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With so many activities taking place during the school year, fundraising can easily feel overwhelming. Teams, clubs, and performing groups often run their own separate events, which means parents and volunteers juggle back-to-back fundraisers. It doesn’t take long before everyone feels stretched too thin.
One way to make things easier is to launch a fundraising store that supports multiple groups at once. That way, instead of running different sales for cheer, choir, and volleyball, everyone can work together in one place. A shared online store helps schools add more variety, make things easier to organize, and bring in more support from across the country. With Team Butter, schools can run everything 100% online, sell premium products like popcorn, cookie dough, and pet treats in one combined store, and keep 50% profit from every order. Here’s how to do it without the usual stress.
Choosing the Right Mix of Products
The first big decision is what to sell. Giving families a mix of options can keep things fresh and help reach more buyers. Some people love sweet snacks, others go for fun or practical items. The key is choosing things people enjoy and want to share.
Here are a few product ideas that work well in multi-group fundraisers:
• Popcorn is a go-to favorite that appeals to a wide range of supporters
• Cookie dough is fun for families and often sells well, especially with younger groups like cheer and elementary music
• Pet treats are great for band or basketball families who know lots of animal lovers
It can help to match certain products to the group’s personality. If your soccer team is full of active kids who love pets, pet treats might connect better with their families and neighbors. If choir families love baking, cookie dough could be the best fit. Adding more than one option lets each group share what fits them best.
How to Launch a Fundraising Store Smoothly
Bringing multiple groups together under one store does not mean giving up control. Each team or club can still play an active part while working toward a common goal. The earlier groups come together to plan, the better things tend to go.
Here are a few ways to keep the process smooth:
• Meet early to talk through timing and decide how sales and profits will be shared
• Make sure every group has a chance to share their goals, like raising money for uniforms, competitions, or bus costs
• Choose a platform that makes it easy for each group to personalize their space and tell their story
Clarity is important. Everyone should understand how the fundraiser works, when things start and end, and how shipping is handled. That helps reduce questions later and builds trust between families and organizers.
Engaging Students, Parents, and Staff
The most successful fundraisers are the ones where lots of people join in willingly. That happens when the plan is simple and people feel part of something. Whether it is coaches, captains, or students, everyone has a role to play.
Here’s how to keep participation high throughout the fundraiser:
- Give students small jobs like designing fundraiser graphics or helping friends post on social media
- Use short weekly challenges to keep energy up, such as “top sharer gets to pick next week’s group song”
- Share progress at meetings, morning announcements, or on hallway bulletin boards
Celebrating wins helps keep people motivated. If soccer reaches their goal first, shout it out during lunch or practice. If choir gets the most out-of-town orders, highlight it in the school newsletter. Fun touches like that bring everyone into the effort.
Simplifying Volunteer Roles Across Groups
Fundraisers can stall when too few people are carrying too much weight. With a shared store, it is possible to divide the work without asking for huge chunks of time.
Try these small ways to keep volunteers involved without overloading them:
- Have one or two lead contacts per group who track updates and reminders
- Share shortcuts like prewritten messages or graphics to make it easier to promote online
- Allow flexible roles so families can jump in when they have time, not just when meetings happen
Basketball parents might do evening shifts, while baseball families pitch in on weekends. When volunteers know their piece matters but will not take over their life, they are more likely to stick with it.
Why Direct Shipping and All-in-One Stores Work
Shipping can be one of the hardest parts of fundraising, especially when deliveries happen at school or someone’s house. With direct-to-home shipping, that problem disappears, and it opens the door to supporters across the country. Our platform removes order forms, payment collection, and inventory management, since every order is shipped straight from the supplier to the supporter.
Here is why using a shared online store that ships straight to donors helps school groups:
• No sorting or deliveries means less stress for families and teachers
• It is easier to ask extended family or out-of-town friends when shipping is handled automatically
• Choir supporters in California and cheer relatives in Florida can all chip in without worry
When schools do not need to plan pickup days or carry loads of boxes, it saves time and reduces mistakes. Direct shipping makes every part simpler.
A Smarter Way to Raise More With Less Stress
Trying to manage five separate fundraisers at the same time can wear down even the most motivated families and volunteers. But when schools launch a fundraising store that includes different products and groups, everything fits together more easily.
Each team can still share their own goals and identity, while benefiting from a simple, combined setup. Groups sell more without extra work, parents stay organized, and supporters get to help more than one activity at once. Sharing the fundraiser does not take away from the groups involved, it gives everyone a fairer shot at success. When the goal is to help every student take part without money getting in the way, that is a win everyone can feel good about.
We make it simple to launch a fundraising store that supports all your school groups in one place, keeping fundraising organized and fair for cheer, choir, dance, and sports programs. At Team Butter, we are proud to help families work as a team and enjoy the process. Let’s connect to discuss how we can support your next campaign, contact us today.