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Copyright © 2008
AIM Fundraising
Fundraising has been going on for many years and will continue as a way for youth sports leagues, schools, churches, cheerleaders and many other groups to generate funds for numerous causes. When trying to organize a successful new fundraiser you should have a few keys things in mind.
Event
Choose a type of event that coincides with your type of group and your fundraising goals. If your youth soccer team needs new nets for the field, then the cost involved should be relatively small. In this case a car wash, a soccer-thon, or other simple fundraising event will do. If on the other hand you need to raise thousands of dollars for a senior trip you might need to consider fundraisers such as teddy bear fundraisers, cookie dough fundraisers, or any number of other unique fundraising ideas. When even larger amounts are needed, it is easier to generate the needed funds over a few different campaigns. Your specific needs will dictate the type of new fundraiser idea you should be considering.
Volunteers
Never over look the hidden talents or things that might be of interest to your group. For instance, you would not want to ask the football players to do a teddy bear fundraiser. While that might be a unique fundraiser, you probably will not have a huge sale simply because those boys are not going to be that enthused about them. Now, if you are planning a cheerleader fundraiser then doing a teddy bear fundraiser would probably work just fine.
Choosing The Right Fundraising Product
After first taking into consideration the interest of your volunteer force, you will also want to consider the attractiveness of your fundraising product itself. Right now, in America, the number one product in fundraising is frozen food, specifically frozen cookie dough. There are many varieties of frozen cookie dough available, but hands down the top two are the Otis Spunkmeyer brand and Chippery cookie dough.
Once a frozen product has been sold in your neighborhood however, you are forced to find a new fundraiser that will be "the next best thing." Here is where it gets interesting. I could fill a couple of hundred pages on this subject alone. There are so many things that must be considered when trying to come up with this "new fundraiser." Things like the type of group you have, the age range of your group, the time of year. The list could go on. There are products however that have stood the test of time and consistently make groups the money they need. There are in fact some new fundraiser products that I can see will be giving frozen products a push off of the mountain top.
Some of the old standards like Christmas wrap, candles and various gift items have truly stood the test of time. There are some new fundraisers like teddy bear fundraisers and Interstate Batteries that are making a showing now to displace the old tried and true fundraisers.
Given that the scope of this article does not include how to properly choose that new fundraiser, I would simply say at this point that it would be wise to consult a professional fundraising company for that advice.
Don't Let Your Ego Get In The Way
In the quest for new fundraiser ideas, it is important to keep in mind that there are some things that you may initially think will or will not work. Many times we are inclined to pick our new fundraisers based on our own personal likes and dislikes. The thought process goes, I would not buy that product line so it must be a loser of a fundraiser. If this were the sole basis of what works in the real world, there would be no Starbucks. I hate coffee! There would also be a Sears on every corner and whoever thought that putting a retractable wheel in the bottom of a shoe would be a big deal?
In the quest for new fundraiser ideas there are many options and considerations in choosing the right fundraising product for your group. The best way to proceed is really to get out of the way and go with what works.
In the quest for new fundraiser ideas there are many crossroads that can get you going in the wrong direction. You will find some unique fundraiser ideas that work at AIM Fundraising.
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