If you think presidential fundraising is different than the way you raise money think again. There are lots of similarities. The one I’d like to discuss today is the need to bring star power to your fundraising event.

Apparently former President Bill Clinton has agreed to make joint appearances with President Barack Obama at a series of campaign fundraisers. One would think having the current President present would be enough for any fundraiser. But the people in charge of raising money understand the need for even more star power.

So the handlers have arranged for President Clinton to join Obama on the fundraising trail. They must figure that the former president is more impactful with certain donors than the current president. That the combination of the two will bring an electricity that will fire up their donor base differently than if either man worked independently.

The lesson for us, then, is how do we fire up our donor bases? What can we do to bring excitement and publicity to our cause. What can we do to broaden our donor base and bring in more money?

Those are questions that need to be asked and that can only be answered on an organization by organization basis. You need to think outside the box. The problem many groups have is they are uncomfortable or unwilling to go outside their organization for help. But just consider presidential campaign and its understanding that by itself it could raise money but by partnering with others the end results could possibly be much higher.

Would that work for you as well?

Unique Fundraisers for Unique Needs. If more groups would think like that they would most definitely raise a lot more money.

We all know there are tons of fundraising ideas out there. Lots of them are tried and proven like cookie dough fundraising or candy fundraising. But even though they are tried and proven doesn’t mean that they are right or the best idea for every group.

Consider a group called Loaves and Fishes. They have come up with a unique fundraising idea to raise money for their local food shelters. They want to all kinds of people to come and purchase a bowl of soup from what will essentially be a soup line and pay $25 for the soup. They hope that they can attract enough attention where people will be lined up out the door and around the block if possible.

Their idea is to give people an idea of what some people go through. Most people have no idea what its like to stand in line for the only meal you’ll get that day.

The idea is not just to raise money, but help people empathize with the plight of those who are experiencing homelessness.

They are enlisting the help of 10 local chefs to create a great selection of soups that can be purchased.

When we read about their idea we were very impressed and wanted to share it with you. We believe these people will have the best fundraising results they’ve ever had because not only have they identified a fundraising product that can be associated with the cause, they have created one that can be very profitable. The event raises awareness as well as dollars and what more could you ask for when choosing Unique Fundraisers for Unique Needs.

Are people really tired of cookie dough fundraisers?

I ran across an article in Our Colorado News that highlights one group that says it is. Cookie dough fundraising sales, though, suggest that is not true. First let’s explore the Colorado group in the article.

“With supplemental funds so essential to helping preps sports programs perform at a highly competitive level, high school athletics departments and their booster clubs are forced to come up with their own style of “Moneyball.” In the Douglas County School District and at Littleton Public Schools, a student athlete’s cost for participating in sports ranges between $135-$150.”

That’s true every where. Sports and other extracurricular activities are costing more at a time when school budgets simply can not handle those increase. Thus the increased need for sports fundraising and school fundraising campaigns.

“Generating consistent supplemental funds from a community can be just as competitive as the teams they go toward. Creativity tends to be the key. “We have very creative parent groups (at Heritage) that find creative ways to raise money,” Shelton said. “So many people are sick and tired of cookie dough and butter braids that they would just rather write a check. We push them to get creative.” Some of the ideas booster clubs in the area have come up with include car washes at local businesses, fresh fruit sales and selling ads in the athletic programs. Heritage has been known to raffle off choice parking spaces and run tournaments of dodgeball, volleyball and basketball, as well as organize “Skate with the Eagles” events.”

This is a very fortunate school and school district because it appears they have very involved parents and administrators who are willing to do lots of different fundraisers to raise their money. It reminds me of a local band booster club that seems to have weekly fundraisers. Both, at first glance, seem to be successful. But that might not be true.

People might not be tired of cookie dough fundraisers. Instead they might be sick of weekly fundraisers and being bombarded with weekly fundraising ideas that are sent home. History shows us that each of these fundraisers raises less money and the money is often just donated by the parents who are sick and tired of constantly fundraising.

We still see groups raising tens of thousands of dollars with their cookie dough fundraisers. They are the ones that promote their fundraiser. They manage it well. They promote the benefits of participation. They set goals.

Our suggestion is not to give up on cookie dough fundraising – or any other fundraiser for that matter. It is to do the things necessary to make sure each fundraiser you run reaches it potential through extraordinary implementation.

CLICK HERE for details on the cookie dough fundraisers we recommend.

Politics and fundraising. They seem like such different worlds but they sure do have a huge impact on each other.

That has never been more evident than the recent conflict between President Obama and the Catholic church over the need to include no cost contraceptives in their health care policies.

Consider this article from the LA Times:

“Reporting from Washington— The Obama administration’s new requirement that most health insurance plans provide contraceptive services has exploded into a high-octane political weapon, with combatants on both sides scrambling to score points among the electorate and gin up fundraising from their most ardent supporters. “

Both political parties have pounced on the dispute and are using the point hard in their fundraising attempts. They both feel strongly about their ideaology and want like minded people to support them based on that ideaology. So when a conflict arises that gets as much air time as this dispute then you see it used as a focal point in fundraising circles.

