Fundraising ideas

[Holla]

Last year we over stayed our welcome in GM's Piggy Bank so this year we must do a lot for fundraising, we're starting early so we will have enough money for everything. So far we have a fee to join the team and are planning on 50/50 draws within the school. Anyother ideas would be awsome! I would LOVE your input!

[sanddrag]

I've always thought of a fee as an interesting concept but was afraid at how it might turn out. Would paying this fee make students not want to fundraise as much or could it discourage some from joining the team? Robotics is the most expensive program at any school and I don't think it's right for other clubs to charge and robotics to be free. But then again, we all do have to fundraise.

If I may ask, what is your fee?

[Holla]

Currently our fee is $50 (but this pretty much wil only cover pop and pizza and stuff.) We are just trying it out this year, but I'm sure it will work because most of the team is returning from last year. Its not etched in stone y et, but I'm pretty sure it will stay at $50. (and that's CND funds)

[Tytus Gerrish]

Fees are bad, they will discourge and hinder
What about the poor kid who needs his lunch money... Isin't he Good enough to be in first?

there are Lots of way to get funds i dont think fees should be one of them

[josh_johnson]

Our best fundraiser would have to be the "Duct Tape Party" that we had. We held this during finals week where students bought duct tape to tape 2 or 3 willing faculty members to a wall. It was a good fundraiser and a lot of fun.

[Kristina]

I've written our team's ideas down so many times it was easier just to search than to retype. On my search here were the most useful threads that I found...

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14808&perpage=15&highlight=fundraising&pagenumber=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15176&highlight=fundraising

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14453&highlight=fundraising

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14221&highlight=fundraising

I think that's enough for now...they started getting redundant but you get the picture. Lots of ideas to go from...

[Pin Man]

we raise 600 each student and we do many things for fundraising.... One of my favorites is the car wash... IN OCTOBER IN NEW ENGLAND!!! YAY!!!

[Andrew Rudolph]

Back on 212 we had each person pay a fee of around 35 dollars, but if you couldnt afford it (really couldnt afford it not that you were too cheap to pay the money for the club as opposed to a pair of pants) we would work out somthing so you could be in the club. Being a team that never had a major sponsor it was a good source of money for parts to make the bot.

[Aignam]

Originally posted by Pin Man
we raise 600 each student and we do many things for fundraising.... One of my favorites is the car wash... IN OCTOBER IN NEW ENGLAND!!! YAY!!!
Yes, car washes are a good source of money for fund raising. We also do things like sell tickets to events at local malls, our off-season competition (though not the best idea for a rookie team), sell team shirts (Who doesn't love Hawaiian?), and a few other ideas that we find here and there. There has been a fundraising requirement set for our team, this year, that each student must individually raise $300 through team fundraisers, which is kept in each student's travel account.

[Gadget470]

Talk with local businesses!

7-11, Tim Horton's, Tim Horton's, Tim Horton's, Tim Horton's, [I know how you canadian's love Timmy's], Local Bank, Hardware Store, Deli, Pizza Shop, Travel Agency. EVERYTHING.

For example, 470 is sponsored by Papa John's Pizza. We don't get free pizza, but we get a "generous" amount of pizza's at the price it costs Papa John's to make it. I can't remember the team number anymore, but last year there was a team with about 40 sponsors (30 on their list).

Leave no businuss unasked. But before you ask, develop a gameplan befrore you approach them. Don't expect $1,000 cash from your local hardware store. Perhaps attempt a materials discount. For everything your team uses, chances are you can get a sponsor for it.

Remember, accept "no" politely, and ask again in 6 months or so.


A small 'registration fee' is acceptable to many teams. My first year in FIRST we had to put in a "$200 Deposit". We were expected to have it returned in full if the team fundraised enough money. If not, the deposit wouldbe used. For those who couldn't afford the deposit, installment-style payments were made to build it up. I ended up getting $150 back, and that went to the next year's deposit.

Personally, I feel $50CDN is not a bad price for a FIRST team member. Yes, I understand, some families can't just drop $50, but that's where the special arrangements come in.

Anyways, as I was saying... try for everything local. Are there bilboards or movie marquee's in your area? ask the owner to put up a "Support local robotics team - Team Name!" Don't give more info. Let the citizens question it in their minds. Then when they get a flyer.. they'll remember you and look into it. Intrigue is a beautiful thing.

[Holla]

Hmm, all good ideas, thanks. How do you people approach companies? One of the guys on our team is in the process of making a promotion video.

[Gadget470]

A promotion video is good for open house or other public viewing events. Those should be able to catch someone's eye as they pass it in the hall and make them watch it for a bit. Don't expect some company to take your video watch it, and fall in love. Yes, it could happen, chances are it won't, though.

Talk with an English teacher at your school about making a formal letter to submit to businesses. They will be your biggest help in making a professional and respectable approach to getting a sponsor.

Let the businesses now what they are getting for their money. Most places won't be happy with just a sticker on the robot. Some want their name in pamplets, on shirts, etc. Create a system of equality. Meaning, equal funding = equal treatment.

