Fund raising and member retention

[MyraTrue]

This is a bit general, but I'm looking for input, particularly from university based clubs. We're coming into a new year at Purdue, and I'd like to have some suggestions to offer the club. With USACFC's being in Texas, and with member turnover being high for us right now, I'd like to be able to do something productive. I suspect that there are a number of great ideas out there, but they just haven't been shared yet!

SO:

1) What fundraising strategies have been effective your club?

2) Do you have any particular strategies for attracting and retaining members?



I'll do my best to reply, but am without net access and am working at home this summer. Of course, you have my thanks in advance

[RoninX]

Well for university clubs: don't limit you membership, welcome all comers, have small dues ($15-$25 a semester but this adds up if there are 50-100 people on the "team"). Throw parties, or just be sure fencers are invited to the parties people are already throwing. get some group bonding activities going, other sports group sports in the "off season" etc. Then abuse your large group by getting people to do those "door to door" political BS jobs for a few weekends as a fund raising activity for the club. Be shameless, do whatever people will pay you for (within reason - though with college students...)

If you do not have a coach, then use the dues and funding to hire a local coach to come in 1-2 nights a week. Alot of club teams are student coached and that only goes so far. Actually progression in abilities is the number one way to retain people. A coach should lead weapon-wide drills so everyone can have some "access" but also give individual lessons to travel team members. Don't settle on a mediocre coach, get the best you can - after all some of your members may even seek additional private lessons with if they feel he/she is the "club" coach. This can be a win-win opportunity.

As far as recruiting - go after freshmen. Be sure to have tables at orientation events (THIS IS HUGE!). When they come in for the first couple of nights you have to hook them. Don't just do footwork, give them a blade and let them hit someone. At this point they haven't really started training yet, just hook them on the sport and then go back and truly start to train them. If any particulary athletic/promising/experienced people show up give them some personal attention. Once you start the training collect the dues! College students always have more $$$ at the beginnin of semesters than at the end, plus if they quit at least you'll have their money!


*This is not advice that I would advocate outside of the University setting, but getting gaggles of freshmen and their money in early, sifting for the most promising ones to travel with and letting anyone who wants to pay you - this is what keeps a club team going (assuming you are not lucky enough to have substantial university funding as a club - which Purdue didn't when I was at MSU).

[prototoast]

I believe active fundraising hurts member retention.

[lindajdunn]

Originally Posted by prototoast

I believe active fundraising hurts member retention.

I agree to a certain extent.

I never again want to go door to door selling things as I did back in high school. [Band.] However, you can have Friday night fencing events once a month that serve the dual purpose of member retention AND fundraising. The one time I rode three hours north for Friday night fencing, the chili and pizza were good and the fencing was even better.

It helps if you have members of the club who can be called upon to referee.

[RoninX]

Originally Posted by lindajdunn

I agree to a certain extent.

I never again want to go door to door selling things as I did back in high school. [Band.]

I'm not talking about selling those chocolates, there are always fliers for one time public activities that pay reasonably on college campuses. Use those, plus even door to door isn't so bad if you budy up and promise people beer afterward. (except for the minors... or course... )

[akaiyuki]

What my club found effective last year was:

- Recruit freshmen at orientation, welcome week, or whatever events that your school has to attract freshmen for club sports.
- Reduce dues for new members for the first quarter/semester. Let new freshmen stay in the club for awhile before demanding them for dues.

- What really helped our retention rate was a big road trip for a fencing competition fairly early in the year. We had two vans driving from Los Angeles to Arizona State University and stayed at a cheap inn for two nights. I believe we funded a bit of the trip with club money so people didn't have to pay much and was encouraged to go. Since it was early in the year, a lot of new fencers didn't know each other. The 8 hr car ride (ahem traffic...) and the two nights stay at the inn really helped bonding the fencers. Pretty much everyone that went to Arizona with us stayed with us for the whole year

[RoninX]

Originally Posted by akaiyuki

What my club found effective last year was:

- Recruit freshmen at orientation, welcome week, or whatever events that your school has to attract freshmen for club sports.
- Reduce dues for new members for the first quarter/semester. Let new freshmen stay in the club for awhile before demanding them for dues.

- What really helped our retention rate was a big road trip for a fencing competition fairly early in the year.

Excellent point. Even if you go to a large USFA meet rather than preseason college meet this is great. Excessive time in a small space = bonding time... in college we used to have "rumble van" in which people squared off in a group melee or individual grudge matches while rolling along at 75mph... good times

[BySword]

Originally Posted by RoninX

Excellent point. Even if you go to a large USFA meet rather than preseason college meet this is great. Excessive time in a small space = bonding time... in college we used to have "rumble van" in which people squared off in a group melee or individual grudge matches while rolling along at 75mph... good times

in our school, we are dying to get people to go to a USFA tournament, but once they heard the $50 membership fee and another 2 digit number for event entry fee, most people back out. well, we are still in high school anyway, but I can imagine college people wouldnt be any better (financial wise).

[RebelFencer]

Originally Posted by BySword

in our school, we are dying to get people to go to a USFA tournament, but once they heard the $50 membership fee and another 2 digit number for event entry fee, most people back out. well, we are still in high school anyway, but I can imagine college people wouldnt be any better (financial wise).

If they make fencing a priority they will find a way. The excuse I hate the most is, "I would go this weekend but I'm going home."

[BySword]

Originally Posted by RebelFencer

If they make fencing a priority they will find a way. The excuse I hate the most is, "I would go this weekend but I'm going home."

actually, I heard a story (in my school) of some girl we tried to recruit. She quitted because "she cant afford the equipments", but we only found out her dad drives a brand new mercede or something, hilarious.

