How to Plan a Cornhole Tournament Fundraiser: 7 Steps + Budget Template

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The numbers tell the story: typical cornhole tournaments can engage 20-40 teams, generate $25-100 per team in registration fees, and raise additional funds through sponsorships and concessions - all while requiring just basic equipment and venue space.

In this guide, we'll show you how to organize a successful cornhole tournament that builds community while funding your mission.

Table of contents

• How does a cornhole tournament work?

• Sample budget & revenue projections

• 7 steps to run a successful cornhole tournament fundraiser

• Cornhole scoring rules explained

• Tournament bracket planning

• Sponsorship package templates

• Permits, insurance & legal considerations

• 5 tips for organizing a cornhole fundraiser for nonprofits

• Cedar Park Baseball Booster Club: how they raised $8,281 CAD

• Tournament planning checklist

• Final thoughts on cornhole tournament fundraising

• FAQs on cornhole fundraiser

How does a cornhole tournament work?

Cornhole is a fun outdoor game or tournament where players toss beanbags on a tilted board with a hole at one end. When playing in teams, each player gets four bags per round. They take turns throwing their bags, trying to either land them on the board or get them through the hole.

Structure your tournament based on your fundraising goals and participant expectations:

• Single elimination: Fast-paced format where teams play until they lose once - ideal for larger groups or time-sensitive events. Creates natural excitement as teams advance through brackets.

• Double elimination: Gives teams two chances before elimination, keeping more donors engaged longer. Perfect when building community matters as much as raising funds.

• Round robin: Everyone plays everyone - maximizes participation and social interaction. Best for smaller groups where relationship-building is key.

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Sample budget & revenue projections

Before you set a registration fee or book a venue, you need a working financial model. The numbers below are based on typical community fundraising tournaments. They give you a realistic floor for costs and a ceiling for revenue — adjust them to fit your market, venue, and sponsor relationships.

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Estimated costs: what you'll actually spend

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A well-organized tournament with borrowed equipment and a free outdoor venue can run for under $200. Even a polished event with a paid venue and cash prizes rarely exceeds $1,500–$2,000 in hard costs.

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Revenue streams: where the money comes from

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Worked example: 24-team vs. 40-team profit

Using a mid-range cost assumption of $900 in total expenses and $75/team registration:

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The jump from 24 to 40 teams adds roughly $2,000 in pure profit — almost entirely from registration and concessions. Capping your event prematurely is one of the most common planning mistakes organizers make.

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What should you charge per team?

The fundraising community debates this constantly. The short answer: $50–$75/team is the sweet spot for casual community events. $100–$150/team works when you offer cash prizes, a premium experience, or a well-known cause. Charging $250/team is viable for competitive brackets with significant prize pools ($1,000+), but you'll need a proven audience and strong marketing to fill spots at that rate.

One practical note: because Zeffy charges nonprofits nothing to collect registrations — no platform fees, no payment processing cuts — every dollar of your registration revenue stays with your cause. At 40 teams and $75/team, that's $3,000 in registration income with $0 lost to fees, compared to platforms that take 2–5% off the top.

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7 steps to run a successful cornhole tournament fundraiser

Now that you've got your financial model, here's exactly how to bring the event to life.

• Step 1: Decide on the tournament type and rules

• Step 2: Decide on the participation fees and winning prize

• Step 3: Choose a date and venue for the event

• Step 4: Arrange for cornhole equipment

• Step 5: Setup registration for the event

• Step 6: Promote your event

• Step 7: Prep for the day of the event

1. Decide on the tournament type and rules

You must choose the tournament type that best fits your event size and schedule.

Single-elimination is perfect for shorter events, especially when cornhole is part of a larger festival or fair. If cornhole is your main event, consider double-elimination or round-robin formats, which give players more games and playing time.

After picking your format, set clear cornhole tournament rules about scoring, game length, and player conduct. Decide on points needed to win a match, what counts as a foul throw, and whether you'll follow standard American Cornhole Association rules or create your own.

Make sure to share these rules with all teams before the tournament begins and have printed copies available during the event.

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2. Decide on the participation fees and prizes

Set an entry/participation fee that covers your event costs while raising meaningful funds for your cause. When calculating the fee, factor in expenses like venue rental, equipment, refreshments, and marketing materials, then add an amount that will benefit your charity.

For prizes, create a mix of appealing rewards that will attract participants. Consider offering a significant cash prize or high-value gift cards for first place, with smaller cash prizes or sponsored gift packages for runners-up.

