It is a fact of life that schools are fighting an uphill battle in terms of funding. There are so many costs that a school has to deal with, and most of these pop up time and time again, from the cost of general school maintenance and repair, to paying for important upgrades to school equipment like books and computer hardware.

There is also the cost of large-scale projects like completely refurbishing the school gym, or paying for regular excursions for the students to take part in. Simply put, the schools are in a bit of a tough place, and are going to need your help in order to pay for some of these things.

Volleyball fundraising is a great way to bring some extra funding to the school, while also encouraging students to get involved in helping a good cause. If your school volleyball team needs some extra money for things like gear and uniforms, then you may find that volleyball fundraising is a quick and affordable solution to your problems.

You could go for an overblown event with lots of decorations and attractions, but what really counts is giving the students something simple and fun that everybody can be a part of. Coming up with volleyball fundraising ideas that are simple should be easy enough. You could go with a traditional bake sale or pizza stall in the school cafeteria, or sell products from one of our affordable fundraising product packages.

In fact, deciding on just one idea to run with may prove challenging, since the list of ideas you have to work with is nearly endless. The best way to decide on your idea is to gather a group of organizers from around the school. You should have no trouble finding help from students once they hear about the good cause they will be supporting.

When you want to make a positive difference in the world, you may decide that holding a fundraiser is the best option. After all, fundraisers help to raise money fast and encourage people to work together in the name of a good cause.

But sometimes deciding on which cause needs your efforts the most can be a daunting decision, since there are now thousands of non-profit groups around the planet that are helping to make the world a better place.

Whichever organization you decide to support, choosing the best non profit fundraising ideas is paramount to success. The best non profit fundraising ideas are the ones that reflect the values that your chosen charity supports, while offering something fun and exciting for everybody involved. The idea you decide to go with may depend on a number of different factors, such as when and where your event will be taking place, to the number of people you have to help implement your ideas, to how much money you have to begin with.

You will want to look at these restrictions before getting started and make a realistic plan of action to pull off the best non profit fundraising ideas. Some organizers of past events have found that in order to pull off a monumental event that everybody loved being a part of they decided to use one of our product fundraising packages to help them reach their goals.

You might like to try out our Earth Candle Fundraising package in support of your chosen non-profit organization, or you might like to try something tasty with our Hershey $2 Fundraising Candy.

For more information on these products and to check out our other great fundraising products, feel free to visit our product pages to help you get started. Your next non profit fundraiser is only a few clicks away!

With the new year around the corner, it’s time to think about fresh and creative ways to strengthen your non-profit. One very good suggestion to inject some much-needed energy into your mission could be to seek out a collaboration with another non-profit in your community.

Having worked in the non-profit industry myself, I know how scary a thought this can be. With the tightening economy, competition for donations has never been more fierce. Why would sharing information, combining resources, co-mingling donors, and merging common visions be beneficial to any one organization?

It sounds messy at best and threatening at worst. What would happen if one of your biggest donors became enamored with the other group and decided to give to them partially or totally? That could be disastrous for your budget. I’ve felt this way many times over the years. It’s natural, I think, to be protective of what you’ve established and reluctant to put it at risk.

But, after seeing how a partnership can actually work in real life, I’ve got to tell you, this isolationist attitude is pretty short sighted.

So, here are five arguments for seeking out a cooperative arrangement. If you are still nervous, think about attempting one small project that has very narrowly defined parameters. Maybe a one-day service event might be a good idea for starters. Once you see how well this can turn out, I bet you’ll be looking for more and more opportunities to collaborate down the road.

Why would sharing information, combining resources, co-mingling donors, and merging common visions be beneficial to any one organization?

The first and most basic reason to work with another non-profit is that you’ll have a super-charged opportunity to carry out your mission. You and your partner organization share a common, but not exact role in the same community. This means that you probably have many similar acquaintances and are familiar with the unique challenges inherent to the field you are in. That also means that the people who work for your organization most likely “speak the same language” as the folks in the other group. Teaming up for a one day event would be very comfortable, draw a lot of public attention, and serve an increased number of people in one fell swoop. Everybody wins.

A second benefit that comes from working in a joint venture is that it forces you to precisely define your mission. If you sit down at a table to collaborate with an outside group, you need to know exactly what you do, whom your serve, why you’re doing it, and the ways in which you go about doing it. You would expect the other guys to know this information, so you should too.

