I'll be totally honest with you. I hate fundraising. I hate when my son brings home a pledge sheet for the jog-a-thon or the candy-bar/magazine/wrapping-paper sales drive. And then he wants to canvas the neighborhood and call every relative just so he can win movie passes to a theater that’s over an hour away. Or when I'm supposed to take my high school daughter around to local businesses asking for auction items or selling outfield banner. And the spaghetti feed, barbecue, crab feed...ok, I actually kind of like those, they can be really fun...but I hate the auction gift baskets or that whale watching gift certificates (true story) which is still in my drawer after FIVE YEARS!!!
But I love sports. I love the shivering in the football stadium, listening to the cadence of the players, band and cheerleaders. I love a buzzer beating swoosh for the win. I love when it comes down to the final relay race in a track or swim meet, the whole team screaming their lungs out.
And I get that I can’t have one without the other. I know teams need uniforms, equipment and funds for travel. With budget cuts, I understand that fundraising is a necessary evil.
But I also know there's a better way. I know technology can help build a reusable list of donors and sponsor. I know taking credit cards can make it easier for grandma to donate from three states away. I know selling banners online, online event registration, and even auctions are all ways to amplify fundraising efforts. Technology can bring fans and supporters together socially with news, scores, rosters, and schedules; it can build a community so that a donation feels like I’m a part of something, not being used for something.
That's what drives me. That’s why I created FanAngel.
