Let’s face it – it’s easy for everyone in the church to get burned out on church fundraising after a while. All of the bake sales, car washes, cook books and multi-family yard sales get old, and those same people in the church seem to be the ones responsible for all of the work time and time again. The good thing about church fundraising is that since you are raising money for your church or youth group, people tend to give or donate more often than they might with a school or other organization. They know you are doing God’s work, and it makes them feel good to help out.
What can you do besides the same old things your group has been doing for years? You need to spark the interest of those in your church, get them involved again. The truth is, people live busy lives today and the easier and less time-consuming you can make your church fundraising the better. Sure, it’s always fun to get together and organize those spaghetti suppers and bake sales, but there are things you can do in addition to the old stand-by’s to raise even more money and get more people involved.
What about a beauty pageant held at the church where the contestants are actually the men of the congregation? This is fun and can be hilarious, and is a great way to raise money. Charge a $2 or $3 admission and offer refreshments for sale during intermission.
Summer months will be coming up soon, and car washes are still great for church fundraising as people tend to want their cars hand washed during a season when they tend to get dusty and dirtier than normal.
Spring is right around the corner, which makes it prime time for yard clean up. A great church fundraising idea for this time of year is to offer your services around the neighborhood to do any type of yard clean up, whether it’s raking leaves and
burning them, washing the deck or house with a power washer, even cleaning out flower beds and preparing them for new plantings.This is a great project for the youth or teens in the church, and they can do it in groups of 2 or 3 so it’s a bit more fun for them.
How do you drum up interest in your church fundraising efforts? If you’re going to host a special dinner, pageant or yard sale at the church, be sure to advertise in the local newspapers. Those who are on Facebook might spread the word that way as well to their friends, and posting flyers around local businesses will help build further interest.
In order to have more people donate more money to your cause, it’s often beneficial to explain exactly what you are raising money for. For example, if your church fundraising efforts are going toward needy children who need food and clothing, reveal that information and you will find that people give freely because they like knowing exactly where their money is going.
Try to arrange your largest fundraisers around Christian holidays such as Easter and Christmas. During these times of the year, many people think about the reason for these holidays and they are often in a spirit of giving to others.
If your group seems to be stuck in a rut when it comes to church fundraising, put your collective thinking caps on and do a little brainstorming. When you get creative, you will find that there are literally hundreds of things you can do to raise the money your church needs – and whatever you decide on, promote it in every way possible!
Mark South
Easy Church Fundraising