Category: General

A Fund Raising Guide to Success

Are you looking for a fundraising guide that will lead you to success and profits? Follow these simple steps that will lead you down to success for your benefit.

The first thing you need to do is plan the event. Determine what your goal is and be clear about what the benefit is for. Decide on the date you will hold the event. You might have an agenda and a schedule of events, organize it. Determine what your needs are to make the event happen and set deadlines on them. This will show you that you are running in schedule.

The next step is to organize your event. Decide on who is helping you with the event and determine who’s role is what. Be clear on everyone’s job descriptions so there is no doubling of effort and things getting missed. You also need to determine your budget, if you have one. If you are having a fund raising event that includes alcohol sales or renting a building or require any type of permits, now is the time to start getting those set up. You don’t want a permit delayed and have to change the date of your event.

The third step of the fundraising guide is developing. What is going to happen at your event? Raffles, concessions, entertainment, a speaker, and sales are common at fundraisers.

The next step is to market the event through the local media, flyers, and if you are using a public location like a restaurant, they are likely to do some advertising for you also. You also can pre sell tickets to the event and build the hype. Word-of-mouth is important to build during this phase.

The final step to a successful fundraising guide is to run the event. Do all of your setting up and have the event. Go according to schedule and have plans if certain people decide not to show up to help. Things will run smoothly if you are thinking ahead.

A fundraising guide to success includes following a few simple steps like planning the event, organizing, developing, marketing, and attending. If you manage these steps properly, the event is sure to be a success.

Creative Fund Raising Ideas: Successful for Sure

Creative fund raising ideas can be difficult if you don’t have a lot of funds to dump into an event. In addition, what is the point of fund raising if it is going to cost you a bunch of money to get started. There are many low cost creative fund raising ideas that can get you started for next to nothing.

Pizza parties and ice cream socials are great ways to get people to come to an event. People love ice cream and pizza and you can get them for a low cost or even have the food donated by local establishments.

A public speaking event is a creative fund raising idea that people will show up to, especially if the speaker you have attending is a local favorite. By charging a small cover charge to get in the door, most people won’t mind because of the importance of the speaker. Public speeches are also a great way to get people to even make additional donations for the cause, especially if the speaker is advocating for the donations and the benefit.

Sporting events are usually successful. You can hold a walk-a-thon and have each walker get people to sponsor them for how far they walk. Sometimes local t-shirt business are willing to donate shirts if they can put their logo on the back or sleeve for their own personal advertising purposes. Basketball events are fun but not too many people may show up.

Sales and auctions are creative fund raising ideas too. Get everyone to bring in items they are willing to give away and sell for the cause.

Another favorite of the creative fund raising ideas is to have everyone write up their favorite recipes and put them together in a book. Then sell the cookbook for the benefit or cause. Cookbooks are successful in fundraising.

There are many creative fund raising ideas that don’t cost too much money at all. You can even hold a fund raiser without having to spend anything. A successful fund raiser is based on the creativity, the cause, and something people are interested in.

Free Fund Raising Ideas that are Fun

There are several things you can do for free to raise money. Especially, if the cause is noble enough that others will join you and they believe in it. It is hard to raise money when you don’t have any money to start with. Here are several examples that can assist you in raising money that won’t cost anything. If you can get others to help, you can be successful.

A great idea for fund raising is the good old-fashioned bake sale. A great way to do this for free is to have everyone involved that you are raising money for bake something; cookies, brownies, pie, cake, etc. and bring it to the event. You can charge a small amount for each item and all of the profits will go toward your cause. This is usually has a great turnout.

A carwash is another fund raising idea. Many local gas stations will let you use the far side of their lot and their hoses and their water. This is because the car wash brings extra traffic into their business raising their profits. You can charge for the carwash a few bucks and all of the proceeds can go to your benefit.

Raffles are a great fundraising idea, but they are hard to get started. First, you have to have something to raffle off. If your benefit is for a big and needy cause, then chances are good you can get a business to donate something expensive for the cause. The business can write off the donation in their taxes so it is no loss to them. If the item being raffled is an excellent item, the local newspaper might even do a free story on the raffle giving you free advertising and increasing your sale in tickets. Raffles are very successful in free fundraising events.

