For some people, the thought of organizing a fundraising activity seems
complicated enough to halt any effort of launching one. Questions like, “Where
would it be held?” “Who would do this and that?” “How can we effectively
manage it?” “And what service or product would we offer in the first place?”
They get nervous with all the details, and when panic takes over, the fundraiser
becomes a total nightmare. To avoid such blunder, it is wise to start first with
easy and simple fundraising ideas. This is especially helpful for first-timers,
who are still learning the nitty-gritty of fundraising.
Following are some of the easy and simple fundraising ideas your group can
accommodate. You can twist them a little or do modifications to excite your
participants and customers.
Garage Sale
Time has proven that garage sale generates funds successfully in the most modest
ways. All you need to do is collect stuff that are still usable and in
relatively good condition, and set them up in your garage nicely and neatly. The
more things you sell, the more people are likely to come, so make sure you have
a lot of things on display. Look for people who might be willing to donate some
stuff.
Aside from the members of your organization, your family and friends are
potential contributors. But make sure that whatever you put on display is clean
and functional—no dust, no grease, no missing parts. Fix your items as much as
you can. They maybe junk for you, but for buyers, they are only old items that
work just fine.
Car Wash
Car wash doesn’t project costly overhead, so you can keep a good percentage of
what you earn. You only need to have loads of soap and washing tools like
buckets and water hoses and people who are willing to get wet and dirty. Though
there are organizations that choose to partner with a local car wash to have
ready place and tools, it’s wiser to work on your own. This way, you do don’t
have to share the earnings with someone else. Car wash is very popular among
student organizations, as it also encourages team work while having fun.
Raffle
Perhaps the simplest fundraiser, raffle requires you to prepare coupons or
tickets and sell them for relatively cheap price. Your buyers are entitled to
prizes, if their coupon or ticket numbers are drawn. Make sure the prizes are
safe, practical, and useful. All the proceeds then go to your organization.
Walkathon and Marathon
Host a walkathon or marathon in your community, school, or church. Not only are
you generating funds for your organization, you are also promoting health and
fitness among your participants. Find sponsors who are willing to finance an
exercise-based fundraiser such as these two to help you accumulate funds. For
additional funding, you can also ask for participant’s fee or sell running
gears and shirts. Launching a walkathon or marathon may seem daunting a task,
but if you consider how much it can help both your participants and your
organization, you will find that your cause is worth all the effort.
Rule of thumb: Never bore your participants. Make sure that you put in elements
that keep the excitement. For instance, give your customers “thank you”
stickers if they purchase, say, five or more items, from your garage sale. Or
you can ask your school soccer team to do the car wash, all dolled up like
girls.
In other words, be creative to turn these simple fundraising ideas into
thrilling activities.
