pal-e-docs

Westside Fundraising — Vertical Raise

westside-vertical-raise-fundraising Doc

active fundraising
Project

Overview

Fundraising partnership with Tamsen via Vertical Raise to help offset tournament travel costs (~$12,000/kid for the full circuit). Tamsen is a fundraising expert who organizes the approach, has corporate contacts, and trains the players.

Program Demographics

Division International USA Notes
Boys 60% 40% Many from Layton Christian Academy — international students chasing D1/D2 offers
Girls 20% 80% Mostly local
International kids come solo to the US chasing their dreams. Many say "if I don't get an offer I have to go back to my country." Marcus helps them stay and pursue citizenship. Host families could fundraise and build a support network for these kids.

Fundraiser Types (3 options)

1. Door-to-Door Monetary Fundraiser (Preferred)

Straight donations — no product. Simplest and most effective.

2. Product Fundraiser — Gourmet Popcorn

  • Exclusive to Vertical Raise
  • 85% of popcorn sales go back to the team
  • 85% of additional funds collected on top

3. Digital Discount Card — Vertical Discounts App

  • $25 for a one-year subscription
  • GPS-activated app — pulls deals from businesses all over the country
  • Ice cream in Maui, food in Florida, oil changes, entertainment — nationwide
  • Can be shared nationally — family in Vegas gets discounts in their area
  • 75% of card sales go back to the team
  • Parents can donate as much as they want ON TOP of the card purchase
  • The card is really a conversation starter: "if someone wants to donate to you, the card is just a talk opportunity to find people who want to"

Corporate Sponsors

  • Players provide donor contacts to Tamsen
  • Can seek donations from up to 18 businesses per player
  • Tamsen organizes the outreach approach and has existing contacts
  • Kids can also seek donations in person

Process

  • Tamsen comes to a mandatory practice — meets all teams, presents the plan
  • Tells players: "this is what we're going to do and what we need from you"
  • Players have one week to gather their donor/sponsor contacts
  • Tamsen returns the following week to collect contacts and kick off outreach
  • She may be added as an admin on the account

Timeline

Date Event
April 28 Fundraising pre-launch

Goal

Offset tournament travel costs for players. Full Power 32 Circuit (3 events: Cali, Vegas, Cali championship) runs ~$12,000/kid total. Every dollar raised reduces that burden on families.