Getting your club’s teams to the top of the leaderboard is a massive undertaking that requires support from the athletes and dedication from the entire community. Over the years, Australian sports clubs have become increasingly creative with their fundraising tactics, finding ways to raise much-needed funds for everything from kits and equipment to covering travel costs, bills and grounds maintenance.

If your club’s budget is dwindling and you could do with some extra bucks in the bank, it may be time to ramp up your fundraising efforts. We’ve made a list of 21 of our favourite fundraising ideas for Aussie sports clubs, so you can take it beyond a sausage sizzle and really make an impact with your next fundraiser!

1. Trivia Night

Trivia nights are always a popular choice across generations of Australians, making them a great way to raise money. Advertise the event, find an MC in your community, and make a registration sheet where members can sign their team up. You can easily plan your rounds and compile fun questions online, then all you need to do is set the entry fee and you're ready to go! If your club has a liquor license and bar, serving drinks can be an easy way to make some extra revenue too.

There’s nothing like a good prize to get people to compete, so try to get your hands on something in-demand! Adding an extra couple of dollars to the entry fee can easily cover a top prize, or you could reach out to local businesses to see if they’d be willing to contribute any goods or services.

Planning your club’s trivia night after a training session is also a great way to encourage attendance among players.

2. Pie Night

There are few things Aussies love more than a pie, so make the most of this and turn it into a fundraising opportunity! Pie nights are always a hit, and don’t require too much work on your part – you can even sell tickets and take pre-orders for pies online. Just make sure you have a reliable supplier for the pies and remember to include options for those with dietary restrictions too, such as vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, or others.

With a good old-fashioned pie night, attendees can take an evening off cooking and sit down with friends and neighbours to enjoy this hearty meal together! Simply add a few extra dollars to the price of each pie you pre-order to set as your entry fee, and you’ll be turning a profit in no time.

3. Use the Perfect Platform

No matter what style of fundraising event you choose for your sports club, or how many you choose to run throughout the year, taking advantage of a user-friendly fundraising platform is the perfect way to streamline the process.

Our research shows that clubs using the Australian Sports Foundation’s platform raise an average of $13,250 each. It’s the only way to take tax-deductible donations for sport in Australia and provides fundraisers the opportunity to promote their projects online, reach a wider audience and live track contributions to their project. To help fundraisers get started, the ASF offers an online guidebook and on-demand webinars, helping you to plan a successful campaign.

You can even create a QR code that links to your project, which can be displayed at any of the above events to help raise extra funds. 

Signing up is free and easy. Get started here.

4. Op Shop Themed Evening

With this, not only will your club benefit, but you’re putting money back into the community. All you need to do is pick a fun theme and direct your members or supporters to your local op shop where they’ll be able to piece together an outfit that matches the brief. 

Location can make all the difference, especially for themed events, so put some thought into where you want to host your event. Whether that’s the clubhouse, another community venue, or a private location that fits the bill, you can further decorate and tailor it to the theme. 

Set an entry fee for the evening to cover your costs, plus a little extra to go towards your cause. You could also plan a best-dressed awards ceremony and provide light refreshments to enhance the evening.

5. Club Cinema

Take your players from training to theatre by planning a movie night in your clubhouse. You can increase engagement by choosing the movie through polls on your social media accounts and can play on your members’ competitive sides with a character costume competition.

This can be an indoor event in winter, or in summer, and can be held outdoors with camping chairs, bean bags, fairy lights and a projector.

Whether it’s an Aussie classic, the latest Hollywood blockbuster, or a family-friendly flick that everyone can enjoy, this is a great way to engage your audience and make some extra money.

6. Car Boot Sale

One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, so allow your sporting club members to get rid of what they don’t want and to find something new and exciting. 

This can be done traditionally, out of the boot of the car, or if you haven’t got the car park space, can be done on a smaller scale with trestle tables inside. For sellers, you can charge a hosting fee, and request a small entry fee or donation for those that are just coming to look around.

