Fundraising During a Recession Event Ideas
A recession can make even the most generous people tighten their purse strings, so fundraising during a recession can be particularly challenging. However, you can use the recession to your benefit by providing low-cost activities, valuable knowledge, professional opportunities and a sense of common purpose to the community.
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Professional Development
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The business world can be lucrative even during a recession. A recession may leave many people looking for work. Help them make contacts with a networking social. Sell tickets and invite every professional in the community. Serve inexpensive wine and hors d'oeuvres and sell low-cost cocktails. You could also ask a career adviser to give an hour-long class on "selling" yourself, interview tips and mapping a career plan. Sell tickets to the event. You can also sell raffle tickets with various work-related prizes; for example, ask a professional writer to donate a full cover letter and CV makeover.
Family Events
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Help bring families together during your fundraiser. Many families give up outings during a recession to save money. Host a family trivia tournament. Charge a per-family fee and sell refreshments. Ask a local restaurant to donate dinner to the winning family. You could also hold a family social in a local park. Charge per family. Sell low-cost lunches and snacks, and even beer and wine for the adults. Ask volunteers to monitor the kids. Or, set up a community-wide scavenger hunt. Charge per family. Offer (for a fee) local businesses the chance to be included in the clues.
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Date Nights
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Romance and a recession don't have to be mutually exclusive. Dating and romance may be hard to come by when money is tight. Borrow a large screen and projector from a local college and hold a drive-in movie date night. Sell $5 tickets and inexpensive refreshments. Or, hold a speed-dating event for local singles. Charge $10 per person. You could also invite couples to a potluck date night. Ask each couple to bring a covered dish and $10. Set up tables for two and decorate them with candles and flowers. Afterward, sell low-cost cocktails and let couples socialize with each other.
Sales
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Inexpensive treasures can mean big profits for your fundraiser. Many people refrain from shopping during a recession in order to save money. Solicit donations from the community and hold a huge yard sale. Sell booth space to local businesses to advertise their wares. Or, hold a swap meet and sell tickets. Encourage people to bring anything gently used that they don't want anymore. You could also ask community members to volunteer to teach a class on something they do well; for example, knitting or woodworking. Charge $10 per student and help your community learn new skills.
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