101 Top Fundraising Ideas
#101 Watermelon Feast
Buy a bunch of watermelons and sell it by the slice. Have a donation box, too.
This is a good one to do after your church softball games or school event.
Items needed:
q
Watermelonsq
Napkinsq
A knife to cut the watermelonsq
A box or jar to collect donationsTime required: 30 min. to one hour
Amount you can expect to raise: $25- $100
How you can make it happen:
1. Announce the watermelon feast a week or so before you plan to have it.
2. Keep the watermelon on ice to keep it cold.
3. Be generous with your slices to make them worth the money.
4. Have games and music to make it more fun.
#100 Grapefruit Seed Donations
Buy or get a donation of a box of grapefruit, apples, and oranges or use the
watermelon from the previous fundraising idea. Go door-to-door or do this at a
get together. Give each person a piece of fruit and ask them to donate 25 cents
per seed. Don’t use bananas, peaches or kiwis for obvious reasons.
Items needed:
q
FruitTime required: 1 or 2 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $25- $100 (at 25 cents per seed)
How to make it happen:
1. Buy a box of fruit or see if a grocery store would be willing to donate
it to you.
2. Go door-to-door or distribute the fruit at the event.
3. Have each person count their seeds and collect the money in a jar.
# 99 Shopping List
Make a list of things you will need for the trip that is not included in the base
price. The things can consist of soap, shampoo, bug spray, medical shots,
sleeping mat, etc. Send this list out to potential supporters or post in at your
church and then they can purchase the items for you.
Items needed:
q
Shopping listTime required: 30 min. (this will actually save you time because you will have
less shopping to do)
Amount you can expect to raise: $25- $100
How to make it happen:
1. Make a list of the different things you will need.
2. Plan on making an announcement in church or send a letter with the list
included.
3. Ask people to contact you before they go shopping so you don’t end up
with 30 bars of soap and 5 bottles of shampoo!
#98 Donut Delight
Have the youth group get donuts and coffee either donated or bought and bring them
to church each Sunday. Before and after the service, set the food out and let
people buy them for a set price. You could also set a jar on the table to accept
donations.
Items needed:
q
Donutsq
Coffeeq
Coffee creamer and sugarq
Coffee mugs or cupsq
Napkinsq
Plastic spoonsTime required: 1 hour each Sunday
Amount you can expect to raise: $25- $100 each Sunday
How to make it happen:
1. Get permission from your pastor before setting up. Buy donuts each
Sunday (make sure they are fresh) and set them out neatly on the counter
or on a small table.
2. Have a small sign on the table to show how much the items cost and what
the money is for.
3. Serve your customers and be as friendly as possible.
# 97 Skip A Movie For Missions
Get people to figure up the amount of money that it would cost them to take their
family to the movie. Then ask them if they would be willing to skip the movie and
donate that amount of money to your mission fund.
Items needed:
q
NoneTime required: 2 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $150- $300
How to make it happen:
1. Figure up the amount the movie, a bag or popcorn, and a drink would cost
in your community.
2. Explain the trip and the fundraiser to the customer.
3. Ask if they would be willing to skip the movie and be a part of you
mission trip.
#96 Mall Masquerade
Have adults get dressed up in disguises and hide in the mall. Teens from the
youth group go looking for them in pairs. If the adults are found, they have to
pay the teens the money that they pledged before the masquerade.
Items needed:
q
The adults must find their own disguises.Time required: 2 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $100- $200
How to make it happen:
1. Explain to the participants how it works a couple days before the
masquerade. This will give them time to find a good disguise.
2. Set a time limit.
3. Limit the hunt and seek area to public, main mall areas and rule
individual stores off limits. This will avoid looking suspicious to any
store employees.
#95 Ironman Contest
Get some of the men from your church to get involved in your fund raising. Hold
an Ironman contest in which several men have a race to see who can iron the most
shirts the fastest. Have the wives be their coaches and make a trophy for the
winner. Have people in the audience pledge a certain amount of money per each
shirt that a certain participant irons.
Items needed:
q
Ironing boardsq
Ironsq
Timerq
Shirtsq
TrophyTime required: 3 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $100- $200
How to make it happen:
1. Ask men from your church if they would be willing to participate
in your contest.
2. Set up the contest like a TV game show.
3. Ask someone to keep a running commentary on the contestants
during the action.
4. Get judges and have them judge on things like completed shirt,
creases on sleeves and overall crispness of shirt.
5. For the trophy, go to a garage sale or thrift store and buy an
old iron. Mount it on a block of wood. Spray paint it gold.
6. Collect the money when it is all over.
#94 Memorize-A-Thon
Here is a fund-raiser that has spiritual benefits as well as financial ones. Get
all the people in your youth group to commit to memorize as many scripture verses
as they can in one week. Have people find sponsors who are willing to pay them a
certain amount for each scripture they memorize. Have a get-together at the end
of the week and have each youth group member recite the verses they learned.
Items needed:
q
Biblesq
Note cardsTime required: The amount of time you are willing to spend memorizing verses.
Amount you can expect to raise: $100- $200
How to make it happen:
1.
Hand out sponsor sheets to the youth members who are participating andhave them find sponsors.
2.
Start memorizing scripture and enjoying growing closer to God.3.
Collect money when it is over.#93 Mary Kay and Avon
Sometimes you can work deals with Mary Kay or Avon representatives to help them
sell their products. Call local representatives to see what you can sell and how
much you can make off of each product.
Items needed:
q
RepresentativesTime required: As long as you can sell the products for the representative.
Amount you can expect to raise: $300- $500
How to make it happen:
1.
Call a local representative selling Avon, Tupperware or Mary Kay.2.
Ask them if they would be willing to help you raise funds and what youcould sell and how much your profit would be.
3.
Set up a time to meet with them so that they can explain their productto you so you will be knowledgeable when selling it.
4.
Set a time to end selling and collect money from your customers and yourrep.
5.
Be friendly and remember whom you are representing.#92 Drive-In Movie Night
Project a movie on the side of your church and have a drive-in movie. People can
watch from their cars in the parking lot. Accept donations only. Charging
admission is a violation of the copyright law.
Items needed:
q
Movieq
Pop and popcorn (optional)q
4 large bed sheetsq
Movie projectorq
Large speakers to project soundTime required: 4 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $150- $300
How to make it happen:
1.
Check with the neighbors around the church to see if the noise will be aproblem.
2.
Hang the sheets on the side of the building to make a screen to show themovie on.
3.
Set up a stand of some kind to collect money as people enter.4.
To make a little more money, sell popcorn or other snacks.#91 Eggs-traordinary Support
Go door-to-door with a carton of eggs. Explain your trip and offer to sell them
an egg for $1 to go toward your trip. Some people like to put a twist on this and
charge an extra 50 cents to let the buyer crack the egg on your head.
Items needed:
q
Permanent markersq
A carton of eggsq
Something to collect money inTime required: 2 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $100- $200
How to make it happen:
1.
Explain your trip and how this fund-raiser works at each house.2.
