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MONEY MAKING PROJECTS
By Mark Hicks
 The most daunting challenge many bass clubs face is finding ways to keep their treasury flush. Some clubs rely mainly on annual dues to cover expenses, and they increase their dues whenever it’s necessary. The advantage to this approach is that you don’t have to spend time fundraising. And, you can concentrate on what you love to do, which is bass fishing.
However, fundraising projects provide cash that can be used for things like youth fishing events and traveling money for members who qualify for regional or national bass tournaments through your club. There’s also much to be said for the camaraderie of working together and for promoting our sport. Here are several projects that have helped other clubs fatten their bank accounts. They might work for your club, too.
Lottery Calendar
If your club has a large membership, say, 30 members or more, consider selling a lottery calendar, as Ohio’s Hocking River Bassmasters did in 2008. This project was initiated by the club’s president, Keith Adams. Adams had done well with a lottery calendar when raising money for a youth summer baseball league that represents 300 kids.
The Hocking River Bassmasters printed 1,000 calendars on heavy stock 8 1/2” by 11” paper that covered three months, July, August, and September. Each calendar was assigned a 3-digit number from 000 to 999. These numbers correlate to the Ohio Lottery’s Pick 3 game. Whoever bought the calendar whose number matches that of the daily the Pick 3 game wins the money listed on that calendar for that day. One of the calendars will have the winning number every day.
The club sells the calendars for $20 each, which amounts to $20,000 if all 1,000 calendars are sold. Half the money taken in goes into the club’s treasury; the other half is paid to the daily winners.
“On most days, the winner receives $100,” Adams says. “On four of the days, the winner gets $500. And, on the final day of the calendar, the winner collects $1,000.”
The more calendars your club sells, the more money it takes in. This wasn’t a problem for Adams when he had 300 ballplayers to sell calendars for the baseball league, since each youngster had to sell only three or four calendars.
However, since the Hocking River Bassmasters have only nine members, they were able to sell only 237 calendars. They still made money, because there were no winners for the calendars that were not sold. If you have a large club with active members that can sell 1,000 calendars, this project could fatten your treasury in a big way.
Host Tournaments
For the past 16 years, the Hocking River Bassmasters have hosted an annual Ohio River tournament out of Belphre, Ohio. The event is held on the last weekend in April, and it’s usually the first open tournament of the season in this region.
The entry fee is $60 per boat for this team-format event, plus $10 for the big bass pot. The club pays back 80 percent of the entry fees and keeps 20 percent. A field of 50 boats brings in $3,500, of which the club earns $700 for their treasury.
If you decide to host a tournament, be sure to find out if you must adhere to any local or state regulations. For example, you may need a permit to use the launch facility. The Hocking River Bassmasters must get a permit from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources to hold their annual tournament. Although the official launch ramp is in Ohio, the state of West Virginia owns the reach of the Ohio River that flows between Ohio and West Virginia.
Other options are to run weekly Wednesday evening “pot” tournaments in which your club’s members can compete along with anyone else who wishes join in the fun. The money generated for the club each week is small, but it adds up over the course of the season.
For more than 20 years, the Potomac Bassmasters of Virginia hosted eight team style tournaments a year to raise money for their club. These events were essentially the same format as the annual tournament hosted by the Hocking River club, with an $80 entry fee, plus $10 for the lunker award. By hosting several tournaments with a higher entry fee, they kept their treasury fat with cash.
Arnold Aspelin, president of the Potomac Bassmasters, claims that it takes only a few club members to run these events once the format is established. The key is to assign different club members to the various tournaments to share the workload. Don’t let these duties fall on a few dedicated members.
Sponsorships
Many local businesses have a vested interest in the success of your club. Tackle shops and marinas that sell products to you and other fishermen certainly want your club to succeed. Many other businesses may also be willing to support you, such as local restaurants. They will be more responsive if you tie their donation in with something like a tournament or a youth event that gives them exposure for their business.
When you approach these businesses, bear in mind that they receive many requests for donations. Although some of them might be willing to donate cash, others will be more inclined to donate certificates for meals, oil changes or some other product or service they offer. If you’re looking for a high ticket item that can be used in a raffle, say, a foot control electric motor, ask for a discounted price. There’s a good chance that they will sell the item to you at their cost or less.
Blain Schwarzel of Schwarzel Marine in Hockingport, Ohio, often helps local bass clubs. He posts fliers for open tournaments hosted by clubs, and has donated trophies and other items for some of the larger events.
“I sold one club a 55 gallon drum of outboard motor oil at my cost,” Schwarzel says. “The club sold the oil by the gallon to their members at a price that was below retail, but high enough to make a profit for their treasury.”
The Bay Area Bassmasters of Tampa Bay, Florida, have several sponsors that pay annual dues to their club that range from $250 to $750. Some of the sponsors are businesses owned by club members, including Tom Mahoney, the club’s president. Mahoney runs a marine supply store, and he claims that his sponsorship dollars are well worth the investment.
“We give our sponsors exposure by posting their businesses on our web site, listing them in our newsletter and by displaying their logos at our open tournaments and youth events,” Mahoney says.
The Bay Area Bassmasters earn $6,000 to $7,000 a year for their club’s treasury. The fact that they are a large club with 101 active members certainly helps with the fundraising. If your club has a short roster, bear in mind that the Bay Area Bassmasters had only six members seven years ago. Now, they are the second largest bass club in the world, claims Mahoney. Certainly, there are many potential club members in your area. It would be worth your while to go out and find them.
Raffles
The Bay Area Bassmasters also conduct raffles, as do many other clubs. They use the lures, fishing rods and gift certificates they get from their sponsors as raffle items. Every month, they divide these items into 15 grab bags and raffle them off to club members and anyone else they can sell a raffle ticket to. This raises about $300 a month for the club.
Flea Markets
 The Potomac Bassmasters often raise money for their treasury by selling old rods, reels, lures, and even household items at established, well-attended flea markets. Since the flea markets are organized by someone else, the members need to do little preliminary work. They simply show up with their goods to sell.
“We also promote our club and youth events while we’re there,” Aspelin says. “Some of the guys tend the tables with the stuff we’re selling, while others move around the market to let people know who we are and what we’re doing. It’s a good way to pick up sponsors.” |
