Fundraising Ideas

[TheresaThoma]

I know many of us on here, myself included, have debts that we will have to pay off before we can enter. So I thought that it would be great if we could have a thread with ideas of different fundraising ideas. Creative and unusual ideas are more than welcome!

Here are some of the ones I can think of:
- Hold a benefit dinner at your parish
- Get a local restaurant to hold a "Give Back Night" - People go to the restaurant and say they are part of the give back night and then a portion of their bill is donated to you.
- Bake Sale-get friends and family to donate the baked goods
- Hold a silent auction or raffle

[FutureSister2009]

Make and sell handmade Rosaries if you have that skill

[OnlySunshine]

Laetita_Crucis held a few benefit concerts at her parish since she was a professional flautist who trained in the university. In fact, she was planning to become a symphony flautist before God called her to religious life.

[HopefulBride]

[quote name='FutureSister2009' timestamp='1330395416' post='2393853'] Make and sell handmade Rosaries if you have that skill [/quote]
That has been a bit helpful, I have managed to convince a local Bookstore in Spokane to carry my rosaries. Pray that people are generous (I'm only asking for donations)

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1330399237' post='2393905'] Laetita_Crucis held a few benefit concerts at her parish since she was a professional flautist who trained in the university. In fact, she was planning to become a symphony flautist before God called her to religious life. [/quote]
Sadly I don't play any instruments, Piano and I havent' been friends (or on good terms for that matter) since I moved to Florida.

[i<3LSOP]

Bake Sale - a bake sale is easy because if you have good skills in the kitchen people will want something homemade. My suggestion is to not do it when it's Lent though!

Yard Sale - you are going to be entering God willing, and you can get rid of some of your stuff. You could maybe have a yard sale at your church where after Mass everyone goes around looking for handy or pretty stuff.

Easter Lilies - it's a bit late now, but you can grow and sell Easter lilies at your church. [size=3](for this one you can PM me for more info or Google it)[/size]

Pancake Breakfast - you can "pull in" a lot of money with those! The sisters' I work with have an annual one and heaven knows how much they make!

Craft Fair - you can have people from your church neighborhood sell some of the crafted things that they make. You could sell jewelry, carvings, rosaries, pottery, drawings... basically whatever crafty thing you are good at!

[b][size=3]^ edited because I had put "and" instead of "an" [/size][/b]

Edited February 28, 2012 by i<3LSOP

[Feankie]

If you have the venue to do it, why not raffle off yourself! Well not really, but..... People love to bid on services as well as goods. How about having a silent auction or raffle for 2 hours of your time to clean house, same for cutting the grass, shoveling snow, babysitting, running errands, grocery shooping, etc. I think you get the idea. Things you can do that others may not like, want, or have time to do.

[HopefulBride]

oooh that is a great idea. It's possible one of the sisters might come for a dinner so maybe raffling her off (as a sitter or something) in fact one of the sisters use to be a Nanny....

Great idea.

[InPersonaChriste]

My brother did a music night in our parish hall.

[HopefulBride]

[quote name='InPersonaChriste' timestamp='1330456271' post='2394110']
My brother did a music night in our parish hall.
[/quote]

Can you share some details of that?

[loveletslive]

my friend cleaned out her house and sold anything of value on ebay or craigslist

[MessorCarus]

"Run for Nuns" is an option, adapted to where you are of course.

We had some discerners here give their vocation stories after Mass, I think the collection that night went to help them (don't quote me on that) and then they had a dessert reception and asked for donations. They brought in Cy Laurent to speak after Mass too.

[HopefulBride]

[quote name='MessorCarus' timestamp='1330460509' post='2394147']
"Run for Nuns" is an option, adapted to where you are of course.

We had some discerners here give their vocation stories after Mass, I think the collection that night went to help them (don't quote me on that) and then they had a dessert reception and asked for donations. They brought in Cy Laurent to speak after Mass too.
[/quote]

Are you talking about Alberta and Melissa?

[EmilyAnn]

These are some amesome ideas!

[TheresaThoma]

Something that might seem obvious but at any event have a few containers out for extra donations.
Another idea is if your parish has an annual dinner see if you could "piggyback" onto that, with possibly a small raffle or even just asking for donations.

[andibc]

Priests Got Talent show at the local KFC. Everyone loves to see their priests being silly.

[MessorCarus]

[quote name='HopefulBride' timestamp='1330461228' post='2394152']
Are you talking about Alberta and Melissa?
[/quote]

I am. They were pretty much amazing.

I talked to them after, it was quite lovely.

[HopefulBride]

[quote name='andibc' timestamp='1330485457' post='2394340']
Priests Got Talent show at the local KFC. Everyone loves to see their priests being silly.
[/quote]

I spoke to a couple of my priests about that and the answers were pretty much no way.

[InPersonaChriste]

[quote name='HopefulBride' timestamp='1330459286' post='2394134']
Can you share some details of that?
[/quote]

He was offered help and decided to host a music night with his siblings. We were allowwed to use the parish hall and charged no fee for people at the door. Which made them more generous when he asked for donations. We had some friends help make snacks and then a bigger surprise was when people offered to donate religious items for a silent auction. He did very well.

[HopefulBride]

[quote name='InPersonaChriste' timestamp='1330533711' post='2394493']
He was offered help and decided to host a music night with his siblings. We were allowwed to use the parish hall and charged no fee for people at the door. Which made them more generous when he asked for donations. We had some friends help make snacks and then a bigger surprise was when people offered to donate religious items for a silent auction. He did very well.
[/quote]

That's a great idea. Thanks!

[TheresaThoma]

Another thought is to house, pet, or babysit. It may not seem like much but I find I can fit it in around my normal schedule and a little bit here and there really adds up.