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Fundraising Ideas

Which fundraiser sounds like the most fun?

  • Cinco de Mayo party

    Votes: 5 26.3%

  • Kentucky Derby party

    Votes: 8 42.1%

  • Rubber Duck race

    Votes: 3 15.8%

  • Chili Cook-Off

    Votes: 3 15.8%
  • Total voters
    19
RicoSuave

RicoSuave

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I'm a member of a nonprofit group that has to raise money throughout the year. This year we've narrowed it down to 4 ideas, and was wondering what idea sounded the best or that you'd be most likely to participate in.

1. Cinco de Mayo party: Flat fee for a Mexican buffet, Mexican beer, and an auction of artwork and decorative/houseware items. (I know the idea of an auction isn't necessarily "Mexican" but we always make a lot of money at auctions after people have been drinking.)

2. Kentucky Derby party: Flat fee to dress up and drink while watching the KY Derby on a giant-screen TV under a tent at an outside venue, followed by an auction of artwork and decorative/houseware items.

3. Rubber Duck race: Flat fee to enter a little rubber duck, which would be dropped in the river and the first to cross the finish line wins a cash prize.

4. Chili Cook-Off: Flat fee to enter your chili, but entrants can sell their chili to spectators. The winner is decided by spectator votes, but it costs $1 to cast a vote.

We know there are lots of better ideas that are more profitable (5K races, reverse raffles, etc.), but we're competing against several other nonprofits in our community so we'll trying for something unique.
 
RicoSuave said:
I'm a member of a nonprofit group that has to raise money throughout the year. This year we've narrowed it down to 4 ideas, and was wondering what idea sounded the best or that you'd be most likely to participate in.

1. Cinco de Mayo party: Flat fee for a Mexican buffet, Mexican beer, and an auction of artwork and decorative/houseware items. (I know the idea of an auction isn't necessarily "Mexican" but we always make a lot of money at auctions after people have been drinking.)

2. Kentucky Derby party: Flat fee to dress up and drink while watching the KY Derby on a giant-screen TV under a tent at an outside venue, followed by an auction of artwork and decorative/houseware items.

3. Rubber Duck race: Flat fee to enter a little rubber duck, which would be dropped in the river and the first to cross the finish line wins a cash prize.

4. Chili Cook-Off: Flat fee to enter your chili, but entrants can sell their chili to spectators. The winner is decided by spectator votes, but it costs $1 to cast a vote.

We know there are lots of better ideas that are more profitable (5K races, reverse raffles, etc.), but we're competing against several other nonprofits in our community so we'll trying for something unique.
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there is nothing profitable about putting on a 5K race FYI

What type of people would be attending? All adults? Children?

If it were just me deciding, Kentucky Derby #1, Rubber Duck Race #2
 
DeacHawk said:
there is nothing profitable about putting on a 5K race FYI

What type of people would be attending? All adults? Children?

If it were just me deciding, Kentucky Derby #1, Rubber Duck Race #2
Click to expand...

Another local nonprofit sponsors a 5K every year, and they make a little money from the $25 entrance fee less the cost of tshirts.
 
how big are you willing to go? i used to be on the board for habitat young professionals here in charlotte, and our big event every year was mud volleyball. it was exceptionally good at raising money, but it was also a massive event that involved a significant amount of leg work for a full 6 months. also, it mostly appealed to people in the 20-30 age range, so if you're looking for something that appeals to people who are older, it's not a good idea.
 
RicoSuave said:
Another local nonprofit sponsors a 5K every year, and they make a little money from the $25 entrance fee less the cost of tshirts.
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um, have you seen their actual financials from the events? if they have any form of timing whatsoever (even if it's not chip timed), that's a massive expense. if they operate on the roads, there's a huge cost for the cops needed to shut down the streets. prizes cost money. water stops and any post race food/drink costs money.

some 5ks can be profitable, but it's not an easy thing to make money at. we looked at putting on one once, and got it priced out, and we were going to have to have a minimum of 200 runners just to break even. for a first year event, that's not a given at all, and even for events that are in subsequent years, the first year had to be a good event for anybody to want to do it again.
 
i voted Cinco de Mayo because that's what I'd be most excited to attend (I like margaritas and 'mexican' food), but for a really easy thing I'd go rubber-duck race. I feel like that can easily be incorporated with one of the bigger party events.
 
"94 weight loss challenge" = zero fucking dollars.

Seriously, though- a "chili challenge" works well with one caveat. When you have teams start selling their entries, you get into health codes and licensing etc. I work on a team that does a Civitan Challenge every year and we pay a entry fee ($200, IIRC) but cannot sell anything since health codes require a whole set of requirements including inspections, servers licensing, etc. Entry fees cover prizes but the bulk goes to Civitan Charities.
 
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What kind of organization is this? I organize a golf tournament every year with a silent auction. Silent auction is pure profit with donated items. Combine that with your kentucky derby party. We made 20k on our auction this year.
 
DeacHoops said:
um, have you seen their actual financials from the events? if they have any form of timing whatsoever (even if it's not chip timed), that's a massive expense. if they operate on the roads, there's a huge cost for the cops needed to shut down the streets. prizes cost money. water stops and any post race food/drink costs money.

some 5ks can be profitable, but it's not an easy thing to make money at. we looked at putting on one once, and got it priced out, and we were going to have to have a minimum of 200 runners just to break even. for a first year event, that's not a given at all, and even for events that are in subsequent years, the first year had to be a good event for anybody to want to do it again.
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The one I've been involved in, we don't have a timing system because its a non-sanctioned event (runners don't get credit for competing). The radio station manager is on the board so our publicity is free, the asst. city manager is on the board so theres no charge for traffic control, and the local supermarkets donate the bottled water. And we give out little gold-tone tropies that cost just a few bucks. We actually make a little money but its not a pretigeous event by any means.
 
I think chili cook-off is your least profitable option up there, btw.
 
RicoSuave said:
The one I've been involved in, we don't have a timing system because its a non-sanctioned event (runners don't get credit for competing). The radio station manager is on the board so our publicity is free, the asst. city manager is on the board so theres no charge for traffic control, and the local supermarkets donate the bottled water. And we give out little gold-tone tropies that cost just a few bucks. We actually make a little money but its not a pretigeous event by any means.
Click to expand...

that sounds more like a group run than an actual 5k. so yeah, that'd be a lot cheaper.
 
RicoSuave said:
The one I've been involved in, we don't have a timing system because its a non-sanctioned event (runners don't get credit for competing). The radio station manager is on the board so our publicity is free, the asst. city manager is on the board so theres no charge for traffic control, and the local supermarkets donate the bottled water. And we give out little gold-tone tropies that cost just a few bucks. We actually make a little money but its not a pretigeous event by any means.
Click to expand...

i'm sure the taxpayers are thrilled that traffic control services are being given away for free, not to mention the ethics of the assistant city manager to do that. small town i'm guessing?
 
DeacHawk said:
i'm sure the taxpayers are thrilled that traffic control services are being given away for free, not to mention the ethics of the assistant city manager to do that. small town i'm guessing?
Click to expand...

ding ding ding. it's not "free" ...you're just not paying for it. which is questionable.
 
I voted for the May 5th party, but the Derby party sounds fun as well. Problem with the Derby is it seems to be a popular weekend for a lot of other events. Rubber Duck idea seems like the easiest, but the thread title asked for fun, and watching a bunch of ducks float when you have no idea which is yours just is not that much fun.
 
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