Oftentimes, in the day to day managing of a non-profit, it’s easy to just plow ahead with routine details and sometimes lose focus and passion. It’s also easy to get wrapped up in something distracting, like fundraising, and forget about the actual reason your non-profit exists.

Therefore, by forcing yourself to work with a different entity, you re-focus, you re-energize, and you refresh. It’s sort of like having visitors over to your house. You want to make a good impression, so you clean up, organize, and prepare for their arrival. By doing this, not only do you make your guests feel welcome, but you end up with a very clean house! Again, everyone wins!

A third reason for a temporary merge is that you put the best of your organization together with the best of another organization, and the result is an ultra, high-powered force for good.

Each non-profit has its strengths and weaknesses. That’s just a fact of human nature. Alone, one group can definitely be effective, but when it combines its strengths, it has the power to make a significant difference.

For example, one group may be very good at communicating with the public. They know how to use the media to turn out a huge crowd and how to get everyone fired up. Another group, somewhat related to the first, may be better, however, in actually carrying out the management of the event or activity. By putting these two strengths together, you’ve now got one large, highly effective team.

There is also an added benefit in that the people in your organization will be exposed to the things that the other group excels at. They can learn valuable lessons and ultimately take those lessons back to your own organization. In the long run, you will get a more talented, more well-rounded, and complete staff. Each time you collaborate with a different non-profit, you increase the continuing educational benefits for your own workers.

Ok, for more reasons why seeking out a collaborative experience in the new year would be a good idea for your organization, I highly recommend you check out part two of this article, which will be available soon. Be sure to come back!

Photo By: Hoira Varlan

Fundraising counselors have cited that the number one reason most fundraisers aren’t as successful as they could be is because they are not planned for properly. Group organizers either don’t plan far enough ahead in advance, or simply don’t expect for certain situations to arise.

With how little time most fundraising groups have to fundraise, it is critical that every day is used to its fullest potential. With the help of reading through a few event fundraising idea ebooks, and consulting with other groups that have successfully completed your planned fundraiser, you can be sure that all your bases will be covered.

Information definitely is power, and the more information you can acquire, the better prepared you are to maximize your fundraising earnings.

Many non-profit groups need members and funds alike for them to function properly, host activities and give donations to charitable institutions. However, because members cannot always contribute items or money to their groups, they need to hold fundraising events and activities to gather money for their own causes. There are several fundraising activities that groups can hold such as auctions, garage sales, bake sales, small concerts, carnival fairs and benefit dinners. However, if groups want a fundraiser that will not only benefit their own causes but also help out people who will be buying the items they are selling, then they should fundraise by selling discount cards.

Discount Card Companies

There are companies that sell discount cards to groups for fundraising purposes, so they can just contact these companies to order the cards. Most of the time, pre-made discount cards have a set group of businesses included in the discount programs. There are also customizable discount cards if groups want to have freedom in choosing which shops or fast food stores will be included in the discount program. However, if they want various businesses in their local communities to join the fundraising discount programs, then they can just contact these businesses and print the discount cards themselves.

Pick up the phone and start calling!

The first thing these groups have to do is to call up shops and businesses in their area and explain the purpose of their fundraiser. They can then ask these businesses if they want to be included in their fundraising discount programs and ask what kind of discounts or promos they can give consumers who will buy the discount cards. Printing the business logos of those included in the fundraising program on customizable discount cards comes next.

Be clear in what you’re offering and what you need

Contacting businesses sounds easy enough, but it’s getting them to participate that’s difficult. Groups have to clearly state their goals for fundraising and merchants have to understand these goals for them to commit to the fundraiser. Groups should also show businesses that participating in their fundraising discount programs is also a form of advertisement. Aside from having shops promoted by having their logos printed on the discount cards, consumers will also most likely flock to their shops to avail of discounts and promos.

The best way to carry out a successful fundraising activity with a small group of people is to keep in mind the following—planning, participation and publicity. A successful fundraising activity will require a lot of planning but with a small number of people, it is easy to manage a team and directly communicate the plans to the rest of the members.

Fundraising can also be easy when a large number of people are involved, but if there are less people, it becomes harder to raise a big amount of money. Smaller groups must come up with more creative ways to hold successful fundraising activities.

