• Arrange for use of a parking lot that gets a lot of visibility and traffic. (Think grocery store, mall parking lot, football stadium.)
• Sign up participants ahead of time to collect food donations in the trunks of their cars. Encourage school and church groups to put together a team to participate. Local businesses can also get in on the fun and challenge their local competitors.
• Encourage the participants to decorate their trunks.
• Have celebrity judges vote for the best decorated trunk.
• Supporters can “vote” for the best decorated trunk by placing non-perishable food items in the trunk of their choice.
• Set up a donation box for those that perfer to give a monetary donation instead.
• Have music, games, prizes, and trick or treat candy to hand out.
• Sell food and beverages for those that come to parcipate and volunteer for the event. Proceeds of refreshment sales can also be donated to the food pantry.
• Get the local media to come out and cover the event.

• Ask friends, family and supporters for donations of their old jeans, overalls, hats, gloves pillowcases and button down shirts.  If not enough is gathered, you can visit your local Goodwill or other thrift store
• Decide how you will make the heads.  You can either use stuffed pillowcases, pumpkins, or even the thigh part of stretch pants secured on each end and stuffed to capacity.
• Locate, purchase or…even better….secure a donation of straw.  (Note: loose straw will work best.  If you cannot locate, baled will work fine, just be sure to break up the straw beforehand) Also, decide if you will have a T support of wooden poles inside, or simply have a sitting scarecrow, which are simpler!
• Secure a location.  Straw is messy, so a field or parking lot that can be easily blow off will work best.  Bear in mind that the more visual your location, the more your sales will be!
• Decide if you will have pre-made scarecrows or if you will allow customers to choose their own “outfit” for their scarecrow.  Keep in mind you can charge more for the personalized option, but you will need more labor force on hand at the event.
• Secure with twine all legs and arm holes ahead of time.  Button and snap all fasteners.
• Stuff with straw, and attach heads with a dowel and rope.  Again, this can be done ahead of time, or at the event depending on your preference and or/helpers.
• Consider a Buy 1, get  1/2 off  a second to increase your sales.
• Make and distribute flyers, and ADVERTISE ADVERTISE  ADVERTISE!!!

Offer the plants for sale at home events, through the school website or newsletter, distribute flyers and give each student an order sheet to sell to their family & friends.

This event can work at all times of the year. For Easter, the plants might be Easter Lilies or Tulips. At Christmas, they might be small potted evergreen trees or poinsettias.

Traveling Potty Fundraiser

• Decide on the type of lollipop you want to make….chocolate? caramel? hard candy?  Look on the internet to get good ideas.
• Buy celophane bags, and thick paper or wooden sticks, and pretty ribbon at a craft or cooking store
• Ask other group supporters to help you make the lollipops
• Decide on a price for the finished product
• Sell at home events, the office, grocery stores, etc…

If you have a male principal who is a good sport….and you are raising money school function…..here is a creative fundraising idea!  Ask your principal if he’d be willing to grow a true handlebar mustache if your goal is reached!

• Set a fundraising goal for the school
• Explain to the kids that if they reach their fundraising goal, their principal has agreed to grow a large handlebar mustache
• Ask the kids to solicit volunteers to support their school. Make sure they explain that they are hoping to make their principal grow an obscenely huge handlebar mustache.
• Set a timeline for donations to be collected. Consider revealing the amount of donated funds during an assembly.

If the goal is reached, be sure to take a picture of the principal in full mustache for thank you notes. Make sure to send thank you notes to the participants even if the goal is not received….just without the picture!

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Free Training Videos for Nonprofits

• For the Expectant mother – Find a container that can be used for a child’s items. Add small sized diapers, diaper crème, burp cloths, teething toys, and other items necessary for a newborn.
• For the Girly Girl – Put together a pampering basket.  Find a pretty container, and add bath salts, pedicure items, a pretty and classic red nail polish, lotions, etc…
• For the dog lover – Find a large, stainless steel dog bowl, and put in a pet hair lint roller, gourmet dog treats, I love my dog magnets or picture frames, coffee mugs etc…make sure what you add are items that any dog lover would like.
• For the Car Lover – Find a galvanized steel container or an even a 5 gallon bucket.  Add a classic car magazine, car wash supplies, chamois cloths, or anything else a car aficionado would like.

You should be able to find all the necessary items at your local craft store.  Make sure to purchase high quality products such as paint that will not chip, strong magnets and pretty tiles.  If you are a creative person, there are several other types of magnets that can be made.  For instance, you can make magnets from different materials such as wood, cardstock or fabric pieces. 

 I would suggest that you incorporate your groups theme, name or mascot into the finished product as a daily reminder to your supporters of what you are raising money for.   Sell the magnets for a price that you decide on at home events, to friends, family and group supporters.  You could even offer to gift bag/box them for an additional $1.

Recently, my family and I wanted to go out of town, but as we have pets…1 a dog that has no idea she’s a dog… we were forced to inconvenience my parents by asking them to come stay at our house.  There are several pet sitting services in our area, but they are all very expensive.  Many peoples budgets simply can’t handle the cost of a service plus a get-away.

Ask for volunteers from your teen youth group or sports team.  MAKE SURE THEY ARE RELIABLE!!  They will be going into peoples homes, so they MUST be trustworthy.

Consider a price per visit, or even consider simply asking that a donation be given.  Depending on participation, sometimes a donation will raise the most money.  Print a list of services and considerations such as: Do you want to charge per day, or by number of trips to check on pets welfare…how about overnight costs,  prices for walking, brushing, or even bathing.

Distribute flyers wherever possible.  Consider asking groomers and vets if they would allow you to post literature to support your cause.

Due to the fact that minors will be involved, make sure to obtain parental consent and/or participation.  Many people look at their pets as family members, so be aware of that fact and choose volunteers wisely:-)

• Ask a few friends over for coffee and to help your group
• Have each person bring a few old cards that they have saved, or any scrapbooking supplies they would like to contribute
• Make tags for gift boxes or bags.  Box or bag them for sale in sets.  Make sure the packaging is pretty, and consider selling 10 tags for 4.99, or whatever price you feel comfortable with, depending on the quality of finished product.
• Distribute and sell at group events