Write on the egg with permanent marker as a reminder if they don’tchoose to crack it.
#90 The Infamous Support Letter
Compile a list of everyone you know. Type a letter telling them what you are
doing this summer. Remember to include the 5 most important questions who, what,
when, where and why. Tell them who to make the donations out to and where to send
it.
Items needed:
q
Envelopesq
Paperq
Access to a type writer or computerq
Addresses of friends and familyq
StampsTime required: 2 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $100- $500
How you can make it happen:
1.
Get the addresses of all your friends and family.2.
Address the envelopes and stamp them.3.
Write the letter and then type it and print them off.4.
Fold the letters and send them in the mail.5.
Follow up on your letters and send out another letter if needed.#89 Bigger and Better Hunt
Put your youth group in teams and give them each a penny. The teams then have a
certain amount of time to trade what they have for something bigger and better.
Items needed:
q
PenniesTime required: One hour plus the time you would spend having a garage sale or
auction.
Amount you can expect to raise: $25- $100
How to make it happen:
1.
The youth group meets at a central location for instructions.2.
Divide them into teams of 3 or 4 and give each team a penny.3.
Then give the teams an hour to go from house to house trying to tradewhat they have for something bigger and better.
4.
After the teams have met up again, the team with the biggest and bestitem wins and all of the items collected are used for a garage sale or
auction.
#88 Penny Drive
Go door-to-door in your neighborhood collecting pennies and other coins.
Items needed:
q
Jars for the coinsq
Name tags for everyone in your groupTime required: 2 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1.
Give each person in the group a nametag.2.
Have people in your group travel in groups of two or more.3.
Give each team a jar in which to collect the money and send them out.4.
Going door-to-door, explain what you are doing and ask for loose change.#87 Hair-A-Thon
Do you know a hairdresser? Ask him or her to donate a day or two volunteering to
cut hair for donations.
Items needed:
q
A jar or bucket for donationsTime required: Just the time it takes to call the hairdresser.
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Talk to the hairdresser and make sure he or she understands your trip
and your fund raising idea.
2. Make a poster and decorate your jar for donations.
3. Advertise the event.
#86 Personalized Cookies
Take orders for holiday cookies. Offer to personalize them and deliver them.
Almost like a singing telegram, only it’s a cookie gram!
Items needed:
q
Any ingredients you need to make the cookiesq
Cookie sheets and bowlsq
Frostingq
A car for delivery and a driver if you don’t have your licenseq
Plastic wrap or Zip-locq
Order formsTime required: 2 hours to take orders - 4 hours making cookies - 2 hours
delivering cookies. Cookies may be ordered for different holidays, so this
time may be divided.
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Start taking orders a couple weeks before you plan to start making and
delivering cookies.
2. Sell the cookies for 75 cents each and 25 cents extra to have it
delivered.
3. Make the cookies BIG so that they are worth the money.
4. Be sure to have a calendar specifically for this event so that you can
keep close track of when every order is to go out. (Birthday’s can
easily be forgotten.)
5. Wrap the cookies in plastic wrap or Zip-Loc bags to keep them fresh.
6. Make sure to guarantee that the cookies will be delivered on time or
their money back.
#85 Recycle
Have a can and bottle drive.
Items needed:
q
Bags to put the cans and bottles inTime required: 2 - 3 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Make signs to advertise.
2. Set-up in a location that is easily accessible.
3. Separate the recyclable items as they are brought in.
4. Take them to a redemption center and collect your refund.
#84 Christmas Post Office
Set a box in the entry way of your church starting a month or two before
Christmas. Church members drop their Christmas cards, which are intended for
other church members, in the box. They pay the amount they would normally pay to
send the mail, or they give a donation. The youth group then delivers the mail
after the service.
Items needed:
q
Box to drop mail inTime required: 15 minutes each Sunday
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100 depending on the congregation size
How to make it happen:
1. Ask your pastor if it is all right to set up your “post office” in the
church.
2. Put an announcement in the church bulletin every week starting the week
before you begin your post office service.
3. After each service, sort through and quickly deliver the mail so that no
one will leave without their mail.
#83 Sell Seasonal Items
Sell Christmas cards, for example. Get a variety of kinds (funny, serious, cards
with scripture verses) so that they appeal to a wider audience.
Items needed:
q
Product being soldTime required: 2 days (one for door-to-door sales, one for delivery)
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Get a product or a catalog of the product you are selling.
2. Go door-to-door to show your product and take orders.
3. Be sure to tell each person you talk to exactly what you are raising
money for.
4. Be sure to tell the buyers how long it will be before their order comes
in, if you have to order it.
5. Be prompt. Deliver it as soon as you get it.
#82 Valentine Balloons
Selling helium balloons can be a great fundraiser around Valentine’s Day.
Items needed:
q
Balloonsq
Ribbonq
Helium tankTime required: 2 hours for blowing up balloons - 1 hour for delivery
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Take orders 3 weeks prior to the holiday.
2. Make arrangements with a local balloon shop to supply you with balloons
at wholesale prices (or maybe even at cost). Each person ordering a
balloon should fill out an order card with the name, address, and phone
number of the balloon recipient, and the seller’s name. Leave a space
on the other side of the card for a message from the sender to the
recipient.
3. The customer then pays for the balloon and returns the card to the
seller. Collect all the cards several days before Valentine’s Day and
group them by geographic areas.
#81 Thirty Pieces Of Silver
At Easter time, an effective way to receive a special offering from your youth is
to have everyone bring a plastic sandwich bag with thirty pieces of silver in it
(the amount for which Jesus was betrayed).
Items needed:
q
NoneTime required: 20 minutes to explain the fundraiser and the significance of the
thirty pieces.
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Ask the kids if they would be willing to help you pay for your trip.
2. Don’t explain to them what the thirty pieces signifies until the week
they bring the money. It will serve as a good visual, then.
#80 Granola Party
Have the youth group get together and have a party where they get to make their
own granola. Find a recipe that includes lots of good stuff like nuts, banana
chips, carbo chips, coconut, grains, honey, etc. Make it in mass quantities and
then bag it and sell it. You could also make jam, dried fruit, etc.
Items needed:
q
Ingredients for granolaq
Mixing bowls, spoons, etc.q
Plastic bags to put it inq
Labels for the bags of granolaTime required: 3 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Decide on the recipe that you are going to use.
2. Get all the ingredients for the granola (see if you can get it donated).
3. Make the granola and put a small amount in each bag.
4. Label the bags with a short description of the contents.
5. Sell the bags at church events, in your neighborhood, at school, or
anywhere.
#79 Coffee Hour
Host a coffee hour and invite friends, family, and church members. Charge a small
fee (maybe 25 cent - 75 cents) for the items you serve. Consider hosting one
weekly before church.
Items needed:
q
Coffee, hot chocolate, etc.q
Cookies, donuts, etc.q
A place to have coffee hour (maybe your living room)q
Tables and chairsTime required: 3 hours preparation - 1 or 2 hours for the event - 1 hour clean-up
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Make and hang signs and/or send invitations to advertise.