[lindajdunn]

Originally Posted by BySword

actually, I heard a story (in my school) of some girl we tried to recruit. She quitted because "she cant afford the equipments", but we only found out her dad drives a brand new mercede or something, hilarious.

Having a parent with wealth doesn't insure you can afford equipment for fencing. My ex-father-in-law was very proud of being a self-made millionaire and wouldn't pay anything towards any child's (or grandchild's) college tuition. Or towards any athletic endeavors. Or... for that matter... towards anything that wasn't his idea.

Some parents are selfish. Others think that the kids need to learn the value of money by earning their own way.

She may have honestly quit because she couldn't afford the equipment.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by RoninX

Excellent point. Even if you go to a large USFA meet rather than preseason college meet this is great. Excessive time in a small space = bonding time... in college we used to have "rumble van" in which people squared off in a group melee or individual grudge matches while rolling along at 75mph... good times

Where did you go to school?

Sounds like we needed to have NCAA Van Fighting Championships as well...

[akaiyuki]

Originally Posted by BySword

in our school, we are dying to get people to go to a USFA tournament, but once they heard the $50 membership fee and another 2 digit number for event entry fee, most people back out. well, we are still in high school anyway, but I can imagine college people wouldnt be any better (financial wise).

We used to have that problem, but we're much better now. It all started with a couple people having USFA membership, and making that the norm. Our coach always announce upcoming USFA tournaments, and we figure out rides to basically each and every single one of them. Many incoming fencers see this and automatically assumes it's the norm to join USFA and go to all those tournaments. The $50 yearly fee isn't that bad -- tell them it includes insurance at USFA competitions and stuff. $50/yr for insurance sounds like a good deal Just don't mention how expensive all the USFA competition adds up... hahaa.

[RITFencing]

Originally Posted by RoninX

(except for the minors... or course... )

*big conspiratorial wink*

[MyraTrue]

I believe active fundraising hurts member retention.

Oh my GOD, you've no idea how much I agree with you. But we are also faced with needing the money to make the club run. It really is a catch 22!

So far, I see some wonderful suggestions. Some of them we do, some of them we don't. I think if there is anything that needs work in our retention, it is the initial hooking of the students. We do hit up the freshmen, and the orientation/activities fairs pretty hard, and usually give them 2 weeks of classes to decide if they like it enough to stay (and pay up dues).

I have to agree that the best hook ever is going to tournaments. My first tournament was as a foil (gag!) alternate at 6 weeks of fencing, and was a long drive for us, going to UDM. The weird stuff that happened in the van, at dinner, in the hotel, and most of all, at the tournament was strangely fun. So I stayed, because I was part of something, and I think that meant more than anything else.

USFA tournaments, and the $50, are a problem. A lot of students avoid USFA events for this reason. We do compete in 3 collegiate dual meets, the championships for said dual meets, and (hopefully) USACFC's, which means 5 non-USFA events. Plus we run a non-USFA team event once a semester.

Thanks for the suggestions! They help!

[jjefferies]

Two different issues:
Financing:
a. hit up alumni for donations. Particularly alumni who fenced back in the day. Or who are active today.
b. sponsor fencing tournaments. 100 fencers X ($10-20) can help a great deal. Costs you can hold down by using your own members to run the event. If you are a USFA club then you have the added advantage with local fencers being able to offer a chance to move up the classification ladder.

Retention:
a. bonding as mentioned earlier is what you want. Road trips, "TEAM FENCING" work well.
b. Try to do more with beginners, freshmen as well as late arrivals. But you need to add in the history and mystique of fencing as well as the athletics. Good reason for you to learn the history as well.
3. Get older students too. At Cal over this summer we've had several graduating seniors who've decided to get invovled. Not sure why but summer and graduation seem to have brought in several beginners.

[glowstix]

Originally Posted by RebelFencer

If they make fencing a priority they will find a way. The excuse I hate the most is, "I would go this weekend but I'm going home."

even worse is "i'd go but i have to study", or "i'm busy",

hey, i did engineering, wrote a thesis, partied 3 times a week, studied and still found time to drive several hours not just to tournaments, but for extra practice at out of town clubs 2 hours away. if you really want something, you find ways..

[MyraTrue]

Originally Posted by glowstix

even worse is "i'd go but i have to study", or "i'm busy",

hey, i did engineering, wrote a thesis, partied 3 times a week, studied and still found time to drive several hours not just to tournaments, but for extra practice at out of town clubs 2 hours away. if you really want something, you find ways..

Glowstix- you sound like Bruce Capin... not that he and you aren't right about having time. I really do believe we make time for what is important. The semester I started fencing, I did most of my studying for exams at fencing practices (I'd fence an hour of open advanced, then sit on the mats and do my work). Some of my worst classes and best grades were that semester. I get to test that "write a thesis" idea this semester... one semester to write and defend... hahahaha... and promote fencing, compete heavily, and influence others to run with pointed objects.

[glowstix]

Originally Posted by MyraTrue

Glowstix- you sound like Bruce Capin... not that he and you aren't right about having time. I really do believe we make time for what is important.

hey, that's the UF coach!! : in all fairness, i was only taking 9 hours a semester in grad school while writing the thesis so it was doable. in my last 2 semesters i had no classes so it was even easier. the fact is, most people aren't doing engineering and they aren't in grad school so even if you're taking 12-15 hrs i think its still doable.

[griffindm]

One fundraising strategy that has worked well at my university club is to have the club supply manpower for school events. We raise a significant amount of money cleaning up after concerts and athletic events. No selling involved and the activity as a group helps build team cohesion.

Check out what opportunities you may have at your institution.