FUNDRAISER IDEAS

[optimist]

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 06 Aug 2004 02:03 pm Post subject: FUNDRAISER IDEAS

Does anyone have any new fundraiser ideas?
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davetroop2oly
Scout

Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 1

Posted: 07 Aug 2004 02:07 pm Post subject: Fundraiser ideas

Our troop committee has approved buying the first aid kits
from the Scouting magazine and selling them as a fundraiser.
Has anyone else tried these in the past?

Dave
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 2 Olympia, WA

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 08 Aug 2004 10:22 pm Post subject:

I remember selling the first aid kits as a cub scout back in
the late 70's early 80's. They were fairly easy to sell. I
think the kits now are much nicer and contain higher quality
items.

Our troop this weekend did a car wash...worked out fairly well
and made a few hundred dollars, however attendance was low due
to an Eagle Project the same day... That's what happens when
it rains every Saturday in row when you plan a car wash!
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Buffalo Bill
First Class

Joined: 15 Jul 2004
Posts: 54
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posted: 09 Aug 2004 10:56 am Post subject: Fundraisers

We do Car Washes almost every month. Each one nets us from
$250-$400. Donations only. Try printing and selling advance
tickets for $5, usually the buyers do not show. Offer a rain
date though, just in case.

If you have mistletoe growing naturally you can harvest it and
pack it in zip-lock bags with a little "History of Mistletoe"
sheet. Offer it for donations in front of a local business.
One local unit made $1000 in one weekend.

Ask families for donations to sell on Ebay or at a rummage
sale. The local VFW sponsors our Pack Rummage Sale--they make
over $500. Our Troop (through our "Friends of 509" 501(c)3
donor) has made $2500+ on Ebay.

B2
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Bill Britt
Scoutmaster
Troop 509
Hurlburt Field, FL

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ScoutmasterBob
Counselor

Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 79
Location: Woods Cross, Utah
Posted: 09 Aug 2004 11:38 am Post subject:

The Great SAlt Lake Council has just kicked-off a fund raiser
called be active be fit.
It is a $20.00 card that can be used for discounts at various
health stores and the like.
Heres a link to the site:

http://www.beactivebefit.com/exec/beact ... tionID=175

For each card sold, the troop gets $6.00.
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Bob Torkelson
Scoutmaster Troop 538
www.wx5troop538.homestead.com
Live The Oath!

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 09 Aug 2004 12:34 pm Post subject:

good ideas! Our council every year sells christmas trees at
two different lots. The different packs, troops, crews sign up
for time slots to sell the trees and for each 4 hour shift you
get 25.00 in your Troop account at the council scout store...
plus if you help tie the tree to the car you usually get a
pretty nice tip...not a big money maker...but an easy way to
make a couple hundred dollars and it helps the council out!

They also have a popcorn sale each year...which is ok...but
let's face it...you might as well just ask for a
donation...because it is getting harder and harder to sell
popcorn for big bucks...

If you are from the Northeastern United States you probably
have heard of Sheetz Convience Stores...they have a program
where you sell coupons for Subs and stuff....you get 1.00 per
coupon sold and you can return unsold coupons at the end! We
made out fairly well with this one too!

We have a venture crew that is collecting newspapers, they
then haul them to a local farm which uses them for animal
bedding and they are earning $60 per ton of newspaper, which
is not that many newspapers!
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optimist
Advancement Chairman

Joined: 27 Jun 2004
Posts: 148

Posted: 10 Aug 2004 05:01 pm Post subject:

We had a Trashathon about ten years ago. We asked people to
donate a set amount for each pound of trash we picked up. The
base amounts were a penny, two cents, a nickel, or a dime a
pound. We had around 30 workers (parents and Scouts) and we
picked up around 500 pounds. So a penny equaled $5.00, two
cents = $10.00, a nickel was $25.00, and a dime was $50.00.

We originaly told everyone that we expected a dime to result
in a $20 donation. When we went back to pick up the donations
we made it clear that they were free to donate whatever they
felt was appropriate. Many limited their donations to $20 but
some were so happy with the great job we did they gave the
full $50. We made $1450.00 on that event.