Barbeques are also good free fundraising events, along with a group yard sale or flea market. This is when you have all of your friends and people supporting your cause get together with items they would like to donate for sale, furniture, clothing, toys etc. and sell them.

There are many free fundraising ideas that can be very successful if you have the right people helping you and you have a good cause.

How to Have Easy Fundraisers

Easy fundraisers are the objective of every group involved in fundraising. The only thing is require- our capacity to well balance our option of easy fundraiser with good fund raising. It entails our prompt and effective command over three things such as effort involved, resources needed and duration of fundraiser.

Effort Involved

A good fundraising from a easy fundraisers needs a honest effort though not a lot of effort. By putting some endeavor you can fetch a handsome amount. Group’s effort is directly proportional to the group’s monetary goal, though may vary at times. It is the amount of both monetary and physical efforts that classify the fundraising as easy.

Resources Needed

Resource mobilization is very important for fundraising. It is practically difficult to have too many volunteers and one generally never gets enough men for the purpose. Easy fundraisers are straightforward as they don’t oblige excessive time and loyalty from a large number of populace. If organizing a single weekend-only program that needs a small amount of time each week, then it is convenient to ask volunteers to commit their two-hour. The need to save your resources with an effortless fundraiser for future activities is imperative and good sign of able leadership.

Duration of Fundraiser

Time period of fundraiser is a deciding factor to brand it an easy fundraising. Ones that last more than a single weekend don’t require a lot of attention to keep it prolific. Those only intended for a single day or weekend necessitates a fantastic amount of preparation time. So easy fundraisers is an amalgamation of little effort and few resources with the right duration.

What are the best easy fundraisers?

 

  • Recycling Program – Recycling program for amassing used printer cartridges costs nil to put together. All collected boxes and shipping needs are borne by the supplier. Funding Factory is the best option to fine-tune in the process. A used cartridge is valued between $1 and $20, based on the attractiveness of the imprinter and the price of a new cartridge. Most of the businesses encourage recovering efforts. Contacting the leasing manager of large office buildings, electronics stores or office supply retailers are good options to found the cartridges. A fine recycling program will coat a couple of dozen sites and not necessitate much work after the initial assignment.
  • Mega Yard Sale – Mega yard sale is another uncomplicated fundraiser to pull off. It is a pre-designed Saturday sale with a small duration is needed for it. The only problem m is in choosing a high-visibility location. You can opt for a school or church parking lot and publicize in the local newspaper and offer bargains to crazy veteran morning walkers. You can assemble your items categorywise like – kids clothes, tools, toys, books, pictures, music, etc. Placing general price signs around items instead of pricing the whole thing individually is a nice idea. You need support and resources to sell the items.
  • Online Yard Sale – Online yard sale is the best place to sell large quantities of lower-priced items. The books, music, and consumer electronics can earn more in e-bay sale. Only you need is to spend some time to create the listings and posters to attract customers towards higher priced items.
  • Specialty Item Sale – Specialty sale of a seasonal item is generally organized on weekends like Pumpkin Patch sale, a Christmas Tree sale, a Spring Flower Bulb fiesta, and many more. Though similar to large yard sale, it needs a high-traffic location and more publicity. Your goal is to capture seasonal sales from the general public as well as those from within your group.

Easy fundraisers are more convenient and often regarded as best by many. Best of luck for your fundraising venture.

 

A List of Fundraising Ideas and Tips for Choosing One

If you’re looking for a list of fundraising ideas, think of both traditional as well as out of box ideas. The age old and tired methods of traditional fundraising events including product sales give as much opportunity as the powerful new fundraisers. People go for both candle selling as well as website fund raisings to garner funds for a cause.

The fund raising ideas vary from group to group depending on their age and purposes. The groups range from schools, churches and other large non-profit organizations to smaller groups like sports teams and marching bands. And the list of ideas varies accordingly.

