Finding the Right Fundraising Opportunity

Fundraisers are essential to schools, churches, and charities. Without them, these organizations wouldn't have the funds they needed. If you're planning a fundraiser for a nonprofit organization, it's crucial to choose the right fundraising opportunity. There are so many different ways to raise funds, it's sometimes difficult to choose which one is right for you. Here are some tips to help you find the perfect fundraising opportunity:

Look at what other organizations are doing. For example, many schools do well with candy and food fundraisers. Chocolate bars, lollipops, cookies, pizza, pasta, coffee, tea, and cocoa are just a few of the foodstuffs that groups are selling for their fundraisers.

If selling food isn't for you, then there are other products you can sell. Some fundraising opportunities offer coupon books, scratch cards, collectibles, gift wrap, scented candles and more. If you're selling items for a school fundraiser, be sure to get the input of your best salespeople – the students! If the students like what they're selling, they're going to be more enthusiastic and work harder to meet their goals.

When looking for a fundraising opportunity, be sure to deal with a respected company that has a long history of providing nonprofit organizations with quality products. For maximum results, choose products that offer a profit of at least 50% per sale.

Maybe you don't want to sell anything. In that case, why not try a fun event like a car wash, carnival, or casino night? Or, you could do what many large charities have done and hold a marathon or walkathon. The athletes simply solicit donations from sponsors prior to the event.

When it comes to deciding whether or not you want to sell an item or have an event, take into consideration the type of organization the fundraiser will benefit. Historically, candy and merchandise sales do well in schools, events work well for churches, and marathons are often lucrative for larger national organizations.

One way to locate the most profitable fundraising opportunity for your organization is to use the services of a fundraising consultant whose job it is to advise you and assist with many aspects of the fundraising process.

Copyright 2006 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved



Fundraising Tips
Fundraising News:
Partying for a Purpose to Host Its Annual Lucky 7 Fundraiser at the Playboy . - PR Newswire (press release)

Partying for a Purpose to Host Its Annual Lucky 7 Fundraiser at the Playboy .
PR Newswire (press release)
LOS ANGELES, July 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Partying for a Purpose is hosting its 7th annual fundraising event Lucky 7 at the Playboy Mansion on August 21 .

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Attorney general targets 3 fundraisers' practices - DesMoinesRegister.com

KCRG

Attorney general targets 3 fundraisers' practices
DesMoinesRegister.com
Miller said Thursday that attorneys in his office have taken action against three fundraisers accused of using deceptive practices to solicit money from .
Iowa AG seeks to stop 3 charitiesChicago Tribune
AG Miller: Action against several professional fundraisersIowaPolitics.com (press release)
Iowa AG seeks to stop 3 charitiesWaterloo Cedar Falls Courier

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Final push for fundraising drive to pay coaches, sponsors at southern Indiana . - The Republic

Final push for fundraising drive to pay coaches, sponsors at southern Indiana .
The Republic
AP BLOOMINGTON, Ind. EUR” Organizers are planning a weekend push toward reaching a $750000 fundraising goal for paying coaches and extracurricular sponsors in .

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President Obama Coming to Fontainebleau Next Month for Fundraiser with Alex Sink - Miami New Times (blog)

Miami New Times (blog)

President Obama Coming to Fontainebleau Next Month for Fundraiser with Alex Sink
Miami New Times (blog)
Bill Clinton just held a fundraiser party at the hotel's club LIV earlier this summer and President Obama, who's no stranger to the megaresort, .
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Obama coming to Miami for fundraiserTampabay.com (blog)
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Fund Raising Ideas For My School's New Sports Team? | Personal .
So my high school has just added crew (rowing) as a sport. We are the only school in our county that has a crew team. Although we have some sponsorships, we...

Fundraising process for the Bison Sports Arena has been approved - WDAY

KFGO

Fundraising process for the Bison Sports Arena has been approved
WDAY
The fundraising process has been approved for updates to the 40-year-old Bison Sports Arena. The fundraising process has been approved for updates to the .
NDSU's $32M fundraising campaign approved by boardJamestown Sun
NDSU's $32M fundraising campaign approved by boardGrand Forks Herald
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Sixth District fundraising picks up speed - Minneapolis Star Tribune (blog)

Minneapolis Star Tribune (blog)

Sixth District fundraising picks up speed
Minneapolis Star Tribune (blog)
Despite breaking a litany of Minnesota fundraising records, Rep. Michele Bachmann and her DFL challenger Tarryl Clark have picked up their momentum at a .

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Fenty campaign challenges independent Gray fundraising - Washington Post

Afro American

Fenty campaign challenges independent Gray fundraising
Washington Post
The independent fundraising committee, according to founder Clinton LeSueur, stands to significantly aid Gray's effort to unseat Mayor Adrian Fenty (D). .
Fenty campaign challenges independent Gray fundraisingWashington Post (blog)

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Epistar, Everlight participate in Huga Optotech fund raising
Taiwan-based LED chip maker Epistar and LED packaging house Everlight Electronics will respectively subscribe to 49.61 million and 18.09 million new shares at NT$30 per unit to be issued by Huga Optotech, a Taiwan-based LED chip maker...

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