Pro tip: You can also include branded merchandise from your organization or local sponsors for additional places.

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3. Choose a date and venue for the cornhole event

Plan your cornhole fundraiser during spring, summer, or fall when warm weather makes outdoor events enjoyable. Schedule your event during drier months to avoid rain disruptions. Consider making it part of existing community events like your fall festival or summer fair.

If you want to host it outdoors, you can use a local park, beach, parking lot, school campus, or backyard. For indoors, you can pick from community centers to local gyms and recreation centers.

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4. Arrange for cornhole equipment

Once you've planned your tournament format, determine how many board sets you'll need to keep games flowing smoothly and reduce wait times between matches. Consider these options to get the cornhole equipment:

• Borrow boards from local cornhole leagues or sports clubs

• Ask community members or participants to bring their own regulation boards

• Rent equipment from event rental companies

Remember to stock up on enough cornhole bags for each board set and as backups to replace any that can get damaged during play. It's good to have matching sets to keep the competition fair and professional.

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5. Setup registration for the event

Use Zeffy's 100% free event ticket management platform — trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits who have collectively raised over $2 billion — to make it easy for supporters to join your cornhole tournament. With this system, you can:

• Raise funds without any platform or transaction fees - 100% free

• Sell both team and individual player entries

• Accept extra donations during ticket purchase

• Manage registrations for multiple event dates

• Send automatic tax receipts to donors

• Gather important player information

Plan for last-minute signups by having a registration table at the event where you offer both offline and online payments. Make sure to have clear signage showing registration fees and tournament details for walk-up participants.

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6. Promote your event

Get the word out about your tournament by highlighting the tournament format and exciting prizes in all your promotional materials.

Here are some of the ways to market your cornhole fundraiser:

• Create a dedicated Facebook event and post regular updates on your social media platforms to build excitement for the event

• Put up eye-catching flyers at community spots, local businesses, and sports venues

• Reach out to local newspapers and radio stations to spread the word

• Send email invitations to your organization's supporters and past event participants

Share your online registration link across all promotions and let teams know they can also register on-site at the tournament.

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7. Prep for the day of the event

Start your event day early to ensure everything is ready when players arrive. Begin by setting up your cornhole playing areas with enough space in between for players and spectators to move around comfortably.

You need to set up key areas, including:

• A welcome table for registration and check-ins

• Sponsor booths in high-traffic spots

• Food and drink stations with clear signage

• Score-keeping station with tournament brackets displayed

• Equipment area with extra cornhole bags and supplies

Your volunteers must know their roles and have all the required information to help the tournament run smoothly. Try to do a final walk-through before opening to ensure everything is in place.

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Cornhole scoring rules explained

Getting the rules right before your first match saves a lot of headaches. Here's a complete breakdown of official American Cornhole Association (ACA) scoring — framed for tournament organizers who may be explaining the game to first-timers.

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Official ACA scoring at a glance

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How cancellation scoring works

ACA rules use cancellation scoring, which means you subtract the lower score from the higher score each round. Only one team scores per round — the team with the higher total.

Concrete example round:

Team A throws: one cornhole (3 pts) + two on-board (2 pts) = 5 points

Team B throws: one on-board (1 pt) + one cornhole (3 pts) = 4 points

After cancellation: Team A scores 5 - 4 = 1 point for that round. Team B scores zero.

Games go to 21 points (you must reach or exceed 21 — you don't need to win by exactly 21). If a team reaches 21 mid-round, the other team still finishes their throws for that round before the game ends. For casual fundraiser play, you can simplify to first team to 11 or 15 to shorten game times and run more bracket rounds in a single day.

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Tips for explaining rules to new players

Post a laminated rules card at every board. Keep it to five bullet points or fewer. New players learn faster by watching one demonstration round than by reading a paragraph. Assign one experienced volunteer per four boards during the first round of play — they answer questions on the spot and keep games moving.

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Tournament bracket planning

Once your rules are set, the next practical question is: how many rounds, how many boards, and how long will the whole thing take? The table below gives you quick answers based on team count.

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Bracket calculator: teams, rounds, and time

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How to use this table:

• 30 minutes per game is a conservative estimate. With ACA rules to 21, most games finish in 15–20 minutes. Build in buffer for breaks, bracket resets, and sponsor announcements.

• "Boards needed" assumes simultaneous play across all active games in a round. You can get away with fewer boards if you stagger start times.