Facilitate a Neighborhood Garage Sale

The advantage of having a small group for a fundraiser is that it is easier to manage the participants. Gathering the members to brainstorm and come up with simple yet effective ideas to raise funds will be easier to do. A good way to raise funds is to hold a neighborhood garage sale where all neighbors can actively contribute their time, effort and goods to make the garage sale successful.

The cause for the garage sale should be clear so that more people are aware of it and are willing to participate. The activity should also be publicized so that more people will participate and donate goods for the sale. Emails, text messages and even word of mouth will help get the word out and let more people know about the cause. Set up strategic places where people can drop off items or sign up to help. Keeping a master list of goods to sell with their corresponding prices and a track of the sales will keep the fundraiser more organized. It is also ideal to encourage the group as they work toward their monetary goal and to profusely thank those who have pitched in.

Have a Bake Sale

Just like a garage sale, a bake sale will allow a small group to use their creativity to raise funds. Friends and neighbors can be asked to contribute baking ingredients and to help in the kitchen and the stalls. A reasonable pricing scheme for the cookies and cupcakes should also be set up. It’s important to spread the word so that people can drop by the stall. A sign that says “Cupcakes and Cookies for a Cause!” or something along those lines should be put up. It’s also important to advertise the fundraiser’s cause to pique more people’s interest.

Prize Raffle Draw

For groups with 50 members or less, they can opt to hold simple raffle draws where the winning ticketholder will agree to donate half of the prize to the group’s cause. Tickets should be sold and whoever gets picked as the winner gets half of the pot money earned from ticket sales. The group can ask a local store to sponsor the event so that ticket prices can be increased for a bigger prize.

The more people are involved in a fundraiser, the more they can publicize the event and get more people to chip in. For medium groups sized 50 or more, fundraising activities may include small community festivals, local music events and charity runs. Organizing these local events on a community scale will prove to be rewarding for those who want to raise money for charitable causes or community developmental causes. The first step towards planning a fundraiser for medium-sized groups is to clearly define the cause and the objectives of the fundraiser. By clearly outlining these objectives, the group will have an idea how much they need to raise and what materials and effort they need to carry out a successful fundraiser.

Organize fundraising group

Fundraising team leaders should consider getting as much people as they can into the organizing team. The more people participate, the more helping hands can be utilized to carry out various organizational tasks required for a successful fundraiser.

Manage connections

More people mean more connections. Organizational leaders must utilize these connections and be assertive enough to ask for help, especially from those who have connections with local bars, attractions, government leaders and popular figures. They will come in handy in looking for people who can readily help and donate for the fundraiser.
Be aware of local events taking place. People commonly flock to local state fairs and events, making them a perfect place to publicize and get more people involved. Groups can coordinate with the fair organizers to set up booths for donating or purchasing their products, in case they opt to sell items for the fundraiser.

Get prominent individuals and local artists to help out

Government officials and local artists can take advantage of the publicity of fundraisers. Their participation will attract other people to contribute to the cause and their influence will significantly increase people traffic. Also take note of local independent musical artists who will greatly appreciate free publicity and an avenue to showcase their talents. Keep in mind that they want to gain more followers and will not mind getting discovered by talent scouts.

Scout for sponsors

Local stores and small to medium businesses are mostly accommodating when it comes to holding community events. Ask them if they like to partake in a fundraiser for a good cause. Be aware of the nature of their business and their company values. If these coincide with the fundraising cause, it will be a perfect fit.

With so many different fundraising options out there, not much attention is paid to the youth teams. Parents and teachers alike can come together and raise money for the children to continue honing their skills and discovering their talents in sports. Because some schools lack budgets to support their teams, sports fundraisers are held to fill the financial gap. There is a wide array of great ideas to raise money for little kids’ sports programs.

One of the most popular options is to sell little league cookie dough. Let’s face it—everyone loves cookies! A little goes a long way for these sugary treats as everybody will surely buy a piece or two. They are easy to sell by piece or by dozens—depending on how good they are!—so organizers must make sure to come up with quality scrumptious cookies that will definitely sell and bring in the money for the fundraiser. A bake sale is a common fundraiser that will also work with sports fundraising. Parents and teachers can come together to bake cupcakes and other handy pastries that are easy on the budget but will definitely sell.

