Throwing Parties as Fundraisers
For organizations such as a sorority, fundraising should be an easy task, with members already having a common bond or interest to begin with. Circles within sororities usually have common interests and/or hobbies, which can help in deciding the theme of a fundraising activity.
A party fundraiser is a common activity that sororities can easily undertake given the warm camaraderie and automatic cooperation between participants. Sororities can hold parties to raise funds and have fun at the same time. In fact, it is a great plan that kills two birds with one stone—improving the relationships of the members of the sorority and raising funds for a cause that means a lot to the organization. The following are some great tips for a successful and meaningful fundraising party for sororities.
Boost the team spirit. A sorority fundraising party is a fun way to get together and build lasting relationships. As team effort is required for a meaningful fundraiser to take place, cooperation from each member is a must. Working together for the fundraising party will give everyone a chance to help out and selflessly give their time and efforts for a great cause.
Define objectives. Set clear objectives as to where the proceeds will go and what charitable or medical research institution will benefit from the fundraiser. By setting clear objectives (monetary or otherwise), sorority members will be more aware and can also spread the word to peers, thus pulling in more people to participate in the fundraiser.
Organize a planning committee. Larger sororities should take time to come up with an organizing committee that will be in charge of planning the party details. Have one committee to handle food, another to handle the venue and decorations and another for logistics. While these committees will rely heavily on volunteers, planning activities can be carried out efficiently when there is a leader who will monitor the group.
Set a theme. Depending on the occasion (the party may take place near holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas) and the cause itself, the fundraising party should have a uniting theme to give it an identifying factor. If the fundraising party is for an animal rights cause, organizers may opt to serve cat and dog themed cookies and pastries.
Make it interesting. What’s a party without great music? Organizers may opt to invite local musical artists to perform for free (it is a fundraising party, after all!). Take note of local, independent artists who would welcome free publicity and a large audience.
Get participants involved. Piquing the interest of the fundraiser’s participants factors into the success of any fundraiser. The more they are interested or passionate they are about the cause, the more they are willing to give their time, efforts and money. Never ask for their money once they step into the party. Acquaint them with the cause and raise their awareness—this will lead to a more informed decision of charitable giving.
Jello Wrestling Fundraiser
Jell-O wrestling is one of the more common fundraising activities but for sororities, it is a fun activity that can done during college fairs or fundraising parties. Sororities can get their best looking members to dress in bikinis and take on the challenge of Jell-O wrestling. This will most likely attract more students to come to the fundraising event and possibly participate for a reasonable price. Raising money through jell-o wrestling will be fun and entertaining with these tips and tricks.
Strategize and organize. Define the monetary goals and how it should be achieved. Organizers can hold small bets on who will win each round of jell-o wrestling and a portion of those bets will serve as proceeds for the fundraiser. Organizers can also give out tickets to those who want to attend the jell-o wrestling event. More interestingly, they can sell participatory tickets for those who want to battle it out on the jell-o pool. If the visitor wins the fight, he can opt to donate a small amount of money to the cause.
Crank up the sounds. A fundraising event as fun as a jell-o wrestling activity should have great music to go with it. It will not only attract more passers-by but also get people hyped up for the match. Make sure that the jell-o wrestling activity is held at a safe and appropriate place in which no one will complain about the noise.
Use the right jell-o. Regular gelatin can stain clothes and other materials. Make sure to use non-toxic and biodegradable jell-o designed for jell-o wrestling. This way, the jell-o will be easily discarded without harming the environment, Choose gelatin that is easy to set up and discard, but will also last throughout the fundraising event. Some manufacturers already provide jell-o that is specifically designed for such activities.
Have a blast. Jell-o wrestling can also take place in a fundraising party as an added activity. An inflatable pool can easily be set up at the backyard of the sorority house, where guests can also participate for a small amount. Organizers can also set up teams within the sorority to battle it out in the jell-o pool. Observers can pay to watch and even place their bets on which team will win. A little competition will definitely go a long way in jell-o wrestling fundraisers.
Jail and Bail Fundraiser
Jail and bail puts the fun back in fundraising. It’s an innovative way to raise funds, simply by “incarcerating” people who are willing to be put in a make-believe jail and allowing them to bail out by giving a small amount of donation money. This type of sorority fundraising is great for college events like fairs and festivities. The organizing sorority can set up a make-believe jail booth and have acting “police women” (preferably dressed in nice cop uniforms!) to “catch” passersby who are willing to get cuffed and jailed for a small period of time. To add some spunk, fundraising organizers may opt to have their acting “police women” wear fun and sexy police uniforms and use fuzzy handcuffs. Make sure, however, that the costumes are in line with the fundraiser’s theme. For a meaningful fundraiser that is sure to gather money for a great cause, take into consideration the following.
Make it fun. Never arrest people who don’t want to be arrested. Organizers do not want to receive a bunch of complaints from people who do not want to participate or donate money to the fundraising body. Select people who are willing to give and participate in the fundraising activity. Opt to give out small knick knacks or giveaways to those who enthusiastically participate in the jail and bail. The lady police can also give them a nice kiss on the cheek (with bright red lipstick that sticks—for full effect!) after they bail out.
Be creative. Use fancy costumes to add some spunk to the fundraiser. Those who will go about hunting for captives can dress like police officers or pirates. Play some music to attract attention and get the energy going. Make sure however, that the fundraising event is held in an appropriate place where no one will complain about the noise.
Have a relevant theme. Make sure that the fundraising activity has a unifying theme that reflects the cause of the fundraiser. The more informed people are, the more they will want to participate in the fundraiser. Point out the importance of the cause and how the proceeds will help the benefitting organization or individuals.