2. Bake cookies the night before.
3. Set up tables and chairs and a few decorations.
4. Serve your guests and play soft music to make it as comfortable as
possible. This is also a good opportunity to share more about your
trip.
#78 Make & Sell
Make and sell things like Bible or book covers, woodwork, printed note pads,
dolls, stuffed animals, etc.
Items needed:
q
Fabricq
Sewing machineq
Woodq
Paperq
Any other supplies you would need to make your productTime required: 1 week
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Decide on the product(s) you are going to make.
2. Make a sample to show people and then take orders.
3. Make them as soon as you get the orders, if at all possible, in case the
customer is using it as a gift.
4. This is a good fundraiser around Christmas.
#77 Lunch Break Sales
Set up a stand at school and sell things during lunch: candy, doughnuts, etc.
Items needed:
q
Whatever you are going to sellq
Small bills and coins for making changeq
A small table and a chairTime required: 30 minutes each day you sell
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Get permission from your principal to sell.
2. Advertise with small signs in the halls and on lockers.
3. Set up 5 to 10 minutes ahead of time.
4. It might be helpful to get a friend to help you.
#76 Door-To-Door Car Wash
This works just like a regular car wash only instead of the car finding you, you
find the car. Also, you can use the owners’ water.
Items needed:
q
Bucketsq
Soapq
Towelsq
Glass cleanerTime required: 30 minutes per car
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100 per every 10 cars washed
How to make it happen:
1. Give each participant in your youth group a bucket and send them out in
groups of three or four.
2. Knock on the doors and tell them about the trip you are raising money
for, then offer to wash their car(s) for a set fee.
3. Make sure that they know that you are using their water.
4. Be sure to do a good job and not to leave a mess in the driveway.
#75 Coupons For Missions
Get people to donate the money that they saved in a week by using coupons.
Items needed:
q
NoneTime required: 20 minutes
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Declare a certain week “Coupons for Mission Week.”
2. Get all participants to pledge to contribute to your project all the
money the save that week with grocery coupons.
#74 Business Eco-Bucks
Talk to several businesses about saving their aluminum cans, plastic bottles, etc.
and donating them to your cause. Set a recycling box somewhere in the business
and plan to empty the box and deliver the contents to the appropriate recycling
center on a regular basis.
Items needed:
q
Recycling boxesTime required: 30 minutes for each time you empty the boxes
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Meet with store managers and business owners to sell your project.
2. Come up with a good strategy for collecting the materials and delivering
them to the appropriate recycling centers.
#73 Buck-A-Roo Club
Get members of your congregation to join the Buck-a-roo Club. They can join by
donating one dollar per kid that is going on your mission trip.
Items needed:
q
NoneTime required: 20 minutes
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 25 - $ 100
How to make it happen:
1. Tell your congregation about how they can become a part of the Buck-aroo
Club.
2. Let them know how many kids are planning to go so that they know how
much money they are committing to.
#72 Rock-A-Thon
Have a twenty-four hour rock-a-thon involving everyone in your group. Each
participant sign up sponsors at a certain amount for every hour he rocks in this
rocking chair. Each person provides their own rocking chair and is required to
rock for at least four successive hours. Time breaks are allowed only for trips
to the bathroom, and the chair must be moving at all times.
Items needed:
q
NoneTime required: 24 hours plus time for gathering pledges
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Get people in your youth group to sign up to participate in the rock-a-
Hon.
2. Ask someone that is not participating in the rock-a-thon if they would
be willing to be there to serve drinks and snacks to the rockers.
3. Have a big clock in the room so each participant will know how long they
have been rocking.
4. Have a “secretary” to keep track of how long each rocker rocks.
5. Tell your sponsors how many hours you rocked and collect the money.
#71 Halloween Insurance
Advertise that you’re selling “Halloween insurance” for $5.00 and guarantee to
clean up any soapy windows and cars, eggs, smashed pumpkins, etc. the day after
Halloween.
Items needed:
q
“Insurance Policy”q
Cleaning suppliesTime required: 2 to 4 hours (depending on the amount of insurance you sell)
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Go door-to-door in your neighborhood and/or announce it at church or
another event.
2. Collect the money when the “insurance policy” is issued.
3. Be sure to use discretion when advertising. It is possible that kids
might hear about it and think it would be funny to leave you a bigger
mess than you bargained for.
4. Keep a copy of the “insurance policy” to make sure not to forget anyone.
5. On November 1, go to each customer and clean up.
#70 Parent’s Night Out
Offer one night (or several nights) in December for parents to let you watch their
kids. This is a great chance for parents to do some Christmas shopping.
Items needed:
q
A place to hold the eventq
Toys, games, and activities for the kidsTime required: 1 hour preparation - 4 hours baby sitting
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Advertise your event with signs and posters. Check with your pastor to
see if you can put it in the church bulletin and use the church’s
facilities.
2. Collect games and toys for the kids and get a friend or two to help you
in case there are more kids than you can handle.
3. Find a few friends to help with babysitting.
4. Be at the advertised location well ahead of time. Some parents may be
early.
5. Let the parents know ahead of time how much you will be charging per
hour for each child. Or take a free-will donation.
6. Be sure to specify the latest time that the parents can pick up their
kids.
#69 Pageant Purse
Most churches hold Christmas and Easter pageants at no charge. Why not charge a
small fee with the income going to your mission trip?
Items needed:
q
TicketsTime required: 30 minutes selling tickets at the door
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200. This price varies depending on
the size of your church
How to make it happen:
1. Ask your pastor if it would be all right to charge admission to the
pageant.
2. Be sure that the church knows the cost of tickets and what the money is
for before the date of the pageant.
3. Sell the tickets at the door and have a bucket for any additional
donations.
4. Before or after the pageant, tell a little about your trip.
#68 Ministry-A-Thon
Do civic or ministry related work and get people to sponsor you for an hourly
rate. Go minister in retirement homes or children’s hospitals, clean up around
the city, etc.
Items needed:
q
Any trash bags or cleaning supplies you would needTime required: This could vary depending on the job you do and the time you are
willing to commit.
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Talk to some civic leaders and church members about what you are doing
and see if they would be willing to sponsor you.
2. Decide on the approximate amount of time you are going to spend ahead of
time so that your sponsors can know about how much money they are
investing.
3. Find something to do that is a good ministry opportunity and is also
fun.
4. Do your best.
5. Collect money afterwards. Be honest about how much time you took.
#67 Door-to-Door Window Wash
Go door-to-door in your neighborhood and offer to wash windows for $5, 10$, or $15
depending on the size of the job. Also, offer to do lawns, clean garages, or
whatever needs done.
Items needed:
q
Bucket and spongeq
Cleaning suppliesq
Old clothesTime required: 1 or 2 hours per house
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Get your bucket and go.
2. Ask them what needs to be done and offer the price after you’ve seen how
big the job will be.
3. Do your best.
4. Collect money when the job is completed.
#66 Doggy Dip
Most pet owners hate to wash their pets, so have a doggy dip. Offer to give
peoples pets a bath for a set fee.
