Creative Fundraising Ideas for Tough Economic Times

(ARA) - When people face tough economic times, charitable giving is one of the first areas in which they cut spending. Suddenly money that used to be discretionary is needed to pay bills.

Larger nonprofits like the United Way aren't likely to feel the pinch as quickly as smaller groups like schools, sports teams and churches. For them, the impact will be immediate. School wrapping paper sales won't raise as much money as they have in the past, parents won't be able to count on the local restaurant to sponsor little league teams this fall and there won't be enough money in the coffers for the church to sponsor Bible camp over the long holiday break.

While conventional fundraisers may struggle in the tough economy, that doesn't mean people are unwilling to give. You just have to come up with some creative ways to make fundraising -- and in turn giving -- fun.

Here are some ideas on how to accomplish that goal:

* Hold a silent auction
One of the easiest ways to raise a lot of money fast is by holding a silent auction. People are always willing to spend a little bit extra on something they want anyway if they know the profit will be going to charity.

Among the prizes that often do well in this type of fundraiser are dinner at an expensive restaurant, theater tickets and balloon rides. The latter is the easiest prize to offer, particularly if you opt for a trip through FundraisingRides.org, which offers rides at 150 locations nationwide.

Just log on to the site, print out a free fundraising kit, and hang the color posters you'll receive advertising the prize in prominent places. If you decide to auction off a hot air balloon ride for two, the charity can purchase it through the Web site for just $240. Set the opening bid at the retail price of $400, and say you get a winning bid of $465, that's $225 in profit for your charity. Hot air balloon rides for four are also available through the site and can be purchased at a discount rate of $480.

Unlike with other fundraising efforts in which you have to purchase the gift to be auctioned off first and risk losing money on it, FundraisingRides.org asks for no money upfront. If you're unable to secure any bids, you're under no obligation to purchase the ticket. Log on to FundraisingRides.org for more information.

* Raffle
Another fun and often successful fundraising campaign is to sell raffle tickets for a great prize. If last year's holiday season was any indication, Nintendo Wii game systems will be hot sellers again this year, and they may be hard to come by.

Buy a system now while availability is good for around $250, and just as the holiday season is getting under way, start selling raffle tickets for $10 apiece. If you sell 50 tickets, you'll make a nice profit of $250 for your charity.

* Set up a game of chance
Another fun variation on the raffle is to sell tickets for a game of chance that can be held in conjunction with a school event or church function. In exchange for a small donation, participants will receive a helium balloon with a crumpled up ticket inside. On the count of three, have everyone pop their balloons with a pin, and retrieve the ticket that was inside. Then read off the winning number and see who purchased the winning balloon. The prize can be something donated by a local business or individual so the money raised will be all profit.

No matter what type of fundraiser you decide to do, remember to keep it fun. That's the key to success.

Courtesy of ARAcontent