• For 40+ teams, double elimination becomes a full-day commitment. Single elimination is usually the right call for fundraiser events where time and volunteer capacity are limited.

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Managing byes and odd team counts

If your registered team count isn't a power of two (8, 16, 32), you'll have byes in round one. Assign byes randomly or reward early registrants with a bye as a sign-up incentive. For a 24-team single-elimination bracket, you'll have 8 byes in round one — meaning 8 teams advance automatically while 16 teams play. That's normal and easy to manage with free bracket tools like Challonge or BracketHQ.

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Time management tips

Give yourself a hard stop time and work backward. A 5-hour event for 24 teams means round one should start no later than 45 minutes after doors open. Build a 15-minute buffer between rounds for score reporting, bathroom breaks, and announcements. Schedule your raffle drawing and award ceremony during the final championship game — that way, spectators stay engaged even if their team is eliminated.

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Sponsorship package templates

The tips section below covers the strategy behind finding sponsors. What most organizers are missing is a concrete offer — something you can hand a business owner and let them say yes to without negotiating every detail. Here are three ready-to-use sponsorship tiers.

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Ready-to-use tiered sponsorship packages

Gold Sponsor — $500 and up

Gold is your title sponsor. There's one slot, and it comes with the most visible presence at the event.

Deliverables:

• Name/logo in the event title (e.g., "The [Company Name] Cornhole Classic for [Your Cause]")

• Logo on all tournament boards (both sides)

• Prime banner placement at the entrance and main stage

• Named announcement at the start, during breaks, and at the awards ceremony

• Logo on all promotional materials (flyers, social posts, email blasts)

• Option to set up a branded booth or display table

• Social media feature post before and after the event

• Logo on registration confirmation emails sent to all participants

• Verbal thank-you in any press coverage or media releases

Gold sponsors get category exclusivity — you won't accept a competing business at any tier.

Silver Sponsor — $250 and up

Silver sponsors get strong visibility without the title recognition.

Deliverables:

• Logo on event banner at the score-keeping station

• Named shoutout during tournament announcements (at least twice)

• Logo included in social media promotional posts

• Business name on printed event programs or score sheets

• Option to place flyers or branded items at the welcome table

• Logo on registration page

You can accept up to three Silver sponsors per event.

Bronze Sponsor — $100 and up

Bronze is designed for small local businesses that want to support the cause with a modest contribution.

Deliverables:

• Business name listed on event program or score sheets

• Verbal thank-you during opening announcements

• Inclusion in a group "Thank You to Our Sponsors" social post after the event

• Option to donate a product or gift card as a raffle prize (with recognition)

There's no limit on Bronze sponsors. The low barrier makes it easy to collect five or six of these quickly, adding $500–$600 to your revenue before you've signed a single bigger deal.

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How to pitch these packages

Send a one-page PDF — not a long email — with the three tiers clearly laid out. Follow up by phone within three days. Give sponsors a deadline (usually two weeks before the event) to be included in printed materials. Make it easy to say yes by including a payment link directly in your outreach. Zeffy's zero-fee donation forms work well here — sponsors can pay online, and you keep 100% of every dollar.

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Permits, insurance & legal considerations

Most first-time organizers skip this section until something goes wrong. Don't. Addressing permits and liability early costs you an hour of research upfront and saves you from much bigger headaches on event day.

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Event permits

If you're using a public park, you almost certainly need a special event permit from your city or county parks department. Permit requirements vary widely — some municipalities process them in 48 hours; others require 60–90 days' notice. Contact your local parks department the moment you have a venue in mind.

Outdoor events on private property (church parking lots, school fields) may still require a certificate of occupancy or a temporary use permit if you're charging admission. Check with the property owner and your local zoning office.

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Liability insurance

Most venues — parks included — require event organizers to carry general liability insurance. A standard event liability policy for a one-day outdoor fundraiser typically costs $75–$200 and covers bodily injury and property damage. Your nonprofit may already carry a policy that covers events — check with your insurance provider before buying a separate policy.

If you're working with a school or city-owned venue, they'll often ask to be named as an additional insured on your policy. This is standard and costs nothing extra — just request it when you purchase coverage.

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Alcohol permits

Serving beer or wine? You'll need a temporary alcohol license in most states. These are often called Special Occasion Permits or Temporary Beer/Wine Permits. Costs range from $25 to $100+ depending on your state. Processing times vary from a few days to several weeks — apply early.

