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Give Tree Gifts Blog
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Does your youth group need to raise money quickly? Perhaps you would benefit from a fast, free fundraiser to generate revenue. The amount you make will largely depend on preparation time, participation and execution.
Here are three tried and true projects to raise some fast cash:
1. Car Wash Fundraiser
Car washes have proven to be great community fundraisers. You will need willing volunteers, a high traffic, visible location, and some terrific signage.
Here are some tips to get you started:
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Choose a location with good main road frontage.
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Ensure you have proper water access.
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Prepare a list of supplies – hoses, buckets, wash towels, dry towels, and squeegees.
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Assign each volunteer with a task and the appropriate supplies from the list.
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Make 8-10 eye catching signs in high-contrast colors.
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Schedule the volunteers in 2-hour shifts.
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Wash cars for six hours, preferably on a Saturday.
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Have two lines so you can wash two vehicles at once.
Weather will play an important part in the success of your fundraiser. If you are able to wash 12 vehicles an hour (one every ten minutes per line), you will easily raise over $500 in one day.
It would also be beneficial to prepare a flyer, which outlines the purpose of your fundraiser and the price per car wash. You may even wish to offer additional services, such as tire dressing or interior cleaning, for an additional charge.
Alternatively, you can also advertise a free car wash and ask for donations for your cause. Although this can be a bit of a gamble, many groups often find that this method raises more cash than a specific asking price. It is not uncommon for people to be more generous when they see a group of volunteers working hard and having a good time.
Be sure to get the word out. You’ll want to post your fundraising event on Twitter, Face book, Myspace, etc. As well, be sure to let friends and family know and ask them to help you spread the word. Advertise in your local newspaper, and get permission to post signs a few days in advance. Always keeping safety in mind, have some of the volunteers hold and wave signs toward passing traffic.
2. Yard Cleanup
A yard cleanup fundraiser is extremely fast and easy to put together. Simply create a set of instructions for your group detailing what to offer, what to say, and how much to charge.
Like most fundraisers, the target market, for a yard cleanup fundraiser, is family, friends, and neighbors. Depending on the age of your volunteers, the offerings could range from simple lawn care to mulching flower beds and pruning trees. Fall is a great time for this type of fundraiser, because leaf cleanup is always a necessity during this season.
You’ll want to prepare a flyer describing your fundraiser, as well as the objectives, and clearly list your prices for the various cleanup tasks. Assign a quota to each volunteer.
As incentive, a pizza party or movie passes to the best performers can definitely improve overall results.
3. Community Cleanup
A community clean up, is also known as a trash bag fundraiser. You will be performing a valuable community service while earning significant revenue for your cause.
Organizing a community cleanup project is a terrific way to raise funds, while sending a positive message about your group.
This type of fundraising event is normally a weekend event. The group participants will solicit pledges from family, friends, neighbors, and local businesses. As well, you’ll want to approach local businesses to donate trash bags and recruit parents and relatives with trucks to haul the trash.
Pledges are tied to a specific attainment goal such as the number of pounds of trash collected or the number of road miles cleaned of debris. You'll need to create a one-page overview of your cleanup program and a pledge signup sheet.
When you prepare your flyers, be sure to include a suggested range for donations. For example, you may ask anywhere from a penny to a dime a pound for larger projects. Large amounts of garbage can be collected from a local stream or illegal dumping area, so you may also put a maximum limit on pledge amounts of $20.
Assuming you have 50 volunteers, each with five pledges of a penny a pound, a ton of garbage will raise $100 per participant or $5,000 for your cause.
You’ll raise a ton of cash for disposing of a ton of garbage and you’ll be doing a world of good for the community.
Each of these fundraising tips is fast and easy to put together, as well as being a reliable source of revenue for your group. For safety purposes, please ensure you have adult supervision for any youth group event. Start planning your free and easy fundraisers today!
