Five Choir-Related Fundraisers
The joy that singing brings
people, both young and old, is boundless. For centuries,
choirs have been an integral part of our culture and our
communities. When it comes to raising money to support a
choir's activities, there are many unique and specific options
available, given the broad appeal choir music has. Even
if a person has no direct ties to the group itself, he may
still be willing to sponsor a choir, just because he likes
the sound. This is a distinct advantage over other kinds
of non-profit organizations. The following is a list of
five examples of fundraising activities that tie very well
into the character of a choir.
Valentine's Day Singing Telegrams
A choir has no better currency than the beauty of its combined
voice. Put those voices to work for your community. On Valentine's
Day or Sweetest Day, rent your choir out as a singing telegram
service. For a price, your members will travel to a local
business and sing a serenade to the loved one of the person
who hired you. Advertise this service well in advance and
make it affordable. Get on the local radio stations, the
local television news, and in the local newspaper to say
that you will be making these personalized romantic serenades
as a fundraiser for your choir. Establish this as an annual
event, and as more people in the community become aware
of your stellar reputation, you will receive an ever-increasing
amount of reservations.
Celebrity Choir Benefit Concert
Another way to make money with your voices is to hold a
benefit concert in your town. Do something to make the event
special. You could advertise it as a black tie affair or
as a costume party. You could even collaborate with a local
symphony and make it a formal ball. If you would really
like to draw a larger crowd, do everything in your choirs'
power to arrange for a celebrity to join you for the concert
and then advertise it widely. People love to see celebrities
perform, and if you or anyone in your group has a connection
or relation to a celebrity, even a "B or C list-er", it
could add dollars to your bottom line.
Radio Call-in Fundraiser
Contact a local radio station and ask if they would be willing
to allow you to come on air and conduct a live concert for
their listeners, who could then call in their pledges of
support. Line up prominent people within the community such
as the mayor, business owners, school officials, or anyone
else with a recognizable and trusted name to join you on
the radio for your pitch. If the radio station won't donate
the air time to your choir, search for a corporate donor
and promise incredible name placement on all your marketing
materials, as well as repeated mentions while you are on
air with the fundraiser.
CD Sales
Again, a choir's most
valuable asset is its collective voice. People love good
music. Therefore, it makes sense to become a supplier of
good music in the ways people want it most. Consider recording
and producing a Christmas CD. Families are always looking
for new holiday recordings of their favorite carols or hymns.
It would be a very nice addition to a families' music collection
to have their local choir's Christmas CD. You can place
your CDs for sale all over town in heavily-trafficked businesses
and restaurants, or even churches. Work with a local printer
to create an attractive display for them. Although there
are some overhead costs involved with this pursuit, if you
market it well, you could still end up making money and
spreading your choir's reputation. I would also suggest
investigating selling individual tracks from your CD on
online music services like iTunes. Even though your cut
on each song sold is less than one dollar, this can still
add up if you've got a hit.
Product Sales
In a slightly
different approach, there are a number of very reliable
and proven fundraising methods available to groups such
as a choir. From this website, you can investigate cookie
dough sales, scratch cards, discount cards, and popcorn
sales, to name just a few. Product sales have a track record
of results when a strong effort is invested. As with any
fundraising activity, however, you will want to do some
homework to find out what other groups are holding product
sales and when, so you don't conflict with them. Take a
good look around Top School Fundraisers to learn much more
about these kinds of successful fundraising methods.
Music and singing are part of the very fabric of our lives.
Unfortunately, as with every other non-profit group, choirs
are faced with the reality of seeking out funding to cover
their expenses. On a positive note, however, choirs are
in a wonderful position when it comes to the opportunities
available in this arena. Be creative, have fun with the
process, and always maximize your gifts!
Top posts from our school fundraising blog:
Are
You Teaching Students These Important Lessons?
6
Suggestions to Keep Uncle Sam Happy With Your Homeschool