# Raising Club Funds ..



## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

How do you all raise funds for equipment like Blinds, Jumps and Bite-gear for your club? 

I'm sorta liking the idea of a one time seasonal membership fee with a nominal amount for club dues pay as you go say like 10$ a day. What is the fee schedule for you local dogsport club? 

Is there anything else that you all do? Sell beverages or have club BBQs?


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

we post flyers at the major pet stores in the area and offer OB and problem solving sessions for $25. We advertise that we specialize in large dogs and "aggressive" breeds. We always end up making a few hundred bucks and there was one lady who has a pretty nice GSD who ended up joining. You can expect the usual pitbull and rottweiler knuckleheads who think they have a badass dog. We hold these session whenever we need something.


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## Julie Ann Alvarez (Aug 4, 2007)

Every January each club member pays an additional $100 that goes towards equipment needs, sportsmans insurance and any additional costs. On top of that we each pay $50 monthly or families pay $70. With about 15 memberships we have a decent income. Also we are expected to pay a nominal fee for trialing (usually 2 per year). We are all expected to trial if we have a dog that is ready or able.

We have a member who is an actual accountant and she does progections, budgets etc.

When our club first started up we had a lot more costs, but now we pretty much have it down to a fine science. We had our blinds made locally a few at a time. We bought the fabric and instructed a local tent outfit on what we needed. Then for the post we used some poles from Home Depot. One of our members welded the ends with scrap so we can sink them into the ground. We spent about $100 per blind but saved alot on shipping.

When we have trials the cost is higher because we have to fly the judges. When we are over on our costs we usually sit down and brainstorm together. We always find a solution working as a collective group. Sometimes we decide to spend out of pocket for special things. That being said our TD has say on what is needed as far as equipment. He will place the orders when he finds the best deal. Our bank account has a Visa debit card so no one is waiting to be reimbursed- three of us have the card for expenses.

We always talk about charging for food at trials but never have. Usually some one of us donates food or the club buys cheap pizza from Costco. Maybe this will be the year that we figure out how to run consessions and trial at the same time.

We also thought about hosting OB classes but we couldn't come to an agreement on it. I think there are a few people who would get stuck doing all the work and we also get stuck with everything else so it doesn't quite fit for us. Also our parks & rec wanted us to do it last year in exchange for less rent at our field but we were afraid that the soccer moms would spy our field and want to steal it for the soccer craze.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Geoff this is easy but you will NEED the right kind of dog...a Bouvier des Flandres will do! Simply walk around the membership and say, "Do you feel lucky punk, do you?" Within minutes, the money flies out and the number of dogs you have to work that day also is reduced, due to the heavy soiling of ones drawers!!! :twisted:


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Just don't let them see the POS work first, otherwise effect is ruined. LOL


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## Jason Sidener (Nov 8, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Just don't let them see the POS work first, otherwise effect is ruined. LOL


LOL


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I'm in a SC (SV) club and we pay 50 Swiss Francs for membership. We also pay, separately, 50 Swiss Francs to the SV (SC) (Schweizerischer Schaeferhundclub) per annum.

We hold a few trials per year which don't throw off a lot of profit, payment of judges, helpers (food and drink only), etc. Each particiipant pays SF 50.- per dog. The lunch and snacks in between are included in the price and visitors pay about 15 Francs for the meal only. Things aren't like they used to be when we sat around after the trial and supped!!! Nowadays most participants want to get home before they came!!!

Visitors can pay SF 50.- per annum and come and bite (this is usually what they want) as often as they want without paying the SC the annual SF 50.--.

We let out the club house sometimes for private parties.

Some clubs give puppy, obedience classes for the general public at 50.- Francs for 10 lessons, etc.

We hold Schutzdienst workshops, let out the clubhouse for a week to the local schools for canine projects, i.e. Agility, Obedience, etc.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

So with the concession selling beer or Costco Pizza that is something that you all don't really do? The OB to the gangsta pitbull and rott public is a great idea. Though our training directors as well train for a living I wonder if that would help or hinder their private businesses?


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Geoff Empey said:


> So with the concession selling beer or Costco Pizza that is something that you all don't really do? The OB to the gangsta pitbull and rott public is a great idea. Though our training directors as well train for a living I wonder if that would help or hinder their private businesses?


Actually Geoff, the weekend sessions seems to bring on new clients for those that do it as a business. I don't call myself a trainer so I can't offer personal examples, however there have been a few people who have asked me to come to their homes etc for training. I just refer them to somebody who does it for a living. 