Related Links:
Event Planning How To: 8 Affordable Entertainment Tips for your Event
Event Planning How To: Your Guide to an Entertaining, Educational, and Memorable Fundraising Event!
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There are many ways to incorporate entertainment into your event, without breaking the bank. These helpful tips offer solutions that will inspire other money saving ideas.
1. Local Celebrities
Why not ask a local celebrity to make an appearance or co-host the event? Local celebrities are often willing to donate some of their time to an event, particularly if it benefits the community. By eliminating this expense, more money goes towards your cause, which is particularly important for charity events. What's more, the appearance of a local celebrity will help boost ticket sales.
2. Hire Local Talent
There are many benefits to hiring local talent including, but not limited to, substantial savings. Local singers or bands welcome the opportunity to gain the exposure that comes from performing at events. In exchange for the experience and publicity, they are often more than willing to perform at a reduced rate.
It is very important to give proper credit, and help promote them as performers. Pay careful attention to the preparation of your introduction, as you want to support them, as they are supporting you. It all helps to bolster the community spirit with mutual encouragement. They'll likely give you the performance of their lives.
3. Big Name Celebrities
If you're convinced that you really need a big name celebrity, you could request that they donate a few minutes of their time. In exchange for a few minutes of their time for a special appearance, they would receive a tax deduction. As the saying goes, time is money.
An alternate plan would be to raise additional funds to hire a big name celebrity. This would be best handled by a special committee as; it will need to be a focused effort, which may require substantial funds. However, if you choose the right celebrity for your event, it will definitely be worth the time and effort.
4. Shared Expenses
We all know that time is precious and some of us have very little to spare. Once you have established a committee, you have a few options. As mentioned earlier, a committee that is focused on raising funds to acquire entertainment is probably the best solution, if you are hiring established talent. The committee can either raise the funds by having a mini fundraiser; they can each contribute a portion of the funding needed; or, they use a combination of both methods.
When you think outside the box, you get amazing results. Instead of competing with another event, consider collaborating. Are you able to work together to host one event, which will benefit both of you? Pooled resources can get you more bang for your buck, resulting in more seats filled, which means a successful event for both groups.
5. Should you hire a DJ or Band?
While a live band definitely has appeal, keep in mind that you have to pay all of the band mates. Typically, when you hire a DJ, you're paying one or two people to entertain at your event. While DJs typically come with their own permits, you may be required to get a permit for the band's performance, which is also an added expense. Finally, if space is an issue, a DJ is the clear choice, as many bands can take up a sizeable area.
6. How can you afford a live band?
If your committee already has their hearts set on a live performer, you can cut costs substantially by having them play for an hour or two. Rather than paying for the entire event, you can pare this down to a few hours to help reduce your entertainment costs. This is a good solution when you have a limited budget; but still need to offer something to sell tickets and get people into the seats.
7. Make it Memorable
Don't limit yourself to musical entertainment. There are so many other options out there that are both affordable and entertaining. Consider comedians, magic acts or, better yet, why not contact a local school or group about a drama performance. Keep it interesting and fresh. Whatever type of entertainment you choose, try to put your own twist on it. The more lively conversation the performance generates, the more it will help your cause.
8. Connections
As always, it boils down to connections. . If you've got favors to call in, now is the time to do it. Who do you know? Who do they know? What do they know that can help? Can you barter with someone? These are the types of questions your committee will need to ask, in order to pool together the best possible resources. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how well equipped you really are.
Related Links:
Event Planning How To: 8 Steps to a Successful Event
Event Planning How To: Your Guide to an Entertaining, Educational, and Memorable Fundraising Event!
Awareness Ribbons Colors and Causes
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This is the second article of our Event Planning How To series. Here we will explore ways to ensure that your event is entertaining, educational, and memorable. This is of particular importance, if you are organizing a fundraiser.
Keep them entertained
First consider what type of entertainment would be best suited to your event. Typically, live entertainment is the ideal choice for a charity event, as the entertainers can interact with the guests.
