FUNDRAISING IDEAS

Want to host a fundraising activity and looking for some inspiration? Here are some ideas designed to get your creative juices flowing:

Crowdsourcing Service

One of the easiest, in terms of time and effort, required, and probably one of the most popular ways to raise money is to use a crowdsourcing service such as GoFundMe. Have a parent set up your account. Post pictures or a video. Tell why you would like to go to camp and if you have one, share a story from a past camp experience that will show the impact that attending can make.

Backyard Movie Night:

Invite your neighbors, friends, and family to bring their lawn chairs over for a backyard movie night fundraiser. Rent a movie that will be fun for all attendees. Project the movie on a screen — or even a white sheet attached to the house or garage. Provide popcorn and snacks for your guests. Thank everyone for helping you raise money for camp.

Yard Sale:

After getting your parent’s permission, round up all the stuff in your house that you no longer want or need, and have a yard sale with the proceeds going to pay for camp. You can also ask friends, neighbors, family or co-workers to donate stuff to the sale. Put up signs all around at the sale telling what you are raising money for. Put out a donation jar, so people who may not buy anything could still give if they would like to. Advertise in your local newspaper or online, and post flyers in the neighborhood (make sure it is permitted).

Host a Party:

Contact your favorite home sales party person, such as a Jamberry Nails, Mary Kay or Thirty-One representative, and ask if they’d be willing to donate their profits from a party at your house to help you pay for camp. In exchange, they’ll receive new potential party leads and repeat customers from your family and friends who attend.

Letters for Camp:

Get out those pencils and paper and share the reasons why you want to go to summer camp with family and friends. Include personal stories or an exciting thing that happened at last year’s camp (if applicable). Ask if they would be willing to donate something toward your camp expenses. You can include a URL link that goes to a website or YouTube profile so people can view a promo video of camp. Writing a letter will include those people who aren’t tech-savvy. **For a sample letter that already talks about camp, email [email protected] and she will send you a copy.**

Parents’ Day Out/Babysitting:

Host a babysitting event for younger children (potty-trained on up) that a group of students or just an individual runs on a Friday or Saturday night. Charge a flat rate, such as $10 per child. Offer a variety of activities, such as movies, board games, crafts, etc. Schedule this near a holiday such as Valentine’s Day. Offer follow-up childcare opportunities to any parents who need a regular sitter.

Sell Stocks:

Create categories of investment, such as “Platinum—$100, Gold—$75, Silver—$50, and Bronze—$25.” Assign an appropriate “dividend” to each category that can be claimed throughout the year; for example, students can work on someone’s home during a service-project day or make a special dessert for that person sometime or clean out the garage.

Super Bowl/Stanley Cup/World Series Party:

Have a party, charge admission and have people bring lots of food.

Bingo Night:

A perfect event for the whole family. Sell bingo cards and offer prizes or a cut of the money for the lucky winners.

Flamingo Attack:

Deploy a flock of pink plastic flamingos in someone’s yard or outside a business entrance. Leave a note explaining that the person or business has been selected by someone to be “attacked” for a good cause. And, explain that they will have to pay $10 per flamingo to have them relocated. They can, in turn, “attack” another person’s yard. (Caution: due to laws regarding other people’s property, it is a good idea to keep this activity within your circle of family and friends.)

Oldie, But Goodie Ideas:

Bake Sale, Candy Bar Sale (Buy bulk candy at a local wholesale store and sell individual full-size candy bars for a profit.), Lemonade Stand, Car Wash, Raffle, Etc.