Fundraising Ideas are invariably related to choice of the event. A planned and well organized event helps you to get more than the target. The events that can capture the imagination most and ensure more fund are:

 

  • Non Uniform Day – on the occasion give a donation to attend school / college in your own clothes.
  • Fashion Show involving volunteers
  • Organizing a concert / play / Musical Evening
  • Trivia Quiz – Pop / Sport / General Knowledge / etc.
  • Fete
  • Job Swaps – We all feel at times we can do better than the boss. Auction the MD’s / Head of Department’s / Cleaner’s job for an afternoon.
  • Fancy Dress Competition
  • Guess the Baby competition – photos of the staff / colleagues as babies.
  • Book Sale
  • It’s a Knock Out
  • Five / seven a side football / rugby / hockey / etc.
  • Sponsored Walk and running events like Marathon, Walkathon, Slimathon

Planning a Fundraising Event

 

Planning is imperative to choose from many areas for your fundraising event and make your fund raising a grand success. Allow plenty of times to look at various aspects of challenge before you. Before organizing the event get yourself adequately versed with friends, colleagues, and management seeking support and advice. Planning entails you to keep a tab on the following,

 

  • Whether you have the people to make all parts of the project run smoothly?
  • If the event involve costs to get off the ground?
  • Arrange a perfect date.
  • Resources required and at the disposal
  • Publicizing and promoting the event
  • Deciding on pros and cons

Promos for Your Fundraiser

 

Promote the event at every place be it the work notice boards, company magazines peer group meetings, libraries or local shops. Never miss a chance of advertising the event. Use local radio, TV, news papers and leaflets for effective reach. Promotion include following facets

 

  • What the event is
  • Who is involved?
  • Why the event is taking place
  • When, where and what time?
  • Contact name for further information

Getting Sponsors for Your Fundraiser

 

Set your sponsorship target and seek help from friends. Start your sponsorship well in advance. Always maintain a record of your sponsors and donations.

The list of fundraising ideas are too comprehensive to put in one place. Examples are quite often that out of box ideas worked as better as the tutored or guided events.

Finding Unique Fundraising Ideas

There are numerous unique fundraising ideas that can be used to raise money for varied purposes. The purpose can be anything, ranging from contribution towards charity, funding a high school trip, organizing the youth camp and last but not least rendering support to the poor, needy and victims of a catastrophe. Fundraising indeed requires a concept that can be used to raise money from the target audience. Fundraising is not everyone’s cup of tea and requires an idea, which is unique but at the same time easy to understand and implement.

The theme that you choose to raise fund must have some relevance. To put succinctly, the idea should be in accordance with the purpose for which the money is being raised. Fundraising has become a very common thing in the contemporary times. It can be for the attainment of social as well as professional goals. There are large number of non profitable organizations, which collect money to help the underprivileged people, who truly need our help and support. For social causes, no one really minds contributing a small amount, which is very meager for the rich and affluent people, but can bring a smile on the faces of many unfortunate and deprived people.

One of the prime considerations that one has to bear in mind, while choosing the idea for fundraising is the size of the target group. Some ideas that can prove to be useful for making the fundraising campaign successful are:

Fundraising Ideas for Small Groups

In case of small size groups, where the target audience is not more than 50 people, it is better to avoid selling as the strategy to raise money. However, those who have a prior experience of earning profit by launching direct selling campaigns can use this idea for fundraising. Scratch card campaigns have been increasingly gaining popularity, due to the ease in set up. Do not forget to invite the sponsors of your campaign to be a part of it. You can even team the scratch card program with the free online magazine fundraiser program.

Fundraising Ideas for Medium Groups

For medium size groups consisting of near about 60-100 people, it is best to combine scratch card program along with personalized chocolate hampers. Online magazine fundraising also serves as a great idea to earn profits. You might even come across some people, who are ready to extend their help but do not wish to buy any of the products offered. For such people, scratch card program is the most excellent option.

Fundraising Ideas for Large Groups

If you have a large number of volunteers to deal with large audience consisting of more than 100 participants, it is best to organize a sales campaign. If the target audience is quite large in number, selling frozen foods can be pretty beneficial, as the profit margin is high. Pre prepared frozen food has most of the times been a big hit amongst people, especially youngsters.

These are only a couple of unique fundraising ideas, but there can be much more ideas for fund raising that are even beyond our imagination.

Fundraising Event Ideas: Which Ones are the Best?