Some states allow nonprofits to sell alcohol at fundraising events under a simplified permit process. Others require a licensed bartender or caterer to handle all alcohol sales. Check your state's Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) board website for specifics.

If a sponsor or vendor is handling alcohol sales on your behalf (like a food truck with a beer license), verify they hold the appropriate permits — liability can still fall back on your organization if the event is under your name.

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Food handling permits

Selling food made by volunteers? Most states require a temporary food facility permit if you're preparing or selling food to the public. Health department fees are typically $25–$75. If you're working with licensed food trucks or caterers, their permits usually cover their operation — but confirm this in writing.

Baked goods from volunteers (brownies, cookies for a bake sale table) often fall under cottage food exemptions in many states, but rules differ. Look up your state's cottage food law before you assume it applies.

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Raffle and gaming regulations

Raffles are regulated at the state level and rules vary significantly. Most states require nonprofits to hold a valid raffle license before selling tickets. Some states cap the total value of prizes. A few states prohibit nonprofit raffles entirely or have strict reporting requirements after the event.

Before you print raffle tickets, look up your state's charitable gaming or raffle regulations. Your state attorney general's office usually maintains a clear summary. Budget two to four weeks to apply for the license if one is required.

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5 tips for organizing a cornhole fundraiser for nonprofits

1. Plan for different skill levels

When organizing your cornhole tournament, ensure there are options for players of all skill levels. Keep aside some sets of boards with shorter distances and simplified rules to help beginners feel comfortable and welcome.

For the more experienced players in your community, you might want to create a separate bracket with increased entry fees and larger prizes.

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2. Find a corporate sponsor

You can reduce event costs by partnering with corporate sponsors for your cornhole fundraiser. These sponsors can help with food, drinks, supplies, or money, and in return, they get to showcase their brand at your event.

When looking for potential sponsors, start with companies that care about your organization's cause. Sports-related businesses and recreation centers are often interested in supporting such events as they align with their interests.

To make sponsorship worthwhile for businesses, here are some ways to showcase their support:

• Place their logos on tournament boards and playing areas

• Create eye-catching event banners featuring sponsor names at key event locations

• Design special tournament t-shirts and feature sponsor names

• Give special recognition during tournament announcements and award ceremonies

• Share sponsor highlights and thank-you posts across your social media channels

• Name special tournament features after major sponsors, like "The \[Company\] Championship Round"

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3. Include mini-games or side challenges

While the cornhole game will be the main event, including other games can make your fundraiser even more entertaining and inclusive. You can also attract more players, especially those who aren't interested in the main cornhole tournament. Here are three easy crowd-pleasers:

• Ring toss: Set up bottles and let players throw rings to win small prizes. It's simple to learn and fun for all ages.

• Bean bag bullseye: Draw circles on the ground with chalk, each worth different points. Players toss bean bags to score points, similar to cornhole but much simpler.

• Bucket toss: Place buckets at different distances, each worth different points. Players try to toss balls into the buckets - the further the bucket, the more points they earn.

These games use simple equipment, are quick to play, and keep players and spectators entertained between tournament matches. You can also charge a small fee for each game to raise extra funds for your cause.

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4. Add live entertainment

You can make your cornhole fundraiser more lively and memorable by adding extra elements that keep everyone engaged. Here's what you can include:

• Play upbeat music through speakers or invite a local band to perform. The right music keeps the energy high and creates a festive mood.

• Set up a photo area where teams can take pictures and share them on social media. Create an event hashtag and encourage players to tag your organization.

• Place donation boxes at key spots with short, compelling stories or facts about how donations help, making it easy for people to contribute throughout the event.

• Partner with food trucks and local vendors who can pay a small fee to join. They'll keep everyone well-fed while adding another source of funds.

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5. Create a kids' corner

To make your cornhole fundraiser family-friendly, set up a dedicated kids' corner.

You can recruit responsible volunteers, such as high school students needing community service to oversee the children's area. These volunteers can lead fun activities and ensure the kids remain safe and entertained throughout the event.

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Cedar Park Baseball Booster Club: how they raised $8,281 CAD

The Cedar Park Baseball Booster Club runs a competitive youth baseball program — and like most booster clubs, they're constantly looking for ways to fund equipment, travel, and field time without burning out their parent volunteers.

They chose a cornhole tournament fundraiser because the format is low-lift to organize, appeals to families already in their network, and doesn't require the venue costs or staffing of a dinner gala. Their community already knew the game, which meant less time spent on rules explanation and more time spent on building bracket excitement.

