Fundraising Planning Tips

1. Set a Goal to Raise NO MORE THAN HALF- How many youth want to go? How much $$ do you need to raise per person? Divide this into two and challenge the youth to raise half themselves through jobs and “Stock Certificates” (see sample) while committing the efforts of the whole group to raising the other half. This goal amount should be developed before holding a meeting of all those interested in attending this event so that you can set everyone’s sights on the right amount and the time frame the group has to work within. Be sure to check with parish leadership to ensure that you can do fund raisers and what, if any, limitations may be placed on the group.

2. Don’t Do It....(alone, that is!) - Get all of the parents of youth who want to go on this trip and tell them that it will cost the parents very little for their child to go...IF they help plan and direct one or two fund raising efforts throughout the coming year. Present them with a list of possible ideas (such as the one below) and get them to run with them. Assign a parent or two to each idea that they have enthusiasm about. Set up a master calendar so you won’t be competing with each other or other parish or school programs.

3. Log the Hours - Help the parents advertise the event through the parish bulletin and youth newsletter. Always be sure to tell the people what the money raised from this event will go towards. Have those in charge of the event log the number of hours each youth worked so that the money raised can be divided proportionately to the hours each youth worked the event.

4. Keep Track of the Progress - Keep a running file on each of the young people who are helping to raise funds and add the money they “earned” after each fund raising event. Keep these out in a place where the youth can come and examine the files to see where they are and how much more they need to raise to get to their goal level.

Successful Fundraising Ideas for Youth Ministry

Stock Certificates – This is an excellent program that youth can do by themselves to raise their share of the costs. Copy and give them sets of the stock certificates found in this packet. As they collect “stock” from family, relatives and friends, tell them that they will receive a “stock report” after the event (in the form of a summary letter) form the person they are sponsoring.

Pancake Breakfast/Spaghetti Dinners - Hold these once a month on the same Sunday and have a supplementary Bake Sale and Raffle of some donated or handmade prize going on at the same time. Many grocery stores will usually donate the supplies if asked (provide the store with a request on parish letterhead beforehand). In addition, consider asking each youth to get 5 business sponsors to place their ad on a placemat to be used for the meal. Each contribution can count toward that person’s fund raising total and insures that the meal event will be a success whether or not hundreds of people show up.

Donut Sales – Hold after mass every Sunday. NOTE: If you are doing Krispy Kreme sales, be sure to call them ASAP – they are limited in the number of donuts they can make for each Sunday for church sales.

Bottle/Can Drive - This could be done every month on the same Sunday by having an assigned area for the returnable’s to be dropped off. Have youth available to collect and help carry the bags. Have them all meet to separate after the last mass or as they collect them.

Festival Booths - Sponsor a food, dessert, raffle or craft booth at the local or parish festival.

Holy Bears – Wonderful personalized “beanie baby” style bears with hundreds of personalized logo’s and words on them. Parish gets 50% of profits from the sales. Especially good around first sacraments, Mother’s Day and graduations. Call 713-849-1980 or go to www.holybears.com.  Also a catalogue is enclosed in this packet

WalMart - Allows fund raisers outside their doors and will allow car washings (and they provide the supplies) on site. If you contact them 6 weeks prior to the event in writing, they may be able to match all funds you raise during your fund-raiser. See store manager for details.

Candy Selling - Niagara Chocolates offers parishes up to 50% profit on all candy sold and the average yield per person is $100. Add to this the ability to have boxes of select candies (such as chocolate bunnies) available for sale at all the doors after masses the two weeks prior to Easter and your income will increase dramatically. If your parish's school also sells Easter candy, be sure to check out any possible conflicts before proceeding with this strategy. Better yet, share the joy and invite a parent to do it!

Rummage Sales - These can be done by individuals at their home or, better yet, at the parish in a hall or gym. Invite parishioners to drop off all items beginning the weekend before (starting with masses). Hold the sale Friday-Saturday so all is done by the next weekend’s masses. Hold a “bag” sale the last 2 hours where everyone pays $5 for a paper bag and anything they can fit in it they get. This helps to get rid of the extra stuff you have left over. Contact the local thrift stores to come in afterwards and take anything that’s left over.

Direct Appeals  (Second Collections and Personal Sponsors) - Have youth speak to the parishioners at every mass before the second collection or after Communion to request for interested parishioners to sponsor some or all of a youth attending this event. Be sure the youth share what they hope to get out of the event and how this will benefit the parish locally. Another option is to station youth at the exits with cans or buckets collecting money using a theme such as “a dollar and a dream” or  “we need your drop in the bucket”.

Fall Lawn Decorating/Cleaning - This works great in October. Create a simple lawn decoration of corn stalks (get them donated), pumpkins and gourds and display it, along with the price, after masses with a sign up table nearby that invites people to pay to have this display set up in their yards during the Fall prior to Halloween. Have “additional options” people could sign up and pay extra for, such as having leaves raked or the decorations taken down the week after Thanksgiving.

Car Window Wash - During the warmer months, have a group of youth wash all of the car windows while people are at Mass. After communion, have a couple of the now “very dirty” youth get up and explain what they did while everyone was at Mass. Tell them that youth will be available at each of the exits to take donations that will help send them to this particular event. Be sure to have plenty of cleaning supplies and people on hand to accomplish this feat in an hour.

Flower Sales - These work great, especially on Easter and Mother’s Day. Have youth selling carnations (and stick pins) before and after each of the masses. Contact local greenhouses for reduced or bulk rates.

Flamingo Raids – Get a flock of plastic pink flamingoes from Oriental Trading Co. (800-228-2269) and announce that parishioners can have anyone’s yard “Flamingoed” for a $50 donation (the youth group sneaks into their yard at night and places 2-3 dozen flamingoes all over it with a sign saying they’ve been “Flamingoed” with a note from the person who paid for it and that, for a donation, the youth group will come and take them away). You can also sell “insurance” for $50 that keeps flamingoes out of a person’s yard (recommended for Parish Staff and Pastoral Council leaders!). A great community builder for the group.

Fair Trade Fundraisers for Youth Groups & Schools (From the Diocesan Council on Global Solidarity & Diocesan Social Action Office) - Are you tired of your normal fundraising efforts that sell cheap candy or items?  How about promoting fair trade/socially responsible items!  Empower youth to promote fair trade & social responsibility… while raising funds for you’re your activities!  Feel good about your fundraising knowing the products you sell treat global workers with dignity, respect & a fair wage for their hard work!

Best Fair Trade Fundraisers 44.9KB