My Church Needs Money.

[fargon]

I need fundraising ideas. Has any of you guys done any non profit fundraising? We can't do any gambling ie: bingo, or raffles. We can do bake sales, car washes, Chicken-Qs, and other food related things. Robbing banks is also out. I am at a loss. We need to raise $40,000.00
To buy the building we are in. It used to be a car dealership. and would be perfect. HELP. The Paster asked us to be on the fundraising committee. Oh and we have to have the money by 1 Dec10.

[Clodfobble]

Typically fundraising for larger organizations is done through a benefit or event: basically you plan a big party, with food, entertainment of some sort, etc., and you charge more for the tickets than you spent throwing the party. You can go more family-friendly and make it a kids' festival/carnival type thing, or you can go more adult-oriented and do an evening cocktail/dinner thing with a silent auction (the items are donated by individuals and local businesses, and you get whatever people bid to pay for them.)

I have never actually done any of this myself, but a friend of mine is the local fundraising chair of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and she plans events like this every year.

[Jaydaan]

Silent auctions, gala/dance (usually go together), does your church have a band, or drama group?... put on a play. If you sell tickets and make it not "completely" church related, you can reach out to more people. Do a Garage sale, craft sale ( Christmas is coming...) Sell tables for $blah each, usually $20 ish, and charge a Quarter admission to the event (or donation).
Do a dog wash, a pet blessing (if your Paster will go for it) do it as donation as well.
Do a Halloween thing. If you do not do Haloween, do a dress as your fav Bible char. Get a Christian band to play at a dance/get-together. ( I went to one of these once, it was fun! I went as a fishing net! HAHAHAHHA)
... still thinking, its hard for me to think of Church things.. LOL!

[sweetwater]

First, recruit more people/groups to help the effort. It's exhausting to be one of few who are doing the heavy lifting. More groups = more load sharing. Is there a national headquarters or something that can help, either with money or by asking other member churches to help your unit now? Dec 1st is very soon. Start checking into rent-with-option ideas or alternate financing, too. Any church members with chargeable skills (yard work, painting, house cleaning, baby sitting,etc.) who will donate the money to the church? Enlist kids if you can, too. Good luck to you.

[Rhianne]

Good luck!

As already mentioned, children are the key, get them busy and you are on to a winner - people love to help kids and if the cause is a good one (and genuine) they'll be generous.

I had a bad experience when fundraising. I won't do it anymore or even get involved in the process, instead I donate my services.

[Lamplighter]

Some hospitals have extra wheel chairs that need minor repairs.
How about getting 10 chairs fixed up and then
Sell tickets to wheelchair races, a basket-ball tournament, etc.
Contestants don''t have to be disabled, they just have to stay in the chairs.
A neighboring town's fire department put on such an event and it was a success.
Kids had a lot of fun and it was a new experience for them.

[HungLikeJesus]

Is there anybody in the community that you can blackmail?

[jinx]

If you're doing bake sales, parties, other events - another thing to do is go around to local businesses and collect their advertising swag (the stuff they buy to give away; pens, key chains, mouse pads, calendars etc) and make mystery grab bags to sell. Also get the businesses to donate goods and services to suit your cause ie. restaurants/grocery stores for bake sales etc.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Nothing brings in money faster than strippers and booze, unfortunately. The next best would be pizzas and/or hoagie/submarine sandwiches, preordered and delivered on a particular night/weekend. If you can work out a wholesale deal with a local business, and deliver them yourselves, it can pay. Knowing the project is for a good cause might make people tip well too.

The bar-b-que with games, like toss a softball into a bushel basket tipped at 45 degrees, or toss a coin and land on an upside down glass, where you win a cheap prize plus bragging rights, can be fun and productive.

Selling protection, while wearing a fedora and bulging coat, works too.

[Undertoad]

Traditionally, salvation has been a big money maker. Be sure and tell the big donors that their souls are on the line.

[monster]

$40,000 by Dec 1 is a big ask. I work my Butt off all year to raise less than half of that. But that's for an ongoing campaign.

How many members does your church have?

Do you have 501c3 tax exempt status i.e. are donations deductable?

This is what our school does.

First of all, divide the money you need by the number of members, and make sure everyone is aware of how much needs to be raised per person. Then start by asking for direct donations from members who can afford it, to cover their share, or more if then can, or just what then can afford, and ask those employed by businesses who do charitable donation matching to make sure their employers cough up.

Then work out how much is left and get a big ole thermometer thingy set up in a very public place near the building. And put a secure donation receptacle near it.

Then report back here with how much still needs to be raised.

[Griff]

I wonder if you couldn't get a better deal in this economy?

The church I used to belong to runs a huge drunken Irish Festival every year. They don't seem to mind the road carnage.

[Sundae]

Sponsored events work well (again, especially if they involve children) and can be pretty low key in terms of organisation. This will only bring in small amounts of money (>$2000) but if you are able to hand them off to someone else then one or two will really help your target.

A sponsored walk is probably the best. A good clean family day out, perhaps ending in a BBQ/ potluck supper where everyone brings something to eat - it's not part of the fundraising but it encourages people to join in. If you have one or two really motivated people they will bring in the majority of the money, but the rest get to feel involved and part of the community.

Having a well known bearded fellow have his beard - and ideally his hair - shaved off can bring in $1000ish. If he has a job in the local community it will bring in more. Again, small beer, but every little will help.

Any Christian radio stations in your area?
Or Christian newspapers?
Local media often promote charity events, and like to be linked with them.

Good luck.

[SamIam]

Does your area get its phone books delivered to your door? If so, find out when the new phone books are due in your town (google product development co.) and enlist the help of teens from your youth group. Phone book delivery is a temp job and all you need is an SUV or a pick-up. Church groups in my town made $2,000 in less than a month doing this.

[Gravdigr]

A church van drag meet...all the local churches bring their vans out to the local drag strip.

A Battle of the Bands...church style!

Charge for baptisms? Go to heaven for $100?

Call The Blues Bros?