Gymnastics Fundraiser Ideas That Will Change Your Program

The world of gymnastics is filled with expenses. Traveling, equipment, leotards, and even things you might not expect like insurance. Have you ever moved gymnastics equipment? Set up for a meet? It is the most challenging setup and takedown for any sporting event, and that’s coming from this blog writer's personal experience setting up and taking down WMU Gymnastics meets in the late 2010’s!

So when you need to pay for all this stuff whether you’re a program or individual family, there’s a lot of different routes. Some are easy, efficient, and are going to bring in a lot of money. Others aren’t as worth it. That’s where we want to help.

Here are some of the best gymnastics fundraiser ideas to keep your season balanced, funded, and fun.

1. Calendar Fundraiser

Legacy Gymnastics Booster Club in Kentucky raised over $20,000 using a Teamfi digital calendar fundraiser. What would $20,000 do for your gymnastics program? With the right tools, you too can do the same.

The calendar fundraiser is a top choice for gymnastics teams because it’s visual, simple, and low effort once you get started. Each day of the month has a dollar value, from $1 to $31. Supporters “claim” a date by donating that amount. A full calendar adds up to $496 per athlete, which adds up fast for teams of 20 or more.

Each day can only be purchased once, but if you fill up a calendar, there’s nothing stopping you from doing it again.

Using a digital platform like Teamfi makes setup effortless. Players can share their personal calendars through text and social media, track donations in real time, and celebrate milestones. It’s one of the most efficient gymnastics fundraisers out there because it doesn’t rely on selling products or hosting events. 

2. Crowdfunding Campaign

If calendars are one of the most efficient fundraiser tools, digital crowdfunding is right up there too.

Crowdfunding is a flexible, modern way to raise money online. With a custom team hub, you can easily raise money from supporters not just locally, but worldwide too.

Gymnastics teams can use it for big goals like travel to regionals or equipment upgrades. Things like competition grade uneven bars can cost thousands of dollars, which is why no matter what path you choose, having a digital fundraiser is a huge help.

Platforms like Teamfi allow coaches to see live tracking leaderboards and total progress. 

3. Color Run

Turn fundraising into an event with a color run. This bold take on a 5k takes that idea, and turns it into a highly photographed event that can become a mainstay on your town's calendar.

Imagine your gymnastics program hosting one of the most popular events in your town each year?

It’s a tricky and complicated fundraiser, but with a ton of upside. Layering in sponsors, food, can help raise more money to offset needed costs like time keeping and insurance. That’s why we set up this guide on how to run a color run beginning to end.

4. Gymnastics Showcase Night

Gymnastics teams already have the perfect fundraising platform: their own gym. Host an annual or semiannual showcase night where athletes perform routines for parents and community members. Charge admission and sell concessions or spirit wear.

These events boost team pride while highlighting your gym’s culture and talent. They also serve as excellent recruitment opportunities for new athletes and sponsors.\

5. Host a Trunk or Treat

Trunk or treats get a bad rap. In a trunk or treat, you fill a parking lot with cars, and have Halloween trick or treating in a safe and contained environment.

It may not be the traditional halloween going to different houses and knocking on the door, but in rural communities with spread out houses, cities where you don’t know who has candy, and just in the spirit of being safe, that’s why trunk or treats have been booming.

Have people set up for free by hosting in your school’s parking lot or your gymnastics facility parking lot, and then charge a small fee, like $10 per child to participate. 

In the fall mindset? We’ve got tons of fall fundraising ideas for you!

6. Pancake Dinner Fundraiser

What’s the most important meal of the day? Breakfast, or so they say. What’s the most inexpensive meal to make each day? Often, usually breakfast, despite egg prices lately!

A pancake dinner or pancake breakfast is a solid fundraiser because pancakes are inexpensive. Add in syrup, butter, and then other well enjoyed, but inexpensive foods like scrambled eggs and bacon or sausage bought in bulk.

Sell tickets for say, $10 a plate, and with volunteers running the show, you have yourself a profitable little fundraiser.

7. Local Business Sponsors

You need sponsors for your sports program. Especially one with a gym where banners provide visibility. Outside of digital fundraising, it’s the easiest way for your program to make money.

It’s going to take a little work. Going business to business, sending out emails, making some calls. Have a tier list for sponsorships with social media shoutouts, banner placement, program placement, and public address announcer mentions a part of it.

