Ideas/suggestions for a fund-raiser, anyone?

I was just talking to my brother, who's daughter is quite talented at basketball. He'd mentioned before that she'd been selected for a basketball tour of the USA, (not a "national" team, something of an "invitational" team...), but today gave me a few more details. The tour is towards the end of NEXT year, and from what he gleaned from the organisers, it was going to cost at LEAST $5000 per player when flights, accomodation, food, living expenses, and co-incidental costs were added up. I told him I couldn't promise much, but I'd at least look into some ways at raising a bit of cash towards the bill. Any ideas? Chocolates runs are obviously over-done, and its a bit hypocritical to be selling them to pay for something healthy, anyway, and she's 13, so bikini carwashes are off the agenda too, I'd assume... Someone mentioned a sausage sizzle at Bunnings, but I'd guess you'd have to sell a LOOOOOOTTTT of sausages to make any decent coin. If I went along the lines of a "sports-related" raffle, what kind of prizes would people be more inclined to go for? A chance at a FEW more valuable prizes, or closer to "everyone wins a prize", but the top prizes obviously aren't as high-end? Signed memorabilia, or something along the lines of boxes/packs of cards?

You could try asking around for sponsorships from local stores? I'm sure a few of them will be keen. That won't get you all $5000 but could help in a way. To help repay them maybe have all their logos and stuff on her basketball jersey while she plays?

Shouldn't the organisers be the ones sorting the funding out?

A_Iverson_I said:

Shouldn't the organisers be the ones sorting the funding out?

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The organisers are unlikely to do anything, I've seen these plenty of times before going down to trips as young as Under 12 kids. They are "invitational" simply run by a company, there is often little or no selection process involved and anyone who can afford it goes.

Whilst they can be a really good trip, they annoy the hell out of me, as they are simply a business venture - and I recently had an under 12 telling me he had represented Australia on a tour to the US.

If I were you I'd talk to your brother about getting together with the other parents as their pooled resources would be better than each trying to run individually. Talk to her local basketball club they may get on board and offer assistance. If she is that talented she should be playing rep level and could use rep nights as way to raise more, sit at the door for the whole night and ask for donations as people come in.