Church Fundraising

Looking for a new twist in church fundraising? There are several methods churches have relied on for decades when there comes a need for funds, whether to buy a new church van, add on to the building, take the youth group on a trip, or even to buy new pews.

Let’s briefly take a look at some of the old stand-bys churches have used in the past:

Church cookbooks. Many churches have created cookbooks containing all of the best recipes of the ladies in the church. After compiling a list of recipes, a publisher publishes the cookbook, then members of the church sell them for $10 or $15 each.

Car washes. How many times have the teens and young adults in your church participated in a car wash held at a popular spot in town where there’s plenty of traffic passing by? An old favorite, most of the time churches raise money with a car wash by taking whatever donation the donator wants to give – $3, $5, $10, and so on.

Family photo day. This is another old stand-by in church fundraising, whereby you organize a certain day so that members of your church and folks in the community can come have a family photo taken by a professional, sometimes at a discounted price.

Spaghetti suppers. Lots of churches (particularly those out in the country or in rural areas) hold spaghetti suppers every few years to raise money. People in the church join in and prepare a meal complete with spaghetti, bread, dessert and drinks, charging a set price or accepting donations when people come by and enjoy a great meal.

Now, how can you put a new twist in church fundraising? Easy!

Fundraising cards have been around for a long time, too, but if your church has never tried them you will be surprised at how profitable and easy it is.

Profit margins range from 50% to more than 100%, depending on the size of your group and how many will be participating in the selling aspect of your fundraiser. What’s even better is that with these handy little money-saving cards, you can choose to use them however you like – either on their own, or in conjunction with your other church fundraising activities.

Most groups sell the cards for $10, so even at the 50% profit level you’re still earning $5 per card. The cards offer great deals at merchants in your local community such as restaurants, hair salons, the local gym, car care services, florists, bowling and other family activities, and more. Customers realize the great value, and that they can save a bunch of money because the cards are good for an entire year! A typical discount would be something like getting 15% off on an oil change, 20% off on a hair cut or other salon service, or buy-one-get-one-free burger and shake meal deal. You can see why customers love them, because they offer savings on what most people consider normal or necessary purchases.

Discount cards are great for church fundraising because it’s easy, considering all you need to do is get merchants to participate, order the number of cards you need from the card company, and start selling when they arrive. Who doesn’t love something that requires hardly any work, and pulls in profits far easier and quicker than other methods commonly used to raise money? If your church group is ready for a fresh approach to raising money, give this a try – you’ll be amazed.

When you think about it, most methods churches rely on to raise funds can be a real chore.  Bake sales, car washes, spaghetti suppers, developing a church cookbook, multi-family yard sales – all of these things require a substantial amount of work and effort.  Church fundraising really doesn’t have to be so much work, and in fact can be far more profitable!  How?  With fundraising or spirit cards, which we will explain below.

 Church fundraising can really be a lot of fun, and a whole lot more profitable with these cards, which offer discount savings and buy-one-get-one-free offers at merchants in your own local community.  Customers get to enjoy substantial savings at their favorite merchants for an entire year, and they’re happy to buy the card at $10 because a) they’re helping support your group’s needs, and b) they know they will save a lot of money for the duration of time before the card expires.  Of course you don’t have to completely do away with those other methods of fundraising you’ve relied on for years, but using the cards in conjunction with your other activities can be way more profitable!

Think of all of the work involved with the usual fundraising activities.  Bake sales require a lot of work, when you think about it.  Someone has to do all of the baking, which costs money.  Once all of the pies, cakes, and cookies are done, there is wrapping to be done, then pricing.  Once it’s all ready to go, those in your church must transport all of the baked goods, along with a few tables and chairs, to the location where you will be offering up those yummy treats.  When it’s all over with, breaking it all down, loading back up and taking the tables, chairs, and other supplies back to where they came from.  After all of this, how much profit do you really end up with?  Church fundraising is often fun, but when it comes to how much money you really make in the end – well, it isn’t always so profitable.

With fundraising or spirit cards, all you need to do is  order the number of cards you think you will need.  This will depend on the  number of people who will actually do the selling; usually, one person can easily sell at least 10 cards.  Once they arrive, your group can begin selling, which is easy.  Sell door to door in the community, offer the cards at sporting events, school, church, at work, literally anywhere you go!  No awkward boxes to lug around, simply tuck the cards away in a wallet, pocket, fanny pack or purse.  Now THIS  is the way church fundraising should be done!

