Fundraising Guide: Know What You're Getting Into

Why Fundraisers — and Your Time Planning One — Matter

Fundraising isn’t always fun. But it is the most effective way for youth teams and activity groups to unlock big opportunities — like tournaments, gear, and travel. This worksheet breaks down what it really takes to run a group fundraiser, so you can make a smart plan before jumping in.

Why we made this:

At Jamboree, we’re here to help more kids do what they love — with less stress for the grownups. Even if you don’t use our platform, this guide’s for you.

Use this fundraising guide to:

• Map out your team’s goals
• Avoid common budget surprises
• See how Jamboree makes fundraising way easier

[button to download PDF worksheet here]

How to Set the Right Fundraising Goal

Setting a fundraising goal sounds simple — but if you only plan for what you think you need, you may come up short. This section helps you account for both:

1. What you're fundraising for (your desired outcome)
2. Additional costs to run the fundraiser (materials or effort along the way)
3. How much you get to keep

Because a clear, realistic goal is the foundation of a successful fundraiser.

What Your Fundraising For

These are the fees you know about that are directly tied to the outcome of your goal. You'll want to make a list of the total estimated costs for the following:

• ‍Registration Fees
• Travel
• Equipment
• Uniforms
• Coach Expenses
• Any Other Expenses

Add them up to get your total fundraising need.

What It'll Cost to Run the Fundraiser

Even simple fundraisers can come with surprise execution costs — materials that quietly eat into your profit.

Execution costs can be for things like:

• Order forms and printing
• Storage space
• Gas for delivery coordination
• Bags, boxes, organizational supplies
• Late payments and damaged goods

Add these expenses to your goal to avoid underestimating on your goal.

With Jamboree, your  Execution Costs are ZERO. No order forms. No storage. No delivery. No organizational supplies. Everything is tracked automatically for you in the app!

Reality Check: What You Actually Keep

Most fundraisers give you back just 40–50% of what you raise. That cuts into your goal fast — and a lot of teams forget to factor it in.

Setting Your Actual Goal

1. First you need to calculate your total amount needed.
   
   Total Amount Needed = Total Fundraising Need + Total Execution Costs

2. Then you'll want to set your goal based on what percent return you get back from your fundraiser.
   
   Your Actual Fundraising Goal = Total Amount Needed ÷ Percent Return

If you have a group, you can split this up into individual goals, by dividing that Actual Fundraising Goal by the number of participants.

Psst... We’ll Do the Math For You

Fundraiser Planning Timeline

What Usually Goes Wrong

Every fundraiser coordinator has been there:

The Usual Headaches:

• Student takes orders but disappears with the money
• Products arrive damaged or wrong flavors
• Key volunteers burn out halfway through
• Parents get confused by forms and processes
• Collecting final payments drags on for weeks
• Three other teams are selling the same products

The Real Cost: You spend more time organizing the fundraiser to support your team’s financial goals than you do supporting your team's actual goals.

We hope this guide helps, but you shouldn't have to use it.

You didn’t sign up to manage order forms, chase down payments, or run a small warehouse out of your garage. You’re here because you want to support your team.

This worksheet lays out what it really takes to pull off a fundraiser. But if reading through it made you think, “There’s got to be an easier way” — you’re not wrong.

That’s why Jamboree exists.

Less hassle. Fewer headaches. More time to actually enjoy the season.

If you’re curious what that could look like, we’d love to show you.

Why Teams Choose Jamboree

🚫 No inventory, storage, or deliveries

🔒 Secure digital payments — online or in person

📱 Track everything from your phone

⚡ Launch in under 5 minutes

🌳 Every $20 raised helps plant a tree

💸 You keep 70% of all funds raised

🙌 No more selling stuff no one wants

There is an Easier Way

Ready to learn more?

See how it works.

Set up your first digital fundraiser in under 5 minutes.

Your time matters. Your sanity matters. Your team deserves both.