You never know what gems you’ll find at a car boot sale.

7. Car Wash

If a car boot sale sounds like a good idea but your ride could do with some TLC before becoming your storefront, maybe a car wash is a better option. A perfect fundraiser in the heat of the Australian summertime, your members can have fun in the sun while raising funds for their sports club.

All this takes is a trip to a local hardware store for soap, sponges, and car cleaning equipment, and you’re good to go. Just charge a reasonable fee for each car that gets cleaned. 

Don’t forget to leave plenty of time for water breaks, and remind your dedicated car wash team to slip, slop, slap and stay sun safe.

8. Fun Run

Give your players a chance to show off their athleticism by arranging a fun run. Whether you plan a long or short course or offer multiple options for entrants to choose from, the cost of entry can be kept low, as your costs will also be pretty limited. You may need to work with your local council for this one, as they can arrange road closures to accommodate your race or book out your local athletics track and get the laps started!

9. Sports Day

Running isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so a sports day could be a good solution to get more people involved. Just like back in your primary school days, activities like egg-and-spoon, sack, and three-legged races are Aussie sports day staples. Hula hoop and tug-of-war competitions are also fun favourites for this type of activity. 

Those partaking can make teams of friends or families, all competing in the fun and friendly games. Consider offering club merch as prizes, incentivising attendees to play, and getting some free advertising when they wear their prize, too!

10. Wine Night

The adults in your sporting community will no doubt be keen for a night off, making a wine night the perfect fundraiser at any point during the year! Order drinks, refreshments, and light snacks, and decorate your clubhouse to transform it into the perfect space for a mini night out. 

For this, you can set a relatively low entry fee, making most of your money through wine sales. Buying in bulk, you should be able to get a good deal, and then simply add a small markup to the price of a glass on the night. If you don’t have a clubhouse or liquor licence, your local RSL or Bowls Club could be a good location for hosting. 

Alternatively, you can have a ticket system where entry includes a glass of wine, and additional tickets can be purchased for more. This keeps all your cash handling in one place throughout the evening.

If there are lots of little ones in your community and you fear that potential attendees may be put off by the thought of finding a babysitter, you can also open up a kids' room where young ones can be dropped off to play together under adult supervision - a win-win for all!

11. Coaches Game

Here, your club’s athletes can take a back seat and relax while they have their turn at taking in a game. Planning a match between your sports club’s coaches is a sure-fire way to entertain members. Kids, especially, love seeing the adults in their lives put to the test, and will no doubt be keen to see for themselves if their coaches can put their money where their mouth is!

Using this same idea, parents can be subbed-in for coaches, adding to the fun for everyone.

12. Barefoot Bowls

For an activity that Aussies hold dear, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Arrange a day with your local lawn bowls club for your club members, friends, and family to take part in the all-ages-inclusive. For this fundraiser, you can plan for transport and entry under one ticket, including a donation for your sports club, while the bowls club can benefit from refreshment and snack sales.

13. Community Chore-A-Thon

Keeping the community spirit alive, there’s nothing quite like a chore-a-thon to boost morale!

Getting household chores done has never been this fun (or easy for the homeowners); from planting flowers and mowing lawns to cleaning the leaves out of neighbours’ pools. This will ease the burden on community members who may need an extra hand getting things done around the house and will undoubtedly improve neighbourhood spirit. 

Tasks can be done either for a set fee or on a pay-as-you-feel basis.

If kids from your sports club will be helping out, make sure to group them with a responsible adult for this one!

14. Barbecue

An Aussie go-to for a reason, this list wouldn’t be complete without a sausage sizzle! A barbecue is a well-cherished way to spend time with friends, family, and teammates. 

Gather your team’s top chefs to cook up a storm of snags, burgers, and other delicious bites to pair with salads and sides and enjoy amongst the crowd. This could be on a small scale within your club or can be turned into a community gathering like no other. 

