College of DuPage Fundraising Tips for Student Clubs

Special Events / Activities Over the years Student Life has seen a great variety of fundraising events and activities. Below are a few general ideas of potential fundraisers.

General Event Ideas Parties/get-togethers with a variety of themes o Karaoke night, game nights, dinner parties, cookie exchanges or have a local business provide food at an event and ask for a $1 donation to go to support your club.

Sell something o Host a garage sale, car wash, book sale, etc…

Store front collection o Be sure to get permission from the management Coupon / Voucher Fundraising – (Easy but with little return) o Many restaurants (Chili’s, Red Robin), grocery stores (Jewel, Whole Foods), and bookstores (Barnes & Noble) offer fundraising programs where a percentage of the receipts for a designated day/night go back to your club.

Home-based retail organizations, like Tupperware, Avon, Southern Living, or Pampered Chef can have a sale to benefit your club.

Important Tips for Fundraising through Events & Activities Fundraising through events and activities can be fun but can also be very difficult. Here are the facts.

A successful fundraising event takes ADVANCED planning and TEAMWORK o The larger the fundraising goal, the more time planning will take o Full support from club members and advisors is essential. The most successful fundraisers begin with 100% of the club leadership (club officers) contributing something to the goal. The actual contribution (extra time towards planning and/or money) is a personal choice but demonstrating your own dedication to the goal will encourage others to give. o A strong team will contribute to the success where a weak team will make the task infinitely more difficult.

Do the math. Be realistic about your EXPENSES and your potential INCOME o Be sure to do the ground work on pricing out exactly how much money will be needed in advance. o You are not “fundraising” if you are breaking even (equal money out/in) or losing money on an event.

Keep your fundraiser SHORT and SWEET o You might think that more time is better when it comes to donations but beware of a window that is too wide as donors might put off giving and forget. o Creating a concise donation time encourages immediate participation.

7 College of DuPage Office of Student Life // studentlife@cod.edu // 630-942-2243 Student Services Center 1217 // 425 Fawell Blvd. Glen Ellyn, IL 60137