25 tried-and-tested fundraising ideas for sports clubs

Sports-related fundraising ideas

Raising money for your club shouldn’t mean running yourself ragged. Here are 25 ideas that sports clubs across the UK have used, from five-a-side tournaments and bake sales to prize draws and crowdfunding campaigns with Sport England match funding behind them. Each one comes with a rough setup cost and a tip, and where we have one, a real Crowdfunder project to learn from.

Short on time? Start with a prize draw (ideas 5 to 7) or a crowdfunder (idea 12). They’re behind some of our biggest club results, like Ipswich Town Foundation’s £101,522 from prize draws and Pontefract RUFC‘s £83,439 from a crowdfunder with Sport England match funding.

1. Host a tournament

Invite local teams to enter for a fee and you raise money and bring new faces to your club at the same time. Charge per team rather than per player, and sell refreshments on the day to boost your takings. Two Pints Deep, a charity, raised £16,652 from 43 supporters on Crowdfunder around its five-a-side tournament.

Setup cost: Low to medium (pitch hire, volunteers, prizes).

Tip: Put your crowdfunding page link on every team’s entry confirmation so people can give even if they can’t make it.

2. Penalty shootout

Charge a small fee for a shot at your goalkeeper and give the winner a prize. It’s quick to set up and works at any event where a crowd’s already gathered. Oldbury Colts Under 9s raised £564 with theirs: see how they did it.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Run it at a fete or match day and stick a QR code to your fundraising page on the goal.

3. Sports swap tournament

Get your team to try a different sport: a football side playing cricket, a netball team taking on rounders. Charge entry or ask each player to find sponsors. The comedy value does half the promotion for you.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Ask a neighbouring club to join in. Two sets of friends and family doubles your audience.

4. Old-school sports day

Sack races, egg and spoon, tug of war. Charge for entry, hand out cheap medals and let the grown-ups compete too. See how one club ran a sports event day.

Setup cost: Low (medals, a few pieces of kit).

Tip: Sell family tickets and add a refreshments stall. That’s where the extra money often comes from.

Prize draws

Prize draws are one of the quickest ways for a club to raise a large amount from a wide audience. Prize draws and match funding run as separate routes on Crowdfunder, so choose the one that suits your project. You can read more on our prize draws page.

5. Win signed merch

Offer entries to a prize draw for a signed shirt, ball or piece of memorabilia from your team or a professional club. Foundation of Light raised £10,000 from prize draws as part of the £200,000 it has raised on Crowdfunder. See an example prize draw.

Setup cost: Low (the prize is usually donated).

Tip: Ask the community team at your nearest professional club. Many will sign something for a local cause. UK law requires every prize draw to have a free entry route, so build one in from the start.

“The Crowdfunder platform really allowed us to make the most of fundraising opportunities. The user journey for both – us in setting up our prize draws, and for supporters to get involved – is a nice, simple, easy-to-follow process, and I think this went a long way towards the success we had and the amount of money we raised. Each time we launch a new draw, they are always really well received and it’s a great way for fans to support our cause and we’re able to give a little back.”

Kate Smith, Head of Marketing and Communications at Foundation of Light, which raised £10,000 through prize draws, having raised £200,000 in total via Crowdfunder

6. Bid for match tickets

Tickets to a big match are a prize people will genuinely share with their friends. Ipswich Town Foundation has raised £101,522 through prize draws, and this prize draw shows how a ticket prize can work.

Setup cost: Low if donated, medium if you buy them.

Tip: A hospitality package or a pitch-side experience can beat a pair of standard seats. Experiences you can’t buy anywhere else are the strongest prizes.

7. Win a luxury hamper

Build a hamper from donations by local businesses and your own members, then offer entries to win it. Windlesham United FC raised £1,920 from two prize draws, one for £990 and one for £930. Here’s a cricket club prize draw for inspiration.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Theme the hamper (a Sunday roast hamper, a match day hamper) and share a photo of everything in it. A good picture sells more entries than a long description.

Physical challenges

8. Sponsored hike

Take on the Three Peaks, a long coastal path or a local hill, and ask supporters to sponsor every mile. Post updates along the way to keep people watching and giving. One fundraiser hiked the length of the South Downs.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Share photos from the route in real time. Supporters give more when they can see you getting muddy.

9. Take on a marathon

Run a local or major marathon in club colours or fancy dress to get your cause noticed along the route. Here’s how one runner approached the Brighton Marathon.

Setup cost: Low (race entry fees apply).

Tip: Print your page’s QR code on your running vest so spectators can donate on the spot.

10. Obstacle course

A muddy or water-based course that members and supporters complete for an entry fee or sponsorship. See how the Junior Wolf Run 6k muddy obstacle course worked.

Setup cost: Medium (equipment, insurance, first aid cover).

Tip: Sort the risk assessment and insurance before you promote the event, and have a trained first aider on site.

