These days, fundraising is just a part of participating in youth sports programs. Whether you join a city or county league, school team, or sports club, most athletes know the drill--sell the required number of candy bars, discount cards, or rolls of wrapping paper so they can play the sport they love. Most families have busy schedules and get tired of the "usual suspect" fundraisers. So, they resort to buying all the product instead of schlepping it around the neighborhood, or just writing a check for the minimum fundraising amount.

Fundraising can be a great teaching tool for young athletes! Choosing fundraisers that athletes and their parents actually want to do will help children learn valuable life skills, and your team gets the most out of your fundraisers.

We rounded up four fundraisers for sports teams that we think everyone will actually be excited to participate in (and will raise the money your team needs).

There are more nonprofits than ever, which means there is more competition for donations. To complicate matters further, donors are more informed and savvier than ever. They know good fundraising, and they are cautious givers. Donors have access to more information, thanks to the internet, and are becoming more sophisticated givers.

Donors want to know how nonprofits use their generous financial contributions. If we’re honest, that’s not an unreasonable expectation! Most nonprofits agree that fiscal responsibility is a good thing. In the past, financial transparency was an excellent "bonus" feature to an organization’s fundraising methods, but not really a necessary part of the process.

Today, donors expect to know how your nonprofit handles finances. Organizations must demonstrate that they are a worthy investment.

This might seem like a daunting task. After all, most nonprofit budgets are far more complicated than the usual household budget. But, with a little preparation and effort, you will be able to share your financial statistics with your donors confidently and in a manner that actually builds trust!

If you're in the development department at a charter school, you know how challenging fundraising can be. Yes, there's public funding, but so much of the great work you're doing for your students comes from additional funding sources, and those sources are being more scarce each year. In fact, most charter schools now rely on fundraising efforts to cover building expenses and subsidize their operating budget.

Many charter schools rely on major annual fundraising events like a fun run, golf tournaments, a glamorous dinner with live music, or a gala and silent auction.

No matter how your charter school decides to go about fundraising, there are many challenges to navigate and overcome. Here are some practical ideas and apps that are sure to help you conquer your fundraising goals and minimize the difficulties.

Did you know that more than 293 billion consumer and business emails were sent per day? Some analysts say that number will surpass 347 billion by 2023 (and some of us probably feel like we delete about that many every week).

About 3.8 billion people use email regularly, making it one of the best (and most cost-effective) ways to fundraise online. In 2017, emails drove about 28% of all online revenue, but the response rate to fundraising emails is under 1%.

Of course, those statistics are skewed by national and global organizations that send millions of emails regularly. Still, it's more important than ever to make your email stand out in the crowded inboxes.

One of the easiest ways to improve your open rate is to write an excellent subject line! There are plenty of ways to go about this, and the options are only limited by your own creativity.

We rounded up some tips, tricks, and best practices for writing fantastic email subject lines that will surely spice up your response rates.

Jewish Community Centers (JCC) all over the country provide valuable services and resources. Each JCC contributes uniquely Jewish approaches to fighting for justice and making the world a safe, healthy, and enriching place for people of every age and background. Perhaps more than ever before, our neighborhoods need the resilience and tireless pursuit of justice and peace that the Jewish Community Centers offer.

There are many strategies to raising the money required to fund the excellent educational, cultural, health, and social programs for which JCCs are so well known (not to mention the scholarships that ensure everyone in the community has the opportunity to benefit from JCC programs and services).

Many Jewish Community Centers rely on major annual fundraising events, like a community block party or a "Roaring Twenties" themed night of cocktails and dancing for the majority of their donations. Other JCCs host golf tournament fundraisers and charity fun-runs.

Perhaps your community takes a more direct fundraising approach and sends mailings asking for donations. Some JCCs have membership programs and rely on generous monthly donors to finance their programs and services.

No matter what fundraising tactics you choose, there are unique challenges that can make fundraising difficult and may even negatively impact your efforts. Here’s some ideas and apps to address these challenges and make your fundraising strategies more effective.