NDSU Team Makers

What NDSU Team Makers does

NDSU Team Makers is the official athletic fundraising organization for North Dakota State University Bison athletics, operating as a non-profit entity out of Fargo, ND with a six-person staff. It functions as the fundraising and donor-engagement arm of NDSU Athletics, channeling contributions from alumni, fans, and corporate partners into the university's athletic programs. As of mid-2026, the organization is operating in a period of significant transition tied to NDSU Football's move from the FCS into the Mountain West Conference, an event that is reshaping both competitive visibility and the addressable donor base.

The organization's core product is a membership-based giving program built around a priority point system that rewards sustained contributions with benefits including preferred seating, parking, VIP tailgating, and access to exclusive events. Members and donors can direct contributions to a portfolio of named vehicles — the Green and Gold Fund, the Bison Athletic Excellence Fund, asset transfers, and named endowments including the Easton Stick Football Endowment — with planned giving and legacy options available for longer-duration capital. Day-to-day engagement is delivered through an annual calendar of fundraising events, including the Lynn Dorn Women's Golf Classic, the Edgewood Bison Open, the Fargo Bison Open, socials and luncheons, the Team Makers Takeover (away-game activations), and the statewide 701 Day celebration run jointly with the NDSU Foundation.

Revenue mechanics span four streams: recurring membership contributions, one-time and recurring donations across multiple designated funds, event-driven revenue (golf, socials, appreciation events), and charitable gaming. Distribution is integrated across an Evenue-powered online donation portal, social media channels (Facebook, X, Instagram), email and SMS outreach, and in-person event participation, with ticket resale handled through a StubHub channel partnership. On June 29, 2026, NDSU Athletics, the NDSU Foundation, and Team Makers announced an integrated partnership intended to unify the donor experience across athletic and institutional advancement, signaling a structural consolidation of the fundraising ecosystem rather than purely organic growth.

Name

NDSU Team Makers

Legal name

NDSU Team Makers

Website

https://ndsuathleticfund.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NDSU Team Makers is the official athletic fundraising organization for North Dakota State University Bison athletics, running membership, donations, endowments, and event-based fundraising for alumni, fans, and corporate sponsors out of Fargo, ND.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Athletic Fundraising Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support (EDALAIAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Athletic fundraising services
• Donor membership program
• Charitable giving services
• Athletic ticket sales
• Priority points system

Headquarters

HQ city

Fargo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Contributions: Annual and multi-year membership dues from donors supporting NDSU Bison athletics. Members receive benefits including priority points for seating, parking, and event access based on contribution level.
2. Direct Donations: One-time and recurring donations to various athletic funds including Green and Gold Fund, Bison Athletic Excellence Fund, endowments, and planned giving programs.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from hosted events including golf tournaments (Lynn Dorn Women's Golf Classic, Edgewood Bison Open, Fargo Bison Open), socials, luncheons, and the Team Makers Takeover event.
4. Charitable Gaming: Revenue from charitable gaming programs operated by Team Makers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NDSU Team Makers is the official athletic fundraising organization for North Dakota State University Bison athletics. It operates a tiered donor membership program that delivers priority points for seating and parking, exclusive event access, and member recognition in exchange for annual or multi-year contributions. The organization also runs fundraising events such as golf tournaments, socials, luncheons, the statewide 701 Day celebration, and Team Makers Takeover, and facilitates giving to multiple athletic funds including the Green and Gold Fund, Bison Athletic Excellence Fund, endowments, and planned giving programs.

Product overview

NDSU Team Makers is the official athletic fundraising organization for North Dakota State University Bison athletics. It operates as a membership-based donor program offering multiple engagement pathways: a core membership program with tiered benefits including priority points and exclusive access; online donation services through various designated funds (Green and Gold Fund, Bison Athletic Excellence Fund); event-based programs including golf tournaments, socials, luncheons, and the statewide 701 Day celebration; ticket and parking services; and planned giving/legacy endowment options. The organization connects donors to NDSU athletics through integrated giving, membership, and event experiences rather than a traditional software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Green and Gold Fund: Athletic fund initiative for NDSU Bison athletics support
• 701 Day
• Bison Athletic Excellence Fund

Products and services

• Team Makers Membership Program
• Online Donation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Mountain West Conference expansion will drive increased donations and membership interest

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NDSU Athletics FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2026Integrated partnership announced to enhance donor experience, combining Team Makers athletic fundraising with the NDSU Foundation's broader institutional advancement capabilities. Joint initiative to streamline donation processes and donor communications.
• Nodak InsurancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2025Nodak Insurance has partnered on the Nodak Insurance Football Performance Complex, a major athletic facility. This represents a flagship naming partnership for a significant NDSU football facility upgrade.
• NDSU FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 701 Day statewide fundraising event and Bison Takeovers for away football games. Joint marketing and donor cultivation efforts for NDSU athletics.
• Hospitality PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner program for hospitality services related to Team Makers events and member experiences. Provides exclusive benefits and services to members at games and events.
• Transportation PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner program for transportation services, likely related to away game travel and member transportation needs for events.
• StubHubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial ticket resale marketplace partner referenced on the website for buying or selling NDSU football tickets.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ram Club (Colorado State): Ram Club is the official athletic fund for Colorado State — also a Mountain West member — making it the closest institutional peer given shared conference and donor-pool dynamics.
• The Foundation for Wisconsin Athletics: Wisconsin's official athletic fund operates a multi-tier membership program with priority points and event-based fundraising highly comparable in operating model to NDSU Team Makers.
• The Aztec Club (San Diego State): SDSU's Aztec Club is a direct Mountain West conference peer with an athletic donor membership and priority point model highly comparable in scale and approach to Team Makers.
• National I-Club (University of Iowa): The National I-Club is Iowa's athletic fund, with a priority-point membership model, regional chapters, and annual giving tiers that mirror Team Makers' regional/persona-based engagement approach.
• Aggie Club (Texas A&M): The Aggie Club/12th Man+ supports Texas A&M Athletics through tiered donor memberships, priority points, and a deep event calendar — a high-scale analogue to Team Makers' giving model.
• IPTAY (Clemson University): IPTAY is the official athletic fundraising organization for Clemson University, operating a tiered annual membership program with priority points for seating and parking — structurally near-identical to NDSU Team Makers' model.
• Tiger Athletic Foundation (LSU): Tiger Athletic Foundation is LSU's official athletic fundraising arm, running a membership program with priority seating points, premium parking, and event-based donor engagement comparable to Team Makers' structure.
• Crescent City Farmers Club (Tulane): Tulane's athletic fund operates a similar small-program donor model with priority points and event-driven fundraising, making it a relevant sizing and structural benchmark for Team Makers.

Broad incumbents

• Nittany Lion Club (Penn State): The Nittany Lion Club is a large-scale, established athletic fundraising organization operating a similar tiered membership model but at substantially greater scale than NDSU Team Makers.
• Longhorn Foundation (University of Texas): The Longhorn Foundation is a top-tier Power-4 athletic fundraising organization; not a direct competitor but a benchmark for the upper bound of the membership-priority-point model Team Makers uses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ndsuteammakers
• Facebookfacebook.com/ndsuteammakers
• Instagraminstagram.com/ndsuteammakers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ndsu-team-makers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NDSU Team Makers