Case Study: The Winter Gold Card fundraiser organized by the Wayland High School Swim and Dive Team surpassed previous years achievements and set a new team fundraising record. The team exceeded their initial goal of $30,000, raising $33,100 in about two weeks. Fundraising wins like these are made possible through the hard work and dedication of the Wayland athletes, coaching staff, The GA App and especially their community's generous support.
“Our team has benefitted more than we ever thought possible with Gold Athletics. Their unique approach to sports fundraising has saved our staff countless hours and energy we can refocus into coaching our athletes. Year after year we are able to make large item purchases not possible under our regular budget which our team and the youth programs all benefit from. People in the community coming to the pool looking for their annual discount [Gold Card] and it has been a great team bonding experience like we couldn’t have imagined.”
-Coach Mike Foley, Head Swim Coach, Wayland High School
2023 Daily News And Wicked Local Staff Photo/Art Illman
Turning A Big Splash Into Cash: Swim Team Fundraiser
The winter swim team fundraiser lasted about two weeks and had 864 supporters, with an average supporter purchase value of $38. With a total of 72 total athletes participating, The Wayland Winter Gold Card fundraiser is a great example of how easy and low-risk it can be to raise money and get new wishlist items for their swim & dive team. In this Case study, we will explore how Gold Athletics' Gold Card fundraiser helped the Wayland High School Warriors exceed fundraising goals and how other Winter sports teams and organizations can turn a big splash into big cash, just like they did.
How Did the Wayland Warriors Strike Gold? The GA App.
The GA App provided the Wayland Warriors swim and dive team with a comprehensive fundraising experience for Head Coach Mike Foley, their entire staff, athletes and supporters. Coach Foley and staff were able to access their campaign stats dashboard to view fundraiser progress in real-time, monitor individual participant progress, send messages, and edit reward details for each athlete. They were able to monitor sales, to better promote the fundraisers goals and rewards by communicating important fundraiser details via team messages directly from their phone.
The GA App also simplified the process of sharing fundraisers on social media, donating to the fundraiser, and claiming rewards for players.
Staying organized and committed to the Gold Card fundraiser was crucial to the Wayland Warriors' success. By coming prepared with a list of potential supporters and promoting the fundraiser daily at practice, the athletes and coaching staff were able to keep track of donations and contributions through the Gold Athletics app. As a result, the fundraiser received even more generous support from the local community and beyond. This level of dedication not only helped the team exceed their initial fundraising goal but also exponentially impacted their profits. This allowed them to cover a large pool rental bill (approx. $7,000), new equipment, and gear. The success of this fundraiser serves as a testament to the power of organization and commitment in achieving fundraising goals.
More About Swim Team Fundraiser Rewards
The App's rewards are custom-ordered at the end of the fundraiser, decorated with the organization's logo and in the sizes requested by the participants who achieved their checkpoint goals, qualifying them for rewards.
The Big Payoff: By The Numbers
Average amount Raised per Athlete: $460
Total Number of Athletes: 72
Initial Goal? $30,000
Number of Supporters: 864
Amount Raised? $33,100
Interview with Steve Ash, Fundraising Coach
What inspired each team to organize their fundraiser? How will the funds raised be used?
Mike and the Wayland Warriors swim team have been doing the Gold Card fundraiser for over 18 years. They have about a $7K pool bill and other expenses and they love to put gear on the kids. Awesome coach and awesome group of kids, one of my favorite teams.
What were some of the most effective fundraising strategies you helped the team use?
They split the 70 kids into teams of about 10 we compete and there is a prize for the top team. Each team is led by a senior/junior leader. But the reason they have the level of success they have is they run the program. This is a competitive coach and team. They have and set high expectations from everyone. We kick off, we checkpoint and we blitz…the goal is everyone sells 20 and the coach promotes it everyday. We run a 10 day sale and they always hit their number.
What lessons did the team learn from organizing and executing this successful fundraiser?
I think the lesson has always been the same. You get what you give. The more you give, the more you get. Do the work and reap the rewards.
How can other Winter sports teams and organizations use these fundraisers as a model for their own fundraising efforts?
Most coaches hate fundraising. Coach Mike is probably no different. But he has a need, so he fundraises. He is also a guy that has figured out this can benefit his team in multiple ways. Money being one, and he would tell you the team bonding aspect and the camaraderie of coming together and accomplishing a common goal together has always been an added benefit. The Gold Card is what we do…it’s part of his program and the kids have fun. When most kids sell 20+ cards it’s fun! For everyone.
What advice would you give to others who are planning a Winter fundraiser?
If you are going to take the time to do a fundraiser: Do it right. Don’t just go through the motions. We have the program and game plan… just follow it and you will be successful. If you decide not to do a pre-blitz meeting or set the right expectations and promote it daily to hold the kids accountable…it will cost you. If you do it all….you will be amazed at the results.
Payments are issued within 7 days of the fundraiser closing, and paper checks are mailed via USPS. In case supporters had any concerns, they had the app's customer support team at their disposal by emailing app@goldathletics.com.