8. Gymnastics Summer Camp

Turn your experienced gymnasts into instructors with a summer camp for beginners or recreational athletes. Charge a registration fee and provide stations for tumbling, balance beam, and bars.

Younger kids love learning from the “big gymnasts,” and it strengthens your program’s community roots. It’s a perfect off-season fundraiser.

9. Flip-a-Thon

Pledge based fundraising is an old school fundraising technique experiencing a renewal here in the 2020’s. Each gymnast collects pledges for a certain number of flips, cartwheels, or routines completed during a certain time frame. Think like a standard floor routine.

Friends and family can sponsor per flip or donate a flat amount. It’s simple, exciting to watch, and ties directly to your athletes’ talents. Other a-thon ideas for gymnastics teams include walkathons and liftathons.

10. Gymnastics Open Gym Night

Offer parents a few hours of freedom by hosting a supervised open gym night. 

Charge a flat fee per child and fill the evening with gymnastics games, pizza, and fun. Youth kids in your community can both learn from your gymnasts and improve their skills.

This is a great volunteer opportunity for your gymnasts.

11. Team Posters

Partner with your team’s photography to create professional team posters. Now selling the team posters isn’t the idea that we want to pitch here. No, it’s the sponsors that really drive this fundraiser.

These posters feature all your gymnasts in uniform or performing signature poses. Print them locally or through your photographer and give them away to youth kids and families at your team’s meets.

12. Restaurant Night

Partner with local restaurants like Krispy Kreme, Chipotle, or a local restaurant for a gymnastics team. A portion of the sales from your supporters that evening goes back to the team.

13. Merchandise Fundraiser

Custom apparel is a consistent hit in gymnastics. Offer branded sweatshirts, t-shirts, water bottles, or even grip bags featuring your team logo.

Work with a supplier or online platform to take orders and handle printing. This not only raises funds but also helps unify your team’s image at meets.

14. Silent Auction

Silent auctions work well because they are ideal to be combined with an event like a showcase or banquet. Collect donations from local businesses and display them for bidding. Your program can also purchase higher end items to raffle and auction off to bring in members of the public to your silent auction.

Digital bidding tools or QR codes make it easy to participate even for those not attending in person. Highlight the auction items on social media ahead of time to increase engagement.

15. The Candy Fundraiser

Did you know that candy can be bought in bulk from a variety of companies? No, not the companies on Facebook reels, but directly from the manufacturer.

You can buy an assortment of candy and resell them at higher rates year round, especially because the shelf life of candy is so long.

These can be sold at gymnastics meets, but also at school if allowed, and varsity football games and other town events like the county fair.

Product reselling is often one of the worst types of fundraising, but this is one that if you put in the process of buying yourself, bagging individually, you can make your program some money.

16. Car Wash

The car wash never goes out of style, especially in rural and suburban towns where washing your car is more of a necessity and there’s a limited number of car washes. The more car washes in your town, the less likely this is to work. Set up in a high-traffic area with bright signs after a prolonged period of promotion. 

17. Gymnastics-Themed Mini Golf Tournament

Want to really change things up? Everybody loves mini golf. Seriously, what more timeless and accessible game is out there? Partner with a local mini golf course to host a gymnastics-themed tournament. 

Places like Craig’s Cruisers that have mini golf and food allow you to host something like this, with a simple entry fee for both the tournament and the venue.

Offer simple prizes for best score. You can even design gymnastics-themed holes or stations. Entry fees, raffle tickets, and sponsorships combine to create a strong profit potential.

18. Holiday Wreath Sale

Seasonal fundraisers are simple, effective, and often play on nostalgia to encourage donations and sales. Partner with a local greenhouse or wholesaler to sell wreaths, poinsettias, or candles during the holidays.

Other Christmas options include having a service to hang Christmas lights and selling other Christmas themed products like poinsettias. 

Keep Your Gymnastics Team on the Rise

Successful fundraising is about consistency and creativity. From digital tools like our calendar fundraiser to live events like color runs and showcases, the best fundraisers engage both your athletes and your community.

No matter which ideas you choose, the key is making it simple for families to participate and fun for supporters to give. With the right mix of creativity and planning, your gymnastics team will be set for a strong and supported season. We’re happy to help, all you have to do is reach out if you’re interested in a calendar fundraiser or digital crowdfunding fundraiser. What are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

‍