Just how profitable is it, really?  Depending on the number of cards ordered and sold by your group, you can raise $1,000, $15,000 or more, and profit margins go higher depending on the number of cards ordered.  If your church has a large attendance and you have 50 who will participate in the selling, you should order at least 500 cards.  At a profit of $7 per card, if all 500 are sold you will raise $3,500 – have you ever raised that much money with a bake sale, and with so little effort?  Have 100 who will participate, order 1,000 cards (you get 200 free with every 1,000 ordered) and enjoy profits of $10,000.  Absolutely incredible.

Now you see why we say church fundraising doesn’t have to be a real chore, because it doesn’t!  Use them on their own, or combine them with all of those other activities you enjoy if you don’t want to give up the fun and fellowship.  Either way, you’re going to see that raising funds is far easier than you ever imagined.

 

 Although spirit cards have been around for ages, it’s amazing that some groups and organizations still have not tried them when fundraising time rolls around.  School clubs and organizations, church groups, sports teams, the school PTA – there are countless organizations that could benefit tremendously through using spirit cards.  If you haven’t tried them out yet, you may not realize all of the advantages or the huge profit potential.  You may find the facts below interesting, particularly if you are looking for an easy, almost fool-proof way to raise a large sum of money quickly.

Here’s what you may or may not know:

Making the sale is easy.  How easy is it to sell cookie dough these days?  Considering they’re not really a “necessity” and a lot of people are living on limited budgets, most don’t let go of their hard-earned money easily.  Spirit cards offer incredible value to the customer, which they realize once they see all of the great “deals” at local merchants listed on the backs of the cards.  Because they can save money over a one year time period from the date of purchase, they know that they will save far more than the $10 they spend on the card.  Additionally, the great deals and money-saving offers are on products and services that most people consider normal, everyday purchases like hair cut/coloring at the local salon, fast food/restaurants, car services/oil changes, family activities, even the local florist. When the customer sees the real value in something, it makes the selling super-easy!

You really DON’T have to work for weeks or months to prepare for your fundraiser.  Think about the work involved in creating a church cookbook, or even holding a church bake sale.  Even selling candy bars or cookie dough has its drawbacks, considering the boxes you have to transport back and forth from here to there, storage issues, and spoilage concerns in hot, humid months.  And catalog sales?  That’s a whole other story, and can be a nightmare if orders aren’t processed correctly.  With spirit cards, you simply decide on which merchants in the local community you want to participate, and once they commit you’re ready to have the cards printed up, shipped to you, and start selling.  The card company can even handle the work of contacting the merchants if you prefer.

Greater profits in weeks, not months.  With spirit cards, the profit margins are truly incredible, particularly if you have a larger group who will join in the selling.  While profits start out at $5 per card, the more you 

order and sell, the higher the profits go.  In fact, you could easily find that your group earns $7, $8 or more per card which adds up fast in comparison to making $1 or two on a chocolate candy bar. As we have already mentioned, the selling is easy – which means between customers’ eagerness to buy and huge profit margins, you can raise the amount of money you need far quicker than with other fundraising methods.  The old saying “Work smarter, not harder” certainly holds true in this case!

Are spirit cards a fundraising method you should consider?  Unless you just like to work extra-hard for less profit, absolutely!  Give it a try for yourself, you will be convinced in no time at all of the power of these handy little cards. 

Spirit cards have long been a reliable way for football, soccer, and basketball teams to raise funds when they need them.  However, these fundraising cards aren’t limited to sports teams only – cheerleaders, the drill team, the school band and other groups use them as well, as they’re a super-easy way to raise a substantial amount of money in a relatively short period of time.  If your grade school, junior high or high school club or sports team is looking for something different and reliable, count on spirit cards!

If you’re not familiar with them, here is some information that will enlighten you about this long-time favorite method for raising funds.