Items needed:
q
Several metal or plastic tubsq
Extra dog leashq
Towelsq
Dog shampooq
HoseTime required: 2 or 3 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Advertise with signs and posters around your neighborhood.
2. Use your church parking lot and set up the metal tubs where they are
easily seen.
3. Have the owners stand near by in case the dog needs to be calmed.
4. Wash and dry the pets
5. Collect the money when you are finished.
#65 Christmas Tree Pick-up Service
After Christmas, advertise a pick-up service for Christmas trees and oversized
boxes. Offer to take them to the dump for a flat fee and/or accept donations.
Items needed:
q
TrucksTime required: 4 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Find some means of disposing of the Christmas trees.
2. Advertise your service in the church bulletin, in your neighborhood,
and/or in the newspaper.
3. Get some on the people in your church donate the use of their trucks.
4. Have people call you to arrange the pick-up of their tree.
5. Go to each house, collect the money, and haul away their tree.
#64 Car Wash
Use your church parking lot or get permission to use the parking lot of a store.
Set out posters advertising your car wash and the price per car. Get the whole
youth group to help.
Items needed:
q
Hoseq
Sponges and bucketsq
Glass cleaner and soapq
Towelsq
PostersTime required: 1 day
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Get the necessary permission to use a parking lot.
2. Set up signs that show the price, the date of the car wash, and the
location clearly.
3. Be careful to do a quick, thorough, and good job.
4. Don’t leave a mess in the parking lot.
#63 Chili Cook-off
Form teams of youth vs. Church staff and have a chili (or some other food) cookoff.
Make an all day party of it. Then sell the food and auction some desserts.
Have the losers become the wait staff. Announce that all tips (regardless of who
wins) go to the missions trip.
Items needed:
q
Foodq
Drinksq
Table and chairsq
Pots and pansq
Plates, silverware, napkinsq
ApronsTime required: One day
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Get the whole church to come by advertising and really playing up the
competition.
2. Decide on the food you will be making and see if you can get a grocery
store to donate the food you need.
3. Set up ahead of time.
4. Decide if judging will be done by a panel or by popular vote.
5. Have fun.
#62 Posters
Make posters to explain a little about your missions trip and hang them in store
windows. Then decorate a jar and put it under the poster for people to put
donations.
Items needed:
q
Poster board or construction paperq
Markersq
Jar with a lid that you can put a slit inTime required: 1 - 2 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Get permission from store owners to put up your signs.
2. Make your posters colorful and use pictures, if possible, to draw
attention.
3. Set the jar and poster where it will be easily seen but will not be in
the way.
4. Collect the money on a daily or weekly basis.
#61 Holiday Art
Put the artistic people in the youth group to work decorating store windows.
Charge a flat rate and/or accept donations.
Items needed:
q
Tempera paintq
Paint brushesTime required: 1 or 2 hours per window
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Talk to different store owners about your trip and present them with the
idea of decorating the windows.
2. If they agree, on a sheet of paper make a sketch of what you plan to
paint on the window so that you can get the store owner to approve it.
3. Paint neatly and clean up any messes that you make.
4. Offer to wash the windows after the holidays.
5. Collect the money when you are finished.
#60 55+ Party
Have a social event for the senior adults in your church. Hold a potluck dinner,
but have the youth group’s parents donate the meals. Before the dinner, have a
short presentation about your trip. After the dinner, have games or entertainment
for them. The cost to come to the dinner would be a dime times their age. (Ex.:
55 yrs.=$5.50)
Items needed:
q
Donated mealsq
Tables and chairsq
Plates, silverware, and napkinsTime required: 4 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Send or hand out invitations to all the senior adults in your church.
2. Decide on a menu that is low sodium, low cholesterol, not too spicy, and
easy to chew.
3. Have it buffet-style, but offer to serve those who aren’t able to get it
themselves.
4. Have a couple youth sit at each table and mingle with the elderly
people.
5. Refill drinks as needed.
6. Send out thank-you notes after the event.
#60 Bake Sale
Spend a day baking cookies, cakes, etc., or get several people to help you bake.
Set up a table in front of a store or at church and sell the items you baked.
Items needed:
q
Ingredients for baked goodsq
Table(s)q
Small bills and rolls of coins to make changeq
Signs clearly stating prices and the purpose of the sale.q
Plastic wrapTime required: 1 day for baking - 1 day for selling
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Get a few friends or get your whole youth group to help you bake.
2. Wrap the food in plastic wrap.
3. Get permission from the store owner to set up a stand outside the door.
4. Set up signs and posters to get peoples attention.
5. Be cheerful. It works!
#59 Metal Money Maker
Your group can collect scrap metal. Call your local scrap metal yard to see what
they are buying. Take what you have and sell it.
Items needed:
q
Scrap metal (sheet metal, aluminum door frames, radiators, aluminum chairs,batteries, aluminum car bumpers, copper tubing and wire, iron, rain gutters,
and hot water heaters)
Time required: 2 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Find out the kind of scrap metal they are buying.
2. Collect those specific kinds of metal and deliver them to the scrap
metal yard.
3. Make sure that you have permission before taking items.
#58 Singing Valentine
Invite members of the congregation to secretly purchase a Valentine for their
sweetheart the Sunday before Valentine’s Day. On Valentine’s Day the youth group
goes to each house dressed in red and sings romantic or humorous love songs. Then
they present a Certificate of Affection to the recipient signed by the secret
admirer. You can also offer to deliver flowers or candy for an extra fee.
Items needed:
q
Certificatesq
Flowers (optional)q
Candy (optional)Time required: 5 to 10 minutes per house
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Get a list of songs to sing and start learning them a couple weeks
before delivery.
2. Take orders at church or over the telephone.
3. Make sure that everything stays confidential so that the surprise isn’t
ruined.
4. Deliver the message and have fun!
#57 Tennis Ball Race
Get people to “buy” a tennis ball from you. Then number each ball and dump all
the balls down a hill. The owner of the first ball to the designated finish line
wins a small portion of the profit. This is a great event to do during a fair.
Items needed:
q
Old tennis balls (Check with your school tennis team to see if they have somethat are too flat to use that they would be willing to donate.)
q
A front end loader to dump the tennis balls, or a gate to hold the tennisballs from rolling down the hill
q
Signs/ posters for advertisingTime required: 2 hours for preparation, set-up, and event
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Collect tennis balls from your school, friends, or sporting goods
stores.
2. Advertise.
3. Decide on how the tennis balls will be “released” and arrange for a
front end loader if one is needed.
4. Sell the tennis balls the day of the event for $2.00 a piece, for
example. Have them numbered ahead of time and give each buyer a number
on a piece of paper to identify his or her tennis ball.
5. Ask everyone to get their tennis ball after the event so that there
aren’t stray tennis
6. balls all over the neighborhood.
#56 Sub Sale
Take orders from friends, family, church members, and neighbors for submarine
sandwiches. Have an assembly day where you assemble the sandwiches in the morning
and have your customers pick up their sandwiches in the afternoon.
