| 1 |
CHRISTMAS
BAZAAR: Christmas is the official theme, and all of the
for-sale items are appropriate to give as gifts or to decorate
the home for the holidays. |
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| 2 |
GARAGE
SALES: Organization members collect unwanted merchandise
and tag each piece with an appropriate price. Garage sales
frequently bring in several hundred dollars in an afternoon. |
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| 3 |
GARDEN
FAIR: Organization members work in and for a local nursery
and receive a commission on whatever plants they sell. This can
be for one day, or longer. Weekends typically bring more
customers. |
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| 4 |
RUMMAGE
SALE: Organization members sell such things as clothing,
furniture, appliances, and brand new items like desks, lamps,
pictures, and shoes are donated by local retailers. |
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| 5 |
WHOLESALER’S DAY: This is a “professional” flea market
where merchants each pay to set up parking space-sized booths,
and the public is invited to browse and buy. No admission fee
is charged. |
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| 6 |
HALLOWEEN
CARNIVAL: People are invited for a small donation to come
to a Halloween costume party. Tickets are sold for games and
prizes can be awarded to the winners. Judging contests can
occur for the best costume, etc. Host food at an additional
cost. The sale of raffle tickets can generate additional
income. |
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AUCTIONS |
| 1 |
CELEBRITY
AUCTION: Items donated by local or national personalities
bring in lots of money, particularly when the items are signed
by their donors. |
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| 2 |
CHINESE
AUCTION: The items to be “auctioned” are displayed on
tables around the room; in front of each is a glass bowl or
other receptacle. Participants buy tickets, usually 10 for $5,
and place one ticket in the bowl in front of each item they wish
to “bid” on. At the end of the event one ticket from each bowl
is selected, and whoever’s name (or number) appears on that
ticket wins the item. |
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| 3 |
SERVICE
AUCTION: Donations of time and effort are solicited, and
donors are asked to come up with imaginative offerings. Some
examples of service auction offerings are: baby-sitting for an
entire weekend, a day-long sailboat trip, a pool party for 20
people, and a husband and wife “butler and maid” team to serve
at a dinner party, and the list can on and on. |
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| 4 |
SILENT
AUCTION: Items are donated from local vendors and
volunteers. A sign up sheet is placed next to each item where
bidders write down their name and the amount they want to bid.
Usually a minimum bid price is set and bidders are asked to bid
in $1 or more increments. The highest bidder is the winner at
the close of the auction. |
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| 5 |
TWELVE
GOOD MEN AUCTION: Auctioning off eligible bachelors for a
date becomes a fun money maker. Your bachelors donate
themselves to go out with the highest bidder. The men donate
the date, or solicitations can be made to local vendors to help
cover the date expenses. |
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SHOWS, EVENTS, SALES, ETC. |
| 1 |
BROADWAY
PRODUCTION: A three night production generally put on by
high schools. Tickets are sold for general admission. Sponsors
can also be solicited to lend their support. |
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| 2 |
CONCERTS:
Well known performers will allow you to get larger audiences and
charge higher ticket prices. If you must pay for talent, try to
arrange a special rate. Also, remember that local amateurs can
usually be persuaded to donate their talents to a worthy cause,
and aspiring performers may be happy just to have some public
exposure. General admission is charged for this event. |
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| 3 |
VARIETY
SHOW: Amateur acts may include singing, dancing and comedy
skits. General admission is charged and sponsors can be
solicited. |
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| 4 |
MALE
BEAUTY PAGEANT: Male contestants walk a runway in front of
a panel of female judges. This can also be adapted for a cutest
baby pageant, or other imaginative ideas. Contestants are
charged to enter and an admission price is charged. |
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| 5 |
MARATHON
DANCING: One example of a marathon dancing schedule is two
hours on and 10 minutes off for 50 hours. In order to enter the
contest couples must have sponsor pledges of at least $200. |
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| 6 |
THEATRE
PARTY: An organization buys all the seats or a block of
seats, for a given performance of a show and charges those who
attend a fixed amount over and above the price of the tickets. |
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| 7 |
ART SHOW
AND SALE: Types of artwork exhibited may include paintings,
lithographs and pieces of sculpture. Admission to the exhibit
may be charged and attendees can bid on the artwork. |
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| 8 |
DOLL
SHOW: Displays of unusual and antique dolls from private
and public collections are on view during the show. In
addition, there are dolls made by local residents as well as
some donated by merchants and “dressed” by people from the
community; many of these can be purchased. At the end of the
show, all for-sale dolls that haven’t been bought are donated to
needy children. |
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| 9 |
FASHION
LUNCHEON: Merchants who own clothing stores or boutiques
and managers of department stores are often willing to lend
clothing and accessories to charitable organizations staging
fashion shows. Tickets are typically sold in advance and the
price of lunch can also be included. |
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| 10 |
GALLERY
AND MUSEUM PREVIEWS: The night before the official opening
of gallery or museum exhibit is a good time to have a champagne
or supper preview. A per person donation usually includes
dinner. Tickets are pre-sold. |
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| 11 |
NEEDLEWORK SHOW: The show features exhibits of needlecraft
such as old tapestries, lace doilies and needlepoint pillows.
