Running a sports club in Australia is expensive. Registration fees, ground hire, equipment, travel and insurance add up fast, and membership fees alone rarely cover it. Most clubs run two or three fundraisers a year to bridge the gap.
Here are the fundraising ideas that actually work for Australian sports clubs this year, raising meaningful money without burning out your volunteers or alienating your members.
1. Lucky Squares Grid Fundraiser
A Lucky Squares grid is one of the easiest, highest-return fundraisers a sports club can run. You set up a numbered grid online (25, 50, or 100 squares), set a price per square, and share the link in your team chat, club newsletter, or Facebook group. Supporters pick their square and if you run one online you can have all the transactions done online, meaning you don't have to worry about cash handling or chasing people for money.
At $5 a square on a 100-square grid, you raise $500 with a single share. At $10, you raise $1,000. Many clubs run multiple grid campaigns across a season.
The draw is run live inside the app, which makes it a great moment at presentation night or a game-day event. Lucky Squares Australia charges a flat $19 per campaign and does not take a percentage cut of what you raise. Start a fundraiser for your sports club or see how the 100 Club format works if your club wants to run a monthly numbers draw.
2. 100 Club Membership Draw
A 100 Club is a monthly or weekly draw where supporters pay to hold a numbered membership (typically 1 to 100). Each draw pays out a portion of the pot as prize money and the rest goes to the club. Members renew across the season, so a well-run 100 Club delivers recurring income all year.
It works especially well for clubs with a loyal parent and supporter base eg. netball, football, cricket, and hockey clubs all run them successfully. The key is keeping the sign-up process simple. Lucky Squares makes it easy to sell all 100 memberships online and run each draw with a few clicks.
3. Club Raffle
A traditional raffle is still one of the most reliable fundraisers for Australian sports clubs, particularly when you have a strong prize (a weekend away, a high-value gift card, or donated merchandise from a local business). Ticket prices between $2 and $5 work well for most communities.
Bear in mind that raffles for money prizes or goods above a certain value require a permit in most states. Check our raffle compliance guide to understand the requirements in your state before you sell a single ticket.
4. Trivia Night
A well-run trivia night is both a fundraiser and a community builder. Charge a table fee ($20 to $30 per person works for most clubs), add a bar tab or BYO option, throw in a raffle on the night, and you can raise several thousand dollars in one evening.
The keys to a successful trivia night: book a venue with a PA system, find a quizmaster who is has quiz night experience and comes with great reviews, and promote early enough that families can arrange childcare. A Lucky Squares grid running on the side during the event adds another revenue stream with very little extra effort.
5. Footy Tipping Competition
A season-long tipping comp is easy to run and keeps supporters engaged across the whole season. Charge an entry fee of $20 to $50 per person, with the pot split between a weekly round winner and a season champion. It costs almost nothing to administer and is particularly effective for AFL, NRL, and rugby union clubs who already have a built-in tipping calendar.
6. Guernsey or Uniform Auction
End-of-season signed guernseys, jerseys, or game-worn equipment make excellent auction items for clubs with a strong local following. Run the auction live at presentation night or online via a Facebook post with bids in the comments. It is low cost, requires no permit, and the items have genuine sentimental value for supporters.
7. Club Dinner or Presentation Night Fundraising
Your annual presentation night is already bringing your community together — adding a fundraising layer costs almost nothing extra. A Lucky Squares grid running during the evening, a heads-or-tails game for a small prize, or a silent auction of donated items can add $500 to $2,000 to the night without turning the event into a sales pitch.
8. Player Auction
Before the season kicks off, put your top-grade players up for auction and let members, families and sponsors bid for the bragging rights of "owning" their player for the year.
The hook is the prize: if your player gets voted MVP or Best on Ground for home games, the winning bidder takes home a prize: cash, a restaurant voucher, a bottle of wine or other donated prize.
Suddenly every game matters to people who might otherwise just be watching from the fence. One South Australian baseball club raised $850 on a single player last season. It works best for a top grade (Div 1, A Grade or Premier League) where players are well known and supporters have strong opinions about who the standouts are.
9. Business Sponsorship
Local business sponsorship is not a one-off fundraiser but a recurring income stream if treated as an ongoing mutually beneficial relationship. Offer naming rights to a jersey, a signage spot at your ground, a mention in your club newsletter, or a social media shoutout in exchange for a contribution. Tiered sponsorship packages ($500 / $1,500 / $3,000) give businesses a clear choice and make the ask easier.
It is worth approaching businesses in a couple of months before your season starts, not mid-season when you are already busy. A simple one-page sponsorship pack goes a long way.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Fundraiser
- Set a clear goal. "We are raising money for new batting cages" is more compelling than "we are fundraising." People give more when they know what their money does.
- Promote across multiple channels. Team chat, Facebook group, email newsletter, and a mention at training all reach different people. Do not rely on one.
- Close the loop. Thank participants, share how much was raised, and tell them what the money will be used for. It builds goodwill for next time.
- Spread the load. Fundraiser fatigue is real. Rotate the committee members who take the lead and space fundraisers out across the season.
Ready to Run Your Next Sports Club Fundraiser?
A Lucky Squares grid is the easiest way to raise money for your club this season. Set up in five minutes, share a link, and let your community pick their squares. Start a fundraiser for your sports club today.
*minus the value of cash prizes
