There’s always that dreaded conversation at the start of every hockey season: “How are we going to raise money?” Parents dread the thought of spending time trying to figure out ways to raise money, and how fundraising tends to be a series of one one-off events. “I saw it with the parents on my team”, says Andy Shapiera, manager of the West Hill Golden Hawks PeeWee A. “There was a collective groan from parents when the word “fundraising” was spoken prior to the start of the season.”
“That’s why the Scotia Hockey Club Fundraising Tool powered by FlipGive is so amazing for us,” said Shapiera. The Scotiabank Hockey Club Fundraising Tool powered by FlipGive aims to help teams raise money all year round without the ask, making it easier to have funds available when teams really need them. “So many of our parents have been using the tool regularly and have had an extremely positive experience.”
So what’s the key to being successful on the Scotiabank Hockey Club Fundraising Tool?
“Make sure you communicate how the tool works, and some of the key features it offers such as the cashback reminder. You must get the parents thinking that the tool is their first and best option if they need to buy something. A good starting point is hockey gear for their child, since every parent has to purchase gear throughout the season. Let them know that they can go into a retail store location affiliated to an online partner and have an item fitted if required. Then they can purchase the item through the online tool and have it delivered either to a store close to their house for pickup or directly to their home.”
The best part about all of this is that it’s really not fundraising in the traditional sense. Shapiera shared that parents tend to have negative connotations to the word “fundraising” due to past experiences, so reframing how the tool is focused on earning cash back off regular everyday shopping has been important. “It’s an online shopping tool with real rewards and incentives attached to each purchase; we’ve had an extremely positive experience. Many of the parents were on board right away, and we all really got into the habit of purchasing through our page.”
West Hill Golden Hawks PeeWee A is so excited for what’s to come this hockey season, and Shapiera can’t wait to see how much they raise during the holiday season! “I find that the key is changing my mindset and understanding that when I do need an item if I can purchase it through the tool that I should because it means easy money for my son’s team for maybe an extra tournament, a year-end party and/or appreciation gifts for the coaches (the last one is not a hint, even if I am on the coaching staff. Although, I am a large shirt size and my favourite colour is green if my team is asking!)”.
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