Items needed:
q
Meat, cheese, hoagie buns, etc.q
Tables for assemblyq
Plastic wrap or Zip-loc bagsTime required: One day
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Check with a grocery store owner to see if they would be willing to
donate the food or at least give you a discounted price.
2. Take orders well ahead of time so you can be sure to get the right
amount of food.
3. Assemble the sandwiches and wrap them.
4. Collect money when the customer receives their sandwich.
#55 Task Tradin’ Tickets
Sell coupons entitling the buyer to an hour of work from the student seller. You
may want to design two tickets - one with a higher purchase price for more
strenuous work or more than one hour of work, and one with a lower price for
easier work or just an hour of work. You can list on the tickets the types of
work that can be done.
Items needed:
q
Ticketsq
Supplies for doing the job you are assignedTime required: unlimited
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Advertise your coupons around the church or community.
2. Design some tickets.
3. When you have sold a ticket, set up a time when the buyer would like for
you to come and do the work.
4. If the buyer bought only one ticket for one hour of work, offer to sell
them another one when you finish your hour. They may be interested if
you prove to be a good worker.
#54 Sunday Sundae Fun
Sell tickets to a Sunday evening of ice cream sundaes and entertainment. Have a
variety of flavors and have the youth group entertain.
Items needed:
q
Ice cream (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry)q
Toppings (syrups, sprinkles, nuts, fruits, and whipped cream)q
Ice cream scoopersq
Bowls and spoonsq
Tables and chairsTime required: 3 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 100 - $ 200
How to make it happen:
1. Ask your local dairy, ice cream shop, or grocery store if they would be
willing to donate the food.
2. Sell tickets in advance so that you know how much food to get.
3. Take orders for the toppings and kind of ice cream they want and have
the youth group serve the customers.
#53 Contests
Have games or contests putting your youth group or class against the faculty or
church staff. You might consider one challenge each month.
Items needed:
q
Basketballs, ropes (tug-of-war), etc.q
Chairs for the audienceTime required: 3 hours per week or month
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Talk to your church board and/or teachers about participating in your
fundraiser.
2. Get some ideas for the different events you could hold.
3. Offer cookies and drinks to the winning team.
#52 Outside-Inside Party
This is a great fundraiser to do in the winter. Decorate a hall or large room so
that it looks like a park in springtime (plants, artificial turf, garbage cans,
picnic tables, “Don’t Litter” signs, etc.). Charge an admission fee or take
donations. Provide hot dogs and hamburgers and have those attending sign-up to
bring side dishes.
Items needed:
q
Large plants (these can be borrowed from local nurseries or businesses)q
Artificial turfq
Hamburgers and hotdogsq
Drinksq
Picnic tablesTime required: 1 week of preparation - 5 hours for set-up, meal, and clean-up
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Advertise this event in the church bulletin for a few weeks before it is
scheduled.
2. Start looking for plants that can be borrowed and tag each plant when it
is received so that it is easily identified and returned to the correct
owner.
3. Charge admission at the door and/or sell tickets in advance.
4. Have games such as badminton, croquet, and volleyball after the meal.
5. Have the guests provide their own plates, forks, etc.
#51 Face Painting
Open a face painting booth at a fair. Charge $1.00 per picture that they want
painted. Kids love this, so it can be a good fundraiser.
Items needed:
q
Paints or water color pencilsq
Paint brushesq
Poster of the pictures available and the pricesq
Booth (this could just be a table and two chairs)Time required: 4 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Get permission from the necessary people to set up your booth at the
fair. This is a popular booth, so ask early or someone may take your
idea.
2. Set up your booth with a chair for yourself and one for you customer.
3. Use pencils or paint to draw a small picture carefully and neatly on the
face of your customer.
4. Collect the money after you have painted the picture.
#50 Dinners
Have a church or community wide spaghetti supper, Mexican Fiesta, ice cream
social, salad bar, omelet or pancake breakfast, etc. Sell tickets ahead of time.
Items needed:
q
Mealsq
Chairs and tablesq
Paper plates, cups, plastic spoons, forks, and knives, and napkinsTime required: 1 day
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Get mothers to donate prepared meals or prepare them on the premises.
2. Sell tickets.
3. Advertise in your church bulletin for a few weeks before the event.
4. Be sure to over-estimate a little. Better to have too much, than not
enough.
5. Serve the food diligently.
#49 Delightful Desserts
Take orders for desserts. Have people in the youth group volunteer to make
certain desserts. Then make a list of the choices and give them out in church.
People can place there orders and you can deliver them.
Items needed:
q
Donated baked goodsq
List of the goods for saleq
Vehicle to deliver withTime required: 4 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Decide on which desserts you are going to offer and who is going to
commit to make each one.
2. Take orders from the members of your church and tell them exactly when
they can expect to get their cookies (for example).
3. When the food is delivered, collect the money .
#48 A ______ A-Thon
Have a bike-a-thon, a pump iron-a-thon, a skate-a-thon, a walk-a-thon, a trash-athon,
a prayer-a-thon, bowl-a-thon, etc. Get sponsors to pledge money for every
mile you walk or ride, lift weights, skate, etc. Set a goal before you talk to
your sponsors so that they can have an idea of how much they might have to pay in
all.
Items needed:
q
Bike, skates, weights, etc.q
Sponsor sheetsTime required: Take pledges for a week and have the event on the weekend.
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Go door-to-door and explain the ____-a-thon and the trip you are raising
money for.
2. Ask them to sponsor you and sign their name and the amount they wish to
pledge.
3. Have the event. Be honest about how many miles you walked, etc.
4. Collect the money after the event.
#47 Carhop Grill Out
Have the youth group grill hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. in the church parking lot
and invite the community to come and eat at the new “restaurant.” The kids go to
the cars and take orders and then deliver them to the cars.
Items needed:
q
Food (hamburgers, hot dogs, drinks, and desserts)q
Grillq
Paper platesq
Napkinsq
Plastic forks, spoons, and knivesq
Poster board and markers or paintTime required: 1 hour preparation - 3 hours service
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Set up a grill in the parking lot.
2. Make posters to advertise and get peoples attention.
3. Get the whole youth group to help.
4. Make menus.
5. Serve the food cheerfully. Do a good job.
#46 Student Auction
Invite all the people in your church and neighborhoods to your church. Have all
of the youth group members stand up on stage one at a time and have the audience
bid on them. The one who bids the highest gets to have that person come and clean
their house (for example) for the price that they bid.
Items needed:
q
Chairsq
Auctioneer (if you have one in your church)q
Cleaning suppliesTime required: 1 hour auction - 3 hours to do each job
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Have people in your youth group volunteer to be auctioned.
2. Tell the church and neighborhood about this ahead of time.
3. Check with the pastor to decide on the location that is best.
4. Set up chairs.
5. Do a good job of cleaning so that they will be willing to do it again.
#45 Christmas Tree Of Love
Put a Christmas tree in the foyer of your church. Decorate it with only a few
pathetic ornaments. Leave a package of ornament hangers under the tree, along
with a donation box, decorated to look like a gift. Ask people to consider
hanging one of their Christmas cards on the tree with greetings to the entire
congregation as an alternative to sending out individual cards to everyone. The
card can be hung on the tree by using one of the ornament hangers provided.