Easy selling.  Most kids and teens aren’t too keen on selling a product that’s going to really take some salesmanship.  Unless you’re a car salesman, it’s natural not to like the feeling that you are “shoving” a product down a potential customer’s throat.  With spirit cards, the selling is easy because the cards are clearly valuable to the customer, who is glad to buy without much persuasion.  The cards offer substantial discount savings on fast foods, car services, hair salon services, and other products/services that most people spend money on regularly, what you would consider necessary purchases and not frivolous.

Little planning or work involved.  Let’s face it; for the most part, kids don’t like to do things that involve a substantial amount of planning or work.  Just give them the product, and let them sell it wherever they like, whether it’s at ball games, at the mall, at the movies, around the neighborhood or community, or wherever they “hang out.”  With spirit cards, the kids don’t have to spend a lot of physical labor like is usually the case with car washes and other fundraising methods.

Amazing profit margins.  If yours is like most schools, chances are there have been dozens of occasions over the years where various sports teams and other school clubs or organizations have sold candy bars.  Sure, candy bars are delicious and everyone loves them – but just how much money can you raise at $1.50 or $2.00 per candy bar?  Not to mention you leave the box sitting somewhere, come back in a bit and a few of the bars are missing, meaning someone has to pay for what has mysteriously disappeared.  With spirit cards, the profit margins are truly incredible, and since the kids can tuck them away in a pocket, wallet, or even a backpack, there is little chance of any of the cards going missing.

At $10 per card, your sports team or group will enjoy at a minimum $5 per card profit – and that is if you only order and sell a small number of cards.  Order more, and the profits continue to grow; in fact, you can actually enjoy profit margins that are greater than 100%, due to the fact that you get 200 free cards for every 1,000 you order.

Are you now convinced that your sports team or other school organization should give spirit cards a try?  There truly is nothing easier, more profitable, or that customers are willing to buy without hesitation.  When you’re dealing with small children or teenagers, the easier something is, the better the results – and the more the kids will want to get involved.

Sports teams, school and church groups, PTA organizations and many others use spirit cards to raise money, something that many groups have to do when donations from individuals and businesses are slow.  There are so many benefits to using these cards versus other methods commonly used to raise funds, some of which we’ll mention below.  Fundraising can be easy and fun, or it can be a dreaded task that requires tons of planning and work.  Essentially, it’s whatever you make of it!

So, what are the advantages of using spirit cards over other fundraising methods for organizations in need of money?  Here are just a few:

Profitability.  Sure, any product your group chooses to sell has some profit, but just how much?  For instance, if you sell candy bars at $2 each, your organization might enjoy $1 per bar profit.  This means that in order to raise $1,300, your group would have to sell 1,300 candy bars.  However, with spirit cards it’s far easier to raise $1,300 and it can be quickly accomplished, too.  Sell 260 cards (which can be easily done if you have just 20 or 25 in your group), and you’ve made that $1,300 in no time flat.  Why is it quicker to raise a certain amount of money than with other products?  Because of the value perceived by the customer, which makes the cards a much easier sell than most other “non-essential” products.

 Easy process involves little preparation or work.  Think about all of the preparation involved in some of the other fundraising methods you may have used.  Bake sales, multiple-family yard sales, spaghetti suppers, catalog sales – it goes on and on.  Even selling other products like cookie dough, jerky and popcorn isn’t easy, as with some you have to take orders, collect money, then deliver the goods at a later date.  With candy bars, lugging boxes around gets old and can be quite cumbersome.

With spirit cards, you simply figure out how many cards you will need by determining how many people will participate in the selling, order your cards from the company creating them, and start selling when they arrive!  If
you would rather not contact the merchants yourself to ask if they would be interested in participating, the company will do that for you.

Repeat customers each year.  Those who buy the cards often buy them year after year, because they offer great deals and money-saving offers at local merchants.  Most people recognize a bargain, and would much rather spend money on a product that actually helps them save money than on something they really don’t need or want.  Sure, some people will buy jerky or cookie dough simply to help out your group or organization, but it’s usually out of the goodness of their hearts rather than a real need for the product.  Spirit cards actually offer value and the opportunity for the customer to save a lot of money on things they would normally purchase on a regular basis.

When you’re in a quandary and looking for a way to raise funds that is easier and more profitable than anything your group has ever done before, consider spirit cards.  It’s clear to see the advantages over other common methods used to raise funds!  Your organization will love the ease, customers will love the savings, merchants will love the free exposure.  Overall, a good choice when you want to take the easiest, most profitable route to the funds your group needs.

