Church leaders often struggle with the idea of canvassing money from people. For many churches and Christian groups, it can often seem like such an un-Christian thing to do. But the truth is that all churches rely on community funds to survive in today’s costly society. Whether you need money to pay your bills, support your missionaries, or for important charitable causes, you should expect donations and monetary support from your church members.
Bake sales, church carnivals and family fun days are all tried and tested ways to raise funds, but modern and discerning churchgoers are often looking for something a bit different.
To get people excited about your church and community, we have gathered together 5 ideas that put the “fun” back into your church fundraiser: best church fundraisers
You won’t be the first church to organize a talent show, but it’s certainly a little bit “out-of-the-ordinary” for a church fundraiser and you’ll have so much fun doing it! In this age of American Idol, The Voice and America’s Got Talent, people love to perform and fantasize about being the next big star. Have some fun at your church fundraiser and give your community members a chance to show off.
All you’ll need is access to a hall or community center, a bad-tempered English judge, and some talented contestants and you’ve got a sure-fire hit on your hand that’s certain to sell some tickets! And you never know, you might just discover the next Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift!
2. Christian Mingle
The success of Christian dating websites is a testament to the fact that people of faith are searching for like-minded partners to share their lives with. Create a Christian mixer for the single members of your community to get together and meet one another in a relaxed and friendly environment.
A simple wine and cheese affair with some trusted members of your church to chaperone proceedings will ensure that you have a really successful evening. To gather funds for the event, we suggest charging a sign-up fee.
3. 5K Fundraising Run
Organize a charity walk or run in your community to raise funds for your church. It takes some difficult planning and organizing, but if you can pull it off, you can raise some serious money via entry fees and even sponsorship from local businesses, sports good stores, and other businesses. You’ll also have to contact law enforcement agencies about local ordinances, road closures, traffic barricades, and security issues. A fun run is not only a great fundraiser but it’s also a great way to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
Add Some Color to Your Run!
The Indian Festival of Color (Holi) is one of the most joyous celebrations in the world where people laugh, dance, sing and throw powdered color over each another. Inspired by this festival, there is a new worldwide event called the “color run” (http://thecolorrun.com/) that is held in cities around the US and the world and attended by thousands of people. For the more adventurous church groups, why not create your own fun and colorful festival in which the spectators “color-bomb” the runners. This idea is bags of fun but serious clean-up! You will definitely need to discuss these plans with local ordinances and law enforcement.
4. Community MasterChef
Churches have a grand tradition of having some of the greatest bakers and cooks in America. Church carnivals will attest to the incredible cooking talent within our church communities. However, the typical church carnival cooking contest is possibly a little “old hat” for today’s generation.
So let’s upgrade the old fashioned competition to a TV-inspired MasterChef contest in which a selection of cooks and bakers are judged on a series cooking challenges (It’s basically a re-packaging and re-branding of the traditional church carnival cooking contest.) Create an event out of the contest to sell tickets. You might even consider getting sponsorship from local grocery stores, restaurants, or other related businesses.
5. Family Photo Day
Organize a special photo day for members of your church and community. Hire a professional photographer and organize some special costumes and sets to create themed photo shoots so that people can get some fun and memorable pictures. Here are some themes to consider:
- Wild West
- Victorian
- Pilgrims
- Clowns
- Famous people
- Medieval
- Renaissance fair
- Civil War
- Gangsters and molls
- Superheroes
- Hogwarts (Harry Potter)
- Middle Earth (Lord of The Rings)
To increase attendance, pre-sell appointment tickets offering a free portrait for $10.