• If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership  The benefits pay for the membership many times over.

Club Fundraising Ideas

EMTDAD

EMTDAD

NES Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2013
Messages
4,738
Likes
6,926
Location
North Attleboro, MA
Feedback: 9 / 0 / 0
I've been nominated for one of the leadership positions at my club... trying to get ideas for general fundraising.. We have subcommittees that run their own events (Range does trap/shoots, archery does 3D shoots) so I'd be looking for ideas that do not conflict with their stuff.

Currently we do dinners monthly from about May to August.. the 1 annual Women on Target class...

we have clubhouse with full kitchen, bar, outdoor pavilion, stocked pond.

What are some things your club does to raise money?
 
Texas Hold'em poker tournament! I used to go to a bunch of these in southern MA, guy in Attleboro used to run them, he still may be doing it? He could do 3 a year per club as a fund raiser, not sure what the split was cash wise but every one of these I went to was a huge draw! Most of them were at the Attleboro Elks but I did go to some other places as well.
 
thanks.. we've done some of these in the past..

We're in a rut.. same old timers have been doing the same old events for years.. they're grumpy asshats so nobody wants to help them, then they bitch that they're tired of doing it with no help.. but they act like they're irreplaceable and the rules don't apply to them because they bring in money from their events.

we're in dire need of a change of leadership.. Need to get the 25-40 yr olds and new members involved and become the next groups of guys to start doing stuff for the betterment of the club, including fundraising.
 
EMTDAD said:
Currently we do dinners monthly from about May to August.. ...
we have clubhouse with full kitchen, bar, outdoor pavilion, stocked pond.
Click to expand...
Do you have monthly meetings?
If so, how many non-officers attend; what percentage of the membership?
Are the monthly dinners on meeting nights, or a different schedule?


Our club does simple (but good, and labor-intensive/lovingly prepared)
$5 dinners for the monthly general meeting.
A few dozen people eat there every month.

The kitchen chair considers it a point of pride to be revenue-neutral
(which no one is complaining about - they're not trying to balance
the annual budget on her back).
However, one could turn it into a modest profit center.

Rather than trying to rake in the big bucks on Day One,
you'd might prefer to be candid about slowly ramping up
the prices from revenue-neutral (or loss-leader) to net profitable:
tell people the first few meals are cheaper so that they can
be assured of the quality and start committing to dinner at the meeting.

Really though,
meals seem more valuable as a hook to improve rank-and-file participation.


An alternative that requires far less labor is to re-sell take-out pizza.
 
EMTDAD said:
thanks.. we've done some of these in the past..

We're in a rut.. same old timers have been doing the same old events for years.. they're grumpy asshats so nobody wants to help them, then they bitch that they're tired of doing it with no help.. but they act like they're irreplaceable and the rules don't apply to them because they bring in money from their events.

we're in dire need of a change of leadership.. Need to get the 25-40 yr olds and new members involved and become the next groups of guys to start doing stuff for the betterment of the club, including fundraising.
Click to expand...
So, fighting old farts is always good, but do not overestimate how much $ can a 25yr old donate.
It has to be a smart balance. A cheap tickets raffle can bring a fraction of $ a dedicated event with a $$$ entry fee can produce.
Depends upon demographics, of course.
 
EMTDAD said:
we're in dire need of a change of leadership.. Need to get the 25-40 yr olds and new members involved and become the next groups of guys to start doing stuff for the betterment of the club, including fundraising.
Click to expand...

Use technology to your advantage to target newer/younger members. Most gun club websites are pretty basic and clubs usually send out monthly emails about what already happened or saying "we need volunteers because... we need volunteers." Create a club Discord group for members.

What I would try and do is two things: (1) a club gun show for members and maybe the public; and (2) try and organize more events that bring committees together, rather than operate as silos independent of each other. 2-gun and 3-gun would be a good example, where there's something for everyone, especially people under 60. Trap and skeet and bullseye pistol are traditionally old guy sports and aren't going to change. Action shooting draws younger people.

