District level fundraising

[CNYScouter 46]

Our District needs to do a fundraiser at the District Level to help meet its community FOS goal.

 

We used to do a golf tournament but so many other groups are doing them we just werent drawing enough people.

 

Last year we did a breakfast honoring a local Celebrity but our councils DD told our DE (hes his boss) that we cant do this again.

 

One of the other Districts does a yearly $100 per person Lobster Dinner for a fundraiser.

 

We would like to do create a signature type event, something different and the type of thing we could do on a early basis.

 

 

We are looking for ideas.

 

Is your district required to do a district level fundraiser and if so what do you do?

 

[moosetracker 132]

Never heard of it in our district, but I am newbie to the District level.

 

Just wondering why you can not do a "Celebrity Dinner???".. Seems tame enough, you have a dinner attached, so it's not like a raffle where someone maybe isn't getting something for their buck.

 

We have council wide fundraisers. End of this month we are hosting a "Blue Angels" show.. Obama, has decreed this use of the airforce be stopped, so we will be hosting one of the last shows until we get a new President.. So that is good for buisness. Someone on this forum said ho-hum "see them all the time".. But I think it has been over 20 years since they have been in our neck of the woods, so it has real excitement around here.

 

Last year we got a tall building in on of our cities to allow us to rappel down it's side. We had people pay to rappel down the side of the building..

 

 

Fun things, that also promote Scouting, while doing a fundraiser.. The rappeling you might be able to do at district level (if you can find a building gung-ho).. And your DD doesn't prevent it.

 

The Blue Angels is a tad over the top for a District fundraiser. (And you can't book them no more anyway.)

 

My in-laws just went to a fund-raiser that had something to do with honoring someone like "citizen of the year" type thing.. Don't know if it was District or Council..

[jhankins 10]

Do you do a Distinguished Citizens Dinner? They are the staple of fund raising in most councils, and this is a skill taught at basic pro training -- to put on these dinners.

 

Basically, you honor on behalf of the district and council a local citizen who embodies the scout oath and law. It's not a celebrity dinner, it's honoring a citizen. This year, we honored a county supervisor who is a great leader, good guy, veteran, and helper of every cause that promotes good morals and good citizenship. Using his mailing list and his benefactors, we raised $15,000 in one night.

 

In years past, we've used local realtors, mayors, fire chiefs, and distinguished eagles. Each dinner has made over $10k without only 3 months prep time.

[dg98adams 18]

I know our council does a district level Corporate Pinewood Derby,

 

Mostly companies sponsor a car, build it and compete... I think the minimum donation to participate is the fundraiser part.

[infoscouter 11]

For more than 20 (or more) years, our district has held a community breakfast. There is a featured speaker who talks about the value of Scouting in the community. A youth presenter (Eagle Scout or Venturing Silver) gives 5 minutes on what Scouting has meant to them. Cute Cub Scouts present the flags.

 

We used to have a silent auction with this as well, but the Scouters in attendance ended up buying the stuff.

 

The whole thing works like any non-profit fundraiser. Table captains invite likely donors and organize each table to give.

 

Are you in a hunting area? Council does a pheasant shoot (in addition to the golf tournaments). Someplace with a sporting clays shoot might make a good event.

 

I'd like to bring a resource to your attention. Your library probably has a subscription to a database called ReferenceUSA. This nation-wide database of businesses can be searched by zip code, county, size of business, line of business, and a number of other criteria, to create a prospect list.

 

For instance, you could create a list of all companies in your county with more than 50 employees. This list then becomes a prospect list for your campaign voluteers to solicit for donations. It can also be a mailing list for donations or the invitation list for an event. The names of the management team of each company can be cross checked against the council's Eagle and registration databases to identify possible table captains.

 

(I'm not affialeted with the company, but as a librarian, I've seen many successful uses of the database for a variety of uses)

[nldscout 18]

CNY can't do the breakfast thing because the preception at the council is that this will interfere with the councils Boypower dinner the coucil does which raises 400-500 thousand.

[shortridge 184]

moosetracker,

 

I believe you may be wrong in your statement that the administration has halted the flights of the Blue Angels. They're definitely still flying - it appears that they recently went to a two-year schedule to allow sites more time for advertising, planning, etc. You can check out their appearances for 2010 and 2011 at http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/schedules.htm

 

Congrats on getting a local show - it's difficult, and competition is stiff. From their website:

 

"How do you determine where to hold an air show?

Each September the Department of Defense receives hundreds of requests to hold air shows featuring the Navy Blue Angels. After the Department of Defense screens requests for basic eligibility, requests are forwarded to the Blue Angels Commanding Officer. The squadron reviews each air show request, considering input from the Chief of Naval Information and Navy Recruiting Command. In December, the Blue Angels' Events Coordinator, along with Navy and Department of Defense officials, meet at a scheduling conference in Washington, D. C. for final considerations and approval."

[moosetracker 132]

Well that's good.. To truth I only heard that the President stopped BA shows as a budget cut from two people, I never took the time to research it for myself. Just sounded like the typical Washington move.. You know lets keep purchasing those $500.00 hammers, and giving millions out to the buisnesses that get into trouble due to shady buisness practices so they can give themselves hefty bonuses and raises.. But we'll cut things that are visible to the little guy, so the american people can notice we are cutting our expenses.

[John-in-KC 311]

Moose,

 

Since I'm in the defense industry now, let me tell you about that $500 hammer:

 

- Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine working on a contract discovers he needs a hammer, and requests it under the "Big Weapon System du Jour" contract at his post, camp, base, or station.

 

- Contracting Officer's Representative (that's the Government guy who officially tasks the contractor) sends the action to the contractor firm.

 

- Contractor project manager says "Do you really want to do this? By the time I go to the store and buy it, I will spend 2 hours of direct billing chargeable labor, plus a share of project overhead to this task?"

 

- COR says "Buy it."

 

- Project manager has a supply tech, who has a base wage of $20 / hour and a burdened rate of $45 per hour, go and get the hammer, using company transport.

 

Some of the examples (the $3000 toilet seat) are spurious. When you buy a fiberglass toilet area insert, you're buying a chunk of money for a one off mold.

 

Finally, HALF A MIL?? Geez, my Council is one of the twenty largest in the Nation, and we run on $2M a year, less camp fees. I think it's time for the independent audit, Judge.

[moosetracker 132]

John-in-KC...

 

Got, you might have your red tape up to the purchase of the hammer.. But, then you guys should should stop sending those highly paid guys out for the hammer.. Buy it off the internet & UPS or Fed-ex will drop it right into the arms of the soldier or sailor for a fraction of the cost. After that you can start looking at how to trim the red tape process on the front end..

 

You lost me on the HALF A MIL?? comment.. Maybe that is the cost of them putting on the show here?? I looked around the link to the blue Angels but didn't see it there.. They don't bring those costs details down to us little guys..

 

I do know in the early stages of the process there were some worried about the attendance.. (If that's the charge, I know why..) But, now they are no longer fretting getting tickets sold, it is only,just being worried about having enough help during the two day program.

[Scouting4Ever 11]

We do a program called Dine 4 Scouts. Local restaurants donate a percentage of the evenings tickets sales. In turn, Scouts in the district help bus tables, welcome people into the store, etc. We do this 3 months in the fall and 3 in the Spring.