11. Fancy dress fun run

Run in costume and collect sponsors. A Santa dash in December or a mascot run in the summer both work well. Oasis ran a fancy dress sponsored walk on Crowdfunder.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Set a minimum sponsorship target for entrants so every runner is fundraising, not just turning up.

Online fundraising ideas for sports clubs

12. Start a crowdfunder

An online campaign lets friends, family, local businesses and fans all give to one page, wherever they are. You can offer rewards, share updates and apply for match funding, which can add up to £15,000 to what your supporters raise. York RI AFC raised £26,662 from 210 supporters, with £6,000 of Sport England match funding on top. Bath Tennis Club raised £43,402 from 126 supporters, with Sport England match funding, to light its courts.

Setup cost: Free to start.

Tip: Set a specific target for a specific thing, such as new floodlights or a changing room roof. Supporters give more when they can see exactly what their money does. Need reward inspiration? See our 55 reward ideas.

On Crowdfunder, you can also apply for sports match funding of up to £15,000 from the likes of Sport England, Sport Wales and Sport NI, to help you reach your goals faster.

“The smallest of contributions all add to the greater achievement of the goal. We hoped to reach our target and raise awareness at the same time. I had someone who gave £2 asking me when the project was going to be completed.” 

Jo from York RI AFC, which raised £26,662 from 210 supporters via Crowdfunder, and received £6,000 match funding from Sport England.

13. Virtual sports quiz 

An online quiz with sport-themed rounds, an entry fee and a prize. Going online means no venue costs and a wider crowd, including former members who’ve moved away. Here’s one quiz night on Crowdfunder.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Include a picture round and a tiebreaker, and record it so people who miss the live night can still pay to play.

14. Gaming marathon

An all-night or 24-hour gaming session where supporters sponsor each hour. Run it at your clubhouse or livestream it. A 19-hour gaming marathon raised money for cancer research on Crowdfunder.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Set hourly challenges that supporters can unlock with a donation, such as “£50 and the captain plays in fancy dress”.

15. Online auction

Auction signed merchandise, match tickets, hampers and donations from local businesses. Clubs typically raise £200 to £800 this way, and there’s no venue to pay for.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Get your biggest-ticket item lined up first and announce it early. One strong lot gets people to follow your page.

Community fundraising ideas for sports teams

16. Community car wash

Charge per car, with an optional interior vacuum service. Most clubs charge £5 to £10 a car and can raise £80 to £250 on a match day. See how one charity car wash went.

Setup cost: Low (buckets, sponges, a hose).

Tip: Run it in a supermarket or school car park with permission, and add a donation bucket for people who’d rather give than wash.

17. Beach clean-up

Run a sponsored litter pick at a beach, river or local park. Wear club hi-vis with a QR code so passers-by can donate on the spot. The Scillies Clean Up Mission is a good example.

Setup cost: Low (bags, gloves, litter pickers).

Tip: Contact the local council or a litter charity first. They often lend equipment and collect the rubbish for you.

18. Odd job week

Members spend a week doing paid jobs for the community: gardening, dog walking, window cleaning, car washing. Supporters pay a donation for each job.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Post the offer in local Facebook groups and your club newsletter before the week starts. Junior members should work in pairs with a parent or coach.

19. Bingo night

Split the entry fee between a cash prize and the club, and sell refreshments to push the total up.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Add a themed round, such as “name the footballer”, to keep non-regulars interested. Check the Gambling Commission’s rules on bingo and raffles before you sell tickets.

20. Host a potluck dinner

Ask everyone to bring a dish and charge a small entry fee. You get a social event, a full table and almost nothing to pay out.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Theme it (a Six Nations supper, a Sunday league curry night) and ask members to bring dishes from their families’ home countries.

21. Karaoke night

Charge entry, hire a hall and get people singing. Use club-owned equipment if you have it and add a draw for extra income.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Ask your captains to open the night with a duet. Once they’ve embarrassed themselves, everyone else relaxes.

Other creative fundraising ideas for sports teams

22. Bake sale

Sell sports-themed bakes, such as football shaped biscuits and cakes in club colours, at matches or fêtes. Add teas and coffees to boost your takings. The Big Brain Tumour Bake Sale shows how a bake sale can work with an online page.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Label allergens clearly, and keep a card reader handy for people with no cash.

23. Make and sell your own merch

Branded keyrings, t-shirts and travel cups can raise money and spread the word about your club. Put the stock on pre-order so you only produce what’s sold.

Setup cost: Low to medium.

Tip: Offer merch as a reward on your crowdfunding page. It gives supporters a reason to give a little more and removes the risk of unsold stock.

24. Craft-a-thon

Hold a sponsored knit-a-thon or crochet-a-thon, a “crafternoon” with paid places or a repair shop where members mend clothes for donations. It’s an easy way to include members who prefer a slower pace.

Setup cost: Low.

Tip: Make something in club colours, such as scarves and bobble hats, and sell the finished pieces too.