Event fundraising is the most publicized way of raising funds. It involves everyone in the community and sure to attract greater financial gain. Getting the community occupied and having fun earns more attract and the result is more funds. Even if your group is low on fund raising, the event garners maximum gain with minimum effort. It is also a good accolade to any product tilting fundraising you do all through the year.

FAQs for Event Fundraising Success

 

  • Get Advertising and Publicity For Your Fundraiser – The most important aspect of fund raising is to involve and activate the whole community for the cause. Be sure that everyone is aware of your fundraising event. Give the clear information like who it’s for, when, what it’s for, where and how you are trying to move up. The best way to promote the event is to employ local radio and TV stations, community places, newspapers, school and church newsletters.
  • Get a Central / Well Known Location – Choose a location that is known to and reachable by most. The address is a deciding factor in attracting the crowd. Be sure that the location can handle the expected crowd.

 

 

  • Pick the Right Day – Weekends are the best time to fetch a large crowd as most of the people are at home and ready to go for outing. But get yourself certain that you are not rival to another big event or holiday.
  • Get Trusted Volunteers – Make sure you get the commitment of your fundraising event volunteers. Your fundraiser will fall short if you can’t rely on your helpers. Have backup volunteers lined up in case of absent helpers. 

Best Fundraising Events

 

 

  • Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner Fundraising Event – Dining is the best fundraiser. Go for a fundraising breakfast, lunch or dinner event and keep it as plain as possible. Just think about a Hotdog event fundraiser. No doubt the idea is great. Ask your local grocer to contribute the hotdogs, buns, condiments, pop and chips. Borrow a propane BBQ or boiler for the cooking. You can raise funds more, faster by selling them at a little high price in the parking lot itself.

 

 

  • Car Wash – Render a service to the vehicle owners and ask more a recognizable donation instead. Prepare a group of volunteers and pick up a good location known for high traffic. As many as cars you will wash, the more funds will flow to your account. Just sell some snacks and beverages to passerby and earn extra.

 

 

  • Bake Sale – Collect an assortment of home baked goodies and offer them to community members in lieu of a little donation. Bake some lip smacking cookies using the cookie dough from a well-liked cookie dough fundraising brochure and raise further money.
  • Book Sale – Ask your community members to donate old books and offer the people to buy them as a good read for a good cause.
  • Rubber Duck Race – Organize fun events like rubber dock race and get kids involved. Offer tickets to participants and supporters Ensure that the event is publicized enough to have a fun turnout and give prize to the best racers.

 

 

  • Bingo Night – Bingo nights are among popular fundraiser event ideas. Do selling of cards and call information in your school sports club. Offer donated local businesses items as prizes along with recognition certificates.

 

What You Need to Know About Fundraising Companies

In our modern, high-tech high-speed world, what more natural thing than we "outsource" fundraising to companies specifically devoted to that endeavor? But, just because a firm says they are out to help a group raise money does not mean the organization should just accept them at face value. Like any other field of human activity, there are good companies and bad ones. People need to look at a fundraising company as if they were a new employee or a business partner, and chose carefully.

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting a firm. The Association of Fund-Raising Distributors and Suppliers (AFRDS) is an excellent source of information. Their website even has a checklist containing questions a charitable group should ask a prospective company. Looking at just a general overview, here are some factors to consider:

Is the company providing a truly professional program, do they stand behind their products/services? If this is to be some sort of school fundraiser, how does the company handle door-to-door sales? These days, many parents are uncomfortable with the idea of their minor child(ren) knocking on strangers’ doors, unless an adult is along. What about promotions? Does the firm handle that, or the group? If the company, are the fliers, posters etc. of good quality?

A very important issue is the expected profits. If the company is providing some product (e.g. nuts, candy bars, candles), what is the price the group must pay, and what are the items to be sold for? Not many people are willing to fork over five bucks for a candy bar they can get for a dollar at the grocery store, even if it is for charity. Do the items have to be paid for upfront? Will the company help with keeping records and dealing with the state sale’s taxes, if any? On the other hand, the funds could be a percent of the total sales. Now, seventy percent may sound great, but the group needs to ask what (realistically) they can expect to make, in real dollars.

