Being part of a cheer team is a great way for kids and teens to make friends, practice leadership, and get active. However, with uniforms, competition registration fees, travel costs, and music licensing, cheer can get expensive quickly. The first year of cheerleading has been estimated to cost families between $700 and $1,000, which creates a significant obstacle for many families and communities.
Hosting a cheer fundraising event is a popular way to offset these costs. The right fundraiser can help your team turn its cheer dreams into reality. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best DIY cheer fundraising ideas for your team and provide our top fundraising tips for success. We’ll explore:
- The Best Cheer Fundraising Idea
- Low-Lift Fundraising Ideas
- Online/Hybrid Cheer Fundraisers
- Community-Centered Cheer Fundraising Ideas
- Interactive Fundraising FAQ
Let’s get started!
Top idea
1. Cheer-a-thon
Our favorite fundraising idea for cheer teams has to be the Cheer-a-thon. Peer-to-peer events like these are popular because they’re fun for your team and your community, easy to organize, and highly profitable. This twist on the classic “a-thon” event is perfect for cheer teams. Here’s how it works:
- Step 1: Participants gather pledged donations from friends, family, and community members for each minute they spend cheering, or they receive a lump sum donation for their participation. Use a free online fundraising software to manage pledges and create shareable fundraising pages for participants.
- Step 2: Your team completes the Cheer-a-thon, tracking the minutes spent cheering consecutively or the number of cheers completed.
- Step 3: Donors fulfill their pledges based on your cheer team’s performance.
- Step 4: You receive the funds! All funding from pledges goes directly to your team after the event.
Invite participants’ friends and family to watch the team complete this feat. These events are especially great to host towards the beginning of your season, as your participants can raise money, rally support, and get some extra practice in, all at the same time!
If now isn’t the right time for a Cheer-a-thon, don’t worry! We’ve got plenty of additional fundraising ideas perfect for your cheer team.
Low-lift ideas
Managing your cheer squad is hard work. Your fundraising campaign should empower your team to keep going, not deplete your energy. If you want an easy fundraising idea that still promises big earnings for your team, try one of these cheer fundraisers:
2. Walk-a-thon
The Walk-a-thon is a classic for a reason. Like the cheer-a-thon, this is a peer-to-peer event that relies on pledges for donations. Participation isn’t limited to just your team members; you can get the whole community involved in this fun, low-stress event. Especially when the weather is nice, participants love walking and chatting with their friends while they engage in some friendly competition.
To make this event even more exciting, you can turn it into a Spirit Walk—have your cheerleaders wear their uniforms, play upbeat music along the route, and set up a “spirit station” with face paint and pom poms at the check-in table to make the event feel like a party.
3. Selling concessions
An easy way to raise money for your squad is to sell yummy treats. Simply purchase plenty of snacks like popcorn, candy, and sodas before the next game where your team will be performing. When your squad members aren’t performing, they can walk through the stands selling snacks to attendees. Make sure you can accept online payments through platforms like Venmo to increase your earnings.
Because this fundraiser requires some upfront investment, you’ll need to be realistic about how many concessions you think you can sell at a given event. How much of your budget can you allocate to fundraising costs? How many people tend to come to your games? Answering these questions will help you maximize your earnings while minimizing your risk.
4. Yard sale
A team yard sale is a simple, hands-on fundraiser that turns community clutter into cash for your squad! This event is a great choice for a cheer team because it relies on teamwork and gets all the families involved. Ask each athlete’s family, along with local community members, to clean out their closets, garages, and attics for gently-used items to donate to the sale.
Set up a table for each seller in a public place, like your school’s yard, and advertise your event widely to draw in serious yard sale shoppers. Have your athletes wear their team apparel or practice wear to help customers, and be sure to have a “Donation” jar at the checkout table for those who just want to support the team.
5. Text-to-give
A text-to-give campaign is a remarkably effective fundraiser because it allows donors to quickly make a gift whenever they’re feeling inspired, such as during a halftime performance or a big pep rally. Instead of fumbling for cash, supporters can donate instantly from their phones, which reduces the likelihood that potential donors will slip through the cracks.
You’ll need to partner with a text-to-give platform to set up a number and keyword that allows your supporters to donate (e.g., “Text ‘SPIRIT’ to 50155”). From there, donors will be directed to a mobile-friendly donation page where they can finalize their gift.
The key to success with text fundraising is to make this giving option highly visible. Post signs with your number and keyword outside games and have the announcer explain the fundraiser at opportune moments. You will be amazed at how many small donations can add up when you make it that fast and easy for your entire crowd to show their support!
Online or hybrid ideas
If you want to get all of your squad members’ families and friends involved in your fundraiser, no matter how far away, these online or hybrid cheer fundraising ideas will be the perfect choice for your team.
