Fundraising Question

[JRTroop270]

How many fundraiser do your troops have each year? Are average how much money do you make from each?

[616kayak]

weve had 3 this year each made over 1000. they were all car washes. we sell tickets the two sundays before at our church for $5 and then work the third sat.
we have a system where the cars drive in a loop and go to the rinse/wheels station then to the soap stations, then the rinse with pressure cleaners to get soap off and finaly drying.

[JRTroop270]

thx kayak. my troops is only two each year. A hot dog sale this year made around 620 and pop corn sales with never brings in much for boys like me. Im trying to find out if i should recommend more fundraisers and the different types.

[Mrw]

We generally do two. Popcorn brings in about $2000 (I think).

This year we also sold some candy. We piggy-backed our order with the Cub pack and so doing it together could order enough for the higher commission. I think we made about enough to pay for the new embroidered neckercheifs the troop decided they wanted.

Often the second one has been a car wash.

[MisterChris]

Ole97 has had only one fundraiser for the last 29 years, Unfortunately it doesn't look like we'll make it to 30.

For the last 29 years we've had a food booth at the Mid south fair in Memphis. Started out in a 4x4 wooden snap-together box, selling cornbread.

Now we're in a 28' semi trailer with A/C and convection ovens and range tops, selling Fresh stoneground cornmeal, cornbread, red beans and rice, white bean soup, and a ton of other southern foods. Parents work 3 shifts in a 13-day fair to pay for the troop.

You can read about all that on the website.

Now it looks like the fair has sold the Amusement Park which drew a lot of business, and there's been a steady rise in crime and police presence (to combat or deter the crime) and we've been steadily losing profits.

So we're looking at alternatives. Makes me sad that an era in the troop will be over.

[deweylure]

currently our troop has 1 which is selling wreaths at Christmas. I am trying to get the SM approval for the district sponsore popcorn sale. Wreath sales brought 1800.00 Popcorn sales brought in 2500-3000.




we did the popcorn sale at the local hardware store on a Saturday morning. Best day was 1500.00 that gave us as profit 450.00 for 7hours.

deweylure

[ICanCanoeCanU]

Our troop has tried many things through the years but the one's that are constant are the popcorn sale and candy bars in the spring.

[riverwalk]

MisterChris, that's an impressive operation. Kudos to you and your people for that great Scouting effort. It's sad when certain conditions force changes. Hopefully you can find a way to dovetail in with other local conferences/conventions or whatever. One idea might be to work through business leaders that serve on local Councils' boards. Perhaps they can ensure you a seat at the table so-to-speak, haha.

Another idea for that resource and talent, is Emergency Preparedness. We're encouraged to do more Prep in that area, and perhaps your specialized capability would be a valuable component in disasters??

Locally, besides BSA type fundraisers, some Units do garage/yard sales. Besides some income from this, it also lets them greet possible new recruits, haha.

This may not be practical for a Unit, but I'm getting something now from Hawkeye Area Council. They're having an ebay auction, and I'm on there too much, so I found them. This helps their Council.

[JRTroop270]

Ole97 has had only one fundraiser for the last 29 years, Unfortunately it doesn't look like we'll make it to 30.

For the last 29 years we've had a food booth at the Mid south fair in Memphis. Started out in a 4x4 wooden snap-together box, selling cornbread.

Now we're in a 28' semi trailer with A/C and convection ovens and range tops, selling Fresh stoneground cornmeal, cornbread, red beans and rice, white bean soup, and a ton of other southern foods. Parents work 3 shifts in a 13-day fair to pay for the troop.

You can read about all that on the website.

Now it looks like the fair has sold the Amusement Park which drew a lot of business, and there's been a steady rise in crime and police presence (to combat or deter the crime) and we've been steadily losing profits.

So we're looking at alternatives. Makes me sad that an era in the troop will be over.

Chris, here in Tucson we have things like your booth but they sell on the side of some busy streets. There is one that makes about 20000 a year just selling on the weekends. Maybe your troop could do that.