What about damaged and/or returned products? Does the company deal with problems in a timely and orderly fashion? And, of course, there’s the matter of references: will the firm provide any? Checking with other groups that have used a fundraising company in the past is an excellent means of determining just how reputable they are. The single best question to ask a reference: would you use this firm again? The answer to that inquiry speaks volumes about the quality of the company.

Raising Money With Fundraising Websites

Fundraising websites are becoming increasing popular to garner funds. Its merit lies in giving funds continuously and without any special attention. Problems like leaving the home or those generally associated with traditional fund raisings are almost non-existent in case of fundraising websites.

Fundraising websites are generally free from need to galvanize volunteers, search suitable places or organizing endless meetings with numerous phone calls. On the other hand, the funds keep coming year after year without any intervention. Gone are the days when high sounding corporate with enough money can do business in the internet. Now any one can make money with it.

Words sale on the internet. The following tips are useful when going for fundraising websites.

 

  • Sell products you purchase through wholesalers and have them drop-shipped
  • Earn commissions through affiliate programs or affinity programs
  • Sell traditional fundraising products such as cookie dough, candy or magazines
  • Sell advertising on your site to local companies

 

The anticipation surrounding Internet fund-raising and almost irresistible lure appeals to every one. It has global reach, effective generation capacity, low cost and prolific time-response schedule compared to other fund raising methods. You can get the know how from many organizations and numerous individuals tutors online.

Fundraising websites on Internet offers innovative ways to exchange a few words with donors and request gifts. It works as effectively as one-on-one solicitations at listed appointments. Online commitment though is not reliable but is convertible to large sums of money. Experts agree that a crisis-driven Internet plead like aftermath of hurricane, flood, earthquake, or other disaster can net considerable amounts of money. The response after WTC terrorist attacks of September 11 is testimony to that.

The idea behind fundraising websites is to attract the visitors to contribute for charitable purpose. Even the gifts are charged through these portal sites by charging a fee. Space sales are also growing in popularity. To have better result such sites must take care of the following facts:

 

  • Competitions are with many other organizations for potential donors.
  • Success is conditioned by the portal ability to attract visitors.
  • While relying on the internet the organizations must not neglect tried and true fund-raising methods and practices.

Many non-profits organizations with fundraising websites are getting handsome donation. Even many market players offer expertise and services ranging from web hosting to marketing and networking are offering to augment your fundraising but with a price. Though the risks are there, still the fundraising websites is the true way to go global and earn maximum with minimum effort.

Company Fundraising: What You Need to Consider

Most company fundraising is related to charity. Some do it out of a sense of philanthropy or social responsibility, like McDonald’s creating the Ronald McDonald House. Others see it as good publicity or promotion, or it gives them access to new markets and/or increases their sales. Some also consider it a wise investment for the future.

After the why, there is the how. Some firms just make a direct cash donation of a specific amount. Other will match the amount given by their employees. Then there are the non-monetary items: gifts, staff to fill volunteer roles, sponsoring an event, doing advertising, and doing marketing for an event. And, how big the company is has little to do with how big (or small) their support will be, it all comes down to the results. What will the firm’s involvement yield to the group?

Things to consider: go after an appropriate contact person in the company. Sometimes it is public relations, a charity coordinator etc. Keep an eye on budget. As stated above, some companies won’t give monetary contribution. With those companies, talk about advertising, marketing etc. In a lot of cases, the company may require a proposal. If so, do your homework and write up one designed to catch the attention of relevant staff.

So, that brings up the next point: drawing up a proposal. What do you want to put in it? First, look for a link between your group and the company, something in common that they share. Do you share the same interest? If the firm likes to help put books in the hands of needy kids, and your group is First Book, you have got a match made in heaven. If they’ve got some sort of criteria for making a contribution, get it. After that, match your group up to as many points as possible and outline all of them in the proposal. Then there is the question of organizational skills. Are you looking for a company to partner with, or just get a financial contribution from?

Finally, when doing company fundraising, look to establish a one-on-one relationship with the staff. Very often, some sort of PR officer will control the flow of information up the "food chain" to a senior manager. So, a key to opening doors is building a good rapport with that lower staff member.