It seems like no matter what the cause, creative and simple fundraising ideas are in short supply. Simply going door to door collecting cash is both boring and time consuming. Assembling a small army of collectors and simply walking from one home to the next asking for a hand out can be seen as out-dated and thoughtless.
There are many traditional methods of raising funds that seem to get peoples attention. Some of these fundraising ideas have been around for years and have a proven track record of success. There have also been some very innovative movements to fundraise that have popped up recently. The real key is to find something that speaks to both the general population and to the cause itself.
5 Easy Fundraising Ideas
One tried and true method is the outdoor car wash. For relatively little overhead, it is easy to assemble a day-long event that generates very good income. Selecting the proper day is critical to the success of this project, Sunny weekends during the summer are of course, the best days for this type of idea. The major benefit is that just about anyone can be recruited to wash cars, as it requires almost no specialized skills.
Another straight-forward fundraising idea that has been used for years is the bottle drive. Most municipalities offer an exchange for bottles or cans, and a good number of people do not return them anyway. By having a bottle drive, it is easy to collect cash and help people by removing their unwanted waste at the same time.
Of course, there is always the good old fashioned chocolate fundraiser as well. There are many companies that offer discounted rates on bulk purchases of chocolate or candy, specifically to be sold for charitable causes. These can usually be resold for a substantial mark up, and anything left unsold can be returned to the company. The main upside for a project like this is that a seller can offer something in exchange for a donation. People feel better about giving if there is an exchange of value.
Recent developments in technology have also opened many doors in the field of charity. It is very common for an e-mail campaign to generate quite a bit of revenue, for instance. Mailing lists can be time consuming and costly, but e-mails are free and easily forwarded. Even just getting the word out can be critical when planning an event.
New Easy Fundraising Ideas – Texting
Of course, there is also the option of setting up a plan with cell-phone providers to allow donations to be received by simply texting a specific phone number. The cost of the donation can be simply added to the customers phone bill. With fewer and fewer people carrying cash – this makes donating accessible and easy.
Regardless of the method chosen, the real secret to selecting fun and simple idea is to make it relevant and relatable. People respond better when they can make a genuine connection to both the cause and the method of donation.
