Pella Meals from the Heartland

Fundraising Ideas

Beauty Pageant with Auction (business)
A "make believe" beauty pageant, for men! (A blast for a Friday event at a business!)

Now all you have to find are some brave men! Doll it up right with a purse, dress, and makeup to accentuate the cheek bones. The laughter, fun and money are sure to come. Have the men strut their stuff to some hilarious music when they come on stage. Have the host read an outrageous over the top script of how each man loves to spend romantic evenings. Next, things really heat up as the crowd jostles bidding back and forth for a chance to win a date with each of these gorgeous men. You can actually provide real gift certificates for lesser amounts for local restaurants, so the bidder actually does get something out of the deal so they can spend a romantic evening with their real sweethearts.

Portrait Day (business)
Everyone loves to have their picture taken and a dress-up portrait day is a great photography fundraiser. Many companies will give you a big share of the revenue and also provide fun costumes for people to where. Have you and your fellow co-workers dress up like the Wild West and have the picture hanging in your office. Or do regular family portraits or offer 1890's costumes for an old-fashioned feel. To increase attendance, pre-sell appointment certificates offering a free portrait for $10.

Raffles of Various Kinds (business)

Easter Eggs (church)
Have a few adults help kids decorate hard boiled eggs with neat colors and designs. Have the kids sell them to the adults before and after church service in the lobby/foyer/narthex.

Silent Pie Auction (church)
Have people who love to make tasty pies bake them. Before and after church have people write their bids on slips of paper, and to the highest bidder goes the pie.

Hats for Haiti (school)
Students give 'X' amount of money for the ability to wear hats in class for one day. Oviatt Elementary in Norwalk raised $1,606 from a one-day "Hat Day" for students.

Penny Wars (school)
Good old fashion penny war where the grades compete against one another. Or compete against the school faculty, where the students' prize is to have the faculty dress in something goofy for a day.

Bake Sale
North Polk High School in Alleman raised $1,200 from a 3-day bake sale.

Car Wash

Pancake Breakfast/Spaghetti Supper, etc.

Mystery Dinner Theater
Inviting everyone to a Mystery Dinner Theater. Line up a large meeting room at a local restaurant, recruit your thespians from among the gregarious types in your community and you're ready to go. Pre-packaged scripts are available from several suppliers.

Mondo Yard Sale
A fundraising event that doesn't cost a lot is having a "Mondo Yard Sale," usually coordinated as a group effort and conducted in a high traffic location such as a school or church parking lot.

As with any yard sale, advance publicity is as easy as putting up signs advertising the event.

Have your supporters scavenge their closets, attics, and garages for unwanted items. Don't bother with individually pricing anything. Just place it out for display with other similar items and get what you can for each piece.

A multi-family yard sale like this will draw Saturday morning shoppers in droves, so be ready to start early. Expect your first customers at the proverbial crack of dawn.

Having a good mix of items is helpful as not all your buyers will be searching for the same things. Popular items include furniture, tools, clothing, and toys.

You can increase your donations, volunteers, and net proceeds by offering a percentage split to donors of large ticket items. They get rid of the old lawn mower and when it sells for $40, they keep $20.

Don't forget to engage in a little give and take with your customers. Part of the fun of a yard sale is bargain hunting, so make sure all your sellers understand the art of making the deal.