Church fundraising activities are fun, that’s certainly true – but they can get old after a while, particularly those that require a ton of work, or that it seems the same people get stuck with again and again, such as what typically happens with bake sales.  The common methods used to raise money for the church youth group or other church needs include bake sales, a multiple family yard sale, car washes, church cookbooks, spaghetti suppers, pancake breakfasts, and on and on.  If you’re ready for something easy, profitable, and fun, why not try discount cards?

These cards are ideal for church fundraising, primarily because they’re easy to sell and hugely profitable.  People always have and always will look for ways to save money, which is exactly what they enjoy with these money-saving cards.  The discounts and buy-one-get-one-free offers allow the card bearer to enjoy savings on all of those purchases that are so ordinary, such as a burger and fries, an oil change, a hair cut, even an evening out for the family at the local bowling alley.

With church fundraising, there are no limits to what you can do to raise the money you need.  Even if you do decide to go ahead with the bake sale or huge yard sale, why not include discount cards?  Even as a side item, you’ll be surprised to see how easy the cards sell.  The best thing about the cards is their high profitability – your group can raise the same amount of money in just a couple of weeks as what it would take much longer to raise through other methods.  Why?  Considering your profits range from $5 to nearly $9 on a card that costs the buyer $10, it’s easy to see how the profits will rack up in a hurry.  Compare that to making a dollar or so on a candy bar, and you can see why it’s easy to raise the money you need in far less time – and with far less effort.

Now, here’s how your church fundraising can become even more successful using discount cards:

 Have all members who want to participate to get their “extended” families involved.  For instance, young couples in the church likely have parents, children, even cousins, aunts, or uncles who can help promote the cards.  These extended family members can sell the cards at work, school functions, basketball or football games – it’s really endless how far it can go, when you think about it.

Consider posting a bulletin announcing your fundraiser at areas around town, such as the supermarket, doctor’s office, gas station, convenience stores, etc.  Every church fundraising event is more successful the more it is advertised and promoted!  Get the word out, and get as many people involved as you possibly can.

You should never give up those old stand-bys that make it possible for members of your church to get together and enjoy fellowship and fun, such as bake sales and spaghetti suppers.  However, it’s also a nice change every now and then to throw in something new, especially when you need to raise a lot of money in a short amount of time, and there’s little time to organize and plan.  This is when discount cards are ideal for church fundraising – but they’re great anytime.  Super profits, easy to sell, little work required.

Have you been heavily involved in church fundraising over the years?  If you have, it’s likely you’ve been through your share of bake sales, cookbooks put together by the ladies of the church, car washes, gigantic multi-family yard sales, spaghetti suppers and maybe a few raffles.  There’s nothing at all wrong with any of these methods of raising money, and many are even fun.  Still, it’s a lot of work and planning for activities that often raise just a little money, at best.  If you haven’t tried them yet, discount cards are ideal for church fundraising – and everyone in the church can get involved, from the smaller children to the grandparents.

Sometimes you just need a quick solution that’s profitable, but requires little to no planning or hard work

Church fundraising activities are usually enjoyable for all, simply because of the fellowship and opportunity to get together and have a good time.  However, there are times your church or the youth group may be in desperate need of money quick, and you just don’t have the time or the energy for an elaborate plan or tons of work.  This is where discount cards come in – they’re hugely profitable, require hardly any work at all, and customers love them because of the money they can save with the discounts and special offers provided on the cards.

It’s actually fairly easy to raise hundreds or even thousands of dollars in no time flat with fundraising cards.  Considering you sell the cards for $10 each and profits can go as high as nearly $9 per card depending on number of cards purchased, it isn’t out of the question to raise tens of thousands in a relatively short time period.  On average, someone selling the cards can easily sell 10, and many people sell far more than that.  Imagine if you have 80 or 90 people in your church promoting the cards, and all total 1,200 cards are sold.  This equates to $10,000 in profits!  Throughout all your years involve in church fundraising, have you ever raised that kind of money through bake sales or car washes?
Another problem with church fundraising  is that over the years, the people involved tend to slowly drop out; as the group whittles down, just a few dependable, loyal people keep on going.  This is frustrating, as it puts an enormous amount of work on those few who never give up and keep on ‘plugging’ away.  With fundraising cards, you can often generate renewed interest simply because it’s something easy and fun, and that requires far less work than the things you’ve been doing over the years.  Selling the cards is no problem at all, as their value is very evident to the customer – and those who think fundraising is just no fun or too hard can carry them to school, work, ball games, literally anywhere in a pocket or billfold.

