Fundraising For Your Organization - What Is A Good Project?

Fundraising is a very important part of our society. Humans are a naturally generous species, and we rarely hesitate to help out with a good cause of charity. If you look at the entire animal world, you won't find another creature that will voluntarily give their possessions for another.

Fundraising Ideas

There are many different ways to go about raising money for your organization, club or charity. Some of the old standby methods are door-to-door candy or popcorn sales, magazine subscriptions, car washes, or pancake feeds. I suppose they are fine…if you are interested in that kind of fundraiser.

Making It Easy

My father once told me that if you wanted to find the easiest way to get something done was to watch a lazy person who is also conscientious about his work. That lazy person is me. I will find the quickest and least "painful" way to accomplish a task, but yet I make sure it is done right. When a fraternal organization to which I belong was considering various fundraisers for our yearly project, I came up with the idea of making a personalized family style cookbook. I got the idea from my career as a police dispatcher. There was a cookbook publishing company within my jurisdiction, and we often received intrusion alarms at night on their building. For that reason alone I thought about that as a fundraiser.

We contacted them and they helped us create a cookbook that made our endeavor a great success. If fact, we sell reprints of the book every year.

How Does It Work?

People, as I mentioned earlier, are generous…but they aren't stupid. If you ask them to donate to your cause, they are more apt to do so if you offer an item of value to them. A family style cookbook contains the best recipes from the finest cooks in your group or community. It will be an absolutely unique product, too. There won't be another one like it on the planet.

Imagine finally having access to "Aunt Mildred's" famous sweet roll recipe, or the lasagna recipe from the lady down the street that everyone in town talks about. When potential donors realize what a treasure it is, they will be more than anxious to get one.

The Process.

It is simple, really. Find a reputable on-line cookbook publisher that offers help from beginning to end. They should have tips and hints on how to gather recipes, and how to organize and design an attractive cookbook. Look for a publisher that has different options for pictures and graphics, dividers, various paper stocks and ink, and other related aspects. The basic steps are outlined below:

Create A Committee.

Every project needs some direction. The committee will decide who does what, when it should be completed, where it will be sold, etc.

Gather Recipes.

Usually, a good publisher will have forms that can be given to people to fill out. They can be hand written as long as they are legible, of course. You will need recipes for desserts, pastries, entrees, fish, fowl and meat.

Design The Cookbook.

It is essential that you are able to pick and choose from a myriad of options. If the publisher with whom you are working requires that you select from a handful of templates, then I would politely tell them you are not interested, and then move on to one that does. The options should include the physical style of the cookbook, the organization, style of pictures and graphics, different dividers, and whether there will be dedication and advertising pages included.

Last…Marketing The Cookbooks.

You might discover that it is easier than you think to sell them. First, many of your organization's members will purchase one or more. Most of the people who contributed recipes will want one, too. (Everyone enjoys seeing their name in print!) Events like school activities, church gatherings, street fairs and craft shows are just a few other spots where a fine family style cookbook can be sold. Your imagination is the limit.

Find a reputable cookbook publisher (just do a search for "cookbook publisher" to discover how many are out there) and choose one that has been around for a while. You won't be sorry.

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Andy Barber is a retired police/fire/EMS dispatcher. After a quarter of a century of "stomping the pedal," as he likes to call it, he took an early retirement and became a freelance writer. Currently he is working for Cookbook Publishers, a company that has been helping people and organizations raise money since 1947. When Andy isn't writing, he spends time on his eastern Kansas farm with his wife and the 2 younger of their 3 sons. Andy also has a love for Harley Davidson motorcycles. He regularly criss-crosses the USA on his bike to meet with friends and see this beautiful country. Cookbook Publishers has been helping people with fundraisers for years, so check them out and see what they can do for you.