| Everybody wants easy fundraisers. The
| |
| | Mega Yard Sale
|
| problem is that you also want good
| |
| | A big yard sale is another easy
|
| results. So, how do you get the best
| |
| | fundraiser to pull off. It's short in
|
| resultsfrom an easy fundraiser?
| |
| | duration, usually just a Saturday sale
|
| Three things to consider in evaluating
| |
| | with some prep time the night before.
|
| easy fundraisers:
| |
| | Choose a nice high-visibility location
|
| Effort Involved
| |
| | like a school or church parking lot.
|
| Resources Needed
| |
| | Advertise in the local paper and put up
|
| Duration of Fundraiser
| |
| | signs for the cagey veterans who troll
|
| EFFORT INVOLVED
| |
| | around on Saturday mornings looking for
|
| An easy fundraiser shouldn't take a lot
| |
| | bargains.
|
| of effort, but let's be honest. It is
| |
| | Group your items together by category -
|
| going to take SOME effort.
| |
| | kids clothes, tools, toys, books,
|
| The level of effort is often directly
| |
| | pictures, music, etc. Place general price
|
| proportional to the size of your group's
| |
| | signs around items instead of pricing
|
| monetary goal, but not always. That's why
| |
| | everything individually.
|
| you are considering an easy fundraiser in
| |
| | For example, "$5-$10 Tools" or "Books:
|
| the first place - you're looking for less
| |
| | $1-$3" are signs that allow people to
|
| effort, not more.
| |
| | haggle and help you avoid putting price
|
| RESOURCES NEEDED
| |
| | stickers on hundreds of items.
|
| Resources are always a problem in small
| |
| | Resources are needed most for helping to
|
| group fundraising. You can never have too
| |
| | sell. Recruit outgoing types who can be
|
| many volunteers and you usually never
| |
| | enthusiastic about these odds and ends.
|
| have enough.
| |
| | Make it a fun time with some helium
|
| For an easy fundraiser, you want programs
| |
| | balloons for small children and have
|
| that don't require an excessive time
| |
| | coffee and doughnuts available for
|
| commitment from a large number of people.
| |
| | adults.
|
| You want either a single weekend-only
| |
| | By grouping items together from multiple
|
| activity or a program that takes only a
| |
| | households, you create a bigger draw as
|
| small amount of time each week. It's
| |
| | well as a bigger workforce.
|
| easier to get people to help with
| |
| | If you attract enough shoppers along with
|
| something that doesn't require more than
| |
| | enough donations, you can raise as much
|
| a two-hour commitment from them.
| |
| | as $500 per participating household.
|
| Conserve your resources with an easy
| |
| | Online Yard Sale
|
| fundraiser and you'll have more folks to
| |
| | A variation on the yard sale fundraiser
|
| draw on later when you really need help.
| |
| | is to sell the items online. The best
|
| DURATION OF FUNDRAISER
| |
| | place to sell large quantities of
|
| Duration is important. An easy fundraiser
| |
| | lower-priced items is on eBay. You'll
|
| that lasts more than a single weekend
| |
| | get more for books, music, and consumer
|
| should not require a lot of attention to
| |
| | electronics that way.
|
| keep it productive.
| |
| | Keep it in mind as a way to get better
|
| Those that only last a single day or
| |
| | results on some items or as an easier
|
| weekend shouldn't require a tremendous
| |
| | fundraiser to do for very small groups.
|
| amount of prep time.
| |
| | You'll need to spend some time creating
|
| So, which easy fundraisers only take a
| |
| | the listings. Having online pictures
|
| little effort, few resources, and have
| |
| | posted seems to help with higher-priced
|
| the right duration?
| |
| | items. All in all, it's an easy
|
| Three simple easy fundraisers:
| |
| | fundraiser that produces results.
|
| Printer cartridge recycling program
| |
| | Specialty Item Sale
|
| Onsite or Online Yard Sale
| |
| | The third type of easy fundraiser is a
|
| Seasonal Specialty Item Sale
| |
| | weekend specialty sale of a seasonal
|
| Recycling Program
| |
| | item. Examples would be a Pumpkin Patch
|
| A recycling program for collecting used
| |
| | sale, a Christmas Tree sale, a Spring
|
| printer cartridges costs nothing to put
| |
| | Flower Bulb fiesta, and so on.
|
| together. All collection boxes and
| |
| | This involves an effort similar to having
|
| shipping needs are covered by the
| |
| | a large yard sale. You'll need a
|
| supplier. We recommend FundingFactory.
| |
| | high-traffic location and some advance
|
| Your effort involves finding businesses
| |
| | publicity. Your goal is to capture
|
| to participate in the program, leaving
| |
| | seasonal sales from the general public as
|
| pre-labeled boxes with a site
| |
| | well as those from within your group.
|
| representative, and providing directions
| |
| | Avoid stretching these sales over more
|
| on calling UPS to pick up a full box.
| |
| | than one weekend or you'll run into
|
| A used cartridge is worth between $1 and
| |
| | resource issues. Make it quick and keep
|
| $20, depending on the popularity of the
| |
| | it fun. Setup on a Friday, sell hard on
|
| printer and the cost of a new cartridge.
| |
| | Saturday, and wrap it up by Sunday
|
| Many businesses encourage recycling
| |
| | afternoon.
|
| efforts. For good prospects, check with
| |
| | Make arrangements ahead of time with your
|
| the leasing manager of large office
| |
| | supplier about how to handle left over
|
| buildings that house multiple companies.
| |
| | items. Source pumpkins from the local
|
| Another good location is an electronics
| |
| | Farmer's Market, Christmas trees from
|
| store or office supply retailer.
| |
| | grower's associations, and flower bulbs
|
| Customers often bring in their old
| |
| | from national suppliers.
|
| cartridge when shopping for a
| |
| | Be sure to price everything competitively
|
| replacement. You are doing the retailer a
| |
| | and offer great customer service. For
|
| service by providing them with an
| |
| | Christmas trees, have able bodies
|
| environmentally safe way to dispose of
| |
| | standing by to tie them down on vehicles.
|
| these leftovers.
| |
| | For pumpkins, help place them in the
|
| A good recycling program will cover a
| |
| | trunk. The easier you make it for
|
| couple of dozen sites and not require
| |
| | customers, the more you'll net for your
|
| much work after the initial placement.
| |
| | group.
|
| Over time, working this many sites can
| |
| | Easy Fundraisers - Wrap-up
|
| produce a considerable amount of funds
| |
| | Putting together an easy fundraiser isn't
|
| for your group.
| |
| | hard. It does take some effort and it
|
| One good source for a complete turnkey
| |
| | does require resources, but nothing too
|
| cartridge recycling setup (at no cost to
| |
| | difficult.
|
| your group) is the Funding Factory. They
| |
| | Give your group a helping hand by taking
|
| recycle inkjet cartridges, laser
| |
| | it easy.
|
| cartridges, and old cell phones.
| |
| |
|
