Connecting Schools With Great Fundraising Ideas.

A bowling fundraiser in Coshocton, Ohio raised $10,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Teams were formed from around the community, including faculty members and students from area schools. Participants also came out from area businesses.

The Annin Flag Company team raised the most money with over $4,500 in collections, Mayse said. Ridgewood Middle School was the top school fundraiser with over $4,000.

Source: Coshocton Tribune

It is interesting to note that while there were over 100 teams and 565 individual participants, the majority of the funds were raised by just a few teams. This is often true in pledge type fundraisers including walk-a-thons and 5Ks. The majority of participants will pay the entry fee only, some participants will get a few pledges and then a small few will get a lot of donations. When planning an event fundraiser like this organizers should keep this in mind when recruiting participants and projecting funds raised.

Of course the main goal is to raise funds, but events like this are lots of fun. I only bowl once a year, if that much, but it really is a fun thing to do. People of all ages can bowl.

Special events like a bowling fundraiser are fun, enjoyable ways to spend an evening. Some people will be drawn in just by the event, others by the desire to support the cause. For most people it’s a mixture of both.

Events can also be great community builders. People have a chance interact with people they know like their kid’s teachers and meet others in the community.

When an event like the bowling fundraiser has strong appeal in the community and promoted well it can be an all around success.

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Over the past few years gift cards have become extremely popular. With the great popularity of gift card programs so opens up a great opportunity for fundraising!

By using a program called “scrip” your school gets to sell gift cards and make a commission on each and every one.

Actually scrip fundraisers have been around for a long time, but with the widespread use of gift cards and improved technology, scrip fundraisers are even more popular and easy to use.

Here’s a basic idea of how scrip fundraisers work:

1. Schools work with local retailers directly or through a scrip company to purchase gift certificates or gift cards (referred to as scrip) at a discount.
2. Parents purchase the gift cards from the organization at face value. The difference in price is kept by the organization.
3. Parents use the scrip at the retailer just like cash.

It’s that easy.

This fundraiser provides something that families already want and need. Most scrip programs offer cards from places that you already shop from, such as grocery stores, video stores, restaurants, and many more.

How much can your school raise?

Most scrip programs offer between 2.5 and 10% cash back to the school or group. The terms may vary by scrip company and/or by retailer. The profits from scrip can really add up, especially when you have many families participating over the course of a year.

Here’s an example: If a family spends $100 per week on groceries and other scrip purchases, that adds up to $5,200 per year. At an average of 5% profit the sponsoring group receives $260. And that’s just one family! What happens when you get most of your families to sign up? Imagine…with 50 families that would equal $13,000 per year. All on something that the families need anyway - groceries! With the popularity of gift cards, it would be easy for families to stock up on gift cards for birthday and holiday gifts too.

A Fundraising Program That Grows Each Year

One of the things that I have heard from schools that use scrip is that it can be difficult to get people to get on board with it the first year.

It may be a new concept to some people and they may wonder if there’s some kind of catch. Assure your supporters that the retail companies offer the cards at a discount in order to gain customers and support the community. The family pays and redeems the scrip at full face value while a portion of the card value goes back to the sponsoring organization.

Scrip works even with just a handfull of people participating. The first year you may just have a few families participating, but that’s okay. Once your supporters realize how easy it is and what the fundraising potential may be, it will make it easier to get more participation in the future.

Scrip Companies

Companies that provide management for scrip programs may focus on a particular country, region or state/province. Here are a few of the most popular scrip companies for various areas:

United States Scrip Companies
Great Lakes Scrip Center

Canadian Scrip Companies
FundScrip

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FundingFactory is a nontraditional fundraising program for schools and nonprofits which helps groups earn cash when they recycle used printer cartridges and cell phones. FundingFactory provides free boxes, online accounting, flyers, posters and other promotional tools. There is never a cost for participation and shipping is free!

Now when you register your group for FundingFactory you are automatically entered to win an iPod Shuffle 512!

To win you need to register with the recycling program before March 31, 2007. The contest is only open to new registrants. One winner will be chosen at random from entries from Step by Step Fundraising Inc websites (including TopSchoolFundraisers.com).

Funding Factory is a great program that lets your group earn funds from just collecting old printer cartridges. Instead of throwing them in the trash (read: landfill) why not toss them in a recycle box?

Computers and printers are everywhere - offices, schools, retail, and at home - there’s no reason not to add them to a recycle collection box and earn funds for your designated school or charity.

This contest is just one more incentive for you to try the Funding Factory program. Your group could even use the iPod as a prize for the person or group who collects the most cartridges within a set period of time.

Register now for the recycle fundraising program and enter for a chance to win

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