I am looking for some fundraiser ideas out there that do not involve selling frozen cookie dough or magazines. We want some projects that will benefit our local community. We have a group of students who have 3 months to raise the money to attend an International Convention in Pheonix, AZ. Each student must raise $1200 by June 15th. If anyone out there has some ideas we would greatly appreciate it. At this convention students will learn about ways to bring caring, character building, leadership, and inclusiveness into their lives and communities. This is a great opportunity for our local youth and I hope the community will come out and show our youth how important they are to our future.

I'd be tickled to help you. Just not today. Gotta be downtown in an hour.
We fund our team by various methods, for one-having the kids sell (beg) event sponsorship. They do this by asking friends, family, neighbors, strangers even (will explain later) to pay them to accomplish a seemingly impossible physical feat. Then altogether they perform it in full public view and make it look easy! It is actually very hard work, it wears me out just to think about it.
More later, if you'd like.

Please share more!!!!

Hello, I am a celebrating home consultant and we have a fundraising catalog. You can earn up to 50% in profit for your organization. If this is something you might be interested in or would like to look at the fundraising book call 853-5375 and ask for Danielle.

In stead of door to door sales, maybe of these group like mentioned above, but hold one large party. Use a big hall or room, members invite friends & family then entertain & serve at the event. Service events like a car wash or similar event might work too.

Also, think outside the box! Unique sells better than anything.
Then, think outside of Miles City. All kids have relatives out of town, be sure to invite them to "participate" (donate) to the cause. We've heard in other stories about how your town is fundraised to death and people are poor. This might not be the case with our relatives elsewhere, right?
Raffles are a good money-maker, especially big ticket items.
There are websites out there that might give you good ideas. Just Google "fundraising".

I personally would rather just give the child/event $20 than buy some plastic junk made outside of the US. I agree, skip the selling of stuff, the party idea actually sounds fun. Get a local band and have a dance for donation. Maybe play off the pumpkin hunt and have a scavenger hunt that pays child labor in return for donations to buy clues. Form up a branding crew and hire them out, always needed in the spring in MT. Or a catering crew for branding, offering to help cook and clean up on site. I know the food workload of those events is high. Your students provide the labor in exchange for a decent donation.

Is it possible that the donations are tax deductible? Remind everybody of that fact, some people really look for tax write offs.
Good luck

[This message has been edited by M T Zook (3/10/2011)]

Thank you for all the wonderful ideas. I will pass them onto the students. I am wondering does anyone out there think that a bake sale the weekend before easter would be a hit??? We could offer easter bread and other goodies??? I just want to get a feel before we make the plans and it bombs. We would also be looking for a idea of good placed to hold a sale.
We are also planning a HUGE garage sale with all proceeds going to the trip. We are looking for a large enough place preferably under a shelter or building (in case of weather). Thinking this sale will be in May or June??

I would recommend that you talk to the Star. Have them put a story about the three in the paper, telling about their need to raise funds and what they will bring back to the community. Set up an account at a bank for donations.

Car washes, etc are all great but small money makers compared to a large function. I would recommend having a dance for all ages. Get EVERYTHING donated such as music, food, etc and you will make a large amount of money just from donations from those who attend.

Not sure if this would interest you, but you could have donations from the community of items for a silent auction. You can plan it and invite everyone to come make their bids.

Just thought I would throw in my idea!!!!

Hope the kids raise their money

We do a Spring Carnival every May, the whole world is invited to join the fun at Montessori School. It's geared toward K-6 graders, fun and games from "fishing" to horse rides. And face painting and art contests, simple athletic contests, etc. Food and drink of course!
Free admission. To participate in any activity or get any concessions you pay with one or two or three tickets bought at the gate.
There's little cost involved, all the goods, services and supplies are donated. If the weather looks iffy I bring some big tents which, even if it turns out to be a nice day, gives the whole scene the ambience of a massive event. I also donate at least one bouncy house and the cotton candy and popcorn machines. Parents in any food businesses tend to donate excellent burgers, tacos, ice cream and the like. In typical Montessori fashion the whole thing turns out to be a pretty classy event and raises thousands of dollars every time. Yes, my company invoices the school for the value of the goods but only my accountant sees the number in the Total box. Nice little tax write off not to mention good advertising at the carnival.

I have a Great fundraiser program thru Mia Bella Gourmet Candles, just go to to www.naturallygourmet.scent-team.com to view the information or give me a call anytime. My number is on my website.
Stephanie Irish
www.naturallygourmet.scent-team.com

When we were in school we would raffle ourselves off for services in the area that needed to be done. Some cleaned out basements for people, I cleaned up a garden area, it was great full. We advertized and then we would meet the people who bid on our services. Most the time we did in on a week-end and we were raffled off at a school sports game. We always made our money as long as the kids are willing to get themselves dirty and work hard it should raise a good amount for you. The older people loved it because they could get there lawn & gardens ready for spring, garages & basements cleaned out. We always worked in pairs however for safety reasons.