There are several terrific options for live entertainment, including a singer, band, or musician; however, in keeping with your second objective of making your event educational, you could also consider a live play or another form of performance art. Such live performances lend themselves well to educational messages.
As a charitable organization, money is always tight; but that doesn't necessarily mean that you can't afford quality entertainment. Many performers will entertain for free, or at a reduced rate, in support of a worthy cause. Local celebrities are a terrific draw. Their endorsement or support can attract more guests and potential donors and it is an excellent public relations opportunity for them. If you're considering a play, contact your local community theater group or the drama club at a local school. Consider a dinner theater, where the actors serve the meal, while staying in character. When creative minds come together, you're certain to have a spectacular event. Get ready to have some good, clean fun.
Educate and enlighten
For any nonprofit organization, it is important to get your message out to as many people as possible. If you haven't already created a mission, vision, and values statements, you need to do so as soon as possible. It is critical that you have clearly defined objectives, in order to educate the public.
There are several ways to present educational materials, including Powerpoint presentations, floor stands or easels, utilizing wall space for random facts, and/or a documentary video.
Different people absorb information in different ways. While some can retain information by simply reading or listening, others may be better served by a more interactive or hands on approach. The more variety you can incorporate into your event, the stronger the impact of your message.
Make it memorable
The more memorable the event, the greater the word of mouth promotion you will receive from your guests. We all know that is the most valuable and influential marketing available.
Sometimes "memorable" and "unique" can be found in the finer details. Simple things like seating, serving, parking – anything related to your guests' comfort, can have a big impact on the overall experience. Cater to their needs.
An event can be made more memorable by choosing a unique and interesting venue. It can also be refreshing to include the unexpected. Fun and interactive activities can make a world of difference. What would be more unexpected than an ice cream bar or a trampoline at a formal event? Again, these are things that can easily be provided as a sponsorship by local businesses. Now is the time to think outside the box. When you exceed everyone's expectations, you inspire larger donations.
Related Links:
Event Planning How To: 8 Steps to a Successful Event
Event Planning How To: 8 Affordable Entertainment Tips for your Event
Awareness Ribbons Colors and Causes
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Whether you're planning a wedding, fundraising event, corporate event, or even a birthday party, it is sometimes difficult to know where to begin. To help make your next event a success, we've prepared a series of articles to walk you through the process. 8 Steps to a Successful Event is the first of our Event Planning How To series.
1. Be prepared for the "What if...?" Play out different scenarios in your head and jot them down. Once you've compiled your list, prepare a backup plan for each situation you've listed. Try to take as many things into consideration as possible. What is the worst thing that can happen? Address that first, and then work on those of lesser impact.
2. Stay organized. This is vital to a successful event and it really can't be overdone. Keep everything in one place. First, you will need to designate a specific location to keep plans and documents and ensure that everyone involved in the planning process knows the location, for example, the top shelf of the book case in your office. Invest in a quality binder, with tabs. You may also wish to invest in a white board and multi colored white board markers. Pick up a large 3 ring pencil case, which is color coordinated to the binder. Clearly label the binder spine and the front of the binder.
Now the magic begins. If you are dealing with multiple projects, you can color code the binder and pencil case with a matching color of white board marker. This method gives you the advantage of making notes on the white board in the appropriate color. You can prepare a color key on the white board so that everyone on the team knows which project the notes pertain to, which is an excellent way to map progress.
The binder will be divided into various stages of the planning process - one tab or each. You will include planning details, price quotes, contracts, ideas, contact information, and anything else you might need. The pencil case will hold any smaller receipts to ensure that they don't get misplaced. When you have something to contribute to the binder, you'll want to do so right away to avoid misplacing important documents or plans.
3. Match the venue to the event. Actually, there is some controversy over which step should come first. Should you choose the venue or the theme first? I'm flexible on these points and believe it is a matter of personal preference. Some find it easier to match a theme to a venue, while others prefer to choose a theme, and then find the most suitable venue to support that theme.When choosing the venue, these are some of the questions you should ask yourself:
Does the venue support the theme?