Booths are rented to boutique owners who sell knitted and
crocheted garments; also to yarn-store owners who sell
needlework supplies. |
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| 12 |
PET SHOW:
Tickets are sold to benefit the organization. Trophies,
rosettes and ribbons are awarded to winning pets. A small entry
fee can be charged to each contestant. |
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| 13 |
PHOTO
CONTEST: This contest can be divided into categories such
as amateur, professional, and photos by children to ensure fair
judging. No entry fee should be charged for children or adult
amateurs. Viewers can vote for their favorite photo in each
category by placing a donation in a container in front of each
photo. At the end of the contest, the photo garnering the most
money in each category is the winner |
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| 14 |
TABLE
SETTING DISPLAY: Local merchants and private collectors
lend dishes, art objects, antiques, centerpieces, flatware and
linens—all of which can be coordinated by a professional
store-display designer who has volunteered her services. An
entry fee is charged to attendees. |
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| 15 |
WEDDING
FASHION SHOW: Spring and fall are the best times to hold
bridal fashion shows, and local department stores and bridal
salons are usually more than willing to participate. Potential
ticket buyers are easy to locate through engagement
announcements in newspaper society columns. |
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| 16 |
ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BREAKFAST: Stick to one or two offerings
that are easy and inexpensive to prepare, such as pancakes and
sausage or fried eggs and bacon, and keep the coffee urns full. |
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| 17 |
BAKE
SALE: Possible baked goods include cupcakes, brownies,
cakes, and pies. |
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BOX OF
RECIPES: Organization members contribute favorite recipes,
have them printed on index cards and sell them in brightly
decorated recipe file boxes. |
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| 18 |
COOKBOOKS: The organization prints and sells a cookbook as
a fundraiser. |
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| 19 |
FOOD
FAIR: Features food from many nations. Organization
members are asked to prepare some of their own ethnic
specialties for sale. Attendees are charged to sample these
delicious treats. |
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| 20 |
HOMEMADE
LUNCHEON: Organization members prepare a homemade lunch for
visitors or guests. Each attendee pays a set fee for lunch. |
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| 21 |
ITALIAN
DINNER: Authentic Italian meal is prepared and sold. |
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| 22 |
LUNCHEONS
WITH SPEAKERS: A luncheon is given at local hotel with
speech by a prominent member of the community. Tickets are sold
in advance. |
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| 23 |
ROVING
DINNER PARTY: Start with a group of 12 couples. Assign
three people to make hors d’ oeuvres, three to cook the main
course, three to pay for the main course ingredients and three
to prepare desserts. Then set up a round robin dinner with
participants going to different homes for the hors d’ oeuvres
and for the main courses. All 12 couples meet in a single home
for dessert. Each couple pays to contribute and the
contributions go to a charitable organization. |
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| 24 |
TASTING
LUNCHEON: Members make food themselves, with a different
theme every year, and charge guests to attend the luncheon. As
added attractions, they have an art show, boutique and sale of
the recipes for the foods served that day. |
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| 25 |
WINE
TASTING PARTY: Unlimited wine and cheese tasting. Four or
five vintners and several cheese companies provide samples for
guests to taste. Some restaurants are also willing to provide
their restaurants for wine tasting events, and they provide
everything but the volunteers. They give you a set amount of
money to provide the volunteers for them. |
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| 26 |
CELEBRITY
WAITERS: Guests are asked to attend a dinner event held at
a local restaurant where they will be waited on by “Celebrity
Waiters”. The restaurant should be asked to donate a portion of
their proceeds for that night to the charity and the “Celebrity
Waiters” are asked to donate their tips for the evening. |
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| 27 |
THEMED
TABLE LUNCHEON OR TEA: Local women are solicited to sell
tickets to their friends for a luncheon. The table host is
responsible to decorate the table in either a pre-set theme, or
in any theme that inspired them. The host is also asked to bring
special home made desserts for everyone at her table. The main
course is provided by the group sponsoring the event. Adding a
raffle or a silent auction also adds to the money raised that
day. |
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| 28 |
REFRESHMENT STANDS: Many local vendors are looking for
volunteers to help man their booths at local concerts, games,
etc. Usually the organization is paid by the number of
volunteers provided and specified amount determined by the sales
that evening. |
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TOURS AND TRIPS |
| 1 |
ARTISTS’
AND CRAFTSMEN’S STUDIO TOUR: Potters, photographers,
painters, weavers, jewelers, sculptors, and printmakers open
their studios to the public. Trip includes talks by the artists
