Serving up support

Pickleball events score funds and supporters for animal welfare organizations

a large group of people pose with a dog on a pickleball court — The Arizona Pet Project’s Pickleball Pawlooza not only brought in money but also introduced the organization to a new crowd and added six people to its volunteer ranks. Photo courtesy of The Arizona Pet Project

Fundraising is essential for nonprofits, but finding innovative ways to engage your community, raise money and share your mission can be a challenge.

Enter pickleball, which combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. It’s been ranked the fastest growing sport in the U.S. for the third year in a row by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, and the animal welfare field has taken notice.

Baltimore Humane Society held its first pickleball fundraiser in June 2024. “We thought it would be a great way to help the animals here at the shelter…[and] bring the community together for something that they love to do,” says Alexa Jones, marketing and public relations director for the shelter.

Pickleball for Paws, which took place at the Coppermine Racquet & Fitness Club in nearby Pikesville, Maryland, drew around 100 people and was a resounding success for a first-time event.

Paddling for a purpose

A low-impact sport, pickleball is popular with people of all ages and fitness levels, making it ideal for attracting a broad demographic, Jones says.

To increase the appeal of its event, Baltimore Humane offered participants a choice between competitive and noncompetitive play. This drew casual players looking for a more relaxed experience as well as hardcore enthusiasts (aka “picklers”) seeking to match their skills against opponents.

Two people smile holding a dog and pickleball paddle — Happy picklers take a break at The Arizona Pet Project’s pickleball event. Photo courtesy of The Arizona Pet Project

The Arizona Pet Project, an organization dedicated to keeping pets and their humans together through hardships, attracted 22 teams of two participants to its first pickleball event at Chicken N Pickle in Glendale in August 2024.

“It was great finding connections with new people because our organization is relatively unknown, but we’re doing important work…” says Victoria Esposito, the group’s development and event coordinator. “Now, more people know who we are and give our resources to those who are struggling.”

Dedicated pickleball facilities are popping up nationwide, and some have established community partnership programs. This not only makes event organizing easier for nonprofits, Esposito says, but can also pave the way to other fundraising opportunities. For example, during the month leading up to The Arizona Pet Project’s Pickleball Pawlooza, Chicken N Pickle featured the organization for an in-house fundraiser, donating a portion of its fountain drink sales, which ultimately brought in about $1,200.

On the day of the event, The Arizona Pet Project raised an additional $1,500 and landed a new monthly donor. Six people signed up as volunteers on the spot.

“We drew a huge crowd that had never heard of our organization…” Esposito says. “It was amazing for us to reach out to a whole new demographic and see so many different ages come together.”

Jones is equally enthusiastic about the potential of pickleball events to reach a whole different group of donors, volunteers and adopters. “It’s up and coming and seems to be very popular in the community,” she says. “People love sports and coming together.”

“We drew a huge crowd that had never heard of our organization… It was amazing for us to reach out to a whole new demographic and see so many different ages come together.”
—Victoria Esposito, The Arizona Pet Project

Pickleball fundraising tips

You don’t need to know the difference between a dink and a flabjack to organize a successful pickleball fundraiser. Here are some tips from Baltimore Humane Society’s Alexa Jones and The Arizona Pet Project’s Victoria Esposito.

Baltimore Humane Society partnered with the Coppermine Racquet & Fitness Club for its first pickleball fundraiser. Image courtesy of Baltimore Humane Society

Choose an appropriate venue: Local tennis or pickleball clubs are often more than willing to host community events, and they have the equipment, liability insurance and medical staffing to keep everyone safe. (Ensure all participants sign the facility’s liability waivers.)
Leverage social media: Use social media to spread the word among your followers and pickleball enthusiasts. Both Esposito and Jones recommend joining local Facebook pickleball groups and posting in those spaces.
Raise your net: To increase your fundraising success, partner with local businesses to sponsor players or to provide food, prize money or raffle items, and let them set up a booth or hand out swag at the event. Along with recruiting event sponsors, Jones and her team organized an online auction of pickleball equipment and pet-related items.
Be thoughtful about pricing: “Make sure if you are including a buffet or other perks that you’re not shortchanging your organization,” says Esposito. While you want to keep your event affordable, she adds, “asking for $5 or $10 more isn’t a deal-breaker. People are willing to pay more for a fun event and good cause.”
Sweat the details: Like all community events, you need to think about logistics, such as clear signage and smooth registration and check-in processes. Esposito learned that lesson during her organization’s first pickleball fundraiser. “It was hard to ensure people knew exactly where to go, so I would bring our own signage going forward,” she says.
Promote adoptions: If you plan to include adoptable pets at your event, make sure to choose furry attendees who thrive in crowds and won’t go wild over bouncing balls. Jones recommends limiting the number of animals and keeping them clear of the courts. Baltimore Humane Society brought a pair of adoptable dogs to Pickleball for Paws and promoted others via flyers with QR codes that linked to their online profiles. Although the two dogs didn’t get adopted at the event, Jones says, “they sure spread smiles to everyone who participated.”

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