Say Fast Joe's Pizza gives you 50 free pizzas. Regular price for a large pizza is ~$10, $10 x 50 = $500. Fast Joe's should get equal treatment as Jerry's Bike Shop who donated $500 cash.
Your team should decide what that treatment is. Many teams have a policy of:

Level 1
$50-$500 = Name/logo on all documents given out (Pamphlets, CD's, other promotions)
Level 2
$501-$1500 = Name/logo on T-Shirts and Level 1
Level 3
$1501-$2500 = Name/logo on Robot and Levels 1, 2
Level 4
$2500+ = Name announced with Team and Levels 1, 2, 3, 4

Your team should decide the structure, if you tell them "that's how it will be" then DO IT! Don't promise a company something and not follow through or you won't get returning sponsors.

Toot your own horn in the letter. Toot it like it's never been tooted before. Consider swinging the letter to say that you need not want sponsorship. Let them know of all your other fundraising efforts and community outreach. Small Businesses by nature love to take credit for other people's accomplishments, but they need a reason to.

[danielkitchener]

Dues for my team are around $10...not that bad, and it pays for 1 shirt (the 2nd one is paid for by fundraising). Car washes are great moneymakers. Ask around, though...some places will match funds earned by a car wash :D !!! Also, candy sales are good. The ladder system above for sponsors is another good idea also. Be creative...sell team CDs (Acid is a great program to make these with), bumper stickers, Christmas wrapping paper, etc. The more creative, the better - creative ideas recieve more attention, and thus more funds
-Daniel

[EIROBOTICS86]

our team is holding a carnival along with another organization and we get most of the profits

[Ryan Dognaux]

Our team sells shirt back spots and spots on the robot for fundraising. Obviously spots on the robot cost a lot more than a business card sized space on a shirt. :) That helps some. Also, students on our team don't have to pay to be on the team, but do if you want to go to competitions.

:)

[James114]

Last year my team, 114, had 1 car wash fundraiser, it work out great, we got a total income of $1500 from it, but the best part was that we did the car wash a week after my schools parent teacher conferences, and we sold tickets for the car wash and made $200 just from pre-selling tickets, and only 1 car with a ticket turned up.

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2003 Driver, 2003 drive-train designer

[mrs. p]

some ideas for fundraising that i don't think i've seen before. we also do the car washes(with matching funds), candy sales and donut sales. we've also collaborated with the high school drama department every year and split the profits for a mystery dinner theater. they do the show and we do the dinner. this year we're hosting our FIRST golf tournament. this summer, our county hosted a teen festival (for thousands of kids) and we were able to be the sole provider of drinks. profitable venture! we also do gift wrapping around christmas time with the robot nearby and visit the local civic organizations to give presentations, demo our robot and ask for support.

[generalbrando]

Dues can be ok as long as they are small. Team Hammond's funding covers half of the transportation costs while students and families are left with the rest (this info is from 2001 anyway), which made the dues $525 for 2001. That was a lot, obviously.

Anyway, as Josh said, Duct Tape is good. Go to Walmart, buy a bunch of rolls, and then set up a teacher or principal on a couple of chairs, back to wall, legs spread, and arms out. Do this at a big event, like a dance or something. Sell the tape for $1 or $0.50 a yard (or meter) and $10 or $20 a roll - and let them go nuts, putting it where they want (if the volunteer approves). It's a little difficult to con someone into being taped, but if you do it, after you get a good number of rolls up there (5-15, depending on size), they will stick to the wall without the chairs supporting them! (be careful pulling them out, and be sure to take pictures)

Krispy Kremes also has a great fundraiser if you don't have a shop close by. They sell you glazed dozens for I think half price and then you sell them off quick either at the corner of a local business where traffic is good or the entrance to a big local event. Team Hammond makes this a weekly event at times.

T-Shirts can also bring in money instead of making it go out! The Prank Monkey logo made about $350 for the team last year. We had a different shirt printed with just a big logo on the front and a little text on the back. We sold them at $15 each to classmates, family, friends, and other FIRSTers.

[Hinkel Y.]

Last year we had our team pay a $20 CDN for food... Half our team had left last year (Which were most of the Gr. 9's except for me :p ) There were basically about 10 Gr. 9's in the team to begin with and we now had $200 extra! Then we had a meal sign up sheet. If we did not sign up, we'd get leftovers for the first time, and we had to pay $5 the second time, and $10 the third and etc... This was one of the ways we got a bit of money from the non-dedicated members!

[Shawn60]

We require each member of the team to contact 4 local businesses for donations ($$, materials, etc) and to come up with $250 in "personal" donations. The $250 can come from anyone they know (not the 4 businesses). If they do not do this they can be on the team but they will not be allowed to travel. We have very little complaints on this. Heck, our cheerleaders need to come up with about $600 each for camp, unifroms, etc.

Shawn

[fundraiseroc]

What were your paramiters for this fundraiser?
How long was tape? what was $? Rules of "no tape zone"?
When was it held? Lunch? Event? Weekend?
Our best fundraiser would have to be the "Duct Tape Party" that we had. We held this during finals week where students bought duct tape to tape 2 or 3 willing faculty members to a wall. It was a good fundraiser and a lot of fun.