Best Football Fundraising Ideas for Youth and High School Teams

Playing on a football team gets expensive fast. Enrollment fees, player registrations, uniforms, equipment, camps, and travel costs add up before the first snap. Just the protective equipment alone can reach hundreds of dollars per player. Luckily, youth and high school teams can offset the inevitable expenses by raising money together, as the football community is one of the most responsive fundraising audiences in school sports.

Big Fundraising Ideas has supported sports team fundraisers since 1999. Every product figure below is verified from the live product pages at bigfundraisingideas.com. No profit margin in this guide is estimated or approximated.

Why Football Teams Raise Money: What the Funds Cover

• Equipment: Helmets, pads, and protective gear at $400 to $650 per player (the highest per-player equipment cost of any school sport).
• Uniforms: Jerseys, pants, and practice gear that need replacing as players grow and uniforms wear out.
• Travel: Transportation to away games, tournaments, and out-of-town camps that school budgets rarely cover in full.
• Registration and League Fees: Program enrollment costs that must be paid before a player takes the field.
• Camp and Coaching: Off-season skill development that improves team performance but falls outside the standard athletic budget.

1. Scratch Card Fundraiser

The scratch card fundraiser through Big Fundraising Ideas is personalized with the team's photo, school name, logo, and color scheme. Each supporter who donates receives a coupon sheet with savings at popular retailers and services. The transaction feels interactive and charitable. Supporters scratch a dot, donate what it reveals, and walk away with something of value.

Scratch Card Revenue by Roster Size

Profit figures verified from bigfundraisingideas.com/scratch-card-fundraiser. One card per player. $100 gross per completed card. Free shipping.

2. People's Choice Beef Jerky

Football families and athletic community buyers are among the strongest demographics for meat snack fundraising. Parents who prioritize protein-based nutrition for their athletes are a natural buyer pool that standard candy fundraisers often miss. The beef jerky fundraiser reaches health-conscious buyers who would pass on a candy bar and say yes to a quality beef snack. This segment grows every year as awareness of athletic nutrition increases.

• Verified profit: 40%-55% per case
• Compliance: meets federal Smart Snacks nutrition standards (can be sold to students on campus during school hours)
• Product: 100 percent beef with no fillers or MSG. This gluten-free option can be positioned directly against candy as the athletic snack choice.
• Minimum: 1 case minimum (accessible to teams of any size)
• Shipping: free on all orders

3. Custom Tumblers

The tumbler fundraiser through Big Fundraising Ideas produces 20-oz insulated drinkware customized for the football program. The product is food-grade stainless steel, BPA-free, and designed for the active lifestyle of athletes and their families. Tumblers sell best when timed to the season opener. The moment when team excitement is highest, and families are most motivated to show their support visibly.

• Verified profit: up to 45 percent
• Sell price: $20 to $30 per unit
• Personalization: team name, logo, and colors on every tumbler at no extra cost
• Best timing: season opener or pre-season when team spirit and community engagement peak
• Revenue example: 100 tumblers at $27 average x 45% = $1,215 net

4. Candy Bar Fundraiser

The candy bar fundraiser through Big Fundraising Ideas features peanut-free and 100 percent kosher options. Candy bars generate more per-contact sales than almost any other product because the $1-$2 price point has near-zero resistance. For a football team that needs fast cash before an equipment deadline or a travel payment, a one-week candy bar campaign can generate thousands of dollars without the planning overhead of a larger program.

• Verified profit: up to 55 percent
• Sell price: $1 to $2 per bar(near-zero buyer resistance at this price point)
• Product: peanut-free, 100 percent kosher (no allergen concerns for most school communities)

5. Discount Card Fundraiser

Football booster clubs are one of the strongest discount card-selling networks in school fundraising. Booster club members have established community and business relationships built over years of program support. A discount card campaign run through the booster club reaches adult buyers via personal contact, the highest-converting channel for a $20 product with real local value. Parents who take cards to work consistently generate more per-seller revenue from discount cards than from any food product.

