When it comes to raising money for a charity or non-profit organization there are hundreds of ideas to choose from. Naturally some will be better suited for your charity or organization than others. The key is to find the fundraising activities that best suit your group’s skills and interests and that are feasible with the resources you have available.
An excellent fundraising activity for churches or schools is a small flea market or fete that could be held in parking lot, or if the weather is bad, inside a gym or hall. These events use minimal resources and can be real money earners if held regularly. This type of event can be held as often as every month or even every two weeks, depending upon how popular it becomes.
An annual candy sale could be another route to take; this is especially good for high schools and colleges where there’s a ready and able sales force raring to go, as well as a huge number of customers in the friends and family of students. A bit of publicity can go a long way in these fund raising activities and a small story or photo in a local publication raises awareness within the community.
Shoppers browse at a large outdoor flea market
Another great activity for raising money is a cookbook fundraiser. Volunteers gather favorite recipes from parents, other relatives or friends. For best results, provide categories for the contributors, such as meat, salads, soups, desserts, etc., so you don’t end up with too many in one category. Have a local printer compile and print the cookbooks.
A variation on selling cookbooks is fundraising calendars. Instead of recipes, students or other volunteers can contribute photographs or artwork and create different themes to offer your supporters a variety of calendars to choose from. The best time for calendar sales is September through December as the new year approaches.
Think big
For an extra sales boost, combine several activities. The flea market, for example, could have stalls which feature the candy, recipe books and calendars. Additional revenues can be earned by selling beverages and snacks.
Help the planet
Here’s a fund raiser activity that encourages participation and increases environmental awareness: ink jet recycling. Challenge your supporters to see who can collect the most inkjet or laser cartridges. Be sure to reward the winners.