[This message has been edited by BD (3/11/2011)]

A service raffle is a great idea. Just don't call it a slave auction please.

I agree with dispensing with the selling of candy, wrapping paper, what have you door to door. I hate, hate, hate it. A garage sale or party is a great idea.

FOr a large area to do your rummage sale could be the Park PLace. I know they are really nice people that love to help out in anyways that they can!

Can we donate to your sale? I would love to. I have things, but hate doing the sales myself. Donating to you would be great.

That's a good one, BD. Reminds me of what one annual event here (Perhaps the "406 Women Bash") does, it's called the "Bachelor Auction". They auction off numerous volunteers, which are unattached local males, to come over to your pad and do some handyman type work. Or whatever, I don't know. Who cares. It makes an obscene amount of money!

Good luck with the fundraising - it is tough work but "doable" with committed families! I helped the CCDHS band with a lot of their fundraisers for their trip to California this last December. One of the best things we did was at bucking horse sale parade with a rootbeer float sale (Alberston's donated most of ice cream and Pepsi the rootbeer and cups so cost us next to nothing to actually do). We held a speaghetti feed and dessert auction and made about $1000 from that. I too sell the Celebrating Home and we did their fundraiser twice and each time each student averaged $100 in profit (and I LOVE the idea of a party for these types of sales instead of door to door), we sold baseball concessions - I know these are already spoken for for this year but maybe you could sell concessions for soccer???? I am pretty sure there is no one that does that, if they would allow it. We also had a car wash where each student went out and got pledges and promised to wash atleast 150 cars (which we did) and then also took free will donations for the actual car wash - I think the low for this was about $50 and one students pledged her ENTIRE trip to CA on this one event (and that cost roughly $1600 per student).
Anyway...good luck and if you have questions feel free to call me.

Angie Lohrke
853-4315

I just saw that Gurney's Seeds have a plant and seed fundraising program. That might be something a little different from the usual.

Does anyone out there know who I would contact about the Park Place being donated for us to hold a garage sale inside?

We have been recieving great ideas and I really look forward to the community helping these students with such a great cause. At this convention they will be learning not only great leadership skills but also great comunity service project plans. This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for some of these students!
Thank you Miles City for your continued support!

I once ate at a restaurant that had a college team waiting tables for tips. This was a special night that was advertised as a fundraiser for this particular team. They worked soley for tips. From what I heard it was a great fundraiser. Talk to some local restaurant if this sounds like something you would be interested in. Good Luck!

I believe that Butch Grenz owns the Park PLace and the best way to reach him is at the 600 Cafe during the morning - at least thats how we've been able to contact him for girl scouts.

These ideas have been great. There is only 3 students and myself going so I am not sure how well we could do with waiting tables at a resturant. We looked into one church hall to use the kitchen for a spaghetti feed but they want $100 to use it and we just don't have that much money to play with. I think we will go forth with the coffee bean sale though.....so be on the lookout for City Brew Coffee being sold by the bag for $10 a bag in a few weeks. We will still welcome more ideas if you have them....we only have 98 days to rasie this money!

FFA and or 4-H groups provide the concessions for the major farm auctioneering services in Southwestern Montana.

The 600 Club, if your interested in renting Park Place, Gloria Grenz own it. Her phone number is in the phone book but she is hard to reach unless you call the resturant down town.

I'm a consultant for Partylite. I have a candle pool fundraiser that I can e-mail/mail to you. It's a raffle drawing more less for a $15 gift certificat to use on any Partylite items. One buys x amount of tickets at $2 each giving them that x number of chances to win. You earn 50% profit. To see partylite items you can go to my web site. www.partylite.biz/leannbankey

Please go to www.naturallygourmet.scent-team.com Gourmet candles and gifts. WE have a wonderful fundraising program. If you need more info just let me know.
Stephanie Irish

I know of a fundraiser that teaches posters how to use url's on MC.com. Just log onto the following address:

http://www.howtoposturlsonmc.com

DRAT!!

Make that:

http://www.iforgothowtodothis.com

FHnolongerDenton.com

Hi this is Michelle with photopucksandballs , seen your listing for needing to raise funds . I have several products to choose from and my most popular is my Unbreakable ornament that can be personalized for any occasion , from graduation , wedding , sports, anniversarys and even memorrial. I tryed to show you some examples but I am having difficulty getting it to load. If you are interested please feel free to look at my website photopucksandballs.com or you can e-mail me at [email protected] and I would be more than happy to send you some of my most recent products. Thanks Michelle

Frank,
I must truly be tired, as I actually clicked on your link thinking it was a real fundraiser LOL... Cheers

we are having a mma fight june 4th in miles city you could sell consession if you are intrested give me a call 406 480 5357

I am reading this post a few months late and I don't know if you have tried the party idea. I am a consultant with Private Quarters and have quite a bit of success fundraising with our products. We sell luxury bed and bath linens that are better than what you can purchase in eastern Montana, yet they are affordable. Parties with these products are a LOT of fun and quite profitable and I love fundraising with kids!! If you'd like more information, e-mail me at [email protected]