How to Do a Fundraiser Car Wash
A car wash can be an excellent way to raise extra money via donations for your non-profit organization, and also spread awareness of your organization with free advertising for the fundraising event.
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Instructions
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The first step in putting together a car wash fundraiser is getting together a group of volunteers. After you’ve decided on the location of the car wash and the time span in which you will hold it (4 hours at least), hold a meeting and invite everyone to join. Explain why you’re raising the funds, how you’ll be raising the funds and then ask everyone who wants to help to commit an hour or more on a sign-up sheet.
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Once you have at least three to four volunteers for every hour of your car wash, begin advertising. The week before the event, hang up posters, flyers and spread the crucial information of date, time and fundraiser purpose through word of mouth to as many people as possible. Your volunteers may be able to help you with this as well.
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The day before the car wash, be sure to call your car wash location and make sure you are still able to use its parking lot for your fundraiser. Make sure there is nearby access to an outside water source, probably a faucet. Also be sure that you have all of the various supplies you’ll need the following day, such as buckets, sponges, soap, towels, water and at least $50 in petty cash. You may also want to consider setting up a donation jar for those who want to donate a little extra.
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On the big day, position one volunteer holding a sign advertising the event near the opening of the parking lot in order to bring in customers who may just need your services that day. The other volunteers should be located at a non-traffic-filled area in the parking lot. Here, cars can easily line up and park waiting to be washed without hindering the rest of the area’s traffic flow.
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At the end of the car wash, subtract the amount of petty cash that you used from the funds you raised in order to extract your amount of profit.
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Tips & Warnings
You may want to consider having a runner available at all times who can gather more petty cash if necessary, switch out soaked towels and refill others items such as soap.
Some car wash locations are willing to double the funds that you gather that day. The Internet is a great place to begin researching which locations may offer this charitable donation as a tax write-off.