Is it easily accessible for the guests?
Do they have ample parking?
How many guests can they accommodate?
Does the venue compliment the theme?
Will the guests be comfortable there?
Is it within our budget?
I could go on and on.
4. Choose a theme. Think of your theme as the anchor for your event. All of the other details will hinge on this decision. The theme will determine your colors, table favors, centerpieces, menu, entertainment, etc. As mentioned earlier, it is particularly important that your theme and venue support each other. These two points should receive equal consideration, as they contribute to the atmosphere of the event. The atmosphere needs to create the desired result, which is the best possible experience for your guests.5. Preparing a menu and choosing refreshments. This can be a source of stress for some event planners. The choice of food and drink can make or break an event. If you want rave reviews from your guests, always consider their comforts. One of the most important comforts is food.
The best advice I can give you is to shop around for a caterer. If you've attended a function in the past, where the food was particularly good, contact the hosts for a reference. Talk to friends and colleagues for recommendations. Ask prospective caterers for references and be sure to personally sample the food before choosing a menu. Do you need to offer a vegetarian option? Is there food peanut-free? Once you've made a selection, form a contract with the best candidate.Refreshments are also an important consideration. Aside from selection, you'll need to decide on a cash bar or open bar. This is sometimes determined by the venue itself, as they may have restrictions that do not allow for an open bar. If this could be a deal breaker for you, it is best to inquire about this, before choosing the venue.
6. Choose the entertainment. Your selection will depend largely on the type of event and the theme. What do you want to accomplish? Are you hoping to entertain, educate, or both? In any case, you want it to be fun.
Music comes in many shapes and forms. You can have a live band or a DJ. It may even be appropriate to hire a cellist.
While not necessarily suitable for every event, one of my favorites is a photo collection or home video on a big screen. This can be ideal for weddings and graduations; but you can also consider it for other events. I had great fun at a fundraiser, which showed baby photos of the board of directors. Each guest had to match the subject of the photo to the appropriate name. To make it more challenging, they included some celebrity baby photos in the mix.
If you are hosting a fundraising event, you'll want to utilize that captive audience to promote your cause and reinforce the importance of their support, which includes donations.
7. Choose the best vendors. Price should not always be your determining factor. Yes, we all have to work within a budget; but consider what kind of value you are getting for your dollar.
Are you comfortable with the vendor? Do you feel an instant rapport? Are they helpful? Do you trust them? Follow your instincts.
If you are planning a fundraising event, your vendors can also be your sponsors. This arrangement is ideal. It helps your bottom line, while providing valuable advertising for the vendor. They will want to do their utmost to ensure that they go above and beyond, because their name and reputation are important to repeat business as well as new business referrals. It is a win-win situation.
Once you've found vendors that you are comfortable working with, treat them well. Yes, they need your business and they should treat you well. More importantly, they can hold the fate of your event in their hands. If you want successful events to be a part of your future, you'll want vendors to support that vision. The more you work together, the better your events will be. Loyalty plays an important part and it works both ways. On more than one occasion, a vendor has bailed out a client, due to some unforeseen problem. Wouldn't it be nice to have that kind of support when you need it the most?
8. Keep your cool. Yes, planning an event can be overwhelming at times. That's why it is important to try to include others in the process. Brainstorming and teamwork is an important part of successful event planning. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to help you tackle all those to do lists? If you have a team, or even one person to support you, your event will be that much better for it.
Now that you have the tools, this step by step process will help to make your event a huge success. When all is said and done, your guests are always your most important consideration. If they are happy, you've succeeded.Related Links:
Event Planning How To: Your Guide to an Entertaining, Educational, and Memorable Fundraising Event!
Event Planning How To: 8 Affordable Entertainment Tips for your Event
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