How Coaches and ADs Are Powering Athletics with Zero-Cost Fundraising

By Scott Garvis | NHSACA Executive Director of Finance

High school coaches and athletic directors are no strangers to fundraising. From hosting golf tournaments to peddling cookie dough, we’ve done it all. We’ve hustled after practice, dug into our own wallets, and leaned, sometimes a little too hard, on the same few community supporters just to get our athletes what they need.

But now, in partnership with the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA), we’re proud to introduce something new: a way to fund your teams without selling a thing, without hosting an event, and without asking for another dollar from overburdened families or booster clubs.

Sound too good to be true? That’s what we thought too, until we saw it in action.

The Game Has Changed

The idea is simple, the impact is profound: through a partnership with Payroc, a global payment processing company, coaches and ADs can now generate recurring revenue just by connecting local businesses to a smarter payment solution.

It’s called the Gift Program, and it’s already reshaping how schools across the country fund uniforms, equipment, travel, and more.

“This isn’t your typical fundraiser,” I said as we kicked off our NHSACA-hosted webinar on innovative fundraising strategies. “This is about creating sustainable income for athletic departments, income that comes in month after month, without putting more on your plate.”

Meet the Team Behind the Program

The Gift Program was brought to life by Kyle and Shane Zegarac, former high school and college athletes turned business leaders. They know the grind of coaching. They know the pain of working without adequate funding. And they’ve lived the mission we all share: building better experiences for student-athletes.

“Look, we’ve sold the pizza kits,” Shane joked during the session. “We’ve coached, we’ve fundraised. And we wanted to build something better.”

Together, they transformed a traditional business model, payment processing, into a powerful engine for good. Through the Gift Program, schools receive a portion of the profits every time a referred business uses Payroc to process credit card transactions.

No selling. No organizing. Just a smarter way to fund what matters most.

How It Works (It’s Easier Than You Think)

Let’s break it down:

1. Your school signs up as a partner, at no cost.
2. You refer local businesses to Payroc—restaurants, salons, auto shops, contractors, anyone who accepts credit card payments.
3. Payroc offers to meet or beat the business’s current processing fees (& often upgrades their service & tech in the process).
4. Once the business signs on, Payroc shares 30% of their revenue margin with your school, every single month.

That’s it. No inventory. No booster headaches. No burned-out coaches trying to organize one more car wash.

“This is about letting coaches be coaches,” Kyle said. “We’re taking an existing expense, a monthly bill businesses already pay, and redirecting a portion of it to help your program thrive.”

Why Coaches and ADs Are All In

As the Executive Director of NHSACA, I’m constantly talking to coaches across the country who are overwhelmed, not by the Xs and Os, but by the financial pressures tied to running competitive programs.

They’re not just coaching. They’re fundraising CEOs, equipment managers, transportation schedulers, and social media coordinators, all while trying to develop student-athletes and win games.

That’s why this model resonated so deeply. It’s not a short-term solution. It’s a long-term income stream that scales over time.

“You don’t need 50 businesses to make this work,” Shane said. “You need five to get started.”

Five businesses could generate $600–$1,000/month. Twenty-five might bring in $2,500/month. With a little effort upfront, this becomes reliable, repeatable income, money that shows up whether you're in season or not.

Making It Your Own

Here’s what makes the Gift Program even more coach-friendly:

• Fully Branded: You can customize the name (e.g., “Bulldog Backers Program”) to match your school identity.
• Custom Campaigns: Want a fund just for football? Wrestling? The band? No problem. You can track revenue per sport or initiative.
• Support Provided: Payroc helps build your marketing plan, trains your staff, and handles all business communications.

And as Kyle pointed out, your impact doesn’t have to stop in your zip code.

“Your quarterback’s aunt owns a bakery in Arizona? She can still sign up. This program isn’t bound by geography. Any U.S. business can participate.”

What’s in It for the Businesses? A Lot.

This isn’t just a “feel good” campaign. Businesses benefit too, often in major ways.

• Lower Fees: Payroc typically saves them money on processing costs.
• Upgraded Tech & Service: They get industry-leading support.
• Community Recognition: They become visible partners supporting local youth sports.

“They’re not donating from profits,” Shane emphasized. “They’re just choosing a provider who shares revenue with schools, something their current processor probably doesn’t.”

A Real Example: One School, Fifty Businesses, $5,000/Month

What annual fundraising goals do you need to reach? 25k, $50k, $100k

Here’s a realistic picture of what’s possible:

• A school partners with five local businesses—a salon, a coffee shop, a restaurant, an HVAC company, and a car dealership.
• Those five generate $600–$1,200/month combined.
• Over time, the school adds 20 more—bike shops, printers, gyms, even online retailers.
• By month 12, they’re earning $2,500–$4,000/month.
• By year three, with 50+ businesses on board? $5,000/month is well within reach.

And this money doesn’t stop. It flows every month, whether your season is over or your boosters are taking a break.

Why This Matters for NHSACA and Our Mission

At NHSACA, we’re committed to empowering coaches, not just on the field, but in the boardroom. That means supporting smart solutions that ease your workload, unlock new resources, and build sustainable success.

The Gift Program aligns perfectly with that mission.

It’s about equity, ensuring all schools, big or small, urban or rural, can access the funding they need.

It’s about community, helping local businesses give back in a way that’s both impactful and financially sustainable.

And most of all, it’s about you, the coach in the trenches, who just wants to focus on building character, teaching life lessons, and making your program better every day.

Don’t Just Take Our Word for It

During the webinar, coaches and ADs asked smart, tough questions. Here's a sample:

• Q: Is there really no cost?
  A: None. Zero fees. No contract. No obligations. You can walk away at any time.
• Q: Will businesses switch?
  A: Yes, especially when they realize they’ll save money and help your school in the process.
• Q: How do we get started?
  A: Payroc walks you through a one-on-one onboarding, helps you identify potential businesses, and does the heavy lifting from there.
• Q: What if I only get one or two businesses to sign up?
  A: That’s a win. Even one business could generate $100–$300/month, and that’s money you weren’t getting before.

The Future of Fundraising Is Here

Let’s face it: the old model is broken.

Our programs are growing. Our expectations are rising. But our funding hasn’t kept pace. We can’t afford to rely solely on door-to-door sales, expensive events, or endless donation drives.

We need innovative, sustainable solutions, and the Gift Program is exactly that.

It puts power back in the hands of coaches and administrators. It lets businesses give in a way that makes sense. And most importantly, it builds recurring revenue, month after month, year after year, to support the athletes we serve.

How to Join the Movement

If you're ready to take the next step:

1. Set up a call with Kyle or Shane to explore how the program fits your needs. Kyle.Zegarac@payrocsales.com (708) 217-7663
2. Start building your referral network and watch the revenue grow.
3. Start generating reoccurring revenue for your team or athletic department!

We’re not asking you to sell. We’re asking you to open a door, to a better, smarter, future for high school athletics.

Let’s change how we fund sports. Let’s do it together.