The Hidden Problem in Grassroots Fundraising (And Why Spreadsheets Don’t Scale)

The Hidden Problem in Grassroots Fundraising (And Why Spreadsheets Don’t Scale)

Spreadsheets don’t fail immediately.

They fail gradually.

At first, everything worked fine. A small group. Simple competition. Several updates every week.

But then things progressed.

When “Good Enough” Stops Being Good Enough

Grassroots football clubs are very clever at finding ways to raise money.

From raffles to events to competitions, people get involved, support the club and create a sense of community.

One of the most popular formats is the “Last Person Standing” game. Players pay to enter and the money is split between the winner and the fundraising team

But behind the scenes, it usually goes like this:

• The spreadsheet keeps track of all the players
• Choice of sending via WhatsApp or SMS
• One person manually checks the results
• Updates are posted manually every week

It worked…until it didn’t.

Scaling Issues

The greater the competition, the harder it is to manage:

• More players = more admins
• More choices = more room for error
• More messages = more confusion

At some point, the organizers become obstacles.

And when that happens:

• Updates slow down
• Mistakes creep in
• Engagement decreases

Hidden Fees

This is the part most people don’t talk about. It’s not just a matter of time, it’s a matter of sustainability.

If running a competition becomes a chore, one of two things will happen:

• The organizers stopped running it
• Or they reduce it

Whatever happens, the club will suffer.

There Must Be a Better Way

Here’s the problem I explored in my previous post:

👉 Why I Built LastPersonStanding.net

The problem is not the idea.

The problem is how it is executed.

Manual processes don’t scale.

And in 2026 – they won’t have to.

Shifting: From Manual to Automatic

What if:

• Choices tracked automatically?
• Results processed instantly?
• Elimination handled without admin?

That’s the shift.

From:

• Manual tracking
• Human congestion
• Dependence on spreadsheets

To:

• Automation
• Scalability
• Better engagement

What Makes This Possible

Once you remove admin, everything changes:

• Competition may develop
• The organizers did not run out of steam
• Players stay engaged longer

And most importantly:

It becomes a reliable way to raise money.

Where This Is Leading

Here’s why I made it:

👉 LastPersonStanding.net

Not to change the game, but to remove the friction around it.

What is next

In the next post, I’ll cover something a little different:

Why I decided to publish it publicly, and what it really means.