The LA Times article continues:

“Meanwhile, activists mobilized for battle, using the issue to raise money. Labor and health advocacy groups allied with Democrats plan a blitz this week in key battleground states: Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Florida.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee declared in a fundraising pitch: “Our right-wing opponents continue to launch attack after attack against women’s rights, women’s health, and women’s economic security — and we’ve got to fight back every single day.” The National Republican Senatorial Committee also launched a petition and donation drive.

“The Democrats are using Obamacare to force religious groups to defy their deeply held beliefs,” the group said on its website. “Where has our freedom gone?” The Faith and Freedom Coalition, a group led by longtime conservative leader Ralph Reed, asked supporters in an email, “Have you had enough of Obama’s war on religion?” If so, the email said, sign a petition and make a contribution now.”

As you can see politics and fundraising are in fact inextrictably linked. That’s the way it has been and that is the way it will continue. Get people charged up and they open their purse strings.

Don’t ever question whether or not Candy Fundraisers Can Raise Lots of Money. They can, they do and they will continue to be a great fundraising product.

We just came across an article in the Statesmen Journal. A group of people really had a passion for their library. In fact they needed to raise around $800,000 to build a new library. Now that’s a lot of money and few people would consider candy fundraising as an option.

But here is a snippet of their story from the newspaper:

“Many might have doubted it could be done. But many Bunco games, flower sales and candy fundraisers later, members of the Friends of the Jefferson Public Library have raised $100,000 in a little more than a year to build the town a new $800,000 library. And this dedicated group of volunteers is committed to raising the total amount due without subjecting the town’s residents to tax increases.

“So how did a dozen committed volunteers raise so much money in a small community for a library with an annual operating budget of $76,250? “Begging,” said Karen Barr, Friends of the Library vice president. “Literally, we beg,” grant writer Linda Baker added, smiling but absolutely earnest in her resolve.”

There are lots of lessons for us all in this story. The most obvious is that people who believe in a cause can raise lots of money. In fact they can raise more money than many of can imagine. And they can do it the old fashioned way. They can do it with product fundraising.

The real story is that a group of people identified a need they believed in. They formulated a game plan on how to satisfy their need. They were committed to their goal and they had pride in their effort.

Does that describe your fundraising group? Do you have that passion? That focus? That determination? If not then maybe that explains why many groups produce lackluster fundraising results.

Looking for Fundraisers for Small Groups? Let’s explore some options along with the pros and cons of each.

1. Lollipop Fundraising: Fundraising lollipops are great fundraising products for any sized group needing to raise a small to moderate amount of money. By that I mean someone needing to raise $500 or less. The reason lollipop fundraisers are great Fundraisers for Small Groups is the small minimum order requirement.

You can purchase lollipops one case at a time. A case typically costs around $150 each and you double your money on every lollipop you sell. There are lollipops in seasonal shapes that make selling extremely easy. For those reasons we consider lollipops one of the best Fundraisers for Small Groups.

2. Scratch Card Fundraisers: Scratch card fundraisers are especially good for small motivated groups. Each member of your group is given a card that has 50 concealed dots. Under the dots are amounts of money ranging from $.50 to $3. You ask people to scratch 2 or more dots and donate the revealed amount of money. When all 50 dots are scratched off you will have raised $100. You are given coupon sheets as thank you gifts for donors.

You can purchase as little as 1 card at a time. Prices are dependent on volume however. The more cards you purchase the lower your price. The good news, though, is that you would make 70% profit purchasing even 1 card. This is a perfect fundraiser for groups that need to raise around $100 per member.

3. Candle Fundraisers: You might not think about candle fundraising when you think about Fundraisers for Small Groups but they are actually a perfect fit. It costs nothing to get started. That means any group can try this fundraiser. There is no minimum order requirement. There is typically a shipping charge for smaller orders so ideally a group would want to sell 150 or more candles but it is not a requirement for the fundraiser.

There are lots of different candle fundraisers that are designed for different markets. There are all natural candles for earth friendly fundraising. There are faith based candle for church fundraisers for example.

We hope you will consider these Fundraisers for Small Groups and know that there are fundraising ideas out there for any group that needs to raise money.

Let’s talk about how to choose the best Lollipop Fundraising Companies. It is one of the easiest fundraising products to purchase so a quick discussion should tell you all that you need to know.

Fundraising lollipops are more or less a commodity in the fundraising industry. There are only a few manufacturers that produce lollipops for fundraising. However most manufacturers do not sell directly. Instead they sell through Lollipop Fundraising Companies or distributors of their products. So you are really choosing a distributor first and then the specific lollipop you would like to purchase.

When you buy fundraising lollipops you will be asked to purchase them by the case. Most lollipops come in cases containing 640 lollipops. That might sound like a lot but remember the lollipops sell for only $.50 and you pay half of that amount so a typical case will cost you $160.

One of the first things you should consider regardless of the shape or type of lollipop you purchase is whether the distributor includes free shipping in their price. A case of lollipops weighs around 40 pounds so you can imagine how expensive shipping would be if its not included.

The next decision is the type and shape lollipops you want to sell.

There are lots of great shapes to choose from and we suggest you change shapes periodically to keep your sales fresh. But the fact of the matter is that the most popular fundraising lollipops are the 1 oz round confection lollipops that come in variety of flavors.

Here are the 3 Lollipop Fundraising Companies we suggest and links to their lollipop fundraising pages:

Easy Fundraising Ideas lollipops

Fast Track Fundraising lollipops

Buy for Charity Fundraising lollipops