Coming up with novel fundraising ideas is vital for so many charity organisations. Doing something a little bit different is an important way of keeping your fundraising fresh. Developing interesting and unique fundraising ideas brings publicity to your chosen charity and helps to keep your team of volunteers and supporters happy and motivated.
But novel fundraising ideas have to be right for your charity or non profit organisation. You need to find something with mass appeal and money making potential.
How about this one? Because fundraising event ideas don't come more fun and colourful than holding a Rainbow Festival.
The beauty of a rainbow festival is that it:
- Is easily understood and has mass appeal.
- Will stand out from the crowd of competing Summer Fetes and other fundraisers.
- Is simple to organise and set up.
- Allows you to try out some new and novel fundraising ideas.
- But still has room for all your favourite tried and tested fete ideas.
Advertising your Rainbow Festival There is no point in coming up with unique fundraising event ideas if you don't make the most of them.
The great thing about a Rainbow Festival is that all the posters, flyers and advertisments can be wonderfully colourful. Don't miss this opportunity to make your fundraising event and your organisation really stand out. A kid's poster competition is a great way to get the ball rolling and begin the promotion of your event. Radio stations and the local press too love novel fundraising ideas. They are always after something that makes a change from the usual round of worthy but "same every-time" events. So make sure that you give them all the details they need and encourage them to do a special feature.
A Rainbow Walkabout the week before in your town centre with brightly dressed people handing out flyers etc is also a great way to advertise your forthcoming event.
Well What are you going to have at your festival? Your festival can easily incorporate lots of your usual fete ideas. Simply decorate your stall in rainbow colours and come up with Rainbow names such as Pinky's refreshments, Mr Blue's Splat The Rat, Purple Pete's Welly Wanging etc
The Rainbow Arch This is one of the major ways you will fundraise at your festival. It also make a great backdrop for a stage for any entertainment or announcements such as the Raffle Draw. competitions etc.
Cut sheets of hardboard (or cardboard at smaller events) to form a nice big arch. Attach it to scaffolding or a wooden framework. You could also attach it to a suitable wall if you had one in the right place just "begging to be used"!
Visitors to your festival will now be offered the opportunity to buy (or make a donation for) a square of coloured card. On this they write a message of support and attach it to the arch. In this way the rainbow slowly begins. hopefully to be completed by the end of your event. You might like to put a few "fake" cards in appropriate positions to start the Rainbow off and make sure everyone gets the idea.
Don't forget the kids. You could also do a smaller arch for children. Kids will love to draw a little picture, write their name and then importantly pin their card on to the arch!
The Rainbow Arch Idea also works particularly well for Hospices and Hospitals where people can use the cards as little messages of remembrance for loved ones etc.
Children's Rainbow Hat Competition This one need to be advertised well in advance. A good idea is to let the local schools, libraries etc know. In this way it also serves as a bit of pre-event advertising. Simply ask kids to either make a hat on a rainbow theme. This may be done by decorating an existing hat or starting from scratch. Judges will award marks for design, ingenuity, and use of colour etc. A rainbow hat parade in front of your arch prior to judging is always going to be popular with camera wielding parents.
Rainbow Cake Competition Get the friendly rivalry going amongst the home bakers with a Rainbow Cake Competition. A Prize for the Best - Raffle the Rest.
A novel fundraising idea for helping judge this is getting people to buy a voting slip on which they write their name and phone number. They place it in a box in front of their favourite cake. The votes are counted toward the end of the day. A winner announced and a draw takes place for each cake from its voting slips. Not only have people voted for their Number One but they also stand a chance of taking it home!
Make a Rainbow Worm Kids love these little craft ideas at fundraising events. Put the craft area near the refreshment tent and Mum and Dad are happy too! A rainbow worm starts life as an old sock. Stuff it with newspaper or scrap material and tie the end. Then simply wrap strips of bright coloured material around it and tie them off. You may like to add an elastic string to the middle of the worm (so that you can bounce them along the ground). A pair of googly eyes either purchased from a craft shop or made from material and stuck on complete your worm. "Donations in the Rainbow Worm Fundraising Tin please"
Rainbow Glory Choose your own Rainbow (Knickerbocker) Glory. A clear plastic cup (the larger ones from water coolers are ideal) gets filled with rainbow layers of your choice of different flavoured ice cream, tinned and fresh fruit, coloured syrups and sauces. Top your creation off with brightly coloured sprinkles.
Rainbow Raffle Its like a normal raffle but you buy different coloured tickets. You could always do a different colour ticket raffle every half an hour etc
So there you have it add a splash of colour to your fundraising event ideas. You're guaranteed to have loads of fun and don't forget
There's Gold At The End of The Rainbow!
Neill Wilkins
For more information about holding a Rainbow Festival, including photos of key elements please visit our website at http://www.better-fundraising-ideas.com
You will also find lots of other novel fundraising ideas along with tried and tested old favourites (but often with a new twist). Perfect for church fundraising, school fundraising and all other charity and non profit organisations.
smencils