25. Create a team calendar

Print an annual calendar of team photos or supporter artwork and sell it before Christmas. Make it a yearly tradition and it’ll build momentum. [ADD RECENT EXAMPLE HERE]

Setup cost: Medium (printing costs).

Tip: Take pre-orders first so you know how many to print, and give sponsors a month page in return for a donation.

How can a sports club get match funding?

If your application is successful, Sport England can pledge 50% of your project target. Your club raises the other 50% from the crowd. Hit your crowd target, and the match funding is yours.

Through the Sport England Movement Fund, not-for-profit sports clubs, community groups, charities and schools can apply for up to £15,000 per project. Sport England specifically supports projects that help inactive people get active, and groups who face barriers to taking part, including people on low incomes, people with disabilities, older people and girls aged 5 to 16.

Here’s how it works:

1. Set up your project on Crowdfunder with a clear target.
2. Apply for the fund through your dashboard. Decisions can take up to 6-8 weeks, so apply at least 12 weeks before you plan to start spending.
3. If approved, raise your crowd target, reach it, and the match funding is released.

Temple Cloud Cricket Club raised £39,291, including £15,000 of match funding, and Nunnery Wood Colts raised £15,367 from 281 supporters, including £3,600 from Sport England. Across the partnership, £6m from Sport England has unlocked £18.9m in total, backed by 149,000 supporters across 1,103 projects.

Match funding also changes how people give. Supporters are 84% more likely to donate when match funding is available, and the average donation is 2.5 times larger.

Read more on our Sport England Movement Fund page or browse all match funds. Sport England receives more applications than it can fund, so approval isn’t guaranteed.

How much can a sports club raise by crowdfunding?

Hockey clubs alone raised £174,782 on Crowdfunder in 2025. Smaller clubs do well too. Here are some recent examples:

• Olton Hockey Club raised £37,765 to replace its astro pitch
• Shepton Mallet Hockey Club raised £30,002 for new changing rooms
• Berkhamsted Bowls Club raised £16,329 from 65 supporters for equipment
• Kings Park Bowls Club in Bournemouth raised £15,007 from 47 supporters for a new green and better accessibility
• Newhaven & Seaford Sailing Club raised £36,152 to rebuild its clubhouse
• Topsham RFC raised £83,710 for its clubhouse
• Pontefract RUFC raised £83,439 with Sport England match funding

What’s the easiest fundraiser for a small sports club?

Start with something low-cost that one or two volunteers can run in an afternoon: a penalty shootout, a car wash, a bake sale or a quiz. They need almost no money upfront and are easy to repeat. Then pair them with a crowdfunding page, so every event brings people back to one place where they can keep giving after the day.

Can a sports club run a prize draw?

Yes. Many clubs run a prize draw on Crowdfunder, from a signed shirt to a match day experience. Every prize draw in the UK must have a free entry route. Prize draws and match funding run as separate routes, so decide which one fits your project before you start. Find out more on our prize draws page.

Top tips to boost your sports fundraising ideas 

Give your sports fundraising ideas the best possible chance of success by following these top tips:

• Recruit volunteers early. Ask family, friends and neighbours. A fundraiser run by five people is more fun and raises more than one run by one person.
• Ask local businesses for prizes. A local pub, garage or restaurant will often donate a prize or a voucher in exchange for a mention.
• Apply for match funding. It can add up to £15,000 to your crowdfunder, and it gives supporters a reason to give now.
• Offer rewards. Even a thank you on your website works. See our guide to crowdfunding rewards.
• Use more than social media. Chinley, Buxworth and Brownside Community Association raised £31,782 from 501 supporters, plus £7,500 of Sport England match funding and a further £20,000 from offline donations, after finding that many local people didn’t use social media. Posters and leaflets were worth the effort.
• Do your homework. Martin Kast at Roe Green Tennis Club, whose project raised £30,000, says: “Be prepared. Do your research. Do your homework.”

More tips are in our Knowledge Hub.

“Give yourself plenty of time to contact local businesses for Rewards and to set up the campaign page. Don’t rush it and put yourself under additional pressure. Whilst the online crowdfund campaign was a massive success, we also had a significant proportion of the community who did not use social media. We found that it was really worth investing the time to create posters and leaflets etc to spread the word, and identifying ways that they could donate in cash, as they brought in a further £20,000 in additional donations.”

Sam at the Chinley, Buxworth & Brownside Community Association, which raised £31,782 from 501 supporters, and received £7,500 in match funding from Sport England: Active Together

“If you’ve got 50 or 60 people and everyone helps, rather than a committee of three doing everything, that will do the trick. Be prepared. Do your research. Do your homework.”

Martin Kast at Roe Green Tennis Club, Manchester, which raised £30,000 via Crowdfunder

Start raising money for your sports club

Start making your sports fundraising ideas a reality and set up a crowdfunding project. It couldn’t be easier with Crowdfunder; start raising money and access live funds to boost your total today.