FUNdraising with a Fall BBQ

This post features the CEC World Jamboree Patrol from Ontario’s Central Escarpment Council taking advantage of the Vaughan, ON location of BassPro’s generous offer to let them host a FUNdraising barbeque right at their store.

Clearly this group of motivated, Japan-bound individuals wasn’t content with just an ordinary BBQ.  Not only did they serve up the delicious, donated hotdogs and drinks, but they added to their customer’s experience with face painting while a Scout dressed as a Sumo Wrestler walked through the store to encourage people to enjoy the BBQ.

To add to their revenue generation potential, the CEC Patrol also sold Scout Popcorn and had several donation jars around the area.

Perhaps the best part was the FUN they all had hosting this FUNdraiser!  Congratulations CEC Patrol, and see you in Japan!

What big store in your neighbourhood will let your group host a barbeque FUNdraiser like this one?  Ask around.  Often they already have BBQ’ing equipment on site and will loan it to you.  Once you have your spot and date, ask your neighbourhood food stores for donations.  We bet you’ll be surprised by the success you see!

Farmer’s Markets – Your time is now!

Across the country, in cities and towns, Farmer’s Markets are taking place all the time.  Now that Fall harvest season is approaching, the markets will go into high gear.  Use this time to find out where your local farmer’s markets are located and if they accept groups for FUNdraising.  A terrific starting point is http://www.farmersmarketscanada.ca/.

During your inquiry, ask about what types of goods they welcome.  Some might welcome baked goods (pies/cookies) while others might accept homemade crafts.  One Scout Group I’m aware of will be selling their handmade Survival Bracelets at their local Farmer’s Market.

Don’t delay!  Some markets require paperwork to be completed and have a longer lead time for reserving space.

Great FUNdraising!!!

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Got a question or comment?  We’d love to hear from you!

Flapjack FUNdraising is FUN!

Applebee’s Restaurant Flapjack FUNdraisers are a fun and effective way to raise money for your big trip to Japan.  Your guests will enjoy a delicious breakfast and, if you are 16 or older, you’ll be able to help with serving and other restaurant duties!

Setup is easy because the staff at your local Applebee’s restaurant helps you coordinate the date and provides you with artwork templates to help promote the event.  You just have to sell tickets to your friends, family and supporters.  Applebee’s cooks and shares the profit with you.

Follow this link for all the details and to see if there is a restaurant nearby: http://www.applebeescanada.com/fundraising

Get cooking!

 

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Grow to Sell!

Everyone must eat.  Selling food to people is easy.  Selling food to people that you grew and picked is even easier!

A shining example of this is the Simcoe-Phoenix WJ Scouts who, with the help of the Kell Family farm and seeds donated by the Bowman Brothers, have planted a field of sweet corn every spring.  Come August, they organized harvesting nights where the Scouts and their families picked the corn.  Some Scouts had pre-sold their corn so all they had to do was deliver it.  Others setup stands on their streets to sell the corn.

Mother Nature had a bit to say in the success of this program since yields varied year by year, however the Scouts who participated were always able to sell what was picked.

A few of the Scouts over the years who participated in the planting process also used it towards their badgework, so there was a double benefit.

What can you grow to sell?  Be creative!

 

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Nobody Likes Yardwork!

And that’s why it can be such a great FUNdraiser for you!!!

Now that much of the country is finally thawing out, people are getting outside and seeing the mess Mother Nature left after the snow melted.  Many people, especially seniors, will be grateful for you and your rake, shovel and wheelbarrow.  Perhaps they need you to help rake dead grass and leaves.  Maybe new soil and grass seed must be spread.  Often branches and shrubs need to be trimmed.  These are all opportunities you can use for FUNdraising!

Consider making cards and knocking on neighbours doors to see if they would like some help.  If they aren’t home, leave your card in the door.  Make sure your phone number is on it.  Clearly tell people what you are looking to do and why you are doing it (WJ).

You’ll be surprised how many people will ask you to help and reward you well for your hard work!  If you do a good job, you’ll likely get another call in the Fall for some leaf raking.

Happy raking!

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Gift Card FUNdraising Programs

Gift card FUNdraising programs can be an easy way to earn money just by asking people to do what they do everyday: just spend money like they normally do.

Imagine what an average family spends on groceries at a supermarket every month: likely anywhere from $600 to $1000. Now imagine every time they spend money, your World Jamboree account grows by a small percentage. Now imagine that doesn’t cost the family anything.

Sound good?

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How this works:
Let’s say the family next door to you spends $800 per month on groceries. Normally they would go to the local grocery store and pay for their groceries using cash, debit or credit. However, now that they’ve been introduced to your WJ group’s program, they buy gift cards from you for that grocery store. The cards don’t cost the family any additional money; if they pay you $100, they exchange it for $100 worth of groceries at the checkout counter. The big difference is that you or your WJ group earn a percentage of each gift card toward your FUNdraising efforts! So, if the family buys $800 of gift cards from you and the card pays 4%, that’s $32 for your WJ fund!

There are hundreds of gift cards to choose from. Not only all the major grocery chains, but also gas retailers, department stores, bookstores, drugstores, etc. Each type of card carries a different percentage of FUNdraising credit. We’ve even seen some as high as 10%!

Two programs we’re aware of are:
FundScrip: http://www.fundscrip.com/
Vista Innovative Promotions: http://www.vistavipfundraising.ca/index.htm

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Getting started:
This is a group FUNdraiser and so you should meet with your WJ Organizing Group and appoint a program leader to research the options and to become the point person for ordering and distributing the cards. Once they’ve set it all up, you’ll be in a great position to start asking family, friends and neighbours to invest in your gift cards.

