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Cheer fundraising ideas

Need some new cheerleading fundraising ideas to excite friends, family, and your own team members? Whether you're looking to raise funds for new cheer squad uniforms or to cover competition fees, we've got just what you need to succeed. 

From raffles to concession stands, these are some of the best fundraising campaign ideas for cheerleading squads to help spring your team and community into action.

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Grants

Research grants that you can apply for to fund your nonprofit organization or project. Be sure to create a stand-out grant proposal in order to impress grantmakers! 
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Costume contest

Throw a themed costume party to match the season or holiday and award prizes for the best costumes! Sell tickets to your fundraising event online and work with local sponsors to offset costs and spread the word.
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More money, no problems

Instead of hosting an event, ask your supporters to donate a specific amount for the entire year. Create a fundraising page with photos, videos, and a compelling story in order to encourage gifts. Be sure to customize your donation amounts and add descriptions that are specific to your needs and impact.
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Flag football tournament

Bring fans onto the field for some football fun! Teams register and pay to play and fans buy tickets to cheer them on. 
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Lend a helping hand

Let donors "purchase" 2-5 hours of extra help from students or volunteers (think raking leaves or mowing the lawn). 

In order to streamline the process and keep track of contributions, create custom labels for different donation amounts on a special fundraising page or donation form (e.g. $50 = 2 volunteer hours).
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Auctions

Alumni night

Sell tickets to an all-inclusive alumni dinner before a big game or event. During half-time or intermission, bring out the alumni for special recognition. Alternatively, you can livestream a special alumni message during a virtual event.
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You name it

Come up with a creative fundraiser with a cathy name like “Pancakes for Parents” brunch or a “Chicken Wings for Cheerleaders.” To get supporters excited, create a custom fundraising page full of on-theme photos, videos, ands more! 
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Family fun run

Encourage families to run, walk, or jog for a cause by featuring kid-friendly activities, prizes, and course options. 

Use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word about the cause. 
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Pajama run

Ask participants to don their favorite PJs while tackling a walk, jog, roll, or run for the cause. Encourage everyone to set a donation goal and spread the word about the fundraiser with peer-to-peer fundraising. Don’t forget to award prizes to the coziest runners! 
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Rah-rah raffle

Raffle or auction off donated spirit-related items or experiences like a spot at a cheer clinic and private cheer lessons. 

To attract the right audience, host a silent auction at your next spirited event with these experiences included!
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Auctions

Autographed jersey auction

Connected to the right people? Procure and auction off autographed jerseys (or other memorabilia) to your supporters. You’d be surprised how willing athletes are to offer their signature for a good cause! Take advantage of intuitive auction software for simple and easy bidding, custom item descriptions, and more—no matter if your auction is in-person or completely virtual.
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Auctions

Tailgate party

Invite a local restaurant to contribute or have volunteers create a menu for a tailgate. Sell entry tickets and offer some fun merch or special treats at an additional price to bring in extra dollars.
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Shoot-a-thon

In this basketball fundraiser, each contestant pays a small entry fee to see how many baskets they can make in a short amount of time. 
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Celebrity guest appearance

Invite minor or major league players or other celebrity guests to your fundraising event to make a general appearance, offer a meet-and-greet session for VIPs, or participate in the event themselves! You can sell tickets and offer food and drink at an additional cost to make this fundraising event a big win for your cause.
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Car wash

Gather volunteers, soap, and plenty of rags to wash cars in exchange for donations. Collect onsite donations easily by displaying a simple scan-to-donate QR code, which allows donors to select from a variety of payment methods. You can even offer different package options for those who are willing to donate more for a deeper clean.
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Pump-a-thon

Find out who can (safely) lift the most weight curling, deadlifting, or squatting. Charge entry fees for participants, sell tickets, and offer food and drink at an additional cost.
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Pop-up clothing shop

Ask community members to purge their wardrobes and donate sell-worthy items to your cause. Host a pop-up clothing shop at a local venue and sell tickets for entry!
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Social media challenge

Choose a theme and a hashtag, encourage supporters to post their video or picture, and then tag others to challenge them to do the same—and donate! 

Learn more social media fundraising tips to take your efforts to the next level.
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Sports clinic

Host a sports clinic or skills camp for participants to learn from top coaches, pro players, or other notable experts. Depending on the scale of your clinic, you can sell several tickets to the public or offer just a few spots as a big-ticket silent auction item at a fundraising event. 
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Obstacle course

Challenge supporters to complete a course of obstacles like walls, mud pits, and rope climbs. To amplify your impact, and spark some friendly competition, encourage team fundraising: all supporters can join an existing team or create their own to compete! 
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Walkathon

Ask supporters to lace up their shoes and gather pledges or donations for every mile they walk. 

Sell official charity gear, encourage supporters to share updates on their own personal donation pages, and award top fundraisers with exciting prizes.
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5k walk/run

Map out your fundraising run route and have supporters donate to participate. Then, use peer-to-peer fundraising tools that allow supporters to make their own donation pages, set their own goals, and ask friends and family to contribute!
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Ugly sweater 5k

Get festive by encouraging supporters to wear their ugliest sweater for a fun run (and award the best dressed)! Use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word about the cause, along with photos of them in their ugly regalia. 
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Team apparel sale

Sell custom team apparel like T-shirts and hats featuring your team's logo and colors—online, in person, or both! Be sure to collect key info—like size and color—using custom fields on your donation forms.
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Halloween costume run

Ask supporters to wear their spookiest Halloween costume during this fun run, walk, or roll. Be sure to use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word. 

At the end, award the winners of the race, the teams or individuals who raised the most, and, of course, the best dressed with special prizes. 
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Frequently asked questions

Cheerleading fundraisers support various needs and expenses associated with running a cheerleading program. These fundraisers help cover the costs of uniforms, necessary gear, travel expenses, and even competition fees.

The best cheer fundraising ideas range from dance-a-thons to selling cheerleading merchandise like pompoms and foam fingers. Other classic fundraising techniques, like teaming up with local businesses or hosting bake sales at school sporting events, are often successful, too. Ultimately, the best cheer fundraising idea is the one that excites and engages your community members.

When asking for donations for your cheer team, make sure to target the right audience, explain your goal, showcase your impact, and express gratitude. Don’t forget to personalize and diversify your outreach. That means using different channels to contact supporters, including social media, emails, texts, and even phone calls.

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