A pie auction is a fun and easy fundraising activity.
Whether you are raising money for a sports team, youth group or charity, fundraising activities do not have to be considered a chore. Recruiting volunteers within the team or from your workplace makes fundraising efforts manageable and provides entertaining team-building experiences. Showcasing the musical or baking talents of the community and playing tasteful practical jokes for a good cause are some easy and fun ways to raise funds
Pie Auction
Point Loma Nazarene University recommends a pie auction for a fun and easy fundraising activity. Ask volunteers to each bake a pie or cake. For example, if you are raising money for a sports team, parents or even some of the players can make a desert. Ask an entertaining member from your organization to be the auctioneer and set up the bidding. Attendees will be willing to bid as they know the money is going to a great cause. Organize a cake walk game for the kids by setting up numbers on the floor in a circular track formation. Each child starts on a number, and as music plays, she proceeds to the next spot, until the music stops. Draw a number ticket from a hat and read out the numeral. The child standing on that number space wins the cake. You need to advertise the auction a few weeks in advance and the week of, by placing advertisements in local newspapers, school newsletters and over the radio. Post signs on bulletin boards around the neighborhood.
Battle of the Bands
Another idea suggested by Point Loma Nazarene University is practical if you have a space and a PA system at your disposal, rent-free. A battle of the bands fundraiser can take place in a school gym or hall if, for example, you are raising money for a sports team, club or youth group.
Encourage members of your organization to participate, either as a band, a single music performer, a dance troupe, a spoken word artist or another form of entertainment. Recruit volunteer judges to score each act. You can make it entertaining and have them pretend to be the judges from American Idol. Call local businesses to see if they would like to donate prizes for the top acts. Charge admission at the door to raise funds. Again, advertising a few weeks in advance and leading up to the event is essential.
Plastic Flamingos
Amherst University suggests an entertaining activity called Flamingo Alert. A mass of plastic flamingos on someone's lawn is normally associated with birthdays, but has also been used for fundraisers. Acquire plastic flamingos, gnomes or other figures. Do not spend a lot of money on this. Ask members of your organization what they have in their garage or buy cheap items from a department store or gardening shop. The figures do not have to be the same creature. Advertise that you are accepting donations if someone wants to "infest" another's lawn with flamingos. Recruit volunteers to deliver and spread out the flamingos over the recipients' lawns. A recipient then has to make a donation to have the flamingos removed, but he can also choose where they end up next. Advertise that donations can also be made to avoid flamingo infestation.
Tags: money sports, money sports team, raising money, raising money sports, sports team