fundraising ideas for band to go to Disney

[Mickey Mom]

I am not sure where to post this question, but here goes. My friend and I are in charge of fund-raising for our band to go to Disney in 2007, and are looking for some new and interesting ideas. Our band sends approximately 150 to 180 people on this trip every other year, and everyone is responsible individually for either fund-raising the money to cover the trip or paying cash for the trip. Each person attending (students and chaperones) must raise around $700. We do monthly hoagie sales, but we am in charge of the "other" monthly student fundraising.
In the past we have sold zap-a-snack pizzas, frozen cookie dough, subway coupons, candy bars, pies (from a local pie shop), soups, and candy (from a local candy shop). Does anyone have any other ideas that I could look into? We do approximately 9 sales a year. We are not interested in selling Avon or tupperware or candles or cosmetics or wrapping paper. I am looking into selling pointsettia plants for Christmas, and possibly selling other plants in the spring.
In past years I have looked into designing a Christmas ornament with a local design on it and selling it, but I lost the information and contact company when I bought a new computer.
I would appreciate any information on successful fundraising ideas. Thanks!

 

[Gillian]

Are you allowed to raise money for the group or does it have to be individual? Can you have vendor fairs? That's like a craft show but for people who sell other things. Sometimes crafters are there too. They buy a table and possibly contribute something that can be sold (raffle, auction) by you.

Our band sold fruit in winter. That went over well but it was a bit of a pain to deliver.

We also worked at Great Adventure (six flags) if we wanted to. Each person got credit for the days they worked. I have no idea how the accounting of that one worked!

I know you will get a lot of great ideas here!

Do a lot of people do Avon fundraisers near you? I've never actually seen one here, although I am a rep for them. Just curious!

 

[ChristyJ]

Some restraunts will sponser a night during which they'll donate 10-15% of the profits. I know Friendlys does it-they'll give you a 3-4hr. time period on a specific night (weeknight), and you get the percentage for your organization. It's good for them (they get lots of people in and it's probably a write off) and good for you!

 

[disneysteve]

How about having a big yard sale with items donated by all the involved families and proceeds going to your trip fund? Maybe you could even run a flea market where you charge others to rent space to come and sell stuff.

 

[Cindyzgoingtodizny]

Readers Digest Fundraising - they have the Worlds Finest Chocolates. You keep around .41 per $1.00 Candy Bar - not difficult to sell these either!

 

[Ellen aka Snow White]

I sent you a PM.

 

[momxx5]

The laws concerning raffles vary from state to state...but a 50/50 raffles brings in pretty big bucks.

Our school raises money for Relay for Life. This year there were able to get some donated memorbelia(sp?) to raffle off...a Duke basketball signed by Coach K, etc.

Good luck.

 

[Darcy]

If you don't have a Krispey Kreme Donuts in town, they raise a pretty good sum www.icon.com or 1866-KK-FUNDS (553-8637).
YUM

 

[Sumac]

I would think that the plant sale or pointsettia sale is a good idea. I also agree with DisneySteve about doing a yard sale. Our church does one every year and an auction is included (get the band parents to donate stuff or services). We made over $10K this year.

 

[Princess Nancy]

Does your band include cheerleaders or a dance team?

The best fundraiser I ever saw...
The local dance team charged $35 per child to come for 2 Saturdays Oh I think 10-2. The girls ages 4-12 were divide dy age, taught a dance (age appropriate) given pom pom (cheap to keep) and a white t shirt with a logo.
On the first weekend we brought lunch they supplied drinks, the second week, they had Mcdonalds.

Then on Homecoming weekend, the girls marched in the Homecoming Parade, parents were given 2 tickets each to the game, right before the game the girls each performed their dance on the field (or the track on the side I think).

My girls LOVED it!!! Everyone in town went to the Homecoming game. They sold TONS of tickets and I know those girls only had that one fund rosier all year since they made soooo mcuh $$!!!

THeir only expenses were the tshirts, mcdonalds and pom poms, which they ordered extra and sold at the game!!

 

[stahshee]

Have a bowl athon. Have pledges and local town celebertys particiapte. Our school did this and raised 2,000 dollars They had it open to everyone in the school to bowl they each had to raise the minum pledege of 25 dollars! also try having pizza hut night . Pizza hut gives 20 percent of the profit of those that come with the flyer from your group. Candy Candy Candy that is what the chees leaders sell for pop warner. good luck!

