Fund Raising Tips

If you're getting tired of the same old PTA fundraisers year after year, do something about it! You don't have to join the PTA to help out your school. Just offer them your ideas and help them implement the ones they like. These ideas need to be simple to create, have a 50% profit margin, and be useful to children as well as adults. Remember that the children who will be selling any items may have to carry them around the neighborhood. So make sure the items aren't too heavy and that you can carry quite a few at one time easily. Here is a list to get you started fund raising for your school or non-profit organization:

1. Arrange with your school officials to save the empty small milk cartons served with school lunch. Completely open milk carton and rinse with water. Dry the outside with paper towels. Make a single hole punch at the top of one side of the carton and a second hole punch directly across from it. Insert ribbon 12 inches long through both holes, tie a knot for hanging later. Again, make sure the outside of the carton is dry and spread creamy peanut butter all over the carton. Roll in wild birdseed. You can sell these for $1-$2.

2. Have a Saturday Pancake Breakfast, hosted by the PTA or non-profit organization of your choice. Buy your pancake mix, syrup, and any other items, such as orange juice, that you want to serve, at your local Costco or Sam's Club. Recruit your help, plan your location, and sell tickets for $5 each. To cut costs, ask other members of the organization that will not be at the event to donate items such as paper plates, cups, and plastic ware. Several weeks ahead of time, invite your local radio station to the event and send out flyers.

3. Make simple flower pens with silk flowers, floral tape, and ballpoint pens. Using floral sheers or a pair of craft scissors, cut individual flowers off of the main stem. Uncap one ballpoint pen. Cut or tear a 12 inch strip of floral tape off the roll and stretch it to activate the adhesive. Place the bottom of the flower even with the end of the pen and hold in one hand. Using your other hand diagonally wrap both the pen and the flower with the strip of floral tape so that none of the pen shows through. Be sure to wrap the floral tape around itself at least once at the very beginning to ensure that it doesn't fall off. These can easily be sold for $1 each.

4. Sell lollipop grams at school! Buy tootsie roll pops in bulk. Create bookmarks with spaces for students to write messages on them. Punch a hole in the top of the bookmark, either in a corner or the middle, and tie the stem of the lollipop to the bookmark using color coordinating ribbon. These can be sold for 50 cents each.

5. Let's not over look the traditional bake sale. This continues to be a big hit no matter how often you have one. To make it easier for everyone involved, keep it simple. Cupcakes are great, just keep them covered and out of the sun. The icing melts easily, leaving them unattractive and you could end up taking most of them back home. Cookies are your best choice. You certainly want to have the ever popular oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip and peanut butter stand-bys.

However, why not decorate sugar cookies with icing and pretty sprinkles? It's eye catching and delicious. Be creative and have fun! You can package all of your cookies in sandwich bags, (if using "zip-lock" type, cut off the top.) and tie the baggie with pretty curling ribbon. Depending on the size of your cookies, you can sell two for a dollar. Smaller cookies may be three or four for a dollar.

MR Gooding royalribbon.blogspot.com