6. Rent-a-Team Service Day

This format works best in tight-knit communities where families know and trust the players. A team of 40 players, each completing two service jobs at $25 to $50 per job, generates $2,000 to $4,000 from a single weekend with no product cost, no ordering, and no logistics. The community visibility from 40 players working in the neighborhood builds the goodwill that makes every future fundraiser easier to run.

• Service ideas: lawn mowing, raking, gardening, painting, spring cleaning, gift wrapping, moving assistance, childcare
• Avoid: any task involving heavy machinery, climbing, or activities that create safety or liability concerns.
• Best timing: spring or fall, when outdoor services are in highest demand

7. Sports Skills Camp

Hold the camp during a long weekend or school break to maximize attendance and minimize conflicts with the regular-season schedule. The camp positions the high school program as a community resource and gives emerging athletes something to aspire to. Coaches and experienced players who run the drills gain leadership experience that carries over into the season. The community visibility from a well-run skills camp can generate more long-term support than any single product campaign.

Comparing Football Fundraiser Options

All product profit figures were verified from bigfundraisingideas.com product pages—free shipping on all orders.

Frequently Asked Questions About Football Fundraising

What are the best football fundraising ideas?

Scratch cards at 85% profit (25-99 cards, $15/card cost, $85 net), custom tumblers at up to 45%, People's Choice Beef Jerky at 45-55%, candy bars at up to 55%, and discount cards at up to 75%. All figures verified from bigfundraisingideas.com.

How much can a football team raise with scratch cards?

40 players x 1 card each at $15/card = $600 cost, $4,000 gross, $3,400 net at 85% profit. 100 players generate $8,500 net in one week. Verified from bigfundraisingideas.com/scratch-card-fundraiser.

What food products work for football fundraisers?

People's Choice Beef Jerky at 40-55% profit (meets federal nutrition standards, 100% beef, no fillers, in-school compliant). Candy bars at up to 55% profit for fast cash with near-zero buyer resistance. Both verified from bigfundraisingideas.com.

How do custom tumblers work as a football fundraiser?

Tumblers are personalized with the team name, logo, and colors. Sell at $25-$30 for up to a 45% profit. Best timed to the season opener. 100 tumblers at $27 x 45% = $1,215 net. Verified from bigfundraisingideas.com/tumbler-fundraiser.

What is a rent-a-team football fundraiser?

Players offer community service (lawn care, cleaning, painting, childcare) for donations. Free to organize, builds community goodwill, and teaches work ethic. Avoid unsafe tasks. Works best in tight-knit communities where families know and trust the players.

What is a sports skills camp fundraiser?

High school or varsity players coach a clinic for younger athletes at a registration fee. Participants learn game techniques and conditioning. Hold on to a long weekend or school break. 50 participants at $25 each = $1,250 in gross revenue from one day, with minimal overhead.

How do discount cards work for football fundraising?

Discount cards at up to 75% profit, $20/card. Personalized with team name. Booster clubs and parent organizations sell to adult community contacts. Buyers get year-long local business savings. Workplace sales through parents generate the highest per-seller average.

When is the best time to run a football fundraiser?

Pre-season (July to August) is the highest-converting window. Players are motivated by upcoming season goals, families are engaged, and community attention has not yet spread across the full fall sports calendar.

Can youth teams run the same fundraisers as high school teams?

Yes, with product selection matched to the buyer demographic. Youth teams rely more on parent networks, where scratch cards and candy bars perform best. High school teams can add discount cards and tumblers for adult/booster audiences with community business relationships.

How do you choose the right football fundraiser?

Match format to roster size and campaign window. Small rosters maximize revenue with scratch cards. Larger programs add direct-sale products. Booster clubs with adult networks add discount cards. Tumblers work best at the season opener when team spirit is highest.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.