I founded a college shooting team and the group happened to come together as a formally approved college club sport team in early May. The club's very first event was a Russian gun shoot because VE Day was coming up and I knew that most members had Mosins, with one or two SKSs and AKs. Back then, it'd be like $150 for a M91/30 and $8 for twenty rounds of 7.62x54r. Cheap, easy, accessible, and fun. Not like most shooting sports where you're paying through the nose just to have a proper gun.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
AHM said:
Do you have monthly meetings?
If so, how many non-officers attend; what percentage of the membership?
Are the monthly dinners on meeting nights, or a different schedule?


Our club does simple (but good, and labor-intensive/lovingly prepared)
$5 dinners for the monthly general meeting.
A few dozen people eat there every month.

The kitchen chair considers it a point of pride to be revenue-neutral
(which no one is complaining about - they're not trying to balance
the annual budget on her back).
However, one could turn it into a modest profit center.

Rather than trying to rake in the big bucks on Day One,
you'd might prefer to be candid about slowly ramping up
the prices from revenue-neutral (or loss-leader) to net profitable:
tell people the first few meals are cheaper so that they can
be assured of the quality and start committing to dinner at the meeting.

Really though,
meals seem more valuable as a hook to improve rank-and-file participation.


An alternative that requires far less labor is to re-sell take-out pizza.
Click to expand...

yes.. we get around 30-40 people at a monthly meeting.. out of a 300ish membership.. and we already do the meeting night dinners... we make a couple of bucks on each one.. nothing great

C. Stockwell said:
Use technology to your advantage to target newer/younger members. Most gun club websites are pretty basic and clubs usually send out monthly emails about what already happened or saying "we need volunteers because... we need volunteers." Create a club Discord group for members.

What I would try and do is two things: (1) a club gun show for members and maybe the public; and (2) try and organize more events that bring committees together, rather than operate as silos independent of each other. 2-gun and 3-gun would be a good example, where there's something for everyone, especially people under 60. Trap and skeet and bullseye pistol are traditionally old guy sports and aren't going to change. Action shooting draws younger people.

I founded a college shooting team and the group happened to come together as a formally approved college club sport team in early May. The club's very first event was a Russian gun shoot because VE Day was coming up and I knew that most members had Mosins, with one or two SKSs and AKs. Back then, it'd be like $150 for a M91/30 and $8 for twenty rounds of 7.62x54r. Cheap, easy, accessible, and fun. Not like most shooting sports where you're paying through the nose just to have a proper gun.
Click to expand...

ha... have you seen our website? the guy doing it is a "professional".. we just got ConstantContact to help out with email blasts.

I'll have to think more about cross-committee events... the range committee is currently held by the grumpy guys.

Need a new president who's willing to shake things up and hold people accountable to do what they say they'll do.
 
EMTDAD said:
yes.. we get around 30-40 people at a monthly meeting.. out of a 300ish membership.. and we already do the meeting night dinners... we make a couple of bucks on each one.. nothing great
Click to expand...
If the menu varies,
publish it in advance so members of the Finicky-American Community
aren't left guessing on their options.

(Not to merely restate what others have said above, but) depending on your facilities,
annual events like turkey shoots, fishing derbies, and open houses
can bring in money, prospective members, and demystify the club to non-shooters.

Nowadays hosting or sponsoring Home Firearm Safety
should be a license to print money -
people will join the club that helped them get licensed.

If you can't find instructors, get some of your members trained.


Does your club have a membership waiting list?
If so, then call for review of the actual load on club facilities by the current roster.
If there is no objective overload, demand the membership cap be increased or eliminated.

Note: Some Fudd wanting a range all to themselves and their cronies 24x7 is not overloading.

(If there are significant overloads, but mainly from weekly events open to non-members,
eliminate the cap and make the events members-only).


Make up a list of your peer clubs
(geographically close; other clubs in the same sports leagues; ...).