and demonstrations of works in progress. Some of the works may
also be offered for sale. Tickets are sold in advance as well
as on the day of the event. |
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| 2 |
CHRISTMAS
HOUSE TOUR: Houses that are elaborately decorated for
Christmas are opened to residents. Christmas related items,
such as ornaments, handcrafted gifts, and baked goods, may be
for sale. Tickets are sold in advance for the tour. |
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| 3 |
MYSTERY
BUS RIDE: One person makes arrangements for an entire
group, and tells members only what to wear or how to prepare for
the evening’s entertainment. Then members board a bus at a
predetermined location and are whisked away to anything from a
helicopter ride to scuba-diving lessons or dinner at a local
restaurant. Each couple simply pays a fixed amount over the
cost of the evening’s activities. |
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LANDSCAPING TOUR: Works the same as a home tour, but here
individuals are asked to purchase tickets to drive and see
beautifully landscaped homes. |
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EXTRAVAGANZAS |
| 1 |
ANNUAL
DINNER DANCE: Dinner-dances are extremely popular
fund-raisers for a number of organizations. Tickets are
pre-sold. |
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| 2 |
DOWN ON
THE FARM DANCE: A dance that features farm themed clothing,
decorations and food. Tickets are pre-sold. |
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| 3 |
GOURMET
COOK-OFF BALL: Tickets are sold to witness local
celebrity’s cook their hors d’oeuvres, main course, or dessert
specialties on stoves set up around a ballroom as guests look
on. Meanwhile the hotel kitchen staff prepares the identical
recipes for the guests. Professional food experts and critics
judge the culinary offerings of the contestants, and award
prizes in each category. |
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| 4 |
HEADDRESS
BALL: 10 to 12 women model elaborate 15-pound papier-mâché
headdresses designed especially for the ball by local florists,
designers and other creative people in the community. |
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| 5 |
MALL
BALL: A cocktail-dinner dance held in an enclosed mall of a
major shopping center. Other possible unusual sights for
fund-raising events around the country include beaches, subway
stations and airplane hangars. Tickets are sold prior to the
event. |
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ACTION FOR SALE |
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| 1 |
BASKETBALL MARATHON: A dribbling and shooting endurance
contest that may last up to ten hours. Participants solicit
pledges. |
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| 2 |
BATHE-IN
FOR DOGS: Pet accessory manufacturers donate equipment, the
fire department hooks up hoses to fire hydrants, and
dog-grooming experts are on hand with supplies and advice. A
fee is charged for each dog bathed. |
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| 3 |
BINGO:
Bingo games are extremely popular local fund-raisers.
Typically, players pay an entrance fee, rent lap boards and buy
disposable paper game cards. About 25 games are played during a
given evening; and the lucky person who has a winning card can
win anywhere from $25 to $250. Bingo games are tightly
regulated and supervised, often by government officials, to
ensure that the games are being run honestly. Volunteers that
hold bingo games usually raise extra money by selling
refreshments. |
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| 4 |
LAS VEGAS
NIGHTS: Las Vegas nights are evenings of casino-style
gambling, with the proceeds going to charity. Usually the
sponsoring organization takes a percentage of each pot or a
fixed amount at the beginning of each hand of blackjack or
poker. To raise additional money, almost all organizations
charge an entrance fee and sell food. |
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| 5 |
WALKATHON: Each person who registers for the marathon is
asked to solicit a certain number of pledges of varying amounts
for each mile of the route. These events can also be copied with
a SWIM-A-THON, BIKE-A-THON, JUMP ROPE –A-THON, etc. |
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| 6 |
TENNIS
TOURNAMENT: Participants enjoy a certain amount of playing
time, dinner and the opportunity to watch a number of exhibition
matches for an entry fee. |
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| 7 |
CELEBRITY
SPORTS GAME: Ask local celebrities to form a team and play
against a non-celebrity team. General admission is charged to
witness the competition. |
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| 8 |
GOLF BALL
DROP: Similar to a 50/50 raffle, tickets are sold that
correspond to a plastic golf ball that has been numbered. On
the day of the drop, a hot air balloon is tethered over golf
green and the balls are dropped from the air. The first ball in
the hole (or the ball closest to the hole if none go in) is the
winner of the money prize. Instead of doing this as a 50/50,
the winner could also receive a set amount of money or a
pre-determined prize that has been donated. |
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| 9 |
LET ME
WORK FOR YOU: Young people and adults are encouraged to go
around their neighborhood taking donations for work done, i.e.:
mowing the grass, pulling weeds, painting – the list is endless. |
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THOUGHT PROVOKERS |
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| 1 |
BACKGAMMON TOURNAMENTS: Contestants pay an entry fee and
donated prizes are awarded to winners in each level of