[MisterChris]

Thanks, guys, for the good ideas. I will pass the street-corner weekend issue up to the SM and see what he says. I think our trailer requires a power and water hookup.

SM offered our booth locally here to serve hot meals to refugees up from the coast but FEMA said they had it covered. All we really would have needed was hookups, adults to man the booth, and food to cook.

Oh well. I will certainly pass on the idea of a street vendor on weekends.
During the 13-day fair we grossed at our peak close to 20k, but still netted about half that. Last year we grossed around 10k (less than 1000/day) and netted about 4k. Setup costs are large. Just having a booth at the fair is an expensive venture.

[Lynda J]

The boys do popcorn and two carwashes. Then the adults work NASCAR at Texas Motor Speedway. We work the sponsor booths for the catering company. Make they pay us about $60.00 per adult that works for about 6 hrs. THen every other year we also work the Air Show at the base. Last time we make nearly $1000 for that. We are a small troop in a small community. Our popcorn sales always hit at the same time that the band it doing a big fund raiser. Plus last year we had lots of complaints about the popcorn. The price for one and microwave leaked the oil out of the containers and burned. We are seriously thinking about not doing popcorn next year.

[vpalango]

We do wreath sales, a booth & parking at a community art festival, and christmas tree pick up. We don't do popcorn, as our parents/committee do not enthusiasticaly support that program.

Our fund-raising is very dependant on the arts festival. In good years (festival on a weekend with good weather) we do great. In some bad years we've lost money on the event.

We've thought about adding in a pancake breakfast, or maybe a car wash.

[Chief J]

We do a couple of car washes in the summer. each one nets about $150 for about 3-4 hours work. (start around 8:00 AM, Scouts begin to peter out around 11:00 or Noon). These proceeds go to the Troop.

We do sell hoagies about 2-3 times a year, popcorn, and Christmas Wreaths and all of the profits are allocated to Scout Accounts for their use to defray the cost of Scouting.

Our Chartered Organization also budgets a donation to the Troop and Pack each year.

Chief J

[ASM-142]

weve had 3 this year each made over 1000. they were all car washes. we sell tickets the two sundays before at our church for $5 and then work the third sat.
we have a system where the cars drive in a loop and go to the rinse/wheels station then to the soap stations, then the rinse with pressure cleaners to get soap off and finaly drying.

If I remember correctly, scouts can not charge for a service (such as a car wash) and can only accept donations

[Mrw]

I know we have had a specific charge for car washes in the past. The most recent though have been free for donations as we found people will put more in the bucket that way and the profits are higher.

[Scouter1983]

ASM-142 is right Boy Scouts are not suppose to charge for a service such as a car wash. Should be donations only.

[616kayak]

any one know why this rule is the way it is.
then i guesse with a $5 or more $ donation my troop will wash your car.

[ASM-142]

Additionally, troops are required to complete the UNIT MONEY-EARNING APPLICATION prior to any fundraising.

[PaulSWolf]

If I remember correctly, scouts can not charge for a service (such as a car wash) and can only accept donations

Can you provide documentation for that? I believe it's an "urban legend". In fact the rule, as I understand it, is that there must be some value for service, not that you can't charge. (i.e. no raffles, etc.)

Here's some text from the Unit Money-Earning Application at http://www.scouting.org/forms/34427.pdf :

Even when sales are confined to parents and friends, will they get their money’s worth from any product they purchase, function they attend, or services they receive from your unit?
Here again is the principle of value received—a sale standing on its own merit—so that the recipients are not in any way subsidizing either Scouting or the member. Youth members must learn to pay their own way and to honestly earn the money to do it. You cannot permit anyone to use the good name of Scouting to sell a product.

Seems to me from the portion that reads " ... will they get their money’s worth from any ... services they receive from your unit?" implies that you can and are expected to charge for a service you perform as part of a money-earning project.

[wagionvigil]

Yep Urban Legend
Have your car wash Make sure you fill out the proper paper work ahead of time and get it approved.