Fundraising
We have also come up with some fundraising ideas for groups before you come down:
Silent Auction: go to local businesses and ask if there’s anything that they can donate for as a prize. Tell them what it’s for.
Dessert/Cake Auction: get a group of 10 or so people to bake some amazing desserts and have a night where you auction them off and eat that night as their dessert.
Car Detailing: the good old fashion method of car washes works ok but what if you don’t have access to a water source? Or what if you just want to be environmentally friendly, and save the hundreds of gallons of water used up at a car wash? Your group can clean just the interiors of cars, and either charge a flat fee or ask for donations. You’ll need plenty of paper towels, but reusable cloths are a better way to go if you’re trying to be environmentally conscious. You can buy big boxes of them at club stores or auto supply stores. You’ll also need glass cleaner, as well as cleaners and protectants for vinyl and leather. Also have plenty of trash bags on hand to throw away Hold your detailing event in a shady area, if you can, since it will be hotter inside cars than if you were washing the outsides. If there’s an electrical outlet nearby, ask a group member to bring a heavy duty vacuum to use on the car’s carpets and upholstery. An upholstery cleaner might also be a good idea, if you want to clean up spills and stains for an extra charge. Throw in an inexpensive air freshener, and your customers can drive away in clean, fresh cars while you earn money for your cause. Or if you want, you can wash and detail the car!
Babysitting Night: offer to babysit for a couple so they can go out. You can host it at your church that the parents can just drop the kids off at the church and you can babysit them.
Location Night: plan a night and decorate the place (like a church gym) and serve food from that area too. For example, if you’re going to Peru, decorate like they would in Peru and research what kind of food they eat and cook it. You can charge a cover fee (ex. tickets are $10 each) to make sure that you cover the costs you will spend but put baskets out on each table so that people can donate extra as well.
Baby and Kids Resale: Babies and children outgrow clothing and toys so quickly, often before they are worn out. Host a baby and kids’ resale as your next fundraiser. You will need a large building with a cafeteria or gymnasium, such as a school or a church. You will need access to long tables. Clothing racks would be helpful, but not necessary. Set a day to have the sale, preferably a Saturday or Sunday to maximize shoppers. You could rent the tables to parents looking to sell their children’s clothing, toys, and accessories they are no longer using. You could rent the tables for ten to twenty dollars a piece. Charge an entry fee to shoppers. A dollar would be appropriate. Have a monitored room that the table renters can place their large items in for sale, such as high chairs and strollers. Mark each item so you know who gets the money when it sells. Have a concession stand with drinks and food for your hungry shoppers and moms. People will look forward to this sale every year.
“Butler” Auction: Auction yourselves off to be a “butler” or servant for a day to people in your church. Butler responsibilities could be yard work, babysitting, fetch their lunch, etc. Set rules in advance of what the butler is and isn’t responsible for. Identify what time the butler day starts and stops. It would be up to each employer if they are going to institute a dress code or not. Maybe their butler has to wear a silly hat or a Mickey Mouse t-shirt.
Yard Run: Set up a schedule in your churches foyer or get someone to call around to different people in your church to see if they want your group to rake leaves for them (or mow the lawn…shovel snow…depending on what season you’re in) Even paint fences. Go and do whatever yard work they want and then they will pay you an “honorarium” (aka whatever they feel like). It’s best if you schedule a couple houses in one day so you can “run” to the next place.
For more ideas, you can visit websites such as Fundraiser Insight or Fundraising Idea Center