What is absolutely hilarious is all the cesar millan peeps that come out who think they know what they're doing ....SHHHHH


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Thanks Jeff I'll keep that in the back of my mind when dues go up!!! :twisted: 
Might get really depressed and change the organization to Mondio Ring! Or go back to Shitshund (spl) :twisted:
Geoff what type of beer were you selling? And I heard the pizza came from a box, very little box, Chef Boy of F&%# Me!


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## Jacqueline Guptill (Nov 4, 2008)

Is there anything else that you all do? Sell beverages or have club BBQs?[/quote]


We sell beverages at our training sessions. BBQ's are great ideas as well. We recently thought of doing a breeding pool.....like a hockey pool....buy a square with the number of pups, excluding zero...half to winner, half to club, full amount to club if breeding doesn't take....could also do it with whelping dates and either bitch or stud. We have a pretty small club so it wouldn't be much but anything helps. 

All the trials, seminars, regionals and nationals I've been to sell lunch and beverages ( alcoholic and non-alcoholic ) as well as 50/50 draws or draws for prizes.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Geoff what type of beer were you selling?


Cold ones I hope! Or anything except Labatt's as we don't want any of our customers to stink up the outhouse more than it already is.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Do you have a club treasurer as well? Can you get a bank account in your club's name or in trust?


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Geoff Empey said:


> Do you have a club treasurer as well? Can you get a bank account in your club's name or in trust?



You have to get a DBA to open an account in a business name. We just have the almighty cookie jar with a ledger of how much is in there and what was purchased. We count the money even now and again. We all trust each other... because the consequences are probably to have a bunch of dogs sent on you.[-X


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## Julie Ann Alvarez (Aug 4, 2007)

What is a DBA?

Our club went to my Credit Union and signed up. We did have to get a form for non-profit status but it was not to difficult. I would simply call a bank or credit union and find out what you need in your location.

We have a treasurer who is a real accountant. I think she sends a form in every year at tax time to keep our non profit status.


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## David Scholes (Jul 12, 2008)

Julie Ann Alvarez said:


> What is a DBA?...


DBA "Doing Business As" is usually associated with a business wanting to use a different name than the incorporated name ex: XYZ Inc, DBA "DOGS R-US". I assume in most states they need to be registered. You then need to get at tax # kind of like a SSN for the organization. You probably want to just register a corporation with your states corporation commission or whatever they call it where you live. Talk to an accountant about what type is best LLC etc things vary a bit from state to state. Then there is the nonprofit status to apply for with the IRS which can take some time.


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## Melissa Blazak (Apr 14, 2008)

I have done a lot of fundraising through work over the years, mainly for charity (Catholic school board!). The ones that work the best are anything to do with food.

Soup days - in Ottawa that would be a good idea! - We have volunteers make different kinds of soup in crock pots or big pots and charge $7 to $10 for unlimited bowls + bread and butter

Pasta supper/lunch - That's a good one

Coffee fund - pay so much for each cup of coffee (works really well for the local Bocce club)

Pancake breakfast - pancakes are cheap to make even if you make from scratch

BBQ's

Another thing, raffles. If you have contacts that can get you some good prizes (especially sports tickets) you can make a lot. 

50/50 draws

Sports pools

If you have a good volunteer team to run these events the possibilities are endless! 

However, I do recommend that you keep track of the money spent and earned and open a bank account.


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## John Letcher (Nov 29, 2008)

my wife does a lot of things to raise money for our club. at trials we do raffles, get local places to donate items. we have gotten ray allen, tri-tronics, etc to donate items also. we have done trophy sponsership, sell food and beverage at trials and seminars, make club shirts and sell them. 
john


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

yeah I gotta say Ray Allen and Tri Tronics is great about donating stuff (at least the two times I've asked them) Despite often higher prices, I'm happy to spend my money there because they have been such staunch supports of canine sports.


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## will fernandez (May 17, 2006)

I dont know what the make up of your club is. But the Finnish Folks have come up with a pretty sweet idea.

http://www.fmbbcalendar.com/

I grabbed the link from another forum. Very interesting......


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## Mo Earle (Mar 1, 2008)

_"Can you get a bank account in your club's name or in trust?" _Yes, when we were in FLa. we had a bank account under our club name only - at National City Bank-. Some of the banks want you to put it under a DBA account, National treated as a normal checking account.


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