It was a LOT of work but it had the bonus of being beneficial
to the community as well

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 05:56 am Post subject:

GREAT IDEA! Plus you got the benefit of not only helping the
community but a little good PR for your troop probably didn't
hurt either!!!
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RWSmith
Counselor

Joined: 13 Jul 2004
Posts: 55
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 08:20 am Post subject:

Guneukitschik wrote:
I remember selling the first aid kits .... back in the
late 70's early 80's. They were fairly easy to sell.

YOU ARE KILLING ME! Ah, to be young, again. A-hmm. <SNAP! Back
to reality!>
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ADC, Apache District

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RWSmith
Counselor

Joined: 13 Jul 2004
Posts: 55
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 08:33 am Post subject:

BTW, my son's Troop sponsors a Jazz Concert (about 250 is the
max. capacity in the sanctuary) each spring. They sell tickets
in advance and at the door. Afterwards, a professionally
recorded CD is pressed and they sell them, too. The COR is a
Jazz artist. 100% profit. Avg. profit per year: $3k.

My son's Troop also sells AutoBell Carwash tickets once a
year. Also very profitable.

-----------------------

There's another Troop here, in town, that has one fundraiser a
year... a bar-b-que... they borrow cookers (mostly home-brew
stuff welded onto on trailers) from all over and cook for
three or four days (around the clock) and sell for three or
four more. Avg. profit per year: $10-20k+. Pays for the whole
Troop to take a "super trip" every year.
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Bob Smith, OA, NESA, DAV
ADC, Apache District

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 08:41 am Post subject:

Our Troop back in the 80's sold Tom Wat for a couple of years
which was pretty popular....kind of funny when you think about
it...lugging a cardboard suitcase of stuff around and taking
orders...they actually made out pretty good but I haven't seen
the Tom Wat stuff around for many years.

Also as a cub scout.. our pack took orders for doughnuts one
weekend and then delivered them the next. and we sold a LOT of
doughnuts...it's hard for people to resist cute kids and
doughnuts!

Our Scout troop has also in recent years sold drinks at car
shows and corn mazes, parades, etc. Easy money maker!!!
especially on a hot day...

I have also heard of troops setting up a free coffee station
on memorial day and labor day weekends at rest areas along
interstates. Even though the coffee and hot chocolate are
free...people always give donations and they say they make a
pretty large amount of money.
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RWSmith
Counselor

Joined: 13 Jul 2004
Posts: 55
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 08:44 am Post subject:

Guneukitschik wrote:
I have also heard of troops setting up a free coffee
station on memorial day and labor day weekends at rest
areas along interstates. Even though the coffee and hot
chocolate are free...people always give donations and
they say they make a pretty large amount of money.

What a cool idea!
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Bob Smith, OA, NESA, DAV
ADC, Apache District

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 08:47 am Post subject:

The rest area idea is great but I think the hard part would be
that you would probably have to set it up for a holiday
weekend....which means that half your troop is most likely
traveling with the rest of america....
good thing....you don't need 25 boys to hand out free
coffee...

Did you know too that Radio Stations are required by the FCC
to give PSAs or Public Service Announcements. A boy scout
troop falls into this catagory...therefore you can send the
Radio Station the information about your fundraiser and get
some great free advertising!
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Buffalo Bill
First Class

Joined: 15 Jul 2004
Posts: 54
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 10:29 am Post subject:

I like the free advertising idea.

Golf Tournaments have been pretty successful for some units.

I've found it has been extremely difficult to get our guys to
do any type of selling door-to-door. Popcorn or Scoutorama
(Scout Show) ticket sales by individuals are dismal. If we
arrange to sell at a local Wally World or our Base Exchange
(military store) we generally do well. It's just the
door-to-door selling that's poor.

One explanation that I've gotten is that there's just too many
activities trying for the same money, or that there are just
too many activities out there vying for time.

I know there are many success stories. I just wish I could
figure out how it would work for us.

B2
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Bill Britt
Scoutmaster
Troop 509
Hurlburt Field, FL

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 10:32 am Post subject:

I think it comes down to Trial and Error!

What works well in one area may not work in another?
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[optimist]

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optimist
Advancement Chairman

Joined: 27 Jun 2004
Posts: 148

Posted: 11 Aug 2004 11:54 am Post subject:

Guneukitschik wrote:
Did you know too that Radio Stations are required by the
FCC to give PSAs or Public Service Announcements. A boy
scout troop falls into this catagory...therefore you can
send the Radio Station the information about your
fundraiser and get some great free advertising!

