Fundraising University^®

Business Services • Year: 2026

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What Is Fundraising University?

Fundraising University is a fundraising services franchise that develops, plans, and operates repeatable fundraising programs under the Fundraising University mark. The business operates primarily on school grounds and at youth sports venues, serving elementary, middle, and high schools and youth sports leagues with customers primarily coaches and teachers (B2B). The core service bundle is planning, executing, and repeating fundraisers; franchisees may use proprietary technology provided by an affiliate and must sponsor Sports Clinics upon opening.

Fundraising University Franchise: Pros and Cons

The brand shows exceptional operator retention with 0 outlet terminations and 0 outlet non‑renewals (bottom 5% for Business Services), but the $60,000 initial franchise fee (top 10% across franchises) poses a major risk by raising upfront cash needs and reducing capital available for build‑out and working capital.

Pros

0 outlet terminations and 0 outlet non-renewals-both well below typical for Business Services (bottom 5%)-indicate strong operator retention and low churn in the system.

No government agency penalties or orders (0, bottom 5%), giving the brand a clean regulatory record and lower compliance-related risk.

Manager required equity is 0% (bottom 5% for Business Services), which gives you flexibility to structure manager ownership and compensation without a mandatory equity stake.

Cons

The $60,000 initial franchise fee is well above what's typical across franchises (top 10%), increasing your upfront cash requirement and leaving less capital for build-out and working capital.

10 reacquired outlets is well above typical for Business Services (top 10%), which primarily reflects franchisees exiting the system and signals higher operator turnover.

There is 1 franchisee-initiated settlement and 1 franchisor-initiated enforcement action-both high for the sector (top quarter)-pointing to recurring disputes and active legal enforcement between franchisees and the franchisor.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

66/100

NORMAL

Fundraising University: The Facts: A former franchisee initiated arbitration alleging breach; Fundraising University counterclaimed for contract breaches, wrongful termination, and non‑competition violations. The matter was resolved via settlement in April 2023, with payment and a corrective letter, without admission of liability. The Advice: Review post‑termination covenants, royalty accounting, termination and arbitration provisions, and request disclosure of similar disputes.

Territory Protection

51/100

Good

Fundraising University grants an exclusive contiguous territory defined by zip codes or county lines with site-specific rights tied to market density; territory rights are contingent on meeting sales-based minimum performance quotas. The franchisor retains the right to sell via e-commerce/alternative distribution channels and to develop additional units in nearby markets.

Training & Support

78/100

NORMAL

Fundraising University provides a comprehensive 127-hour training curriculum designed to prepare three staff members for launch, combining classroom instruction with practical operational readiness modules. The program includes on-site launch support for operational readiness; franchisees are responsible for travel and lodging expenses, and on-site assistance incurs additional fees.

Unit Growth Analysis

Fundraising University is up 41 units since 2022-roughly doubling to 81 locations and showing a volatile 39.7% year-over-year jump most recently. This is a classic "Rocket Ship" situation: with 78 franchised versus 3 company-owned units, demand appears real but support and quality control can be strained, so insist on unit-level performance, churn and time-to-profit metrics, and clear commitments on training, marketing and onboarding before you buy in.

How Much Do Fundraising University Franchise Owners Make?

Fundraising University franchise locations reported average gross sales of $536,329 in 2026, based on financial performance data disclosed in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Average Gross Sales:

$536,329

Median Gross Sales:

N/A

High Gross Sales:

$1,309,074

Low Gross Sales:

$54,703

Sample Size:

Audit Status:

Unaudited

Franchise vs Corporate Performance: Sample composition and headline averages: The Item 19 performance sample includes 35 territories that were in operation for a full year as of December 31, 2025 (1 affiliate-owned and 34 franchisee-owned). Average gross sales per territory across the 35 territories (weighted by the reported tier counts) is approximately $536,329. The top-performing single-territory quartile averaged $1,179,306 in gross sales (high $1,309,074), while the bottom single-territory quartile averaged $305,279 (low $143,621). For multiple-territory owners the top quartile averaged $859,421 and the bottom quartile averaged $84,625 (low $54,703).

Performance Variability Analysis: Large dispersion across tiers and owner types: performance is highly tier-dependent. Single-territory top quartile average sales (~$1.18M) are nearly four times the single-territory fourth quartile average (~$305k). Sales per fundraiser and residual-sales percentages also vary materially: for single-territory owners average sales per fundraiser range from about $7,166 (4th quartile) to $9,922 (3rd quartile); multiple-territory top quartile shows much higher sales per fundraiser (avg $15,438) but fewer fundraisers per territory (avg 66). Residual sales (percent of gross) vary by tier as well (examples: single top quartile avg 74.4% residual; single 3rd quartile avg 30.0%), indicating differing business mixes and margin profiles across territories. Reported 2025 COGS across all reported fundraisers equaled 69.47% of gross sales - implying an aggregate gross margin of roughly 30.53% before operating expenses, royalties and other deductions.

Data Scope and Limitations: Scope and limits of the representation: The tables cover only territories that were open a full year and provided information; 44 franchisee-owned outlets that were open less than one year or did not operate the entire year were excluded. The Item 19 tables present tier-level averages, highs, lows and medians but do not provide a consolidated median or outlet-level detail to calculate distributional metrics precisely. No net income (after operating expenses) figures or audited Item 19 statements are provided in the disclosed pages, and no percentage of franchised outlets attaining the reported average is shown. Written substantiation is available on request per the disclosure, but prospective franchisees should treat these numbers as indicative rather than guaranteed results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fundraising University a good franchise to own?

Whether Fundraising University is a good franchise depends on your goals, experience, and local market. Key factors from the 2026 FDD: Fundraising University operates 81 locations, received a legal risk score of 66/100, a training and support score of 78/100. Financial performance data is disclosed in Item 19. Prospective franchisees should review the full Franchise Disclosure Document and consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decision.

How long does it take to break even with a Fundraising University franchise?

Break-even timelines for Fundraising University franchises are not disclosed in the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. Break-even periods vary significantly based on initial investment level, local market conditions, operating costs, and revenue ramp-up speed. Prospective franchisees should build a pro forma financial model using Item 7 cost estimates and, where available, Item 19 financial performance data from the FDD.

Is Fundraising University a franchise or a corporate-owned business?

As of the 2026 FDD, Fundraising University operates 78 franchised locations and 3 company-owned locations. Franchise opportunities are available through the franchisor's disclosure process.

Interested in Fundraising University?

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