Missed out on the first 5 Low-Cost Or No-Cost Fundraiser Ideas?
Let’s keep the list going – here are five more low-cost and no-cost fundraising ideas:
Cook-offs
Chili, chowder, BBQ, pie, dessert, whatever your group’s favorite may be. Invite expert and amateur chefs alike to enter their fabulous (very large) dishes in a cook-off event for top honors. Charge a fee for participants to come sample and vote on the best foods your town has to offer.
Your biggest challenge with a Cook-Off event: advertising and getting interested contributing chefs to participate (tip: offer them an advertising opportunity). Cook offs can work well in combination with the next idea:
Breakfast (or dinner) with…
A well known local personality, or Santa or the Easter Bunny for the little ones. This takes some organization and a good support base of volunteers, as preparing a meal can be labor-intensive. You can also increase your profits if you can get local grocers and/or businesses to donate mixes and paper goods. Pre-selling tickets will help so you know how many you have to serve for. This event might also work well with a
Bake Sale
An oldie but goodie; bake sales enjoy good investment returns because there is very little money to pay out. Ask group members and supporters to donate their best baked good (preferably pre-wrapped for sale), then find a location with good foot-traffic to hold the sale. Pastry sales will be especially well-received at breakfast events.
Movie Night
Movie nights are successful fundraisers for school and community groups with a large child-based membership. Set up a large screen and choose a movie to show. Charge each attendee a ticket fee and sell popcorn and drinks, or offer some kind of a package deal. Movie nights are well-attended when you hit the right audience because they offer a cheap family night out. Movie nights for children might be combined with
Night Out for parents
Offer babysitting services for a fee combined with fun arts and crafts and a movie night for kids. Be sure you have complete contact and emergency contact information for each child. These work well for school groups, daycare centers, or teen centers with lots of teenage babysitter hands on deck.
You will likely need to limit the number of children, so selling a ‘ticket’ for the night may be a good idea so that you are not left short-handed if someone doesn’t show. Parents nights often work well during the holidays or in partnership with a craft fair so parents can shop without prying childlike eyes.
And there you are. Five more ways to raise big funds without investing much money. Read about more fundraising ideas.
Please let us know in the comments of any no or low cost fundraisers you’ve tried.