1001 Fundraising Ideas | 1001 Fundraising Ideas

Winter Nature Lover Fundraiser

janet — Fri, 29 May 2009 01:16:49 +0000

Looking for a winter holiday fundraising idea you can feel good about? These easy to make winter suet feeders made from Birch branches will bring joy to birdlovers of all ages and food to hungry feathered friends. Market them as earth-friendly gifts that help nature. Use already dead birch or aspen wood and cut branches that are a big around as your forearm at 1-2 foot lengths. Drill several one-inch wide holes at a 45 degree angle (facing upwards) along the side of the branch and fill with suet balls (recipe below). Attach an eyebolt to the top as the hanger and a piece of wire long enough to hang down from a tree.

To make suet balls, combine whole wheat flour, corn meal, Crisco, chunky peanut butter and roll into balls. Freeze to hold their shape until ready to distribute the feeders. Sell recipe cards with the feeders to encourage long-term feeding and enjoyment.

Invite a bird enthusiast to make a presentation about winter birds where feeders are marketed and orders placed. Make feeders as a group activity with some hot chocolate and festive music.

Green Cleaning Kit Fundraiser

janet — Sun, 24 May 2009 16:13:59 +0000

As much as we don’t like to clean our houses, it must be done and it can be done in a green way with little cost. Why not help friends and neighbors “get the dirt” on eco-friendly cleaning solutions that are non-toxic and easy to make at home with simple ingredients. All you need is a bunch of fun sponges and empty spray bottles with unique shapes or decorations to sell these quick cleaners. Why not jazz it up and make a green cleaning kit with a wash bucket/basket with a handle, recipe cards for making replacement cleaners, and feather dusters tied up with colorful hemp string. Your group can also hold a workshop to help people make and take their own cleaning solutions and kits. Why not offer to do windows to demonstrate the cleaning solutions while you’re at it? The ingredients you’ll need include water, borax (in place of bleach), baking soda, washing soda, lemon juice, vegetable oil-based liquid soap. Here are some recipes to get you started:

Creamy Soft-Scrubber: 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a frosting-type texture. For heavy-duty jobs, add washing soda. Add borax for a disinfectant. Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Scoop onto a reuseable sponge or cloth and clean. This is great for cleaning bathtubs.

Window Cleaner: Combine 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap, 3 Tablespoons of vinegar with 2 cups water in a spray bottle and shake. Use newspaper to wipe clean without any streaking.

Linoleum Floor Cleaner: Blend 1/4 cup liquid soap, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 gallons of warm water in a pail. Wash floors with a reuseable mop.

Oven Greener-Cleaner: Sprinkle water on spills, cover with baking soda, sprinke on more water. Let sit overnight, wipe grease with rag or sponge. Use mild abrasive pad to loosen stubborn spills. Complete by sponging entire oven with liquid soap to rinse out all baking soda.

Credit: Annie Berthold-Bond

Find more recipes at: Care2 Make a Difference

Fundraising Ideas for Bird Lovers

janet — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:29:39 +0000

Birdwatching is one of the most popular and enjoyable pasttimes for wildlife viewing. Why not encourage people to join in this hobby and raise awareness of local bird populations at the same time. Bird houses and feeders can be made from a wide variety of items that you probably have in your garage or home. Obtain local bird checklists and provide them along with the feeders, or create information sheets about different species while teaching kids in your organization to identify common birds. Also consider providing baggies of birdseed, creatively packaged to go along with your feeders.

Check out these ideas for re-using milk jugs and food tins from the EEK! Web site for kids at dnr.wi.gov/eek/ and search for “Recycle for the Birds.”

Another way to provide shelter for birds is to grow gourds that can be dried, painted, and made into beautiful birdhouses. You’ll want to choose from a wide variety of hard-skinned gourds suitable to your growing area. Other art, such as bowls or planters can also be made. This is a longer term project and will take a growing season and over-winter to dry the gourds.

Make your fundraiser even more successful by combining it with an Earth Day celebration.

Nature Bags for a Cause

janet — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:27:56 +0000

This is a creative fundraising project for kids of all ages.

Use plain paper bags of any size to create pieces of art by simply placing a leaf beneath the paper with the veins facing upwards, and use colorful crayons to make leaf rubbings all over the surface. Other natural objects such as maple seeds (called samaras), or pine needles, can be used as well. Bark rubbings can also make a design interesting.

Use your completed projects as your next fundraiser. Sell the bags at events where shoppers need bags for their produce, art, plants, or baked goods. Or, make themed party gift bags to be sold in groups of 10 for birthday party goody bags.

Cards That Say You Care About the Earth

janet — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:25:59 +0000

Using natural objects and some creativity, you can create greeting cards that show you care for the earth and raise funds for your special projects. This project can be as creative as you like, and can also reuse paper and decorative items you already have on hand. Leave the cards blank for any occasion.

Start with making your own paper from old paper products, thread and colorful objects. The directions for papermaking can be found on this fun and educational Web site called EEK!-Environmental Education for Kids at: http://www.dnr.wi.gov/eek/. Many flower seeds can also create fun designs, or add them into your paper mix to make an instant garden card that can be planted by the recipient (be sure to only use non-invasive plant seeds). Black-eyed Susan or Purple Coneflower both make nice garden gift cards. Package the cards by reusing gift bags, ribbon ties, or wrapped in leftover fabric.

Consider running this fundraiser in conjunction with Earth Day for extra impact.