Sure, everyone gets tired of the “same old same old,” that’s just human nature.  However, church fundraising can be fresh and fun again, and more profitable than ever before with cards that offer discounts and buy-one-get-one-free offers at local merchants in the community.  Breathe new life into your church fundraising efforts with discount cards, and see those in your church get excited about participating again.  Best of all, it’s hugely profitable and a product potential customers are happy to buy because of the money they will save for an entire year!

 

 

When it comes to church fundraising, the possibilities are literally endless.  There are so many products you can promote, activities to engage in, even online ideas that will allow you to raise funds for your church’s money needs.  However, there is nothing that we know of that compares with the power of discount cards, particularly when it comes to ease of selling and profitability.  If you’re ready for some fresh ideas, here are a few that will get your group invigorated and actually looking forward to church fundraising!

Dog walk fundraiser.  Have a lot of dog owners in the congregation, along with people who love to walk?  A dog walking fundraiser lets you raise funds in a variety of ways.  First of all, those who will participate will pay an entrance fee.  Additional ways to make money at your dog walking event include a booth selling dog supplies (leashes, dog treats, play toys, food dishes, etc.) a food and drinks stand for people, even a raffle.  You can also add discount cards to the mix – everyone loves them, because they allow the cardholder to save money on products/services they purchase throughout the year.

Yard raking/cleaning.  Fall is here, and it won’t be long before lawns are covered in leaves.Those who are elderly often have health conditions (arthritis, breathing problems, etc.) that prevent them from doing vigorous work in their yards.  Why not offer to rake leaves, pick up sticks, limbs, and rocks and otherwise clean up properties for a donation?  Most would be glad to have their yards cleaned up for a fair price!  You may want to consider doing other things for seniors, such as running errands, doing some odd jobs or minor repair work, etc.

Discount cards.  Church fundraising has never been as fun or profitable as it is with these value-packed cards.  Customers will buy easily without having to be persuaded, simply because they understand the value the cards represent.  Your group simply coordinates with the company selling the cards, which will secure merchant participation for you if you wish (usually 12 or more offers listed on the cards).  Offers on the cards are good for one year from date of purchase, so customers enjoy savings all year long.  Profit margins are huge, merchants benefit from increased exposure, and it’s easy – no heavy planning or work as is typically found with other fundraising methods.

Of course there are always candy bars, church cookbooks, bake sales, auctions, church photos, church calendars, wrapping paper, candles – the list goes on and on.  While nearly anything you do will help with your church fundraising efforts, you will find that the profits explode when you include fundraising cards.  People love them (after all, where else can you spend $10 and potentially save hundreds), and you’re likely to find that those same customers who purchase from your group will do the same next year!  This is a product that has been around for decades, and is sure to be around for future decades simply because there is no other product or service that is win-win all the way around, for all parties involved.

Sure it should be profitable, but most of all, make sure church fundraising is fun!  Enjoying great fellowship, a few laughs and a good time ensures that you will have plenty who want to participate in next year’s fundraiser.

Church fundraising can mean a substantial amount of work for those involved, but it can also be a fun time and opportunity for great fellowship among church members.  Whether you need to raise money for the youth group, a new fellowship hall or a new church van to replace an old clunker, there are dozens of activities and products that make raising funds easier than ever before.  If you’re fresh out of church fundraising ideas, here are a few that will get your creative juices flowing.

Community cleanup.  This is a great way to raise funds, particularly considering winter months are just around the corner.  Residents who live in your community, especially those who are older, may need help cleaning up their yards after the summer and fall months.  Picking up limbs, burning brush, raking and bagging leaves – anything you can do to help your neighbors get their property back in order.  Take donations, or charge a set fee for cleanup.