As an ongoing FUNdraiser, a successful gift card program can be a simple way to earn repeat income.

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Offering a Car Survival Kit

Scouts are known worldwide for their ability to survive.  I know of very few other youth organizations that prepare us for ‘anything’ like Scouts.  Leverage your uniqueness as a Survival Expert and translate that knowledge into a FUNdraising opportunity!

Imagine: you are driving in a remote area and suddenly ran into car troubles.  Help was far, far away.  What would help you get through the hours (maybe days) before help arrived?  What if the temperature outside was below zero?  Having a Car Survival Kit at this time would be a real lifesaver (pun intended).

Brainstorm this with your Troop/Company.  Come up with a list of survival items.  Then divide up the list and do some virtual window shopping to see how much each item would cost.  You’ll also want to look at a container big enough to handle all these items so customers could easily store it in their trunk.  How about a label?

Once you have all your costs you’ll be able to come up with a kit price priced with a fair profit.  Smart marketing says to look around before you set the price.  Are there similar kits available at outdoor stores in your area?  If so, how are they priced?  What is in them?  Because your kit is better, can you ask for more money?  Experience also shows that a Scout/Venturer in uniform can sell things at a higher price if they do a good job explaining what the money goes to, so make sure you have a good story to tell.

Then you’ll need to decide how you will sell and market the kit.  You may choose to do a pre-order sales blitz, where you and your WJ mates will go out to the community and take orders for the kit to be delivered at a set later date.  This type of selling gives you the security knowing that you are only purchasing just enough materials to fill your orders.

Another method is to purchase supplies for a number of kits and assemble them.  Then you have the product in hand when selling.  The advantage of this method is the customer gets the product right away and you have a better chance of selling it on the spot.  Perhaps a mixture of both techniques will work best for you and your group.

Planning on doing this?  Please send your photos and success story to dseis@scouts.ca.  We’ll publish you on this National blog.

We’d love your feedback:

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Securing a Grant

Many municipalities and communities around the country have dedicated development funds through which residents can apply for funding.  I remember one example from the last World Jamboree where three individuals received a few hundred dollars each from their local municipality as a travel grant.

Find out from your town’s website whether they have such a program.  Or call their customer service department.

If they have a grant program, obtain the guidelines and application forms.  Do this soon.  Many grants are only paid once a year and you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity.  There may be several grant categories to choose from so read them carefully and see where a World Jamboree best fits.

It is possible that a grant program for your trip may not be available.  However, there may be other opportunities to help your Scout Group, and you should pass those ideas along to your Troop Scouter/Advisor.  I know several groups who used municipal grants to purchase a camp trailer or other camping equipment.

We’d love to hear from you!  Does your municipality have a program?  Were you successful in your bid for a grant?

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Have a FUNdraiser idea you would like to share?  Please send your story and a photo (preferably in your uniform) to dseis@scouts.ca.

Cooking at an Event

This post features the Simcoe-Phoenix Area (Central Ontario) Scouts & Venturers FUNdraising to join us all at WJ’15 Japan.

Two years ago they created a partnership with a local conservation area to run a lunchtime food pavilion for the visitors enjoying their “Family Fun Day.”  The event organizers provided the pavilion and the food, while the Scouts provided the manpower to sell food tickets, cook, and serve hot dogs and hot chocolate.  Over the four hour event, over 600 hungry visitors enjoyed a nice warm lunch and the profit was split between the Scouts and the conservation area.

Perhaps the biggest benefit was the camaraderie and teamwork involved.  Many of these Scouts come from different Area groups, so an event like this really gets everyone knowing one another.  After all, next summer they’ll be together and having the time of their lives!

To get started organizing such an event, find out what places in your area run festivals and events.  In many cases, they are looking for more volunteers than they have and will appreciate help from an entire Troop of hard-working Scouts.  Strike a deal so that everyone benefits.

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Have a FUNdraiser idea you would like to share?  Please send your story and a photo (preferably in your Scout uniform) to dseis@scouts.ca.

Boston Pizza FUNdraiser

This can truly be a fun FUNdraiser!

Boston Pizza, a nationwide chain of family-friendly casual dining restaurants, offers FUNdraising programs for groups.  Started in 1964 in Edmonton, Alberta, Boston Pizza now has over 300 locations across Canada and has received prestigious awards such as: one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies by the Financial Post and Arthur Andersen & Co., a recognition for which Boston Pizza has officially re-qualified every subsequent year.

Two FUNdraising programs may be of interest to WJ’15 Areas & Groups:

1)  Celebrity Server.  They could always use an extra hand. Potentially, a WJ member can volunteer to work alongside a server at your local Boston Pizza. Simply schedule a night with your local Boston Pizza, invite your friends and family to come dine, and a percentage of the sales will go back to your group. This is a great way to FUNdraise for your group and get a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes fun at your local Boston Pizza.

2) Team Headquarters.  Enrol in the Team Headquarters program at your local Boston Pizza. Then have your group collect Boston Pizza receipts from families and friends who have dined with them over a certain period. A portion of the total goes back to your group!

Either of the above programs may or may not be offered at your local Boston Pizza, so it is best to contact your local restaurant and see what opportunities exist for your WJ’15 group.  Visit their website at www.bostonpizza.com to find more information and the contacts in your area.

Questions on how to get going?

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Have a FUNdraiser idea you would like to share?  Please send your story and a photo (preferably in your Scout uniform) to dseis@scouts.ca.