Just because school is on hiatus during summer doesn’t mean your fundraising efforts have to take a break. Turn your breather into a breath of fresh air for your moneymaking activities. For one, take advantage of being out of the classroom to crank up your creativity with unique outdoor events. Who can turn down a little fun in the sun? Barbecue cook-off anyone? Or a day of aqua-lympics? Or, try putting a twist on summery picnics in the park. Here are a few summer fundraising ideas—all in the name of supporting your students’ educational travel experience.
BBQ Cook-Off
Nothing says summer like BBQs. If you grill it, they will come. But instead of your traditional burgers and hot dogs, put craft services in the hands of the crowd. Hold a contest for the best homemade barbecue recipe with the prize being bragging rights (the economical way) or a grill master’s prize pack of must-have accessories. Charge an entry fee for chefs and a plate fee for sampling the creations. Think about highlighting the differences in BBQ dishes around the world—from asado style in Argentina to the char siu flavors originating from southeastern China. BBQ comers can vote on the best sauce, most original grilled dish or even best chef’s “performance” (if you want to take that Iron Chef approach.) You can then sell a recipe book of top contenders after the event—so make sure you collect email addresses with tickets to get back in touch.
Pool Games
Community pools are a hot spot for gathering friends and families to support your cause on a sunny day. See if you can get run of a neighborhood pool for a day and plan aquatic activities for teams and individuals. Put up volleyball net in a rectangular pool and charge team entry fees to play in a tournament. Organize silly races with paddleboards, floats and pool toys. You might even turn the day event into an evening luau with fruity smoothies for sale. (Perfect for raising funds for that Hawaii tour.) Think about theming decorations to match other oceanside destinations—like Explorica’s tours to Puerto Rico, Belize or Costa Rica. Water makes a splash at any fundraiser. No pool close by? Water balloons, squirt guns and your run-of-the-mill garden hose are creative options for staging similar aqua games. Even a collection of mini wading pools and lawn chairs might do the trick. If anything, the visual attraction alone might be worth a buck or two.
Picnics in the Park
Eating al fresco is a summer treat that’s hard to turn down. Add a popular park to the scene and you’ve got yourself a setting for success. It’s easy to participate, has no time constraints and as long as the weather cooperates, it’s a natural path for foot traffic. Make the event around a mealtime, set up folding picnic tables or blankets and stock “booths” with your favorite easy meal or finger foods. Charge per treat or sell prepared baskets with an assortment of goodies for nibbling. Try interesting finger sandwiches or fruit and cheese plates with sparkling beverages. Play classical music to take the checkerboard cloth to a whole new level. Tie this fundraiser to one of Explorica’s tours that offer park activities—from Golden Gate Park in San Francisco to Central Park in Manhattan. As far as fundraisers go, you could say it’s a walk in the park.
We hope these ideas are just the spark to warm up your summer fundraising activities. Have a local spin on one or a unique idea of your own? Tell us in the comments and help get other groups on their way to their educational trip of a lifetime.