Fundraising cards.  For many years, discount cards have been hugely profitable when used for church fundraising.  The cards offer discounts of about 10% to 25% off on food, haircuts, car maintenance and other products/services at your own local merchants as well as buy-one-get-one free offers.  You can enjoy incredibly high profit margins and the ease of selling a product that requires no storage, refrigeration or lugging catalogs/boxes around.  The benefits to both customers, your church group and local merchants are many, and considering the shortage of jobs and tough financial times many families are experiencing today, this is a great product that customers can really use to save money.

Bake sales.  Bake sales have been a staple in church fundraising for decades, and are still highly popular today.  While there is a good amount of work and preparation involved, many times the ladies of the church enjoy baking those pies, cakes and cookies people of the community rave about – and it makes for a great time when they all get together to offer their “yummy” treats for sale on a corner lot in town.  While it may not be the easiest, most profitable way to raise funds, it does help raise some money and can be thoroughly enjoyable for those who join in.

Food tasting evening.  Hosting a food tasting event at the church is lots of fun for everyone involved.  Offer up foods and snacks that members of the church have prepared such as appetizers, barbecue ribs or chicken, delectable sweets, chili, chip and homemade dips, etc.  Those who bring their foods for tasting can pay an entrance fee, you can charge those who want to enjoy tasting all of the goodies through donations, or a combination of both.  Hold a raffle at your food tasting event to increase the interest of those who attend.  Use your creativity to come up with additional ideas.

These are just a few church fundraising ideas.  While there are always the good old stand-by’s such as car washes, gigantic yard sales and church cookbooks containing recipes contributed by church members, there are many other methods you can use to raise the money your church needs for a particular project.  Family photos taken at the church, spaghetti dinners, even running errands for those who are elderly in the community for a small donation.  Whatever you choose, consider adding discount cards to the mix for quick and easy profits!

Sure, church fundraising should be profitable; after all, you are attempting to raise money for something your church or youth group needs, such as a new basketball goal, a summer trip for the teens or even a new church van.  That being said, church fundraising should also be fun!  When Christians get together to do anything at all, it’s often a fun time with plenty of laughs and enjoyment; raising money should be no different, everyone should enjoy the fellowship and the fact that they are trying to raise money for something related to the church.

So, what are some good church fundraising ideas that will make for a fun time for all and good profits?  Here are just a few ideas you may want to consider:

 One of the good old stand-by’s – a car wash.  Particularly during the spring and summer months, everyone wants a clean car, and the pre-teens and teens have a good time working, splashing and having fun in the sun.  Consider charging anywhere from $5 or more per vehicle, or vary the prices depending on the size and make of the vehicle (car, large SUV or van, pick-up truck, etc.).

Spelling bee.  While this one isn’t something that is done for church fundraising on a regular basis, it can help you raise a substantial amount of money.  Hold a spelling bee for the younger kids, or even the adults.  You can make money by requiring all who enter the contest pay an entry fee of $3 to $5 each, and even charge a small admission fee.  Be aware that if you do charge admission, you should prepare for a time filled with fun and even a little laughter – and in your advertising, emphasize the fun factor to entice people to come.

Recycling for charity.  Considering that nearly everyone’s concern for the environment is growing in recent years, recycling for charity is an exceptional church fundraising idea.  Think of the various items that are recycled today:  ink cartridges, mobile phones, aluminum cans, even scrap gold.  There are literally dozens of things that can be recycled, but go online and make sure you can find a buyer before your group goes to the trouble to collect recyclable goods.

Fundraising cards.  This is perhaps the easiest and most fun idea of all for church fundraising!  These cards offer a dozen or more money-saving offers available at merchants in your own neighborhood.  The cards sell for just $10, but the customer will save potentially 10 times the purchase price or more over the course of one year, so they’re easy to sell.  No planning, no lugging boxes around, no going out a second time to deliver goods, no storage problems – and incredible profits!  The more cards your group sells, the higher the profit margin you enjoy.

The great thing about fundraising cards is that you can literally take them with you everywhere you go, and you don’t have to worry about melting chocolate in the trunk of the car or anything else.

Sure, church fundraising should be profitable – but it should also be an enjoyable, fun time for all involved.  The more fun you make it, the more the youth group and church members will want to get involved, especially when there isn’t a ton of work involved!  And one more idea; no matter what activity, product, game or contest you choose to raise money for your church’s needs, why not throw fundraising cards into the mix?