High school softball fundraiser success: the Hillcrest Hawks story

Fundraiser snapshot

• Organization: Hillcrest High School softball team

• Location: Country Club Hills, Illinois

• Total raised: $23,790 over 9 fundraisers

• History: Fundraises with Double Good every year since 2022 for softball, basketball, and volleyball at Hillcrest High School

• Impact: Funds allowed the team to buy mitts, bats, uniforms, hoodies, and warmups that made them feel like a team.

Annie Dachota, a Learning Behavior Specialist and softball coach at Hillcrest High School, remembers what it was like when the team was just getting started.

“When we held tryouts for the softball team,” Annie recalls, “most of the girls had no mitts or bats. But having Double Good in our lineup helped us purchase the equipment we needed to feel and play like a team.”

Finding a fundraiser the girls could run

Annie had tried everything from coupon books and raffles to candy and chip sales to help raise money for the team, but they all ended up being a lot of effort for little return. 

Then Annie learned about Double Good’s online fundraiser from Coach Dave Lenti, Double Good’s head of partnerships for high school and youth sports.

It appealed to her that the girls could run the fundraiser themselves using the Double Good app. 

As Annie puts it, “With the app, the girls can sell on their own. We keep half of everything we sell. And who doesn’t love really good popcorn?”

Each player creates their own Pop-Up Store^®, where supporters can order popcorn and have it shipped directly to their doors. The team keeps half of every sale and Annie has less to coordinate, with minimal involvement from parents.

How much the Hawks have raised

When Annie organized the Hawks’ first fundraiser, her goal was simply to buy mitts and bats. But the $11,800 the softball team has raised since 2022 has gone much further than she expected: they’ve been able to buy equipment, uniforms, hoodies, and warmups, which has brought the team closer together.

“This is why we do Double Good,” Annie says. “All of our girls wouldn’t be able to get gear if we didn’t do Double Good.”

Annie has also organized Double Good fundraisers for Hillcrest High’s volleyball and basketball teams, bringing her total across all programs to approximately $23,794 raised over 9 fundraisers organized.

Annie’s 8 tips for your softball fundraiser

After organizing fundraisers for high school softball, volleyball, and basketball, Annie has some tips to help other coaches make the most of their fundraiser:

1. Launch early in the season. Annie introduces the fundraiser at the team's kickoff and schedules it for the first week of the season.

2. Time your fundraiser around payday. Supporters may be more likely to make a purchase when they've just been paid.

3. Create a cheat sheet. Show players how to download the Double Good app and personalize their Pop-Up Stores. Double Good’s fundraising toolkits can help them get started.

4. Lead by example. Share your own Pop-Up Store first so players can see how to set theirs up. Include your personal store note so players can see how to explain what they’re raising money for to potential supporters.

5. Set a goal for every player. Annie asks each player to sell at least $50 worth of popcorn to cover registration fees, and lets them know that $100 covers a hoodie and sweatpants.

6. Reward your top sellers. Annie offers a $50 Amazon gift card to encourage a little friendly competition.

7. Use the Leaderboard to motivate players. Annie encourages friendly competition by sharing screenshots of the live Leaderboard, which tracks each seller’s progress. 

8. Don’t underestimate the final day. Annie has found that the last day of the fundraiser is often her best sales day.

Ready to see what your team can achieve when you fundraise with Double Good?