People then donate the amount of money the are saving in postage.
Items needed:
q
Christmas treeq
Donation boxq
Ornament hangersq
A few decorationsTime required: 30 minutes
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Ask your pastor about putting up the Christmas tree.
2. Make a sign briefly describing the purpose of the Christmas tree.
3. Collect the donations after church each Sunday.
#44 Computer Labels
If you have a good computer available to you, make return address labels and sell
them for $5.00 for 100 labels. This can be very effective around Christmas card
time; especially if you have a color printer.
Items needed:
q
Computer and printerq
Labelsq
Order form of some kindTime required: 2 or 3 hours depending on the amount of labels you have to make
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Make colorful signs to advertise. Put an example label on the signs.
2. Take orders for the labels.
3. Make and print the labels as soon as you get the order, if possible.
This will make the work and delivery less stressful.
Collect the money when you deliver the labels.
#43 Pink Flamingo
Get several of those tacky plastic pink flamingos that people put in their yards.
Stick the flamingos in several different yards with a list of church member names
in each. When you find a flamingo in your yard, take out the list, cross your
name off, pledge a free-will donation, and plant the flamingo in someone else’s
yard (someone who’s name is on the list).
Items needed:
q
Pink flamingosq
Paperq
Jar or can for collecting the moneyTime required: 1 hour
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Send everyone an announcement (on pink paper) explaining how the pink
flamingos work.
2. Maybe some of the people in your church don’t want a pink flamingo in
their yard. Tell them that the can purchase anti-pink flamingo
insurance for a set price. This will guarantee that they will not wake
up one morning with a pink flamingo in their yard.
3. Tell everyone not to put their money inside the flamingo. Set up a jar
or can in the church for people to put their pledges in.
#42 Project Door Knob
This is another way to make money and help out the people in your church. In your
church bulletin, announce that your youth group will be passing by in the church
bus or van on a certain day looking for work to do. If anyone has work that the
youth group can do, they are to tie a handkerchief to the doorknob of their front
door. Charge a flat fee or take donations.
Items needed:
q
Cleaning suppliesTime required: 1 hour per house
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Advertise in the church bulletin.
2. Have a driver for the church vehicle who will drop a few kids off at
each job and then come back around to pick them up.
3. If you are charging a flat fee, remember to offer to take donations,
too.
#41 Spud Night
Get the biggest potatoes you can find. Sell tickets for your spud night and have
a potato bar. Everybody loves a good potato.
Items needed:
q
Potatoesq
Toppings (sour cream, chili, bacon bits, butter, etc.)q
Platesq
Forks, knives, and napkinsq
Extra food, such as chips, ice cream, and drinksq
Tables and chairsTime required: 30 minutes preparation - 2 hours dinner
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Sell tickets in advance for $4. This includes potatoes bar, chips, a
drink, and maybe a dessert.
2. Set the toppings out in bowls like in a salad bar so that people can
serve themselves. Always make sure the toppings are full.
3. Refill drinks as necessary.
#40 Work-A-Thon
Arrange jobs for all of the people in your youth group. Talk to the elderly
people in your church or other people who can’t do the work themselves. Get
sponsors to pay the kids a certain amount for every hour they work.
Items needed:
q
Cleaning suppliesTime required: unlimited
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Divide the jobs that need to be done among your youth group.
2. Give each person the supplies they need to complete their jobs.
3. Do the jobs quickly and efficiently.
4. Take time to visit with the people you are serving.
#39 Winterize Your Elderly
Help the elderly in your church out by putting up storm windows, changing furnace
filters, hauling in patio furniture, etc. If they can afford to pay you, they
will. Get sponsors from you church to support you.
Items needed:
q
Toolsq
Cleaning suppliesTime required: This will vary with each job you do.
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Ask the elderly in your church how the youth group can help them
winterize their house.
2. Split the group up into work teams and delegate the responsibility among
the teams.
3. Don’t necessarily ask the people you are working for to pay you. If
they offer, you can accept it, but the majority of the funds should come
from sponsors.
#38 Bullish On The Youth Group
Print up stock certificates and sell them to members of the church or community as
an “investment.” Each share can sell for a set amount - say five dollars - with
no limit on how many shares a person can buy.
Items needed:
q
Fake stock certificatesq
“Stockholders report”Time required: 20 minutes to explain - 1 hour per stockholders meeting
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Ask the church members or community if they would be willing buy “stock”
in your mission trip. Explain.
2. Invite the purchasers to a “stockholders meeting” where they can be
informed as to how their investment is doing ( include testimonies,
music, and other worship activities).
3. A “stockholders report” should also be printed.
4. Explain to them that the “dividends” they receive are the results of the
missions trip.
#37 Ecology Walk
Have a walk-a-thon that has an extra twist to it. Get sponsors just as you would
for the walk-a-thon. As you are walking, pick up trash along the highway. Walk
in groups of three or four. As you pick up trash, put all the cans and bottles in
a bag that is separate from the other trash. Recycling is an extra money-making
source.
Items needed:
q
Trash bagsTime required: 1 day
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Advertise.
2. Get your sponsors and have them pledge money for every bag of trash
collected per hour.
3. Split up in groups and start walking.
4. As you fill up the bags, leave them on the side of the road and have
someone drive along in a truck picking up the bags.
#36 Tournament Snack Bar
Ask your school about getting the concession stand for a tournament. Buy the food
in bulk so that you are sure to make a profit. This can bring in a lot or a
little depending on the size of your school or town sports participation.
Items needed:
q
Foodq
Grill or microwave if you plan on serving hot dogs, nachos, etc.q
Refrigerator / freezer for candy bars, ice, and ice creamq
A few rolls of coins and one dollar bills to make changeTime required: 1 hour shopping - 1 hour setting up - 5 hours running the stand
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Get permission from the necessary people to use the concession stand.
Do this in advance so that you are sure to get one of the larger
tournaments.
2. Buy the food the day before so that it is still fresh.
3. Get a few people to work so that you can work in shifts.
4. Set up the food and make a large menu so that everyone can see what is
available.
#35 Gift-Wrapping Fund Raiser
Plan a gift-wrapping service in a store or at church. If it is at your church,
people can stop by on the way home from shopping to have you wrap their gifts.
Items needed:
q
Wrapping paperq
Tapeq
Ribbons and Bowsq
Gift tagsTime required: Do this during Christmas vacation and have someone on duty from
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Check on setting up at a church or store.
2. Advertise your service and what the money will go for.
3. Have 2 or 3 choices of paper and let the customer decide which they
want.
4. Remember to ask if they want you to take off the price tag.
5. Be creative and do a good job.
6. Collect the money when the job is done.
#34 Benefit Performances
Do you know a good Christian band or singer? Ask them to do a benefit concert for
you. You and your group provide all the extra setup help they need. Take up
donations, sell tickets, or do both.
