8 great fundraising ideas for your club

12 Jun 2017
Posted in: Club
BY SHANE STAPLETON
Fundraising is an everyday reality of clubs across the
country.Money doesn’t grow on trees and usually it’s down to the hard
work of committed folk in the parish.
Without funds, teams would want for facilities, equipment, or the
many other things needed to give the club every chance of
success.There are a variety of ways to raise funds, and below is a
list of some that you can take to your club.
GOLF CLASSIC
On Saturday May 13, I went down to Thurles golf course where
Borris-Ileigh GAA — my native club — held a golf classic. The guts of
80 teams played over a couple of days and it was a hugely enjoyable
experience for all involved. I played with my brother and one other
guy from the Borris’ club, and the time flew by — so this element of
fun makes it an excellent approach. It’s a model copied across the
country and with the use of a good course, some strong organisation,
and getting word out there, it can give the coffers a huge boost. As
for hacking around the course and making more divots than birdies,
well that’s down to you!
TABLE QUIZ
It’s another really simple idea and preys on people’s love of a
good quiz. Eight rounds of six questions should be about right to get
through it in a decent amount of time, but also enough to challenge
people. Themed rounds can be fun too — especially questions based on
the club or the good folk in it. You also can add in the variety of
sound and picture rounds. Annascaul GAA club in Kerry ran a table quiz
at the end of March this year.
SHOPPING PACKING
This can help create a goodwill in the community, having some
of the members packing people’s shopping at a local supermarket. Bring
along a collection box and customer’s will generally contribute a
little something to the cause.

THE CUBE
Based on the excellent gameshow hosted by Philip Schofield, the
goal is to complete a series of seven games, each of which awards an
increasing amount of prize money, before failing a total of nine
times. Games are pre-selected for each individual contestant before
the show to test their mental and physical faculties in various ways.
Different clubs will have slightly more or fewer rounds, but the idea
remains the same. Eadestown in Kildare and Roanmore in Waterford have
gone down this route — a highly entertaining evening.
LIP SYNC BATTLE
In November 2015, Park/Ratheniska and Shanahoe Ladies clubs in
Laois came together to host an exceptional night at the Heritage
Hotel. A lip sync battle, for the uninitiated, involves an act going
up on stage to mine and dance along to their chosen song. Usually it
requires assuming the identity of the artist, though some contestants
put their own twist on it. The ‘Bang Bang Brothers’ did their best
impersonations of Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj en route to
winning the battle that evening in Portlaoise. In 2016, a man named
Adrian Brereton — who had previously been on Operation Transformation
— embraced his inner Miley Cyrus as he climbed aboard a Wrecking Ball
and lip-synced a song of that very name — all for the benefit of
Edenderry GAA club.
TAKE ME OUT
A very simple idea, but again it needs time to prepare. You
need the right host to take on the role of Paddy McGuinness, because
charging up the crowd helps make the evening. Then find a horde of
single guys and girls, and get into the ‘no likey, no lighty’ spirit
of things. Raheny and St Finian’s GAA clubs in Dublin have had success
with this idea.
CROWD FUNDING
In 2015, Cuala hurlers opened for a crowd funding approach
whereby they asked the public for donations. The public could bid on
different items, such as dates with a couple of their available
players, signed photographs, training sessions for kids, nights away,
and signed Dublin shirts.
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of Ireland. Copyright Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. 1995.