Best fundraising ideas you've had?

[8timechamps]

My youngest son's baseball team just found out that they have been invited to Cooperstown New York (home of the baseball hall of fame) for a two-week "tournament" next summer. If you haven't heard about it, check it out here:

Cooperstown Dreams Park (http://www.cooperstowndreamspark.com/)

It's a two week baseball camp for 12 year old teams from around the country. The teams stay on the property (in army-like barracks), meet kids from other teams and play a lot of baseball. A 12 year old's dream.

Since we just found out about this, we are in the process of organizing our season fundraising. My son's team is already a traveling tournament team, so we're used to the cost, but there are many of the boys that aren't. So, we try to raise as much as possible. In the past we've done everything from pancake breakfasts to working concessions at the CU football games. And while these have helped, it's just a lot of work for minimal return.

So, I'm hoping some of you smart, experienced people might have some ideas for fundraising that doesn't involve selling wrapping paper to every family member you know, or standing out side of the Wal-mart begging for change.

Any thoughts would be SUPREMELY appreciated.

[StoopTroup]

Go out and ask for donations without selling anything. I get sick of waiting around for my Popcorn or my Cookies or my cookie or Sausage and bacon that if you just asked for a monetary donation and put pics up of the Trip and thanked the donors on the site....you might really bring in folks with a little internet recognition and they might text or email the site where they can send you Paypal donations. You might even just state that the kids will donate their time and energy to a good cause like visiting old folks at a Nursing Home and playing catch or just talking baseball with them instead of selling food or junk that nobody needs. Maybe just pick up trash at a public park or baseball field?

[AlbqSooner]

What is with you guys?

I buy those World's Finest Chocolate bars whenever someone at work shows up with them. I feel like it is penance for all the crap I sold as a kid.

[soonerbrat]

put a paypal donation thing on everyone's facebook.
google "facebook page paypal donation buttons" and there will be instructions. I can't access facebook at work or i'd look it up for you.

[soonerbrat]

they don't get even half of that money from world's finest chocolate though. Blue & Gold Sausage is always a big hit too

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Talk to your local fire department's public education or public information divisions and see if they auction/raffle "dinner at the firehouse". Auctions for these in the Tulsa area for various charities have literally sold for thousands of dollars. Granted, it's not a charity you're raising funds for but the prospect, even as a raffle, can really pique a community's interest. And it costs next to nothing on the front end.

[badger]

Tip from former Girl Scout:

Sell magazines.

Seriously. People buy them anyway and they're the same price if you sell them as a fundraiser to the customer if they buy them directly from the publisher.

AND, if YOU sell them, you rake in like 50 percent of the subscription costs. I think that number varies, but for the most part, it is a HUGE haul per subscription you sell.

Check into it. And then, find everyone you know that subscribes to any magazines and ask them to renew their subscriptions through you.

In some cases, the magazine will let them take their discounts that they already receive through other offers even if they purchase a renewal or new subscription through a fundraising organization.

Girl Scouts would sell TONS of stuff throughout the year to raise funds and NOTHING netted the dough like the annual magazine sale. No, not even those ripoff cookies that the scouts only get a few cents per box for.

[salth2o]

Check with local civic clubs like Rotary, Lions, etc. They typically love helping kids participate in these type of opportunities. You could even offer to trade your services for their financial support. If the organization holds an annual fundraiser (our local Rotary does a crawfish boil/catfish fry and raises a couple hundred thousand each year for scholarships and other community projects) the team could volunteer and help out on that day.

[salth2o]

Following up on Badge's suggestion.

This one has a great return and can be done online w/ very little effort.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/coaches/index

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I did a thing where I put a number on an envelope from 1 to 100..Whatever number was on the envelope the person picked, that was what they donated..No gifts, just a pre printed thank you card..Raised around 1500 bucks as not all were taken

[SoonerStud615]

I raised over 1000 dollars by my self in middle school selling TLC gift cards.

[C&CDean]

No clue on fundraising, but my brother's two sons both attended that Cooperstown deal a few years back. It is a really cool experience that both the parents and kids really enjoy. One of them is pitching for Metro State College (Denver) this year as a freshman. The other catches and plays shortstop for his high school team in the Dallas area. It really helped them on their baseball journeys.

[SoonernMilw]

We went last summer and it is an awesome experience. They do an amazing job there but be ready for the weather, we had games delayed for fog and rain. They play ALL their games even if you have to play at 2.00am they will play them. Its a little late but we went to charity mania (google it) and raised enough funds to cover the whole cost.
The food in the park is good and cheap there is a blog by stats dad (google that too) that will tell you everything you need to know from the drive to where to eat when you get there.
Make sure you take lots of pictures its something that you and your son wont forget be sure to load up on the "my son hit a home run at cooperstown" tee's.

[SoonernMilw]

http://tfn.charitymania.com/ http://www.statsdad.com/2010/06/youth-baseball-cooperstown-dreams-park_29.html

There you go, you dont have to look them up now.

[badger]

Following up on Badge's suggestion.

This one has a great return and can be done online w/ very little effort.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/coaches/index

Wow! While you might be inadvertently funding the Longhorn Network, I have loved my subscription over the years (sorry, you can't sell me one, it's a gift from the in-laws) and the insider fun online that is included in a subscription.

The gift card idea is also a good one. Some group make a killin' off a Krispy Kreme punch card fundraiser.

[Flagstaffsooner]

Raise taxes.:obama icon:

[WichitaSooner]

Have you seen the movie Risky Business?????

:encouragement:

[8timechamps]

Thanks all...this is a big deal for the boys. And, I'm looking forward to it also.

I'll keep you posted on all the successful fund raising efforts!

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Check with local civic clubs like Rotary, Lions, etc. They typically love helping kids participate in these type of opportunities. You could even offer to trade your services for their financial support. If the organization holds an annual fundraiser (our local Rotary does a crawfish boil/catfish fry and raises a couple hundred thousand each year for scholarships and other community projects) the team could volunteer and help out on that day.This. My Rotary just helped a group of kids who play guitar go to Austin City Limits to perform. Maybe they could host a camp for smaller kids.

[Jacie]

For my daughter's school (I am proud to say I came up with this idea) we did a Krispy Kreme donut sale. According to their website, most KK shops will sell boxes of donuts for half price, which makes selling them for a profit fairly easy. The way we did it, we took pre-orders. The closest KK shop was a 2 hour drive from here so we managed to move 500 boxes at a $2/box profit as soon as we returned with them. Check it out.