The club ran a single-elimination format with 32 teams, charging $75 CAD per team in registration fees. Planning started approximately eight weeks before the event, with the first four weeks focused on securing sponsors and filling the bracket, and the final four weeks on logistics, volunteer coordination, and day-of setup.

The club used Zeffy to set up team registrations online, collecting fees before the event so they didn't have to chase cash on the day. The registration form let them capture team names, player information, and waivers — all in one place. Walk-up registrations on event day were handled with Zeffy's tap-to-pay tool, keeping the welcome table moving quickly even when a rush of families showed up in the first hour.

The result: $8,281 CAD raised with $414 CAD saved in platform fees compared to what they would have paid on a traditional ticketing platform. That $414 didn't go to a payment processor — it stayed with the club and went directly toward the program.

Their event is a repeatable model for any sports booster club, school parent group, or community organization. The format scales easily: you can run 16 teams with two volunteers and four boards, or 40 teams with eight volunteers and ten boards. The overhead stays low either way, and the community energy around a bracket competition keeps participants engaged from opening round through the championship game.

You can see their registration page at the Cedar Park Timberwolves Baseball page for a real example of how a booster club frames their event for their community.

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Tournament planning checklist

The steps and strategies above give you the full picture. This checklist turns that picture into a week-by-week action plan you can print and work through with your team.

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8 weeks out

• [ ] Choose your tournament format (single elimination, double elimination, or round robin)

• [ ] Set your registration fee and prize structure

• [ ] Identify and confirm your venue

• [ ] Apply for event permits and liability insurance

• [ ] Apply for raffle license if required in your state

• [ ] Apply for alcohol permit if you plan to serve beer or wine

• [ ] Set your team cap and target registration number

• [ ] Open your Zeffy registration form and test the checkout flow

• [ ] Draft your three-tier sponsorship package one-pager

• [ ] Reach out to potential Gold sponsors

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4 weeks out

• [ ] Confirm all permit approvals in writing

• [ ] Lock in Silver and Bronze sponsors

• [ ] Collect sponsor logos for all print and digital materials

• [ ] Design and print event flyers and banners

• [ ] Confirm equipment (boards, bags, tables, tents)

• [ ] Schedule volunteer roles and send confirmation to each volunteer

• [ ] Launch social media promotion with registration link

• [ ] Send email blast to your existing supporter list

• [ ] Source raffle prizes and print raffle tickets

• [ ] Confirm food truck or concession vendor arrangements

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1 week out

• [ ] Send reminder email to registered teams with event details, parking, and schedule

• [ ] Finalize bracket based on registered teams (add byes as needed)

• [ ] Print bracket sheets, score cards, and rules cards for each board

• [ ] Confirm volunteer arrival times and day-of responsibilities

• [ ] Prepare cash box and change for on-site sales

• [ ] Confirm tap-to-pay device is charged and ready

• [ ] Prepare sponsor recognition script for MC announcements

• [ ] Do a dry run of your bracket software or paper bracket system

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Day of

• [ ] Arrive 90 minutes before doors open

• [ ] Set up boards with at least 27 feet between board fronts (ACA regulation)

• [ ] Place rules cards at every board

• [ ] Open registration table with both tap-to-pay and paper sign-in options

• [ ] Brief all volunteers on their roles

• [ ] Display tournament bracket in a central, visible location

• [ ] Start round one on schedule — delays compound quickly in a bracket format

• [ ] Run raffle ticket sales throughout the event (not just at the end)

• [ ] Announce sponsors by name at the start, at halftime, and during the finals

• [ ] Conduct raffle drawing and award ceremony during or immediately after the championship game

• [ ] Thank every participant, sponsor, and volunteer publicly before close

• [ ] Collect all equipment and leave the venue cleaner than you found it

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Final thoughts on cornhole tournament fundraising

Cornhole tournaments are cost-effective fundraisers that bring your community together while raising funds. With minimal equipment needs and broad appeal, these events consistently engage diverse supporters - from families to corporate teams.

The format welcomes participants of all ages and abilities, turning a simple game into meaningful support for your cause.

Make your cornhole tournament simple and profitable with Zeffy's free fundraising platform — used by 100,000+ nonprofits who have raised over $2 billion for their causes. From online registrations to offline tools for fundraising, you'll have everything needed to run a successful tournament while keeping every dollar raised for your mission.

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FAQs on cornhole fundraiser

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