competition. Additional money may also be raised through a
raffle. |
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CARD
PARTIES: Bridge, canasta and gin rummy are among the most
popular card games played at afternoon fundraisers. |
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| 3 |
MINI-COURSES: short demonstrations or lectures about
hobbies such as gardening, sewing, and photography. Each
“course” may last one, two or three evenings. Tickets are sold
to each mini-course to raise money. |
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| 4 |
READATHON:
Sponsors contribute varying amounts for children who read a
certain number of books in a given period of time. This can
also be duplicated as a MATH-A-THON, or HISTORY THON. Teachers
love these events because they not only raise money for a cause,
but their students are learning at the same time. |
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| 5 |
STOCK-A-RAMA:
A month-long fund-raiser that allows participants to play the
stock market without any risk of losing real money. A $25
donation entitles a participant to 50,000 “credits,” with which
to “buy” and “sell” stocks. Professional stockbrokers volunteer
to take the orders and keep track of how participants do. At
the end of the month, donated prizes are awarded to those who
have “made the most money” and to the person who has “lost” the
most (The loser gets back his $25, with the advice to stay out
of the market.) |
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FOR THE KIDS |
| 1 |
BOOK
FAIR: A company brings in and sets up a huge selection of
children’s books in all price ranges in local schools. |
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| 2 |
CHILDREN’S ART BOOTH: Paint, crayons, colored pencils and
other favorite media of young artists are displayed at a
colorful booth set up at church fairs. For 25 cents children
can create their own masterpiece which is then attached to a
stick by a volunteer. The child can then carry the work as his
or her own personal banner to display during the fair and take
it home as a souvenir. |
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| 3 |
CHILDREN’S CARNIVAL: A children’s carnival is a fair just
for children. There are attractions like pony rides, games like
pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, and foods like peanut butter
sandwiches and ice cream. For parents there may be a booth at
which to buy used children’s clothing, games, toys, and more. |
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EASY MONEY-MAKERS |
| 1 |
ARTISTS’
AND CRAFTSMEN’S BOOTHS: A flat fee is charged each day for
renting space to local artists and craftsmen to exhibit and sell
their creations. |
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BOOK
SALES: Books are bought at a discount from a dealer who
agrees to take back any that aren’t sold. |
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| 3 |
CAR
WASHES: All it takes is a few buckets, sponges, some mild
detergent, soft towels, water and lots of elbow grease to turn a
few spare hours into extra cash. |
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| 4 |
CONSUMER
TESTING: Some manufacturing firms or market research
companies will pay money to organizations who guarantee a
certain number of participants in a day-long product evaluation
session. |
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| 5 |
50/50
RAFFLE: This idea is simple. Participants sign their names
on dollar bills and drop them into a large container. At the
end of the afternoon or evening, someone pulls out one of the
bills. The person whose name is on the bill wins half of
whatever money has been collected and the organization gets the
other half. |
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| 6 |
GAMES OF
SKILL: Participants are charged to try their hands at games
such as ring tossing, knocking down bottles, breaking plates and
throwing balls into a brightly painted bushel basket. |
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| 7 |
JOURNALS:
Sell sponsorships and advertisements in printed journals and
programs distributed at concerts, dinner dances or other
fund-raising galas. |
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| 8 |
PLANT
SALES: All types of houseplants are sold as well as donated
refreshments. |
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RAFFLES:
Ideally, all items to be raffled have been donated by local
merchants or individuals, and the only expense involved is the
price of printing the tickets. |
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10 |
REFRESHMENT STANDS: As always, try to get donations from
local merchants or, failing that, arrange a discount. Possible
items for sale are soft drinks, coffee, cake, cold sandwiches,
hot dogs, and pizza. |
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“SLAVE
FOR A DAY”: Baby-sitting, lawn-mowing, garage- or
basement-cleaning and similar chores are all performed by
members in return for a donation. |
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YOUR
WEIGHT IN PENNIES: Guests are asked to donate a penny for
each pound they weigh (or sometimes, each year of their ages).
Invite donors to guess how much will be raised by the end of the
raffle and award prizes to the people whose guesses are the
closest to the actual amount. Or have the participants guess
the weight of each donor! Along the same lines are games such
as “Guess the Number of Pennies” (or beans). Put them in a
glass jar, charge 10 cents or 25 cents for each written estimate
and give prizes to the three (or five, or ten) people who come
closest to the correct number. |
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