We all know that fundraising can be one of the hardest parts of bringing your play space into being. Here are a few companies that can likely help out. When it comes to fundraising, don't rule anyone out. Begin at home with businesses and individuals likely able to help out. The general consensus when talking with prospective fundraising groups is that a lot of funding actually does come from individuals who are able to make a personal donation. Again, don't rule anyone out, but if you are looking for group fundraising projects, here are a few that might be what your group would like to try. Get your community involved in any capacity possible. Make a list of businesses and organizations in your area and get people from various groups involved with your committee. Never underestimate the power of brainstorming, especially in a diverse group of people.
Associations and local organizations such as Kiwanis, Rotary Club, local hospitals, and bigger businesses are great sources of help. Some of them may not have funds to donate, but they may have the manpower to help out at the very least. Pool your resources!
Some play structure manufacturers have specific fundraising programs. Check with organizations in the Playground Professional's Spotlight Search, such as Bciburke.com, KaBOOM.org, GameTime.com and Playlsi.com to see what they might have available.
For advertising and promotional products, check with the following companies:
Put together a cookbook including recipes from your students. Find out more at morriscookbooks.com.
The Fundraising Bank is another directory of ideas, products and companies that may help out. Log on to fundraising-ideas.com to find out more.
Custom silicone wristbands are a great fund raiser. Visit directwristbands.com to find out more.
ABC Fundraising specializes in fundraisers for groups of 10-50 members and offers free samples.
Car magnets are a unique idea for fund raising. LogoMagnet.com offers a free fundraising sample pack and free custom art.
Apparel can be a hot fundraiser. You can purchase tshirts at a reasonable cost and have them printed to continually advertise your project. Designs208.com can provide you with great apparel for your fundraiser.
Another fundraising idea to go along with the apparel idea is to have children in your school or organization sign a piece of paper, which can be scanned and screen printed onto a tote bag or t-shirt and then sold. What parent or grandparent wouldn't want something with the autograph of that special little person on it? Check with the apparel companies to find out what type of deal you can get on these. A cute little tote bag could sell for $5-10 and be a hit.
Fundraising A - Z
Auctions can be a great help. Work with a local gallery to have them display artwork of local children and have it displayed at the gallery for sale. You can either do a silent or live auction for their works of art.
Batteries can be recycled. Have a battery drive in your local area. Just check with local recycling companies to find out the specifics.
Bottled water is another option for fundraising. Have special labels printed for a local parade and sell them along the route.
Bricks can help out in the fundraising department. Sell them for special walkways to be installed throughout the play area. Get a local masonry shop to donate them and have them engraved with supporters' names.
Calendars are a great option. Have a special calendar made each year with local birthdays on it. Use a rendering of your potential playground as the main picture and sell them as a constant reminder about your project.
Candles never go out of style. A lot of people love the different scents available.
Candy is another thing that can sell well. Check in to selling special occasion candied ad well, for Easter, Halloween, Valentine's Day, and Christmas.
Cards are another option for fundraising. There are plenty of companies out there offering custom greeting cards or even just thank you cards.
Cheesecake and chocolate are a couple of things that can go well for a fundraiser around the holidays.
Christmastime is a great time to set up a gift-wrapping service at the local mall or bookstore.
Cookie dough has been around for a few years and is a good option.
Discount cards can help out. Just work with area merchants to get them onboard. It's great advertising for them.
Donation containers can be set up at various locations in the community. Just be sure to check them regularly.
Flowers and bulbs can be a good springtime fundraiser. Check with a local greenhouse and see if they can work with you on a percentage of profit for a day.
Food treats and gourmet foods, and there are plenty of them available can be a good option.
Golf scrambles at a local golf course are a great fundraiser. Get an overall sponsor, hole sponsors, people to donate prizes for a raffle, and get the community involved.
Jewelry parties can be a big hit, especially with the ladies in the area. Check with local jewelry makers and companies to see what they might have to offer.
Movies can help out. Check with local theatres to sell ticket books for a summer series of children's films or others. You might even check to see if they will run an ad for your project during the previews on regular showings.
Pies are a great fundraiser, especially around holidays such as Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Check with companies such as Sysco Corporation to see what type of a deal you can get on buying pies bulk for sale as a fundraiser. Various church organizations have tried this successfully.
Pizza is another great fundraiser. You might work a deal with a local pizza place or again check with Sysco to see what they have available for frozen pizzas for sale.
Popcorn is loved by so many. This could be executed in several different ways from having a popcorn cart at the local school. In Chittagong, Bangladesh, the children have a popcorn cart set up to pay for maintenance on the playground. You'll have to be sure you're charging what your market will allow though. Over there, it is sold for considerably less than it would be, for instance, in the United States.
Portraits can be a big hit. Some photographers will offer a package you can work with for a fundraiser. You could sell them in October for people to utilize for Christmas portraits.
Slats of wood for the fencing surrounding a play area can be sold to raise funds. The donor's name could be carved or burned into the slats.
Special Events could include anything such as a Play-A-Thon where you might have a carnivallike atmosphere at your build site with games and food for all to enjoy. You can have live bands to jazz things up. You could also auction off pieces of equipment or sell square footage of the play area to help raise funds.
Stage Shows such as talent shows could be a good fundraiser and a good way to get the community involved. Contact performing groups who would like the exposure and then charge a nominal fee for entry. You could also have a silent auction, baked goods sale and raffles to go along with it to bring in extra.
Thons are a great way to make money. Check with your local TV stations, most likely public TV, and see what it would take to organize an event for your project.
Trees at Christmas time could be a way to raise funds. Try working a deal with a local tree farm, if in our area, and see if part of the proceeds for a certain time period might be donated to your project. Volunteer to help with maintenance of the trees and/or lot in exchange for the donation.
Wreaths are a great fundraiser around Christmas time. Just be sure you have a large place to store them and order them early enough.
What ever you decide to do, keep it fun all the way through.
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