You can even add a theme to take your barbecue to the next level. Try flannels and cowboy hats for a country-western theme, a seafood spread to go with an under-the-sea party, or anything else you can dream up to make the event even more memorable.

Your club could take care of all the food prep in-house or can organise a potluck-style event, where members sign up to bring a certain dish. Remember, lots of people have dietary restrictions, so adequate food signage will be necessary! 

Other local businesses can also take the opportunity to get involved- consider asking around with your local fresh produce supplier, butcher, and anyone else who you think may want to get in on the action.

15. Merch Shop and Swap

A merch shop and swap can be an opportunity for members and their parents to get rid of uniforms that no longer fit, and purchase the next size up second-hand, saving them a pretty penny.

Vintage is in and old is the new thing, so why not make the most of this? A lot of clubs keep old jerseys and uniforms in storage and for various reasons, never quite get around to decluttering, so chances are you’ll find a few retro pieces lying around. These can be included in a shop and swap, giving players a chance to get their hands on a pretty cool club piece.

One-offs can also be used as raffle prizes, where you’ll easily raise extra funds through ticket sales.

16. Tennis Tournament

With the Australian Open taking place in the peak of summer, your club might want to take advantage of tennis fever by hosting a fundraising tennis tournament. From novices and amateurs to your community’s tennis superstars, anyone who wants to can have a chance to shine courtside at your local tennis club.

Along with tickets to come along to observe, you can offer sign-up sheets or QR codes for those who want to chance their arm at victory.

Who knows, maybe your tennis tournament will uncover the next Ash Barty!

17. Easter Egg Hunt

If seasonal activities are a hit with your sporting club members, then you could always add an Aussie Easter Egg Hunt to your community calendar. An indoor or outdoor activity, an Easter Egg Hunt can be tailored to the weather in your location.

You can find egg-hiding and hunting inspiration and riddles online, for a brain-teasing fundraiser that appeals to both kids and adults.

18. Christmas Tree Shop

Why stop there? Your sports club could work together alongside a keen Christmas tree farmer to sell or deliver real trees to customers in your community. You can sell the trees directly from your club grounds, with the option of having members take on the role of tree delivery drivers. With this, you can help spread some festive cheer, all while fundraising for the year ahead.

19. Club Calendar

If hosting an event isn’t on your fundraising agenda, you could consider other options, like a sporting club calendar for your members to kick start the year. Whether it’s fun, silly, or serious business, you can have coaches, players, teams, sponsors, or community icons pose and take centre stage for a month in the upcoming year.

If you plan ahead, you can also include key dates for your club in the calendar, including other events or fundraisers that are being planned. There are plenty of online calendar printers to choose from, and some will offer discounts on bulk orders, so you can lower your production costs too.

20. Auction

From unwanted cookware or decorative pieces to game consoles, designer items, and more, a charity - or in this case, sports club - auction is a great way for members to get rid of unwanted items that are fit for a second home. Unlike a car boot sale, an auction is a great space for more expensive or high-ticket items to find a new home. 

There are a few ways your club can profit from this; either through entry ticket sales or by taking a predetermined percentage of the sale price of each item. Using your clubhouse as the location, this is another event where serving refreshments can help boost your income.

With an auction, supporters can get cash for their unwanted items, others can get a good deal on something new to them, and your club will make money, all in one go. Donations from club members are great for this, but don’t be scared to think outside the box and see what skills your members could offer others. Things like gardening, babysitting, and handyman services can go for a good price, and for a good cause, too.

21. Talent Show

Turn up the dials with a talent show, where members of your community can share their secret skills in a bid to win the top prize on the clubhouse stage. This one will take a bit more preparation than the previous options, but with proper planning and organisation, is sure to be a hit.

You can work with local business owners to source prizes in return for free promotion, then simply charge an entry fee to the event. You could also run your club’s bar service here for some extra revenue.

ASF makes fundraising for sport easy by allowing you to manage your campaign online, offer donors the benefit of tax deductibility, and live track contributions that support your project.