Getting Started

Download our Fundraising Outreach Guide

1. Sign Up:
   
   Only NFL member schools are permitted to create fundraising pages. In order to begin fundraising, you will need to use your NFL login (the same one you use to enter NFL points). Only head coaches or directors will be allowed to create a page.
   
   NFL member schools are not charged ANY fee for the use of the Giving Youth A Voice portal. Donations are subject to standard credit card processing fees of 3.5%. By using this service, you understand that the amount your team receives will equal the total amount of the donation less these processing fees.
   
   

   All pages actively require NFL approval. If an assistant coach or other coach attempts to create a page, the NFL will seek express approval from the head coach or director.

   For more information, see Eligibility Rules.





2. Enter Your Team's Request:
   
   Tell potential donors exactly what you are raising money for and how much it will cost. Be as specific as possible.
   

   Here's an example:

   Description: Alpha Academy sends first Public Forum team to Nationals!

   Goal: $1,420

   What we're raising money for:

   • Air travel for two students: $600
   • Rental Car & Gas for one week: $200
   • Hotel room at $79/night for six nights: $500
   • Entry Fees: $120





3. Promote your page:
   
   After the NFL approves your page, you will be able to direct potential donors to your part of the site so they can make a tax-deductable donation. Login to your page and e-mail the link to your students, supporters, and other people you and your team know. They can forward your request on to even more people. You can also use social networks like Facebook and Twitter to spread the news about your cause.

   If you are having difficulty raising funds or are interested in heightening your efforts, the NFL is pleased to provide exclusive access to a social media expert who can help jump start your campaign. Greg Ferenstein is an NFL alum and contributor to CNN, The Huffington Post, and The Christian Science Monitor. He can be reached at gregf22@gmail.com and can help you implement a social media strategy.

   
   





4. Collect what you raised:
   
   After your donors make a contribution, they'll receive a thank you note and tax receipt from the NFL. You may also want to thank your donors as well or have your students write thank you notes.
   

   At the end of the campaign, the NFL will send your school a check for the money you've raised. Your school is not charged any fee for using the service. Most importantly, the NFL does not keep any money from the amount your team raises. The amount donated is subject to standard credit card processing fees, currently 3.5% which are subtracted from your team's total.

   It's that simple!

   
   
   

   1. Eligibility Rules
      
      
   2. • School

      • The NFL permits any NFL member school in good standing to create a fundraising page. A non-member school may only create a fundraising page to pay for their NFL membership. Until the membership need is fulfilled, no other fundraising requests will be approved.

      • Teacher/Coach

      • The NFL permits only the NFL coach of record to create a fundraising page. The coach of record is an authorized representative of the school as per the NFL application signed by the principal of the diploma granting institution. This person is consider by the NFL to be the legal representative of the school and is authorized to act and represent the school.

        At this time, no student or assistant coach, parent or group of parents, nor any other individual may create a fundraising page. If the NFL is notified that any unauthorized individual misrepresenting a coach of record has made a fundraising page, the page will be terminated and any dollars raised will be returned to the donor.

      • First Needs Requests

      • Any NFL member school may create a fundraising page to support any forensics-related activity. Examples may include: National Tournament travel and entry fees or supplies for a debate or speech team. Please refer to “Designing Your Fundraising Page” for information on how to best specify your needs.

        If your fundraising page is fulfilled, the funds will be distributed within seven days to the school or to a booster club. The teacher/coach must specify the entity to receive funds in the funding request. No individual is eligible to be the recipient of donated funds.

   
   
   

   3. Responsibilities

   4. The NFL fundraising site is not designed to be used as a passive posting site for generic funding requests. Rather, it designed to be an active and dynamic portal for specific and directed campaigns for needs in the forensics community. As such, the teacher/coach creating a fundraising page must adhere to the following guidelines:

      • Responsiveness: The teacher/coach must respond to all communications from the NFL within 6 business days. On the 7th business day, the user's page will be suspended.
      • Timeliness: All campaigns have a built in time frame of 90 days. Extensions may be filed and approved based on special circumstances. A campaign will not be granted more than two extensions.
      • Interaction: Like any campaign, a fundraising page will not succeed without attention and interaction from the teacher/coach. As such, all campaigns will require that the teacher/coach as well as students and supports are actively sending electronic information through our site to potential supporters.

   
   
   

   5. Distribution of Funds
   6. • The NFL will only distribute funds to a school or booster club organization that has its own account. No funds will be distributed directly to any individual parent, teacher, coach, or student.
      • The user may indicate that funds are to be distributed directly to another organization such as to the NFL, a summer institute, or tournament but not to another individual.
      • Funds will be distributed within seven days of the completion of a campaign by check to the designated organization. Users may request expedited distribution for a nominal fee.
      • In the case that the campaign is not completely funded at the specified campaign end date, the user may choose to request an extension. If the campaign remains incompletely funded, partial funds will be distributed if the distribution from the NFL is used for the specified purpose in the campaign. Absolutely no variation is permitted. If the dollars are not spent or not spent on the purpose of the campaign, the NFL will seek to recover the distribution amount through any financial and legal means at its disposal. NFL will hold both the school and the User financially accountable and at a minimum will prohibit future use of the Site by the user.