There are hundreds of unique fundraising ideas. The right idea for your organization will depend on many factors. Here, we focus on the factor of timing.
It is possible to have many fundraisers per year and there is a right time for each one. People often need their cars washed in the wintertime, but your group members would freeze. So, in temperate climates, winter is not the right time for a car wash.
Holidays are good times for fundraisers. Selling Christmas ornaments and paper during the months leading up to December is a common choice, but you can also take advantage of other holidays.
In January, you can get ready for Valentine’s Day by selling flowers or chocolates. One idea that works well is to buy large discount priced bags of Hershey’s kisses and sell three or four pieces for 50 cents or a dollar, depending on what you think your market will pay. You wrap the three pieces in decorative plastic and tie the top with a pretty ribbon. It’s a simple project for kids and adults.
It might not be a good idea to hide all your Easter eggs in one spot 😉
In February, you can start planning for Easter. One of the unique fundraising ideas for Easter is to host an Easter egg hunt if you have the space for it. Charge a reasonable fee per child. Hide dozens of eggs and include a couple with “special” prizes.
You can make a lot of money in a single day with an Easter egg hunt if you plan ahead. The hunt will need to be advertised. Tickets should be sold in advance, so that you know how many hunters will be participating. The special eggs should be valuable enough to encourage everyone to come and hunt.
The fourth of July is a good time for picnics, fireworks and carnivals. Those can all be unique fundraising ideas with a little creativity.
Any organization can plan a group picnic. With careful planning, you can make a profit by providing the food and selling tickets to the picnic. The more tickets you sell, the higher your profit. All you will need is a park that allows grilling and has shelters and picnic tables. Many parks reduce the shelter-fee rate for non-profit organizations.
It can be a little more difficult to host a fireworks display or a carnival, but it is not impossible, if you have enough help and a big enough budget.
To come up with unique fundraising ideas for the rest of the year, sit down with your organization’s leaders and have a brainstorming session. You may never have a bake sale again.
