5 fundraising ideas for churches

Fundraising isn’t just a way of raising money for a group, but a way to come together to work toward a collective goal. Whether it’s to remodel because of a growing membership, or for a summer camping trip, fundraising gives everyone a reason to celebrate the church.

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  1. Text-to-give

    This may be one of the easiest and quickest ways to fundraise. With text-to-give, you promote your cause through a software program that can receive direct donations via text message. We recommend Snowball, which is designed specifically for churches and nonprofit organizations.

  2. The only potential difficulty is compiling the phone numbers of every member, but if you are up to date with your bookkeeping, this should be a snap. A reminder is sent directly to a person’s phone. Now there’s no excuse not to donate, because it can be as easy as a click on the phone.

  3. Silent auction

    This classic fundraising idea remains relevant because of its fun and exciting nature, with a healthy dose of competition. Schedule a night-time event at the church, and have the church choir perform to make it a lively and special event.

  4. Before announcing the fundraiser, collect all the collateral you need to make this a well-attended function. You’re going to need one or two hot-ticket items that people won’t want to miss out on. Maybe it’s a getaway at a local hotel or a gift certificate to a dining hotspot — whatever it is, remember that it should be enticing to anyone who attends.

  5. Morning breakfast

    Morning worshippers will be sure to appreciate this fundraiser. Set up coffee, pastries, and bagels before people start trickling into church. People can grab a coffee to give them a jolt for morning service or enjoy one afterward while they mingle over a tray of muffins. This is an easy and sweet way for people to relax in the morning and donate to a good cause.

  6. A few days before the fundraiser, make sure to send out a newsletter or post a bulletin about the upcoming breakfast. You don’t want people coming fully caffeinated to a breakfast fundraiser. Be sure to offer kid-friendly sweets, like apple juice boxes and fruit cups.

    You can keep the overhead costs low because of the affordable prices of bagels and coffee. Sell tickets in advance and the day of the fundraiser, and set out a jar to accept donations. This can be a weekly thing for a few months depending on the how much money your church needs to raise.

  7. Bingo

    Who doesn’t love a good round of bingo? From kids to the elderly, bingo is a fun way to get people in the spirit of fundraising. Charge a few dollars per bingo card, and get the game rolling. You can involve different members and volunteers to staff the event, and even invite kids to call out the numbers to increase the family fun.

  8. Offer up fun services or prizes from the community, like a manicure gift certificate or a basket of homemade pastries. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, just enough to be a nice token of appreciation.

    Before planning the event, ask your staff to look through their houses for some unused gifts, like fresh candles or that unopened dinnerware set you received as a gift. It could be a great way to clear things out of the house and into the hands of a lucky winner!

  9. Daily indulgence drop

    This is a perfect fundraiser to set up right before the 40-day lent period. Ask people to give up one indulgent habit like buying coffee, and instead set aside that money to donate toward the fundraiser.

  10. You can get creative by asking people to write on a big poster what they have chosen to give up and to individually pledge some amount of money per habit. You can hang up the poster near the main entrance to give people some ideas.

    Alternatively, the daily indulgence drop can be small and simple. It doesn’t have to be a daily thing either — it could be a weekly or a monthly indulgence drop.

    A checklist for starting a church

    It’s mutually beneficial to fundraise for a good cause, while instilling more self-discipline. Some ideas you could throw out are buying that pack of cigarettes every few days, or paying for a premium subscription to Netflix. Those few dollars will be sure to make a huge difference collectively.

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