A fun way to integrate a food that everyone loves, with raising money is selling local pizza store discount cards. Take a trip to the neighborhood’s favorite pizza parlor and ask them to participate in the sports fundraising activity by either being at the sports event or providing some great offers to be printed out on discount cards. Other establishments that may provide great discounts include sandwich shops, local restaurants, florists, dry cleaners and car washes. Make sure that it is a popular service that most people frequent and everybody will enjoy.

Finally, a great way to send a “green” message while fundraising is by doing recycling. With the mass of pollution and environmental damage people encounter everyday, it does not hurt to try and help save the earth and what’s left of it. Parents and teachers alike will definitely want to help preserve the environment for their children and the generations to come. Everyone can give a hand in this type of fundraising activity—all they need to do is collect empty ink jet cartridges or soup labels to give back to the local grocery store, who will in turn provide an amount of cash for the little league. Make sure that the business is willing to participate in the cause and support the fundraising activity.

Selling cookie dough is probably one of the easiest ways to raise money for a small group. Because what’s being sold is food – and a cookie at that! – a lot of people will surely be enticed to buy this ultimate comfort food. Cookie dough fundraising presents an easy alternative to people who are too busy to make and bake cookies from scratch. The dough is almost ready for consumption – people just need to place the dough inside their ovens to bake them.

Some people even prefer to eat cookie dough as it is because it’s already sweet and tasty.
It’s ideal for individuals and groups who want to raise money to sell cookie dough. But because there are probably other groups who are selling the same thing for their own fundraisers, groups need to be very creative. They can offer a variety of cookie dough flavors which will appeal to the taste of their customers. Flavors people usually look for include chocolate chunk, oatmeal raisin and peanut butter. Groups can be creative and experiment with different flavors like triple chocolate cookie dough (using dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate), white chocolate macadamia nut cookie dough and sugar-free chocolate cookie dough (using sugar-free chocolate and sugar substitutes).

Groups can also make or buy dough that is either of the frozen or non-frozen variety. The frozen cookie dough keeps for a shorter time unlike the non-frozen variety. The non-frozen or dry cookie dough doesn’t have to be refrigerated groups can easily carry around these items if they’re doing door-to-door fundraising activities.

The most important thing groups should do when selling cookie dough is to make sure people know the purpose and goal of their fundraisers. They should clearly state their groups’ advocacies or goals when they’re selling the dough; groups can even make banners about stating their cause if needed. Items and food being sold in fundraisers sell faster if the target market understands the groups’ causes.

Each year, sports teams nationwide from all age groups are finding the need to buy new equipment and gear. However, not all team members can always afford these gears. Sports teams can organize fundraising events or carry out small fundraising activities that will allow them to gather enough funds to buy sports gears. Joining tournaments also cost money as the teams also need a mode of transportation to get to places where the games are being held. Here are a few tips that sports teams can use to make sure they have successful fundraisers.

First and foremost, start by having a goal in mind. It is important that all members of the sports team know the goal of the fundraiser and all of them understand the purpose of the activity.

To help spur enthusiasm within your team, come up with creative fundraising ideas. Now that all team members know the importance of the fundraiser, it’s time they contribute their creative ideas on what kind of activities can be done during the fundraiser. Some sports teams prefer to fundraise at community events and at their own sports games or tournaments because of the high people traffic at these events. Teams can also hold a car wash day, a bake sale day, host a small concert or host a sports banquet to raise money.

Finally, its time to select the best products to sell. The items that will be sold should not only be profitable for the sports team but also useful for the people who will buy the products. Pastries, candies, chocolates, handmade bracelets and sports bands are typically sold at fundraisers.
Contact friends, family and the community. Publicity is important to any fundraiser because such an event needs to be well-attended to make sure the sports team’s monetary goal is achieved. Team members should use the community newsletter, post an announcement in the daily paper, make announcements over the community radio and even give out flyers on the street to publicize the event. Members of the team can also contact their friends, neighbors and family to ask them to attend the fundraiser and explain the purpose of the event.

Most importantly, learn to have fun. Organizing the fundraiser can be very tiring, but members of the sports teams should remember to have fun while doing the activities. They need to be motivated and enthusiastic so that they can reach their fundraising goals.