Easy Fund Raising Ideas

Archive for April, 2009

Question: need a great non-profit fundraising opportunity?

I’m the secretary for a local volunteer fire department, adn we are currently looking for a way to raise approximately $4000/year. Due to conflicts we are debtaing on dropping one of our fundraisers, and while $4000 isn’t a lot in the span of one year, every little bit helps, especially when we only get so much funding from the county and state.

minus cookies, door-to-door sales, hot dogs sales, things like that, what might be a good fundraiser for grown men (early 20s to 60s) to do that would spark thier interest and let them have some fun doing it? We already have a concession stand that is brought out several times a year to raise money, and we also run a bi-yearly arts and crafts show. Just looking for some other reasonable ideas to raise a bit of money for a good cause.

Thanks!

Answer: Rent a firefighter — people make a donation to the fire department and, on one particular day, the firemen go to the houses of the donors and rake leaves, mow the grass, clean the windows, paint something, etc. Another version of this is to “auction” the firefighters off for such work.

Singing telegrams — people make a donation and firemen show up at the home or office of the donor’s choosing to serenade someone in honor of an anniversary, birthday, etc.

Calendars — it’s easy to use just about any computer now to make up calendars featuring any photos you want for each month. You could create a calendar, with each month featuring a photo of a firefighter (they could parody all the “sexy” calendars out there, or have firefighters with their pets, or have photos of the firefighters actually fighting fires, whatever). Someone could create the calendar, and someone could pay to get a few made up at your local Kinkos, then take orders for more.

All could result in media coverage.

Make sure the department’s web site is explicit on why the fire department needs donations, how donations are recorded, etc.

Acton Fun Run

Question: Circus animals are slaves in captivity. Do you have any humane fund-raising ideas ?

Every year, the Lions Club or Shriners (can’t remember which) hosts a circus to come to town to make money. It’s for a good cause. I believe they help sick kids and do many other noble things with the money. But I always boycott it because I think it’s so depressing for the animals to be slaves in captivity. I feel very inneffective and want to provide a solution instead of simply telling them the circus is cruel to animals (thus not being any help). We already have a midway that comes every year. Do you have any other good Fundraising Ideas?
I thank you for your solidarity and suggestions.

Answer: some info:

http://www.animaldefense.com/Circus.html

i think there are alternative entertainments that don’t involve animals, a lower-rent version of Cirque du Soleil, or the Peking Acrobats, perhaps? Sounds like the people at the following link simply organized their own “Human Circus” of non-animal entertainment (http://allentown.craigslist.org/pet/162687412.html). Perhaps you could organize the same?

“Subjective Circus” Fundraising Event