Category: Ideas

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.

One of the Best Golf Fund Raising Ideas

Golf fund raising ideas are fun and if managed properly, they can be very successful. One of the best golf fund raising ideas is to hold a golf tournament at a local golf course. A favored golf course is best.

The first step in holding a fund raising golf tournament is to talk to a local golf course and see if they will host the event. Usually they will, if they believe in the cause. If you can persuade them, have them run the prices of golfing for the day, clubs, carts, and all fees at a discount. All additional proceeds can go toward the benefit. Also, encourage golfers to make donations.

In getting people to show up at the golf tournament, you need to have prizes for things like first place, best swing, and so on. Creating an incentive for people to participate is important. Another incentive to prizes is if you can have a local person that is favored to speak at the event for the cause. People often will show up just to hear the speech.

Usually, if you are successful in getting a golf course to agree to host the event, the golf course will do much of the advertising of the event for you. This is because the more people that show up at the event, the more profits they stand to make too. In addition, it is common that the media will also provide coverage of the event. Media loves to announce local happenings and when the event is for a benefit or cause, they don’t consider it advertising. You can do advertising also by creating flyers, announcements on the web, etc. The more people that show up at the event the better.

One of the best golf fund raising events is holding a golf tournament. If you can manage to get a golf course to work with you and allow you to use the course at a discounted rate, then the event is sure to be a success. People love to golf. Creating incentives for showing up at the event and to golf is the most important aspect.

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.

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.

Need A Great Non-Profit Fundraising Idea?

Are you looking for a non-profit fundraising idea? More often than not, such groups have very limited budgets. Not always, but as a general rule of thumb. After all, the Red Cross and UNICEF are non-profit, yet they definitely do not lack for funds.

But, we’ll focus on the small-scale non-profit groups here, as they are the ones with the least resources and the greatest need for raising money. A lot of such groups, look for some kinds of simple fundraising methods. It makes sense. A new group usually has very few members, limited resources and almost no money.

First, what is a way for a non-profit group to raise money? Often times they are grade, middle or high school organizations and need ideas that are low cost. The students can hold a bake sale, paint artwork on t-shirts, have a turkey shoot, even sell candles, nuts etc. Turkey shoots are an excellent way to involve the students who are members of the school’s JROTC program. All it requires are some frozen turkeys (normally donated from a local grocery store) some cards for people to buy little targets on, and then the students to shoot a hole in each card.

Then there is the fundraising gift card. There are a wide variety of national companies that will give "two for one" cards for pizza, soda, sandwiches, movie tickets etc. Many have websites and/or 800 numbers to allow groups to easily contact their Public Relations (PR) Departments. For a non-profit group, fundraising cards are an excellent choice. Many of these companies even prefer to deal with small non-profit organizations; they like to feel they are helping local groups working to aid their communities.

For church and other charitable groups, many other kinds of fundraisers are possible, beyond those listed above:

 

  • Door-to-door sales
  • Letter writing campaigns
  • Holding a fair or bazaar
  • Rummage sales
  • Raffles

 

So, no matter the size of the group, not matter the makeup of its members, there is a non-profit fundraising idea out there that will help just about any non-profit group to raise money. It all comes down to the members, what are they willing to put into it?

Fundraiser Programs: Learn What to Look For

There are various types of fundraiser programs available for the average group, and most are very reasonably priced, including their upgrades. Three of them are: FundRaiser Basic, FundRaiser Select, and Fundraiser Professional, all available from fundraisersoftware.com. Now, these are by no means the only programs out there, but an overview of them will give a good indication of what all of them do.

These programs are basically known as donor management software. Some people like to use the phrase "donation management" instead as its purpose is to increase the effectiveness and efficiency at which a group is able to get donations. Still, to quote the Immortal Bard, Williams Shakespeare: "a rose by any other name." The programs are designed to allow nonprofit and philanthropic organizations to track their relationships with their donors. In many ways, the software is like CRM (Customer Relationship Management) programs that commercial businesses use to keep track of their customers.

In general, these programs manage, process and/or track various fundraising activities:

 

  • Information obtained by talking to people in person, from a phone-a-thon, via a newsletter or by sending out mailings.
  • All fundraising campaigns, seasonal, annual or other.
  • Special events, such as banquets, sports tournaments and specialty festivals.
  • Pledges obtained from phone-a-thons, and other methods.
  • Membership lists.
  • Grants obtained from individuals, government agencies and/or charitable foundations.
  • Tribute gifts given "In Memory of" or "To Honor" someone.
  • Catalogs of the products sold for fundraising.

 

With Fundraiser Basic, it currently lists for under a hundred dollars, easily affordable by just about any group. Yet, it can hold a list of 50,000 donors, including all data on them and contributions they have made. It has a word processor and mail merger that allows for mass mailings. Very useful for a group just getting started. The FundRaiser Select runs more, $1,200, and simply builds on the basic program, with a few more features. It isn’t until FundRaiser Professional, which costs upwards of $3,500, that some major upgrades come into play. It has more capabilities in terms of reports, merging functions and criteria for setting up groupings.

So, from just a brief overview of only three of the fundraiser programs available, it can be seen that they offer a powerful tool for groups needing help in managing their records.

An Easy Fundraising Idea You Can Use Now

A lot of groups, when they are first getting started, look for some type of easy fundraising idea. It makes sense. After all, a new group generally has few members, limited resources and virtually no money. So, they will look to their members to brainstorm and come up with some small-scale, simple ways of raising funds for their activities.

Step one: what constitutes an easy way to raise money? A group needs to look at ideas that involve a minimal outlay of cash. On the other hand, that does not mean that some hard work (the old "sweat equity"), a goodly amount of time, and some effort does not have to go into it. A group may discover that they have a rather talented artist among their ranks. Also, perhaps another member runs a print shop or does silk screening. So, put the two together and what do you get? A team that can create a knockout t-shirt. Offer those at a local state or county agricultural fair or school bazaar and the group can raise a considerable sum.

Another simple fundraising method is the gift card. There are a whole host of national firms that will give "two for one" cards: pizza, soda, sandwiches, movie tickets etc. Many have websites and/or 800 numbers set up to allow for ease of access, and PR departments that are skilled in just these sorts of things. For a new group that is trying to raise some funds quickly and easily, fundraising cards are an excellent choice.

For groups operating on the high school level, there are even more options. Bake sales, selling school badges, pizza and sodas at sporting events, and turkey shoots are just the tip of the iceberg. In the case of a high school Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), turkey shoots are a good idea. And, it is not as bloodthirsty as it may sound. Normally, a high school JROTC unit has a shooting range where the students (cadets) learn to fire a twenty-two caliber rifle. So, first, they need turkeys. Normally, a national grocery chain (e.g. Publix, Stop & Shop) will donate a quantity of frozen turkeys. Next, the unit prints up a standard sized piece of heavy-duty paper with a series of one inch diameter circles on it, and runs off as many as the number of turkeys they have to give away. They then take these around the neighborhoods and allow people to buy a circle for a dollar each. The people write their names in the circle(s) they buy. After all the sheets are filled, they are taken to the firing range and a cadet puts one shot in each. Whichever hole gets hit, or is closest to the bullet hole, that person gets a free Christmas turkey.

So, no matter the size of the group, not matter the makeup of its members, there is an easy fundraising idea out there that will help the group to get a start. It all comes down to the members, what are they willing to put into it?