6. Read-a-thon
The Read-a-thon is our favorite virtual-friendly event. For school cheer teams, these events are a perfect way to raise money while encouraging your squad members to deepen their interest in reading. They can even raise money while doing their homework!
For a Read-a-thon, you can take pledges based on minutes spent reading rather than pages to reward all participants for their effort, no matter their reading level. Use a reading tracker to allow participants to log their minutes.
You’ll be surprised how the donations can add up, as donors are likely to be more generous knowing that their money both supports a good cause and encourages reading.
7. Custom cheer-grams
A twist on the classic candy-gram, this event is perfect for celebrating birthdays, congratulating a friend, or just spreading a little extra spirit. For this fundraiser, your squad will sell personalized, recorded video cheers. Supporters can pay a flat fee and fill out a simple online form with the recipient’s name, the occasion, and a few fun facts. Your team will then record a high-energy, 30-second custom cheer and send it directly to the buyer.
This is a phenomenal fundraiser because it has zero overhead costs and can be “sold” to anyone, anywhere, not just your local community. It showcases your team’s unique personality and skills, providing a truly one-of-a-kind gift that people are excited to buy and share.
8. Online silent auction
An online silent auction enables your supporters to participate in your fundraiser from anywhere. Here’s how it works: First, your team will acquire a series of desirable auction items. Tailor your prizes to your community’s interests. For example, you might include a designated parking spot outside of your stadium or a basket of goodies from a local business. Seek out in-kind donations from supporters to cut down on costs.
Then, you’ll advertise your auction widely. Be sure to set concrete start and end dates for bidding and select online bidding software that will notify bidders when they’ve been outbid, driving further competition. At the end of your auction, you’ll deliver gifts to the winners and thank them for their contributions.
Community-centered ideas
One of the best aspects of cheer is its ability to bring community members together. Take advantage of your team’s ability to rally enthusiasm by hosting one of these community-centered fundraisers for cheer teams!
9. Fun Run
If you want to involve the wider community in your squad’s fundraiser, a fun run is a great option. These events are always exciting and highly adaptable to your community’s interests and needs.
Start by securing a time and location for your run and obtaining the proper permits for your event. Fun runs are great because you can choose many different themes to make it your own—color runs, costume runs, and glow runs are all popular options.
Remember to start promoting your event online at least a month in advance to give people ample time to sign up. Like other peer-to-peer events, participants receive pledges from family and friends for their participation, but you can also charge a registration fee for these events.
10. Cheer workshop
A cheer workshop is a great way to leverage your team’s skills and their status as positive role models for younger children. For this event, you’ll sell tickets to a cheer workshop for younger kids in your community. Your squad members will act as coaches, teaching cheer fundamentals for a few hours on a weekend morning. Parents are thrilled to pay for a high-energy, supervised activity that supports a good cause, and the kids love getting to be a “real cheerleader” for a day!
To drive registrations, consider including a performance element. You might choreograph a short routine for participants that they can perform at the next home game. Providing a unique opportunity like this can turn this one-time fundraiser into a beloved annual tradition.
11. Talent show
A talent show is a fun, large-scale event that can unite your entire community and bring in significant funds. Your squad takes on the role of producers and hosts, managing everything from holding auditions and promoting the event to keeping the show moving on the big night.
You can charge a small audition fee for each act, sell tickets to the audience, and make a huge profit margin by running a full concession stand with popcorn, drinks, and candy during intermission. You can also record the event and sell copies to the parents of participants.
To make it a “must-see” event, be sure to invite a panel of “celebrity judges,” like popular teachers or local community leaders. You can also secure a great grand prize from a local business in exchange for an ad in the event program, which costs you nothing but adds major excitement for the performers.
12. Movie night
A family movie night on the football field or in the school gymnasium is a classic, low-stress fundraiser that everyone loves. Your team hosts a screening of a popular, family-friendly movie and sells tickets for admission. This is an excellent choice for a cheer fundraiser because the movie itself provides all the entertainment.
Remember to secure the proper public screening license for the film you choose in advance. To create a fun atmosphere for attendees, sell snacks and provide plenty of comfy seating, or have a BYOPB (Bring Your Own Picnic Blanket) policy.
Interactive Fundraising FAQ
Additional Resources
Your squad needs creative fundraising ideas that will build excitement and bring your community together. Add your own spin to any of the ideas on this list; customizing your fundraising strategy to suit your target audience and your squad’s goals increases your chances of success.
For even more fundraising ideas, check out these examples:
- 20+ Amazing PTA Fundraising Ideas for Every Occasion. This guide will help you find easy and profitable ideas for your school fundraiser.
- 55+ Genius School Fundraising Ideas: Shatter Your 2025 Goals. Find the right school fundraiser for any age, any time of year.
- 30+ Awesome + Profitable PTO Fundraising Ideas for Schools. Learn more about fundraising for sports teams and the most profitable events for your organization.
