Fundraising Tips

:: YC 2012 Fundraising Tips

When promoting fundraisers, share the vision and purpose behind YC. Once people grasp the vision, they will see the importance of helping your group. You can share the vision by using the promo video, brochures, web page and testimonies from previous years. Promote your fundraisers well in advance, not only to ensure maximum impact, but also to prepare the people and the youth group.

Remember: it is important to let the youth feel like they 'own' these projects.

Café - After youth night activities or Bible Study sell chips, pop, wings, and other good stuff.

Basketball Tournament - Set up a tournament with the youth and sell tickets to help fundraise for the event. Family Movie Night - Get the youth to throw a movie night for family and friends! Popcorn, pop, and a good flick! This will definitely be a fun night!

Talent Show - Everyone loves a good talent show! The youth will love to participate in this! Make it a fun night and invite a bunch of people out!

Live or Silent Auctions - Auctions can be live or silent and both can be successful. You can have local businesses or individuals donate auction items or, have a themed auction, such as a Dessert Auction, where students bring baked goods to be auctioned off. Another theme idea is a Slave Auction, where people bid on different services being offered by the youth (ie babysitting, yardwork, etc).

Bigger or Better - The ideas is that teams are given a small item, (example: paper clip) and go from house to house swapping at each place for something bigger or better. Then hold a "yard sale" to sell the items. A group that did this ended up with a two-meter high potted plant, and old couch, two new watches, and more.

Box Maze - Get local business to donate boxes big enough for people to crawl through. Build a giant maze in a donated warehouse, gym, or other large open space. It takes around 3 or more days to build depending on experience. You will need box cutters, box tape, and tables. Charge an entrance fee and rent out knee pads. Great to include as part of other events like fairs, festivals, etc.

Coffee & Dessert Night - Have the Youth set up a night for the parents to come and have some good fellowship along with coffee and an assortment of desserts.

Spaghetti/Pasta Fest - This is a low cost fundraiser that is sure to be lots of fun for those attending and participating. Sell tickets for an evening of pasta and fun. Have your youth wait on tables and provide the entertainment.

Fundraisers With A Service Focus: Some great ideas that have been used with success by previous YC delegates include: candy grams to students, Sunday sundaes, barbecue at IGA, garage sales, pink flamingo on lawns birthday surprise, hair cuts, babysitting, frozen pizzas, Entertainment books, collecting old phone books for recycling, delivering new phone books, clean highway ditches for the Alberta Government.

Fundraisers With A Donation Focus: Some options are offerings, bottle drives, items for garage sales, ticket entrance to a church function like play or musical, shaving the youth pastor's head, or writing a letter requesting support or sponsorship.

Try Something New: In the early spring try a sponsored car wash. This is where students in the youth group get sponsored for each car the youth group will wash in five hours. Example: One student gets sponsored 25 cents/car. If the group washes 100 cars in five hours, it adds up to $25 raised by that student alone. In addition to that one student, each of the other students involved would be raising money through sponsorship of the same cars. The bonus with this fundraiser is that, even though students have been sponsored per car washed, the drivers of those cars will often give a donation when they realize it's going to a good cause.

When fundraising, remember to be creative. There are two ways to fundraise. One is to provide a service and the other is to ask for donations. The more creative you are, the more people will rally around you. Get youth involved. If you do all the work the youth will continue to let you do all the work. A little hard work gives them an appreciation for what it took to make their YC experience a reality.