Working for not for profit organizations for most of the past fourteen years, I’ve seen my fair share of fundraisers. I’ve succeeded at raising funds with kids and I’ve flopped at raising funds with kids. Here are my top three fundraisers for young people’
The 100 Envelope $5050 Fundraiser
At an information meeting, a church service, a back to school night, a community event or wherever you are hoping to raise funds, put out 100 envelopes labeled with an amount from $1 to $100. So the envelopes would be labeled $1, $2, $3, $4 and so on up to $100. You just need 100 people to each take an envelope and contribute the amount listed on the envelop. Let them take the envelope that they feel comfortable contributing. Once each envelope is taken and returned you will have raised $5050!
Pizza Fundraiser
This is a great fundraiser year round but it is especially successful during football season. Kids take pre orders of pizza, keep it simple, maybe two or three types. Someone or a group purchase all of the supplies and then on one afternoon, parents and students get together and assemble all of the pizzas. Students then deliver them to the families or to make it even easier, people pick up their orders at the school, church or organization headquarters. There are also companies that specialize in doing this for you, you just provide the labor (kids and parents). In Indianapolis, Greatway Pizza Fundraisers is who I have worked with for years.
Investors
At the beginning of the year, students (or group members) write a letter to friends and family and ask for them to “invest” in their education, their lessons, their team, whatever the funds will be going for. Kids explain what they hope to get out of the experience or the school year, what they hope to learn and commit to sending quarterly investment reports. Every quarter, kids put together a newsletter or report that shows all of the things they have learned, goals they have met, new goals they hope to meet, awards received, anything monumental or important. Including pictures is nice. The investor report is sent out to all investors. If enough funds are raised, having an end of the year investors meeting is nice. Kids can serve lemonade and cookies and the whole class can have a report or slideshow on their growth.