Items needed:
q
Chairsq
Stageq
Food and drinksq
TicketsTime required: 6 - 7 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Talk to the group about your mission trip.
2. Find out the things they would need from you in order to do the concert.
3. Start preparation and advertising a couple weeks ahead of time.
4. Get some friends to help you make cookies to sell during the show.
5. Sell tickets in advance and at the door.
6. Set up a jar for donations.
7. Clean up after the concert and help the band tear down.
#33 Why I Would Give….
Give a slip of paper to everyone at church or some other event. Each paper would
say, “Why I would give (your name) $10 toward his/her mission trip. Then they
write a sentence like, “Because I fell sorry for them.” The funnier the better.
They can then attach the money, or return that slip as a pledge.
Items needed:
q
PaperTime required: 30 minutes (give a short presentation about your trip before
passing out the slips of paper.)
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Explain to everyone what kind of trip this is and how God will be able
to use you.
2. Pass out the slips of paper and explain how it works.
3. When they pass in their papers, you can read the sentences out loud, for
fun, if you want to.
4. Be sure to send a reminder note to the people who chose to pledge rather
than give immediately.
5. This can be used along with another fundraiser.
#32 Colossal Clean-up
Contract with the management of your local fairgrounds or stadium, to do cleanup
after a major event.
Items needed:
q
Trash bagsTime required: 1 day
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Talk to the manager and find out if it is possible to contract the job.
2. Give each person in your youth group a trash bag and send them out to
pick up.
3. The job doesn’t seem so big when you have a lot of people doing it.
4. Do a good job so that it can become an annual fund raiser for your youth
group.
#31 Meal-A-Thon
Contact your local Salvation Army, soup kitchen, or any other organization that
feeds the homeless in your area. Offer to have your youth group help make sack
lunches, serve meals, or help with whatever they need. Take pledges from sponsors
for every meal you serve, sack lunch made, etc.
Items needed:
q
None (the food should be provided by the organization)Time required: 4 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Find out from the organization how you can help and when would be a good
time.
2. Have the members of your group get sponsors.
3. Keep track of the number of meals you make and be friendly with the
people you are serving.
#30 Dime-A-Dip Dinner
Have a dinner for your church and/or community. It’s just like a regular dinner,
but everything costs a dime. A dime per scoop of food. A dime per potato chip.
A dime for a pat of butter. Etc. You can also add music or some other
entertainment to draw more excitement.
Items needed:
q
Foodq
Tables and chairsq
Plastic forks, spoons, and knivesq
Napkinsq
Change in dimesTime required: 2 hours preparation - 3 hours dinner - 1 hour clean up
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Get people in your church to donate food.
2. Hang signs around in your church and announce it in your church
bulletin.
3. Be sure to have plenty of food so that you won’t run out. The more
food, the more dimes!
#29 Garage Sale
This is a great way to get your church involved. Ask people in your church to
donate old stuff to your garage sale. Then get a friend or two to help with
preparation and the sale.
Items needed:
q
stuff to sellq
tablesq
stickers or price tagsq
calculatorq
signs or postersTime required: 3 hours preparation + 6 hours sale time
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1.
Collect the items to sell from church members several days before thesale.
2.
Advertise with signs and in the newspaper.3.
Decide on good prices and label all the items with a price tag orsticker.
4.
The day or the sale, set up tables and neatly set up the sale items anda table at which to collect money.
#28 Inventory Crew
Call large retail stores in your city and volunteer for “group inventory.” Every
store has to take a periodic inventory and usually needs temporary help to do it.
They’ll pay at least minimum wage, which can be a good fund raiser for the youth
group.
Items needed:
q
NoneTime required: This will vary depending on the size of the store you are working
with.
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Talk to a store owner (or several store owners) and find out if they are
needing any help with their inventory.
2. Tell them briefly about your trip and ask if they would be willing to
let your youth group do the inventory to help finance your trip.
3. Get good instructions from the store owner as to how he/she wants the
inventory done. Make sure that everyone in your group follows ALL of
the instructions.
#27 Lawn-A-Thon
Line up as many people from your youth group with lawn mowers and transportation
for each of them. Advertise with flyers and posters that on a certain Saturday,
your group will mow lawns for free! Get as many people as you can to sign up to
have their lawn mowed. Get sponsors to pay you a certain amount for every lawn
that you mow.
Items needed:
q
Lawn mowersq
Transportationq
Sponsor sheetsTime required: varies
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Find a law mower for all the members of your youth group. If each
person doesn’t already have one, ask people in the church if you could
borrow theirs.
2. Get parents or other people with cars to provide transportation from
lawn to lawn.
3. Hand out sponsor sheets and have everyone in the group get sponsors.
4. Mow as many lawns as you can and collect the money.
#26 Kidnap The Pastor
Have the group “kidnap” the pastor and other well-known individuals in the church
(prearranged) with the ransom being a set amount of money to be used for a youth
project .
Items needed:
q
TelephoneTime required: This varies depending on the amount of time it takes to get the
“ransom money.”
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Talk to your pastor and decide on a good time to plan the “kidnapping.”
2. When he or she is kidnapped, start calling people in the church and
telling them what’s going on.
3. Church members can pledge a dollar amount to be given on Sunday morning.
4. If the ransom isn’t paid up, the youth should be prepared to handle the
morning service or the responsibilities of the other kidnapped
individuals. Be creative with this one.
5. Let the pastor leave after a specific amount of time regardless of the
money raised.
#25 Le Grande Chateau
This is a fun way to make money. Have a French restaurant for an evening and
invite the congregation to make reservations to dine there. Make it as elegant as
possible. You might even request the men to wear a jacket and tie.
Items needed:
q
Food (something nice but simple: baked chicken, juice, salad, baked potato,etc.)
q
Tables and chairsq
Table decorations (include candlelight)q
Dinner musicTime required: 2 weeks of preparation - 1 day for set-up, dinner, and clean-up
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 150 - $ 300
How to make it happen:
1. Make it “reservations only” so that you can get the right amount of
food.
2. Talk to a grocery store owner about getting the food donated or at least
at a discounted price.
3. Make a menu that looks elegant and list all French foods at extremely
high prices. At the bottom of the menu write in small print,
“Management reserves the right to make substitutions without patron
consent!” So, regardless of what people order, they all get the same
thing.
4. After the dinner, bring them their “cheque” instructing the diners to
make their donations in any amount and to either pay their waiter or pay
on their way out.
#24 Matching Funds
Make you sponsor’s money go further by presenting a “Matching Funds” opportunity.
Find people or businesses to sponsor you and match every dollar you raise up to a
certain amount ($100, $500, $1000, etc.).
Items needed:
q
NoneTime required: 2-4 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 700 - $ 1000
How to make it happen:
1. Have your sponsors talk to their company or corporation about employee
matching funds programs.
2. Tell your prospective sponsors how they can make their donation twice as
effective with a “Matching fund.”
#23 Dollar For Dollar
Get your churches missionary committee to match what your youth group raises for a
mission trip, dollar for dollar.
