poll on fundraising management - advice needed

[OldLegos]

Well, I suppose it's not a poll, since that's not an available feature, but I'd like some feedback on how Scouters like to handle fundraisers. I figure I can design a better fundraising program if I ask what works best straight from the folks who'd run it. Answer anything you feel you've got an opinion on - that's what I'm looking for =) If you'd rather not post, feel free to e-mail anything you think I'd find useful to scoutersister@gmail.com . Thanks!

 

 

Do you prefer to collect payment at the time of order, or at delivery?

 

Are you willing to submit the entire cost to the supplier, and wait for a check? Would you like this as an option if it means a higher profit percentage?

 

Would you prefer to have the supplier handle sales tax issues? Would you want to handle it yourself if having the supplier do it would mean you'd have to wait for that profit check?

 

What is a reasonable delivery time for personalized products? How about generic products?

 

What is a reasonable profit range? If someone up the chain of command handles some of the logistics, are you willing to take a smaller percentage?

 

Do you prefer the orders to be shipped to you sorted and ready to deliver, or are you willing to do the order separating locally? Would you want the option to do it yourself, if it meant a larger profit percentage?

 

For the ordering system, is the cardstock order form a good method? Would you like a computerized version for Unit and higher level combining of the orders? Would you like to be able to submit your order online? Would you like people to be able to submit their own orders online and delivered directly to them yearround, if you received a (smaller) percentage?

 

How long do you like to have to collect orders? Do you want to be able to submit orders after the deadline for a reduced percentage? Would you be interested in a deadline-free continual fundraiser, that you could offer/push anytime monies were needed?

 

We are considering some personalized items - is it reasonable to expect scouts and their families to handle that with the accuracy that would be required? Mistakes always happen, but they can't happen too often - is that just asking too much?

 

How about prizes? Would you like the option of keeping the money meant for prizes? Anyone have a good idea of what percentage of the price ought to go for the prize/reward system? What sort of prizes do scouts typically like best, anyway?

 

 

Obviously, there are ninety-eleven questions to ask, so really, I'd just be grateful to anyone who can give me their opinions on what makes a good fundraiser. You are who this is intended for, so your input is invaluable. Starting with info from you lets me make the idea sucessful for all of us.

 

 

 

***ADMINS: I had e-mailed a couple weeks ago about permission to be a little more detailed, but I've received no reply, so I went with the generic approach. Please reply/delete as appropriate.

[Trevorum]

OldLegos,

Welcome to the forum!

 

In my opinion, the best fundraiser is one that is run (at least mostly) by the scouts. One that they want to do, not one that is selected by the adults for them. What they actually do needs to be fun. Percentages and margins and such are important but should not be the deciding factors.

 

Our troop participates in propcorn (mostly to support the council) and has had great success with occasional garage sales, but our annual fundraiser is a big-ol' Texas BBQ. Our older fellows and the Venture Crew smoke the meat and the younger fellows slice onions, scoop beans and potato salad. They always have a blast. Costs are usually about 50% of sales, with 25% going to the troop treasury and 25% being credited to individual scouts as "Scout Bucks", redeemable for summer camp fees, etc. We also award cash prizes as incentives for top sales.

[Eamonn]

Hi and Welcome,

We used to have polls? Not sure what happened to them?

Sadly I kinda get lost as I read what you posted.

I should say from the get go that I really dislike Fundraising!! I see it as a necessary evil.

While some events require little or no financial risk (Car washes, Yard Sales) There is the risk that on the day there will be a freak snow storm and no one leaves their homes.

I like to keep things as simple as possible. In the past we have a lot of success selling Joe Corbie's frozen pizza. A pack of 3 sells for about $15.00 of which about $5.00 remains in the unit.

We had out order forms, the orders are prepaid. The orders come back with the money!! We call the order into the company. About a week later the driver delivers the pizzas. He picks up the check (Must be a unit check.) As he comes early (about 0700)Everyone is informed that they have until 1030 to pick up the pizza's and the event is over.

Back when I was a Cubmaster and we sold popcorn, we didn't take the money with the orders and we had problems. We had to turn one family into a collection agency and the Cub Scout ended up leaving the pack.

We are looking into a Hoagie sale. It looks easy!! The supplier charges $2.50, they sell for $3.50. We have to pick up a permit at the Town Hall which costs a $1.00. This buck means that we can sell them on the street and that we will be the only people selling them. The units I have talked with say that they sell about 350. They stay out selling until they sell all of them. They pick the hoagies up early on the Saturday and when they are done about lunch time they return to the hoagie shop and pay for the hoagies. The bad news is that once you pick up the hoagies you are committed to selling that amount, not much fun on a wet day.

While I'm not an expert in this area!! My tips would be:

Don't make it complicated.

Avoid as much risk as you can.

Making about 33% seem to be the norm.

Find someone who likes doing this sort of thing and hand it off.

Eamonn.

[JerseyJohn]

Old Legos,

 

I am the fundraising guy, as well as SM for our troop. Here is our run down.

 

St. George's Cup Golf Tournament

Run by the parents, marketed by scouts

Boys sell sponsorships, post flyers, etc

Makes about 5K

 

Hoagie Mania

Fall and Spring

five or six locations

Buy for 1.50, sell for 3.00

About 200 hoagies at each location

Make about 750 per

 

Popcorn

Not a favorite of mine but supports troop and council

Make about 700

 

Make and sell food at local pack PW derby

Scouts do everything

Make about 300

 

WaWa hoagie coupons - ongoing

Regional convenince store chain sell's coupons for a shortie hoagie to non profiots for 2.50. We sell them for 3.50 If you buy one at the store they cost 3.69 pluus tax. It costs the purchaser nothing. People stock up a bit, keep them in the car, save them for summer beach trips, work, etc..

Make about 400 to 600 annually

 

One I have under consideration

Local developers cut down tree's for new developments. They take all the tree pieces to the council camp, located about 3 miles from us. There is so much wood, council and the camp can not give it away, nor can the camp use it all. So I'm thinking, we sell hardwood for indoor fireplaces and softwoods for outdoor at XX dollars a cord delivered. We then kick back council XX percent.

 

If you want to E-mail you any let me know.

JerseyJohn