Fundraising can defray overall reunion costs, provide funds for members who otherwise might not be able to attend or raise scholarship money for young members. Planning fundraisers will require time to develop properly, and the best ones are not only profitable for the group but also contribute to the enjoyment of the reunion. Here are some ways reunions can add to their coffers.
Quilt Fundraising Project
Many reunion groups conduct long-range, participatory, fundraising projects like quilts. Traditionally embroidered, appliquรฉd or patched pieces of fabric, modern materials and technology have broadened the scope of quilt making, enabling non-stitchers.
Quilts can be created by members of your groupย then auctioned or raffled off at the reunion. It mayย be wise to present your quilt idea at one reunionย and the finished quilt at the next reunion. To get yourย members into a quilt fundraising project, buy andย prepare 6”x 6” cotton squares. Send with instructionsย nine months in advance. Provide instruction on howย they will be collected and sewn together. Stressย deadlines and expect to do some prodding. Threeย months before your reunion send a motivationalย message emphasizing the deadline and include aย date by which squares must be received.
Publishing Projects
Publishing projects are a great way to carryย on family memories through the generations.ย Word to the wiseโthey involve many details,ย can be expensive and since your primary buyersย are your own members, make sure theyโreย interested in publishing projects.
Family cookbooks are popular fundraisersย and keepsakes. They are a lovely way of sharingย some of life’s pleasures and preserving cherished,ย heirloom family recipes for future generations.ย Many families publish cookbooks that alsoย incorporate family history.
Cookbooks often sell well because they areย useful and other cooks are always looking for newย recipes. Also, cookbooks draw recipes from manyย contributors, most of whom will buy copies. Theย more contributors you include, the more potentialย customers you’ll have!
A cookbook publisher’s experience and largeย printing capacity can reduce prices to underย $2.00 each. The basic cookbook includes recipesย you submit along with pages for tips and hints,ย preprinted recipe category dividers, acknowledgments,ย history, a family tree or poems.
Order an information packet from a specialtyย cookbook publisher to help collect recipes. Manyย offer workbooks that contain guidelines, options,ย sample pages, covers and dividers, free recipeย collection forms, and suggestions for distributionย and how to increase book sales.
Hereโs some guidance if you self-publishย your cookbook:
- Standard cookbook size is 8ยฝ” x 11″, softcover
- Determine how many can you realistically sell
- Recruit volunteers to collect and input recipes,ย stories, traditions and hints
- Include and stick to a deadline. When recipesย start to arrive, sort into folders for each foodย category and eliminate duplicates
- Clarify recipes that are confusing
- Standardize measurements and abbreviations
- Proofread every word and have more thanย one person proofread
Memory books are great to capture feelingsย across generations. Send every member instructionsย about what to write. Compile anecdotes,ย tales, childhood memories, special events, storiesย about ancestors or past reunions and pictures.ย Family genealogy books trace history and provideย a wonderful keepsake. Ask members to submitย biographies and anecdotes, along with their placeย in history to make foreparents come alive.ย Reunion videos, oral history tapes and photoย booklets (new and restorations) add a strong visualย element to your reunion history. Collect orders orย get an idea of how many you can sell before youย incur the expense of a project like this.
Pre- or Between-Reunion Fundraising
Consider some of these possibilities for pre- orย between-reunion fundraising. With each of theseย you can negotiate group ticket and food prices,ย mark up the price and the margin goes into yourย reunion account.
- Theater party; transportation (bus), mealsย and tickets
- Fashion show; location, meal/brunch/ย dessert, tickets
- Progressive dinner; paid for by hosts, tickets
- Casino night; rent a hall and equipment,ย dealers volunteer
- Tours; transportation (bus), meals and tickets
- Runs, walks and bike rides; establish goals andย guidelines, promote event, collect pledges, setย route and go
- Bake sale, plant sale, car wash, rummage sale
Raffles & Auctions
Notify members ahead if you want to raiseย money with raffles or auctions. Limit games ofย chance to your reunion or check with your local orย state Department of Revenue to ascertain whetherย there are any regulations you should be aware of.ย Ask members to donate items of value for sale/auction like memorabilia, heirlooms, gifts of freshย seasonal produce, special homemade preserves,ย sauces, homemade baked goodies and candies.
Corporate Underwriting
Some reunion groups have been successfulย in obtaining corporate support. Products andย services can be just as valuable as money. Searchย for companies that are reunion-friendly. Enlistย someone who can make an eloquent case forย why a company or business should help yourย reunion and how your reunion might help theย company. Promise to advertise your benefactorย and prove it. Thank you notes are essential forย all considerations. Be a reunion your benefactorย can be proud of. Invite them. Honor them. Lavishย them with praise.
