$23,000+ and Counting: Dance Studio Doubles Its Fundraising Impact

This dance booster club rebuilt its RaiseRight program, bringing in 2X more than other fundraisers combined to significantly reduce families' fees.

For families at Dance Etc., a competitive dance and tumbling studio near Cincinnati, Ohio, the joy of performance comes with a heavy price tag. 

Parents typically spend upwards of $700 per month per child on tuition, competition fees, costumes, gear, and travel, and some families have as many as four children in the program. And with students ranging from ages 4 to 18, families are often involved for many years, making costs a long-term challenge. 

Fundraising is necessary for parents hoping to support their kids' participation and travel to regional or national competitions. However, fundraising efforts at Dance Etc. were stagnant despite the need, and trust had eroded under previous leadership due to a lack of transparency—until Ashley G. stepped in as the booster club treasurer. 

Turning a good idea into a great strategy

The studio's booster club, DE Competition Team Boosters, needed better fundraising results and a way to rebuild trust among their families. So, Ashley leaned into a fundraising solution she knew would work: RaiseRight. 

While the booster club had used RaiseRight before, they never fully tapped its potential. However, having had a positive experience herself, Ashley recognized its true value and made it her mission to turn RaiseRight into one of the booster club’s go-to fundraisers. 

"I knew we could be doing so much more with RaiseRight," Ashley recalls. "The earnings can make or break the difference between having your child on a competition team. If you use it right, it can cover almost everything." 

Meanwhile, the booster club continued to run traditional fundraisers, especially as competition fees kept rising and more families joined the program.

"Dine-to-donate nights brought in $1,200 last year. We sold Super Bowl squares and raised about $1,000. We also sold flowers at our showcase events and made $3,000. And our most successful raffle brought in $6,000," notes Ashley. 

However, with 165+ members in the program, these fundraisers weren't making much of a dent in families' growing expenses. 

New energy, new direction

As soon as Ashley stepped in, she changed the organization from a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to an LLC, allowing families to directly benefit from their RaiseRight earnings.

"Transparency was key for our booster club's rebrand," Ashley states. 

She also took a marketing-first approach to make RaiseRight participation easy, visible, and consistent.

"We take RaiseRight very seriously," says Ashley. "At the start of every season, we make sure families understand how it works and how it helps. We’re constantly in their ear about how they can earn more. Every cent counts!" 

Some of Ashley's best practices and tactics to drive participation include: 

• Having parents download the RaiseRight app and make their first gift card purchase at the first meeting of the season
  
  
• Encouraging gift card purchases for everyday spending, like gas, groceries, and coffee
  
  
• Promoting RaiseRight for gifting seasons, like winter holidays or Teacher Appreciation Week
  
  
• Sharing reminders about bonus earning events in a dedicated Facebook group
  
  
• Covering shipping costs for monthly physical gift card orders to remove barriers, encourage more orders, and help families maximize their earnings
  
  
• Sending quarterly earnings statements to families to track their fundraising progress.

Celebrating wins big and small

In addition to routine reminders, Ashley keeps motivation high by spotlighting real-life impact and driving friendly competition with incentives. 

"Every month, we celebrate our top five earners in our Facebook group. It helps participants see what’s possible and creates friendly competition between families."

Ashley says the most committed families in her program earn $1,500 or more yearly. She recalls one family with four children in the program—and a surprise fifth on the way—who used RaiseRight to fund home renovations by purchasing everything with Home Depot and Lowe’s gift cards. "By consistently earning around $300 monthly, they covered all four kids' fees for one season!" Ashley adds.

Real results

Ashley’s commitment to RaiseRight has transformed fundraising for the DE Competition Team Boosters. She checks all the boxes when it comes to her approach with RaiseRight, so under her leadership, they’ve seen consistent year-over-year growth: 

• 2022: 1,700+ orders and $13,000 in earnings

• 2023: 2,700+ orders and $17,700+ in earnings

• 2024: 3,000+ orders and $23,000+ in earnings

In just two years, orders have increased by 76% and earnings by 80%! Today, nearly 80% of families actively participate, and RaiseRight generates half of the booster club’s annual funds, doubling the amount they've earned through other fundraisers combined. 

"RaiseRight has helped lift everyone's morale. It's a staple for our program," Ashley emphasizes. "We even have parents whose kids have already graduated from the program, who continue to use RaiseRight. They want to support lower-income families who are unable to afford the same opportunities."

Words of wisdom

Ashley’s advice to other booster clubs and families is simple but powerful.

"The more you put into RaiseRight, the more you'll get out of it. I recommend reloading your gift cards every payday and checking RaiseRight before making any purchases. And now that you can shop online, you can also earn on brands that don't have gift cards, like Lululemon."

Most importantly, keep the conversation going. "Preach the success and potential of the program. Share what you learn and keep communication open to help others," she says. "Yes, there’s a lot of information, and it can initially feel intimidating. But as you keep talking about it positively, more people will start to engage."

Simply put, RaiseRight delivers when families commit to using it. And for Dance Etc., it’s become an essential part of how parents support their kids’ passions.

As Ashley puts it, "RaiseRight is our bread and butter."