees, accommodation, uniforms, sports equipment, training equipment and competition costs.
How does toilet paper fundraising work?
Hygiene Direct offers two options.
With traditional fundraising, your team collects orders, places a bulk order and distributes the toilet paper. Your group makes $10 per box sold.
With My Fundraiser, supporters order online and receive their toilet paper directly. Your Good Cause receives $5.50 per box purchased.
Is product fundraising good for sports teams?
It can be, particularly when the product is something supporters already use.
Product fundraising also gives supporters something in return for their contribution rather than simply asking for a donation.
Should every player have a fundraising target?
Setting an individual target can make a large team goal easier to understand and track.
Divide your overall fundraising target by the number of participating players to establish an approximate goal per person.
Start Planning Your Sports Team Fundraiser
The best sports fundraiser isn't necessarily the one with the cleverest idea.
It's the one your team can realistically execute.
Start with your fundraising target, work out how many players and volunteers will participate, and choose an option that matches the time and resources you have available.
Most importantly, make it clear what you're raising money for and why it matters to your team.
If you're looking for a practical product fundraising option, Hygiene Direct's toilet paper fundraising programme gives your team two choices:
Earn $10 per box with the traditional bulk fundraising model.
Or choose the lower-admin My Fundraiser option and receive $5.50 per box purchased through your Good Cause.
Learn more about Hygiene Direct toilet paper fundraising
Related Fundraising Guides
- 15 Fundraising Ideas for Schools in NZ – Easy & Practical Ideas
- Toilet Paper Fundraising: How It Works & How Much You Can Raise
- Product Fundraising vs Event Fundraising: Which Is Better?
- How to Run a Successful School Fundraiser: Step-by-Step Guide