Ideas
-grow out competition of wither zoas or sps. Everyone gets the same amount of polyps or inch height. Colony is bought and fragged. Special plugs or stamp/marking is applied for switch a roos. Members buy the frag. Greatest amount of polyps or tallest/wrest sps wins over a period of time. Let's say 6 months. More or less. Proceeds of the frag are determined by board. 50% to the club, 25% to the initial colony purchase, 25% to the the winner (cash/reef equipment/bragging rights). No holds bar on types of dosing, lightng, etc. Looking for growth in separate systems)
-Texas hold'on tournment. Buy in wig cash amount. Board provides ultimate winner frag(something high end). Portion of cash is donation and rest for the ultimate winners frag. You could do with frags. Let's say 2. One goes to the club as donation and the other goes to the pot. Winner takes All the frags.
-workshop diy. Start with building a stand. Then canopy, tank, drilling, lighting etc. At the end you have a full club system. Each workshop is ex dollars for training and supplies. Each attnded workshop donation gets a raffle ticket. Then raffle off the system. Granted local support may be available in donations. Ie lfs, lumbershops, glass shops, etc. It's year end and it's write-off or donation time for taxes. But the economy is and still will be rough.
Hope that helps with the ideas. Elaborate, expand, adjust t your needs.
Best
mike