Five Great Fundraising Ideas for Your Organization

I'd like to have a nickel for every time that I've come back into my office, only to find that some co-worker has left me a fundraiser order blank on my desk, just in case I cared to help his/her child's marching band raise money for their spring tour. These colorful printed brochures typically show a variety of items to choose from, including chocolates, caramels, cookies in tins, wrapping paper, and candles...all very nice articles, but generally overpriced, and certainly nothing I was actually looking to buy that particular day. I asked a parent one time if I could just donate the three-dollar profit the organization was planning to make from my purchase, and then not actually order anything. I got the look, so I placed an order anyway. But this is an example of what fundraising is like today, and how unwelcome it can be in the workplace.

Now, I'm not so much of a Scrooge that I begrudge school and civic organizations the opportunity to raise cash for special projects. I know that the great majority of the time, the students or members of the organization will benefit from the fundraiser in a good way, and that my contribution will not have been given for naught. I just don't like the idea of buying a twenty dollar product (that I didn't need in the first place) where the profit going to the organization is less than three dollars.

There are, however some great fundraiser ideas that organizations can use where it doesn't seem as if the members are taking advantage of their friends, neighbors, and relatives. Try one of these tried-and-true fundraising methods, and see if they don't generate a more positive attitude about your civic or school club.

Fundraiser Idea #1: Beautiful Baby Contest.

There's nothing like playing on the vanity of proud parents and grandparents. Host a beautiful baby contest for infants and toddlers below the age of 3. Make sure the family registers the child as an official contestant, and then stipulate that the contest will end on a particular time and date. The votes are a penny apiece. The bottom line... the most money raised determines the winner. Have one category for each gender. I guarantee that you will see families placing coin jars at every convenience store in town, and they may even sponsor their own raffle-type drawings to earn money for vote contributions. The winners don't even have to be awarded all that much. Usually a small crown for each, a standard toy (like a wagon or a doll), and that all-important photo in the local paper will be all that is necessary to lure in those valuable contestants. And this is so easy. All your organization has to do is publicize the contest, buy the few award items, register each contestant, and make sure there isn't any funny business going on with the voting.

Fundraiser Idea #2: Youth Basketball Tournament.

If you can get access to the gymnasium at a local school or church, your group can sponsor a youth basketball tournament over a single weekend, and managed correctly, you can make several thousand dollars. In our neck of the woods, there are youth "traveling" teams that literally scour the countryside in search of places where their team can compete. Weekend tournaments are right up their alley. They will gladly pay $100 or more for an entry fee, as long as they are guaranteed a minimum number of games (perhaps three, over a three-day tournament). They will pay this knowing that their players will likely just receive only a winner's medal and a name in the paper for their efforts. The overhead for this project may include the hiring of game officials, the rent for the gymnasium, and the purchase of some bottled water and concession stand supplies. The income will include the team entry fees, the two-dollar admission for all of the family members that come to watch, and the profit from the concession sales. Unlike the aforementioned baby contest, this project requires some work, and quite a few volunteers, particularly if you are able to use more than one gym for the tournament. Another tip is to have several different brackets, with about four teams in each one. Have one bracket for 3^rd and 4^th grade boys, one for 3^rd and 4^th grade girls, one for 5^th and 6^th grade boys, and another for 5^th and 6^th grade girls. You'll need to relax a bit after this hectic weekend, but you'll be able to do your resting with a pretty good bankroll from your fundraising efforts.

By the way, while basketball is the sport mentioned here, this fundraising idea can also work with volleyball, softball, and the ever-popular game of dodge ball.

Fundraiser Idea #3: Basket Auctions.

If your organization has some event that draws in a lot of people, consider adding on a silent basket auction as a fundraiser. Here's how it works. Prior to your planned event (chili supper, concert, etc.), have members of your organization prepare goodie baskets that will be auctioned off during the evening. Each basket must have a particular theme. For example, one basket could be called, "A Night on the Town," and would include restaurant coupons, movie theater passes, and several packages of candies that one would normally find at the movies. Another basket might be called, "Hometown Pride," and might include team sportswear from your local university, a basketball signed by all the players, and season tickets to the home games. You get the idea. Many of the local merchants would be glad to donate articles for a basket, particularly if the fundraiser is shown to be for a good cause, and the donations can be used to advertise for his place of business. Directly beside each displayed basket, place a sheet of paper describing all of the articles included, and a place for bidders to sign their name and announce their bids. Allow the bidding to stay open as long as your mainline event is taking place, and then close all bids at a specified time on the clock. Allow bidders to go back to the same basket as often as time allows. Make sure there is a wide variety of basket themes, so that you get bids from all sorts of participants.

Fundraiser Idea #4: Talent Show.

If you've ever been anywhere that karaoke is allowed, you'll see that there are a lot of people just dying to get on stage and perform, even when their abilities are questionable. But like the baby contest described above, there is no shortage of vanity, and lots of family members will spend three bucks a ticket to hear Little Johnny sing "Rocky Top," or watch Uncle Bill juggle tennis balls standing on one foot. If your organization has access to a performance center, sponsor a talent show for the locals, and charge admission as a fundraiser. Here's the key. You need to build a crowd. If possible, find a popular local professional or semi-professional music group and split the gate with them. Once again, if they find out it is a fundraiser for a good cause, they might even offer to split the stage time with the other performers and then work for free.

Fundraiser Idea #5: Quiz Tournament

Have your organization sponsor a quiz or trivia tournament, and invite participants to form teams and enter. The tournament is played out in a school cafeteria or someplace similar, with each team sitting at a different table. Ten categories of questions are written, with ten questions in each category. Team members work cooperatively to provide a single team answer for each question. Proceed through each category, with a break after each one, allowing time for the answer sheets to be collected and for the team members to relax a minute. Keep a running totals board at a central location so teams can see their current ranking. Winners are only provided with small trophies and "braggers' rights" for the following year. Your overhead consists of the trophies and any rent of the room. Charge each five-person team a $75 entry fee, and get as many teams as you can to participate. Encourage corporate sponsors to enter their employees as a team. Couple this event with a chili supper in an adjacent room, and invite the participants to buy supper from your concession area. The key to this fundraiser is to keep it light and fun. Set a theme for the night, and offer free sodas to any group that dresses accordingly. For example, make it a Sixties night, and see how many tie-dyed shirts show up.

There are many variations of all the fundraising ideas mentioned above. The main thing here is that people contributing money to your organization are doing it because they want to, rather than because the feel obligated to do so.