Items needed:
q
NoneTime required: 20 minutes
Amount you can expect to raise: Half of the total cost of your mission trip
How to make it happen:
1. Tell the missionary committee that your youth group will do a series of
fund raisers.
2. Ask them if they would be willing to help you out buy matching the
amount of money that you make doing those fund raisers.
3. Thank them and be sure to keep them updated on the effects of their
support.
#22 Get A Job
Find a good part or full time job.
Items needed:
q
NoneTime required: Number of hours you are given
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 500 - $ 1000
How to make it happen:
1. Collect application from several employers.
2. Fill out the applications and turn them in as soon as possible.
3. Call the business a couple days later to make sure they have your
application and to see when you can set up an interview.
4. After your interviews, choose the job that works best with you.
(Example: Do you have to work Sundays?)
5. Work diligently as unto the Lord.
#21 Fun Fair
Get the whole church involved! Have games, music and booths and invite the whole
community. Sell drinks, snacks, and tickets for each game. This is a great way
to build community interest.
Items needed:
q
Drinks and snacksq
Small inexpensive prizesq
Tablesq
Anything else you would want for the booths you chooseTime required: 1 day preparation, 1 day set-up and event
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 300 - $ 1000
How to make it happen:
1. Talk to your pastor or youth pastor about getting the church involved.
2. Start getting together the things you need several weeks before the
event so that you have plenty of time to prepare.
3. Make signs and posters to hang in store windows, telephone poles, etc.
4. Put and ad in the newspaper for extra advertising.
5. Buy prizes in bulk so that you will have less expenses and more profit.
#20 Corporate Support
Ask businesses to support you. This is a good public relations on their part.
Items needed:
q
NoneTime required: 1 day
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 400 - $ 500
How to make it happen:
1. Tell the business owner about the trip you plan to attend and the
financial need you have.
2. Remember to tell them that their donation is tax deductible if they make
their check out to Teen Mania.
3. Send them a thank you note.
#19 Christian Dinner Theater
Hold a dinner theater at your church that is put on by the youth. Sell tickets
and except donations. Have music and a skit or play during and/or after the meal.
Items needed:
q
Foodq
Silverware, plates, and napkinsq
Decorationsq
Tables and chairsTime required: 2 weeks of planning and preparation - 1 day for set-up, dinner and
clean-up
Amount you can expect to raise: $ 500 - $ 700
How to make it happen:
1. Start promoting your dinner theater as soon as possible and give people
the opportunity to donate before the event to help cover some of the
costs.
2. Try to get as much of the food and decorations donated as possible.
3. Decide on a skit or play to do and start memorizing early so that you do
a good job.
4. Have a formal atmosphere with candles and dinner music, and have the
youth be waiters and waitresses.
5. Sell tickets in advance and collect donations during the dinner.
6. Perform your skit or drama during and/or after the meal.
7. Clean up when you’re done.
#18 Pledge A Day
Divide the number of days in your missions trip by the amount of money you need to
raise. Ask people to buy a day or more of your trip. Make a poster of a big
calendar and cross off each day as it is bought. This is a good visual to get
people interested.
Items needed:
q
Poster and markersTime required: 1 hour
Amount you can expect to raise: Total cost of trip
How to make it happen:
1. Take some time at church or another event to explain your trip and your
need.
2. Explain how the fund raiser works and how they can support you.
3. Set up the poster in the entry way of your church or another noticeable
place.
#17 Pledge A Mile
Divide your trip cost by the number of miles it is from your house to the country
you are going to. Ask people to buy a mile or more to help get you there.
Items needed:
q
PosterTime required: 20 minutes to explain how it works
Amount you can expect to raise: Total trip cost
How to make it happen:
1. Make a poster to show the path from your house to your country.
Whenever someone buys a mile, color it red so that everyone can see how
much further you have to go. Ask your pastor if you can set this poster
in the entry way of your church.
2. Explain the fund raiser in full detail so that it is easily understood.
#16 Bookmark Reminder
Make bookmarks explaining briefly the trip you plan to go on, the cost, and how
they can support you or get in touch with you for more information. Put these
bookmarks in hymnals, church bulletins, etc.
Items needed:
q
Paperq
MarkersTime required: 30 minutes (make a few and use a copy machine to save time)
Amount you can expect to raise: This varies. Bookmarks may just serve as a
prayer reminder. Remember: Prayer support is just as important as financial
support!
How to make it happen:
1. Come up with a neat design for your bookmark.
2. Make 5 or 6 six of them and make copies.
3. Slip them in wherever you can, or hand them out.
#15 Chance Auction
Sell everyone a ticket for a small fee. On the back of each ticket, the bidder
writes their name, address, telephone number, and their bid. They then place
their ticket in the box next to the item they want to bid on. After all the
tickets have been placed in boxes, two tickets from each box are drawn out and the
highest of the two bids gets the item.
Items needed:
q
Items to bid onq
TicketsTime required: 1 hour
Amount you can expect to raise: This will vary depending on the items on which
you are bidding.
How to make it happen:
1. Get donated items to auction off. Make sure they are of fairly good
quality so that you can get some good bids.
2. Hand a ticket to each participant and explain how it works.
3. Give them a little time to decide which items to bid on and how much
they wish to bid.
4. If they would like to put in a bid on more than one item, have them buy
another ticket.
#14 Church Telethon
Get permission from your pastor to call all the members of your church and tell
them about your trip and your financial needs.
Items needed:
·
TelephoneTime required: 3 or 4 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: This could vary depending on the size of your
church.
How to make it happen:
1. Call each person.
2. Be friendly and ask them if it is a good time to tell them about your
trip. If they are busy or you get an answering machine, offer to call
back later.
3. Present your request.
4. Collect the money.
5. Thank your supporters with written notes. Update them on the results.
#13 Crazy Auction
Put an item of value up for bids. Start the bidding at five cents. The first
person to bid five cents throws their nickel into the pot immediately. Then go to
ten cents and the next person to bid throws in their dime. Keep going until no
one else bids. The item then goes to the last bidder. The money that has been
thrown in the pot stays there.
Items needed:
q
Items to bid onq
Coins to make change before the auction startsq
ChairsTime required: 1 or 2 hours
Amount you can expect to raise: This will vary depending upon the items on which
you are bidding.
How to make it happen:
1.
Get donated items of fairly good quality for auctioning.2.
Set up a small table for making change.3.
Explain how the auction works.4.
Start the bidding and have fun!#12 Inaudible Auction
Have an auction where people place written bids rather than audible bids. This is
used best in along with another event of fund raiser.
Items needed:
q
Donated items that people would want to buyq
Paperq
PensTime required: One day
Amount you can expect to raise: This will vary depending on the items that are
for sale.
How to make it happen:
1. Advertise.
2. Collect a variety of donated items that people would want to purchase.
3. Set each of the items out before some event and place a piece of paper
numbering 1 to 10 beside each item.
4. People then choose the item(s) they would like to buy and write the
amount they would like to bid on the piece of paper.
5. Others may bid on the same p