Bear Grips Pro ShopsTeam Apparel Fundraising: How Booster Clubs Turn Merch Into Season Budget
- Team apparel fundraising works by keeping a per-piece markup instead of running a separate bulk fundraiser catalog.
- A booster club selling 200 pieces a season at an average $10 margin nets $2,000 with no upfront spend.
- Print-on-demand removes the traditional fundraiser risk of unsold cases and locked-in order deadlines.
- Reorders run all season long instead of a single once-a-year order window.
How Team Apparel Fundraising Actually Works
The booster club or team sets a retail price above the base print cost. The difference is the fundraising margin, and it lands with the team automatically on every sale, no separate collection process required. A $19.88 tee retailed at $30 nets $10.12 per shirt straight to the program.
Bulk Fundraiser Catalog vs Print-on-Demand Store
| Bulk fundraiser catalog | Print-on-demand team store | |
|---|---|---|
| Order window | One fixed deadline, usually once a season | Open all year |
| Unsold risk | Booster club absorbs leftover sizes | None, prints to order |
| Upfront spend | Often several hundred dollars | $0 (free plan) or a monthly subscription |
| New family mid-season | Waits for the next order window | Orders any time |
Sample Season Math for a Booster Club
| Item | Units sold | Margin/piece | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tee | 90 | $8 | $720 |
| Hoodie | 60 | $13 | $780 |
| Hat | 50 | $6 | $300 |
| Season total | 200 | $1,800 |
Running the Fundraiser All Season, Not Just Once
Traditional fundraiser catalogs close after one order window, which caps how much a program can raise. A team store stays open the whole season, so a strong tournament run, a playoff appearance, or a homecoming game can all drive a fresh wave of sales without the booster club organizing anything new.
Removing the Treasurer Headache
Because buyers pay directly at checkout, the booster club treasurer never collects cash, chases down payments, or reconciles a spreadsheet of who paid for what size. The margin builds up automatically and the club simply checks the numbers periodically instead of running the whole transaction by hand.
Start Fundraising With Apparel
No upfront spend, no leftover inventory. Set your markup and let the season fund itself.
Start FreeFrequently Asked Questions
How much should a booster club mark up each piece?
Most clubs add $6-$15 per piece depending on the item. Hats and tees tolerate a smaller markup, hoodies and polos a larger one.
Does the club need to buy inventory upfront to fundraise this way?
No. Every piece prints only after it sells, so there is no upfront inventory purchase at all.
Can the fundraiser run alongside a traditional bulk catalog fundraiser?
Yes. Many booster clubs run a one-time bulk order for the whole roster and layer a year-round no-minimum store on top for extra sales and reorders.
How does the club actually receive the fundraising money?
The team sets the retail price above the base cost. The margin is built into every sale and is available to the vendor account managing the shop.