 

[Billmel]

When I was in High School Marching Band, we had weekly carwash's. Each weekend a different set of kids would sign up for the carwash's. We raised alot of money, and the money was split (minus soap and stuff) between all of the kids assigned that weekend. I paid for many, many band trips, and competitions and washed many, many cars in my 4 years of high school. They were also alot of fun! We also were able to sell candy and other items at sporting and band events, where the proceeds went to band trips. Hope this helps.

 

[KaitlinsMom]

I am also in charge of fundraising for my DD's school - Start this coming school year - I would also love to hear some ideas - Where would I look into for the poinsettia? That sounds like it would work -

Other ideas anyone?


Karen

 

[Disney_1derland]

Some of our local McDonald's have a program where people from your organization come in and work a shift at the store and your organization gets a % of the profits from that shift. I know one of the bands here did this and in two saturdays they paid for travel expenses for the year. Maybe your mcdonalds do something similar, call them and ask!

They had the kids working birthday parties and the registers and cleaning the restaurant. They had fun, it was like a big party and they all got free lunch the days they worked.

 

[kandeebunny]

My high school did something different. We had the students make bowls in art classes, pottery bowls/soup bowls fired and glazed. Then a local restaurant donated soup and we sold soup and bowls. This brought in quite a bit.

We also did a book sale. For example everyone involved looked for old books they didn't want anymore and donated them to the group and we sold them. It raised quite a bit too!

ETA

retail stores (I KNOW best buy does this) has a donation program in place...call them and ask. They donate electronics and gift cards which you can then raffle off!

Also our town band puts canisters in locally owned restaurants for coins, every penny counts!!!

 

[aunt2brant]

I am just brainstroming here, but when I was in the band (go colorguard!!) quite a few years ago, we did several things to raise money:
Cow Patty Raffle...for those of you who may not be familiar with this ingenuis idea, you mark off a field (football field, etc.) like a checkerboard and number each square. You sell tickets with the corresponding number of the squares. Someone brought a cow to the field and the square where he left his 'patty' was the winner and they got a set amount of money. For example, I think that we sold the squares for like $10-$25. The number of squares depended on the number of tickets sold. So the morning of, people would come out and mark their square and wait on the cow to do his thing. It seems like we would do it during the exhabition game, you know when the whole town comes out to see what the football team, cheerleaders and the band was going to be doing for the upcoming season. Anyway, it turned out to be a real money maker...

A school in our town is currently raising money to go to England and they have been working on this for over a year now. At Christmas time, they set up a table in our mall and wrapped gifts, they were not selling the wrapping paper, parents donated it and the kids would go to the mall for a few hours at at time and wrap. I can't remember if they charged a flat fee or asked for donations, but they were always busy.

I know that these ideas may not be fesible in your situation, but I hope you can use these and other ideas to raise a lot of money to help those kids out.

 

[lsayd]

Not only will this be good for the environmental, you can raise some cash! www.empties4cash.com has all the information and will send everything you need. This is a "painless" fundraiser since no one has to buy anything - just send in their used cartidges.

 

[gr8ful4Him]

The church we used to go to "sells" grocery and restaurant gift cards. They make a percentage on each card they sell. Our local grocery store chains have this available for non profit organizations...the organization "pre-buys" the cards at a discounted rate and then sells them for face value. Not sure how you would set it up, but families buy groceries every month!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Some restraunts will sponser a night during which they'll donate 10-15% of the profits. I know Friendlys does it-they'll give you a 3-4hr. time period on a specific night (weeknight), and you get the percentage for your organization. It's good for them (they get lots of people in and it's probably a write off) and good for you!

Pizza Hut used to do that, too, in NC. I love Princess Nancy's suggestion about giving the little girls lessons and letting them perform, I bet alot of parents would sign up for that. I also saw on the entertainment book website that you can sell that for a fundraiser.

 

[Candace]

Ditto on the Krispy Kreme sales. My school did it twice this year and did very, very well. Also, if your students wear uniforms, letting them pay $1 for a "Free Dress Day" was the easiest fund raiser we ever had. We did several of these to raise money for our OM team when they went to World this year. NO investment on the school's part, just take up the dollar in home room and turn in to the office.