Fundraiser Tips
Fundraiser Budgets & Schedules
Click on a category for more information, or scroll down to see them all:
BUDGET
Wow, there are many things to buy here for this event, but not to worry if enough thinking and planning goes into it. You can make it all back and then some.
Click on this link to see our Budget Worksheet that you can Print
VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE
Now that you have chosen your games, you will need dealers and volunteers to run the games. These volunteers should be people you can trust (probably family, coworkers, or close friends), as they will be handling a lot of cash. You should give them free entrance to the event and a couple of free drinks. Ask them not to indulge in alcohol until they are off the clock especially if they are handling money. We offer Dealers to run the games for you - just ask us for a quote.
You will need to make up a schedule, stating when certain games are going to start and finish and who is running them, etc.
Click on this link to see our Volunteer Schedule Example
You may want to post this schedule the night of the event for the volunteers so that everyone can stick to it. Keep in mind that these volunteers will want to have fun as well so give them some free time to enjoy the party, as you see from this example. You will also need a relief person for bathroom breaks and for the smokers. Notice that in the example, all games ended at midnight. This usually works well, as your guests by this point just want to dance or chat and the volunteers want a chance to mingle and party.
SCHEDULE FOR THE EVENING
Now you need to make a schedule for the evening to make sure that everything runs smoothly and that you stay on time to get everything done that you want to get done.
Click on this link to see our Schedule for Evening Example
You will notice from this example, that there are many times when raffle prizes are drawn. One big mistake people make when they have lots of raffle prizes is that they use a microphone to draw the raffle prizes all at once, which stops your party dead. It is a good idea to draw a couple of prizes publicly and either have the DJ announce the other winners in between songs or rent our Dry Erase Board to post the winning numbers. This is a good way to keep the sale of Raffle Tickets going, as your guests will be constantly reminded about the prizes people keep winning. As the night goes on, the prizes get more expensive and more appealing, thus encouraging people to stay longer and spend more money. Another idea is to have people write their names on the Raffle Tickets before they put them in a Raffle Container. This way, the announcer does not have to read the numbers eight times before people hear him correctly, they will understand a person’s name much easier and it will go faster.
And finally, to make this schedule work, you will need change to break your guests’ twenties. You will need a cash float of quarters, loonies, toonies, $5’s and $10’s, and the more the better – it won’t go to waste. Have a reasonable "float" at each game table as well. There's nothing more annoying than having a great run stopped because the dealer needs to break some change! Each person volunteering that night will need to carry around a Money Apron to keep it secure and in one spot. The people running the front door will need to keep the Admission Ticket money and Raffle Prize money in a Cash Box, which we can also provide.
