3 Keys for Successful Fundraisers

We talk a lot about online giving here at Faithstreet (seriously, we’re the best at it), but churches just as often turn to more “traditional” fundraisers for specific needs in causes. What’s your go-to? A car wash? A bake sale? Sure, those are fun, but just a little extra creative thinking can draw more eyeballs to your needs.

Case in point: One church in Indiana, who lost a bus in an accident that killed three adults (along with an unborn child), had an innovative idea for a fundraiser for a new bus: Trash.

On Saturday, Colonial Hills Baptist Church reached out for help, holding a paper-shredding fundraiser to raise money for a new bus. They processed 825 pounds of material, saving seven trees. After a matching donation from Money Concepts Capital, the church will have raised just over $5,000 for the Colonial Hills Chad/Courtney Bus Replacement Fund.

What a great idea! The average American has no shortage of paper refuse lying around. More importantly, many people are neglectful when it comes to sensitive documents, which is a good way to fall victim to identity theft.

A good fundraiser does three things:

**1) It meets a need of the giver **

**2) It avoids being burdensome for both the church and the giver **

3) It clearly compels givers to take action.

This one did all three – people need paper shredded, arguably more so than they need a clean car or sugary snacks. All things considered, shredding paper is a relatively easy task. Finally, they clearly articulated their need and paired it with an innovative fundraising idea that stood out.

The next time you plan a fundraiser, keep those three keys in mind.