I'm a part time DJ and what you are saying is absolutely true.
However, there is something people should keep in mind if they
want to take advantage of this. While the station must do
PSAs, they don't necessarily have to do yours during the
morning and evening rush hours. If your PSA is only ever said
once at three in the morning, it won't do you much good.

It's real easy to get your PSA moved to the front of the pack.
Give good information in an easily readable form. Here are two
examples from my radio station:

Quote:
Red Cross Blood Drive
Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton
Friday, August 20, 2004 at 11:00:00 AM - 4:00:00 PM
Appointments are encouraged, but not necessary. Walk-ins
are welcome and all donors will receive a free gift.
Call Jillian Walker for more information or to make a
donor appointment at 770-836-9202.

Quote:
Earth Angels Show Band Dance
The Mansion, Carrollton
Saturday, August 21, 2004 at 7:00:00 PM - 11:00:00 PM
It's a night of rock and roll and great food to benefit
St. Margaret's Community Outreach. Four girl singers
cover the music of Tina Turner, the Supremes, and more.
The cost is $50 per person or $80 for two, including the
food. For more details call 770-834-5282.

These are both good but the second one flows off the tounge a
little better than the first. I wish the one we had last week
was still available because it was horrible and would have
been a great example of the wrong way to do it. They are also
both short which is VERY important. You want to be able to
read the PSA in no more than 30 seconds. Including a phone
number for more details is also very important.

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Guneukitschik
Life

Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posted: 11 Aug 2004 12:47 pm Post subject:

good to know! THANKS!
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[Bigbird315]

I agree that different areas should be considered. We are a small rural troop and find it very hard for fundraising. Our community is small and like many areas feeling the economy crunch. Any ideas on a fundraiser for this situation? Please no popcorn or first aid kits. We haven't had good response to these. These are country scouts and are outdoorsmen.
They are willing to help community but it is difficult to get their support.
Bigbird 315
http://www.erinbsa.org

Edit by optimist: Removed 382 lines of quoted material.

[Guneukitschik]

I think you should try a car wash or some other type of service. In the winter you could shovel driveways, etc...

Ham Sandwich sales work great too...everyone has to eat sooner or later and the price usually isn't too bad so most don't mind buying a few.

One patrol in our troop has even trimmed shrubs and raked leaves to raise money for their patrol.

I've also found that if you tell them what the money is being raised for...ie: summer camp, new equipment, etc... rather than just "Boy Scouts" people don't seem to mind donating if they know exactly where the money is going.

I've also seen troops sell T-shirts, etc with their town name on it for a special occassion/event.

[Bob White]

A reminder..
that even if the product is advertised in Boys' Life that does not mean it will be approved as a fundaraiser by your council for use with the BSA trademark names and images.

The rule is that if it is a commercially 'branded' product then you cannot wear the scout uniform, use the scouting name, or symbols, in the promotion, sales presentation or delivery of the product. Your local council is the legal controlling authority of the BSA name and they must be notified of any unit money earning project to determine if the BSA name and symbols may be used.

As an example, when you sell concil popcorn you can wear the BSA uniform, and say that the money is for your scout unit and the council etc.

If you sell Krispy Kreme donuts, or discount coupons for a store or restaraunt the council can require that you not wear the uniform or mention scouting in any way as part of the promotion, sale or delivery.

You can say "I am selling these to benefit the youth group of my school, church, VFW, etc.

Units do not have the legal authority to attach the name of the BSA or its licensed symbols to the promotion of a commercial product.

You will find these rules and others governing fundraising on the back of the Unit Money Earning Application.

[Mrw]

Our one cub pack runs a kiddie carnival each year during the annual Twinsdays festival in town. They charge a quarter a game and everyone wins. The prizes are mostly penny candy and all that really cheap stuff your kids loved and you hated. They make over $1200 per year with this.

If your town has some sort of festival, maybe you can run something like this.

The boys can help make ring toss games and bean bag toss games and such and then they get to run them. The Oriental Trading company supplies all those cheap prizes in bulk. Parents love to pay for the scout games as the kids are cute and the games are cheap compared to the adult games that you usually lose at.

The organizers list the Pack as a vendor and they get to set up on the tennis court in the park where the festival is.

[diamondbackAPL]

at the end of the month, our troop will do a coke wagon. it's actually just a canopy set up with food under it, and if you set it up in a busy location (especially in hot weather) you can make a lot of money.