Search the Intarwebs for their phone numbers or addresses or names or other contact info.
(Whatever key data is always present, terse, and unambiguous).

If you find any "lists of gun clubs" that they're on and you're not,
then petition the list owners to add you.

And if you find obsolete contact info for your club on any lists,
get it fixed.
 
AHM said:
If the menu varies,
publish it in advance so members of the Finicky-American Community
aren't left guessing on their options.

(Not to merely restate what others have said above, but) depending on your facilities,
annual events like turkey shoots, fishing derbies, and open houses
can bring in money, prospective members, and demystify the club to non-shooters.

Nowadays hosting or sponsoring Home Firearm Safety
should be a license to print money -
people will join the club that helped them get licensed.

If you can't find instructors, get some of your members trained.


Does your club have a membership waiting list?
If so, then call for review of the actual load on club facilities by the current roster.
If there is no objective overload, demand the membership cap be increased or eliminated.

Note: Some Fudd wanting a range all to themselves and their cronies 24x7 is not overloading.

(If there are significant overloads, but mainly from weekly events open to non-members,
eliminate the cap and make the events members-only).


Make up a list of your peer clubs
(geographically close; other clubs in the same sports leagues; ...).

Search the Intarwebs for their phone numbers or addresses or names or other contact info.
(Whatever key data is always present, terse, and unambiguous).

If you find any "lists of gun clubs" that they're on and you're not,
then petition the list owners to add you.

And if you find obsolete contact info for your club on any lists,
get it fixed.
Click to expand...

Thanks.. there are always things we can do better..

Women on Target raised us $1330 and we have about 5 prospective new members from that 1 event.
We're looking to get at least 3 of us as trained NRA/MSP instructors
No waiting list.. pretty much everyone who wants to be a member can find a sponsor and join.
Not overloaded IMO. We sometimes have things going on during the weekend, but nothing during the week.
We are associated with the Tri-County 3D league.
 
Something that popped into my head readings @AHM post.

Maybe reach out to neighboring clubs and set up some friendly shooting competitions? Include a raffle(s) and a dinner and split profits?

IDK why but this thread has peaked my interest. Sounds like your club needs new leadership.
 
Can you rent out the clubhouse? Saturday or Sunday afternoon rentals could bring in bridal and baby showers. 2-3 hours. Easy $300. Could be low impact to membership depending on time of year.

And seriously, get a few old guys to will their properties to the club. Worked for the Catholic Church.
 
Club I belong to does well with Rentals both the pavilion and clubhouse plus if you have a bar alcohol sales during rentals.
We have done raffles car 4 wheeler gun etc. We did for years a 10k raffle with a prime rib dinner that was pretty popular for years
 
Just make sure, of you're a non-profit, that you don't run afoul of any tax issues.

Are you trying for a big score, or a consistent stream of smaller bits of income?

We have dinner ($5-6) before monthly meetings, that is always in the black - generally 40% of the take, depending on the menu.

Check with your insurance company before you rent out your facilities especially if booze is served.

I will say that a new, "non-Club" usage of the Club's facilities will likely result in push-back. If I'm a dues-paying member, I'll have an issue with MY facilities being used for Outsiders, when I want to use the indoor range, and I can't because someone's getting married.
 
Get ten club members who are willing to lend there guns, and some ammo for a shoot. Now it should be some interesting guns that most people have not shot.
Run a raffle, and the winner gets to come to your range and fire those guns.
 

Similar threads

North Grafton Fish Game & Bird Club
Replies
0
Views
52
Darwin
D
Upland Game Club - Norfolk, MA
Replies
0
Views
179
admcd
admcd
Clubs and defensive shooting?
2
Replies
48
Views
949
chris_1001
chris_1001
Open House @ Westfield Sportsman's Club 9/23-24/23
Replies
0
Views
206
pupchow
pupchow
Club recommendation around Marlborough MA
Replies
4
Views
689
fast_st
fast_st
Back
Top Bottom