There is some confusion this year regarding fundraising. Rightly so, it’s sort of confusing. This will clarify what it all means.
Background Information on Fees
In years past, fundraising meant only one thing, raising money for the club. During the heyday of the economic boom, MARA changed the business model to allow broader access by reducing the financial hurdle of participation fees. The club, primarily through the auction, raised enough money to where the participation fees only had to pay half of the actual annual budget. It was noble and novel. It is a very uncommon approach in the ski industry. Three years ago, we found out why. In poor economic times, when it is ideal to keep fees as low as possible, raising half of the club’s budget via charitable giving is not possible. We ran at a deficit for the last three years, spending through the club’s cash reserves hoping to outrun the recession and not raise fees. The recession is still alive and well and the cash is nearly gone.
This required a new business model, a transition away from traditional club fundraising for half of the budget, to more of a pay-as-you-go model as most other ski clubs do. We also realized that this would result in a major fee increase, anywhere from 20 to 70 percent, depending on the program. In order to mitigate this, we came up with three new individual fundraising options to help lessen the impact of the increase.
Both types of fundraising, club-wide and individual, will be discussed below along with a real world example.
Club-wide Fundraising
The first, and most obvious question is “If my fees are going up, why am I helping with club-wide fundraising?” That is a very valid question. The answer is two fold. First, the 2011-2012 operating budget counts on a contribution of $12,000 from the auction in order to avoid even further fee increases. Second, any money beyond that from the auction will go into the MARA Fund to address needs based financial assistance. As the MARA Fund grows, so will the distribution of aid. No one will receive 100% assistance, allowing the club to cover more athletes.
Each family is required to pledge to raise at least $150 in goods or services for the auction. A deposit of $150 per family is secured upon enrollment until that obligation is fulfilled. For the last few years, about half of our families have procured auction items. The other half forfeited their auction deposit rather that seek auction items.
Typically the auction occurred before any enrollment had happened, so items procured were used in the following year’s auction even though it fulfilled the member’s fundraising requirement for the current year. This year presents a unique opportunity to donate goods or services now to be used in the current season’s auction. Either way, before or after the auction, it will fulfill this year’s requirement.
This helps pay for some of the operation expenses of the club, but is also helping build the Fund that will ensure broader access to the club.
Individual Fundraising
With the shifting of the operating expenses more directly to us, the members that utilize those services, we needed to develop tools to help lessen the impact of the increase in fees. We altered one of the club-wide fundraising tools and added two others.
Raffle
Each year MARA has held a raffle that raised almost $10,000 of the club’s yearly budget. Each athlete has been and will be required to buy 10 tickets for $100. When they sell them, they keep the money. It is a net zero financial outlay as long as they sell the tickets. This year’s prize will once again be an iPad.
In years past we’ve tried to incentivize selling more tickets by giving a prize to the athlete who sold the most. This year that is changing. Athletes can sell as many additional tickets as they want. They will not have to pay for additional tickets. They will keep 100% of the proceeds, $10 for each ticket they sell. Sell 30 tickets, the club gets $100, but the athlete gets $200!
Chico Bags and Gertrude Hawk Chocolates
We will also have programs with Chico Bags and Gertrude Hawk Chocolates. Details will follow, but they are ways to diversify fundraising with great products and different avenues for marketing. Each of these will net 50% of the proceeds for the athlete.
Work Deposit
Volunteers staff all MARA local races. In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to incentivize that by holding a $100 work deposit, but we do. Nearly every family meets their work requirement, thus making that a net zero financial obligation.
Real World Example
Parker Spear will train Saturday/Sunday/Thursday Night. The total fees for him will be $1440. Plus he will need to buy 10 tickets for $100, give a $100 work deposit and a $150 auction deposit. That comes to a grand total of $1790. Based on what Parker did last year, we can estimate what his final net outlay will be this year. Parker’s family easily met their work requirement staffing many more than the required 6 hours at races. Parker’s family also went to the community and procured more than $150 in auction items. Finally, Parker sold 60 raffle tickets. In this year’s scenario, with the same ticket sales and no Chico Bag sales and no Gertrude Hawk sales Parker’s fees will be $1790, less $100 work deposit, less $100 in club required ticket sales, less $150 auction deposit, less $500 for his 50 additional ticket sales. That leaves Parker paying $940.
Doing what Parker did, a half season EVO athlete will actually ski for free and pocket $200 to boot!
Final Words
It is a tough time to raise fees, but the survival of the club dictated it. The fundraising options that are available are a powerful remedy for families. If you feel that you need further assistance than what you can raise on your own, please apply for assistance from the MARA Fund.
Hope that’s a little clearer than mud. 
