Fundraising Ideas

Why new fundraising ideas? If your organization or group need to raise money for a trip or project, there is nothing wrong with another bake sale. However, if you do something a little different, you may get more volunteers for the event. You may also get more media exposure, meaning more people will participate, which means more money raised. Here are some new ideas.

A rummage sale is a common fundraising idea, but how about a mobile rummage sale? This requires collecting donations of things to sell, and the cooperation of someone with a pick up truck. Organize the things as neatly as possible in the back of the truck, and go door-to-door, explaining to the residents that you are raising money for your cause, and asking them to take a look at your sale. They may also want to donate things to sell. Consider the beach or other busy places to go too.

Almost everyone is online now. If you collect donations for a project or regular event, you can promise donors that they will be recognized on your group's official website. They can have a bit of internet immortality as one of the people that made your event, trip or project possible. This is similar to the common practice of donors getting their names put on a plaque, but the website is accessible to all their friends anywhere in the world, so they can show them how they helped.

Having a car wash is one of the most common fundraising ideas out there. A dog wash, on the other hand, is less common. For this to work, you have to have a place where many people walk their dogs. A brush, some dog shampoo, and a source of water are all you really need. You might also sell dog toys, dog snacks and other pet-related things for even more profit.

A lot of businesses need to have the area around them cleaned up. This includes restaurants that have trash around the edges of their parking lots, and businesses that need their signs washed, and others that need their sidewalks and lots swept. A crew of young people could clean up the area in an hour for a set fee. The business could write off the contribution on their taxes.

A treasure hunt could be a big event, and even an annual one if your organization needs a regular fundraising event. The basic idea is this: Rope off an area of a beach, and bury silver bars and coins in the sand, allowing people to hunt for them for an entry fee. Suppose you buried 4 quarter-ounce gold coins, 20 one-ounce silver bars, 1000 various foreign coins (some coin shops will sell these to you for ten cents each), 500 dimes and 2000 pennies. At todays prices it would cost you about $1,000, which you might first raise through donations. 300 people paying $10 each would net your group $2,000, plus you could sell hotdogs and drinks during the event.

With the exception of the last one, these are all relatively cheap events to plan. Let the papers know about your plans, of course. With the more unusual fundraising ideas you are especially likely to get some free press coverage.