Charity fund raising ideas

[HoldenMcCrank]

For those of you that are active or have participated in Charity fund Raising. I am looking for unigue idea event for our area. We currently do a Walk and a Dinner/ wine tasting event. But I would like to add another event / idea. Any and All ideas and suggestions appreciated. Thanks in advance

Holden

 

[Bidin~Time]

My daughter's school holds a "silent auction" at their annual dinner.

Businesses donate products, or weekend getaways, and they also do baskets of merchandise based on various themes (such as movie night). Each person is issued a number when they come in, and can write down their number along with a bid on whatever interests them. Everyone seems to enjoy trying to figure out everyone else's number, and we raise a nice amount for the kids.

 

[SweetCherry]

Hmm, when I was in high school, one of the things we did for fundraising thru my church was a "slave auction" of sorts. The church youth members were auctioned off for an afternoon of labor. It seemed to go over well and raised quite a bit of cash.

 

[sunstruck]

What's the charity?

 

[HoldenMcCrank]

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. For anyone wanting more info about CF please visist the CF Foundations web site at www.cff.org

Or if you would like you can PM with questions

Thanks
Holden

 

[bluespoke]

A common event over here is a charity auction. You write to celebrities/sports stars in your area or nationally and ask them to donate items, such as autographed football shorts or pictures etc.

The auction can be done with an auctioneer or as a silent auction (with sealed bids).

I've seen these events raise enormous sums, depending on your audience.

 

[sunstruck]

Well, it depends on what kind of money you are trying to raise. Silent auctions are the latest trend in charity fundraising, but if they're overdone in your area you won't make as much money as you could.

Basically you really have to know your community. For instance, when raising money for an AIDS charity in Provincetown (a predominately gay community) cabaret's and goof fashion shows make a ton of cash. When your taget wallet is blue blood you're looking at dinners, balls, pretty much any ocasion to show off their sparklies. Libraries have their book drives, but you can usually spice them up and you'd be shocked at how much cash a church can pull in with an olde fashioned fish fry. lol

When you're looking to hit up your average middle class family type wallet, you should think about two things, fun and fish hooks. While society folk tend to flit from one trendy cause to another (tradtionally) your average American family usually chooses one cause and sticks with it. So you want to do something fun, that also gives them the feeling of involvement. Local carnival/festival events are great for this. You hit up a local chain store like Toys R US for prizes (they all have charity budgets for sponsoring local events) and have game booths and food booths and some local talent performing when the sun goes down.
If you are looking for something smaller, try something like a local tallent show with both kids AND adult competition. You'd be amazing what some people come up with and it's inevitabley hysterically fun while raising a good deal of money.

The thing about those ideas is they can easily become anual events that grow and raise more money every year.

Hope that helps. If you need any advice on running anything let me know.

 

[HoldenMcCrank]

Thank you

to everyone that has replied so far. I have some ideas that I am working on but am open to new and unique ideas. Thanks again!

Holden

 

[HoldenMcCrank]

bump

.

 

[HoldenMcCrank]

for the afternoon crowd

Any ideas and suggestions appreciated.

thanks

Holden

 

[HoldenMcCrank]

pardon me

as I move this up front. Pardon me.

Thanks
Holden

 

[someplace]

'Morning Holden! The Bass tournaments down here raise a lot of money.

The high school bands raffle a car -- you might hold off on that one for a while -- it takes a minimum of a large number of people.

I've chaired a couple of gala auctions. They are extremely labor intensive.

I think you're on the right track. Keep up the fabulous work.

 

[HoldenMcCrank]

Someplace

Thanks for the suggestions, morning to you too!

Don't be late for work

Holden

 

[someplace]

Yes Daddy! *grin*

Later! *waves goodbye for now*

 

[HoldenMcCrank]

Daddy????

Funny Very Funny!! LOL


Holden

 

[someplace]

Hello Sweetie! Saw something the other day I meant to tell you about and I keep forgetting, dammit.

My grocery store has a big shopping cart full of groceries prominently displayed near the entrance (and next to the service desk). The cart is all wrapped in plastic with a big sign saying that the contents are being raffled for a charity fo $1 a chance. Winner gets all the stuff in the cart.

I think about you everytime I see it. I know you're after some business sponsors in your area. Take this idea a step further. Have a business donate their product and rafffle it off in their place of business for you. This idea works on several levels.

First, they show their target audience their community spirit.

Second, the people who frequent that business are already interested in whatever is being raffled.

Third, the business handles the tickets & selling and turns over the proceeds to you. Easy-peasy.

Fourth, you could take a picture of the owner/manager presenting your group with the proceeds check -- maybe include the winner too and send a little press release to your local newspapers. More publicity for the business donor AND your organization. THEN other businesses will see how much mileage the original business got from their donation, and want to do the same for you.

Huh? What do you think? I think it has much potential for what you're trying to do.

Later, gator!

 

[Spinaroonie]

rob a bank

 

[someplace]

LMAO! Somehow, one thinks THAT kind of publicity won't be very good for his charity, now would it?

 

[Bindii]

Cystic Fibrosis is a great cause, my friends daughter has Cystic Fibrosis and I've seen how devestating this disease can be.

It may be different here but car rallies (scavenger hunts) can be popular when fundrasing, and another big event that attracts lots of attention is a 'fish hunt' some tagged fish are released into the river the morning before the 'hunt' and the fishermen who catch the tagged fish win prizes (which are donated). All the fisherman pay a nomination fee (before they start to fish!) to be eligible for a prize.

 

[HoldenMcCrank]

Very good Ideas

Thanks Someplace and Bindii I really appreciate you taking the time to post. Hope everyone has a Great week!

Holden