Employees, and their employers, can raise money for charity at the next company event, whether that event is a casual summer picnic at a local park or a Christmas party at a fancy restaurant. The following ideas will get you started with brainstorming the perfect fundraisers for your organization.
Donate Your Change Jar: Put a gallon jar on a table and ask everyone attending the get-together to donate all the change they have in their pocket/purse at that time. The person with the most change gets to be first in the buffet line (or similar prize.)
Unwanted Item Swap: Have everyone bring an item they have lying around the house, something in like new condition, that they don't use. Remember that even “trash” like bubble wrap from a package is a good item for this swap. Put all items on a table, and sell each one for $1. Anything that doesn't sell gets donated to a local thrift store.
Vacation Day Drawing: Get your employer to agree to raffle off a vacation day with pay. Raffle off other similar prizes – leave early on a Friday, extra half hour for lunch every day for a week, etc.
Wall of Fame: Ask employees to bring special photos of their pets. For a company Christmas party, participants can bring a holiday photo. For a company picnic, participants can bring a summer activity photo. Employees vote for their favorite photo, votes are $1 each.
Raffle: Ask businesses to donate items, and place the items on a table with a cup in front of each. Employees buy tickets, choose the items they'd like to win, and place their tickets in the appropriate cup. Of course, employees are welcome to make a donation, some may want to create items such as jewelry, artwork, and crafts. Remember that services, as well as products, can be included in the raffle.
Silent Auction: Same as the raffle, with bidders writing down their bids. The last (highest) bidder wins the item.
50-50 Raffle: Sell tickets for $1. The winner gets half of the money raised and a charity gets the other half. So if 300 tickets are sold, the winner gets $150.
Food Raffle: Ask a local grocery store or bakery or specialty food store to donate a food item, such as a turkey or decorated cake, and sell tickets for $1 for a chance to win the item. Or make up an entire meal with donations from a few businesses and sell tickets for $5.
Dress Down At Work: If your company doesn't currently raise money for charity with dress down days, a company event is the perfect time to announce the start of the practice. Company standards define the specifics. Anything from $2 for casual Fridays to $20 to wear jeans every day for a month can be offered.
The next time you and your colleagues are enjoying a corporate entertainment event, share the good time with others by raising money for a worthwhile cause. Set a goal for the event, and work hard to surpass it. And next year, do it again!
