Put your thinking caps on and post some ideas for a summer fundraiser. This should be something that doesn't rely on our members for money but that we can all sell to people we know.
Some ideas already under consideration are:
Wristbands (Lance Armstrong type) that we could sell that say something on them like fishery sponsor, adopt a muskie, etc.
Guide Trip Raffle There are a couple guides that would donate trips that we could raffle off. We would print raffle tickets that could be sold to anyone.
All ideas are good, this is really important.
Well you said "any ideas" so……….. I don't know how practical this would be but I have seen some groups selling bag chairs (aka travel chairs) with their club logos on them. Many people that don't hunt or fish use them so you have more potential customers and they have a practical use. This probably wouldn't raise a fortune but it might compliment your other efforts. Just a thought………..
Will,
You're familiar with the fund raising scheme that some organizations use by developing a coupon booklet of restaurants, bars, movie theatres, ect whereby the purchaser gets a big discount at each place? Example, 2 meals for the price of one. The coupon booklet itself is priced fairly low but the total value of all the coupons is high making it attractive. Well, I have a parallel idea!
How about a "booklet" or portfolio of GUIDED MUSKIE TRIPS that can be purchased for $500 to $1,000, let's say? I have already got a committment today with Steve Scepaniak, (<url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
">** you do not have permission to see this link **) who guides on Mille Lacs. He offered to do a sun up to sun down trip on Mille Lacs for half price ($190). I met the gentleman at his Chicago booth in January and read a couple articles he wrote in Esox Angler. Incidently, I have already hired him for my own outing on July 16th at regular price. So, if we developed a cavalcade of guided trips in the portfolio with MMA as the sponsor and beneficiary of the proceeds that might be a unique and compelling item to sell. I'm sure we could come up with several guides, some big names too, in our booklet. Even if we had only two other trips similiar to the one I got approval for today that would be basically $600 for 3 full days on prime water like specifically Mille Lacs with Steve, maybe a Geo B trip, or casting/trolling on LSC, ect. How about a Wisconsin lake included, or combine Vermilion after Mille Lacs. On V we could use Chad Cain's "assistant" who costs less but has the same GPS co-ordinates. This idea could even be expanded to a multi species market with an out West bass lake combined with air service like Allegiant Air out of Lansing to Las Vegas for $80; a short distance from the lake. Combining the transportation cost with the guide makes it even more attractive, I should think. Perhaps this multi species "booklet" would sell to a broader audience of anglers than if we had "just" muskie. I can think of a couple guys in the office who would probably "bite" on that.
With the recent crack down of prostitution locally I'm out of ideas on any sure fire money makers. I guess maybe a bake sale or car wash? 🙄
Here is a list of Michigan companies that have fund raising set ups
<url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
">[Permission to view this media is denied]
Of course they would require selling on behalf of the members.
I personally like raffles, the area sports fishermen association is raffling of seven guns and seven charter trips right now.
The MMA could do fishing tackle/outdoor gifts/guided trips. I think Chuck's idea of multi-species would be the way to go, we'd sell more tickets if we could get guided trips for all different species guides plus it would be a good way for the club to fight the "elitest" misnomer.
Will, The adopt a musky thing works pretty well. I did one for the other club before I joined MMA. You can give away a guided trip to a winner drawn on a certain day from names of adoptees. Give them a wrist band and number and draw a winner after a couple of months. So far sounds like one way to raise some cash. Kingfisher
a) sell gourmet popcorn or nuts obtainable from companies that deal in fund-raising ("I'm nuts about muskie fishing")
b) the men and women of Muskies Inc. calendar with 12 manufacturers defraying the cost of the calendar by having their new or established product showcased with a member of Muskies Inc. modeling alongside it for the 2007 year
The wristbands are a popular thing right now, so that's a good idea. Also a good idea to have something that folks can take with them and sell because it's probably really tough to get everyone together for some of the ideas I came up with below.
Whatever is decided, make sure that you get everyone in the club to send press releases to their local newspapers/favorite internet news sites about what you are doing (might want to set up a calling or e-mail chain to get the word out when things need to move quickly). Include phone numbers, website address, and e-mail. Post extra notes on the main MI site too, besides the link to ours.
Not exclusively summer ideas, but here are a few to think about:
1. Food fundraisers – Spaghetti dinners & pancake breakfasts always raise funds for our local American Legion hall. I've seen wild game suppers, chili cookoffs, etc. done by other groups too.
If you can't think of a way to have one big enough to be supported by the community, you could even try setting up something at lunchtime at work (employer permitting) – our "social committee" at my work raises money for company outings by having potlucks where those who bring food eat for free & those who don't pay $3-5 to have lunch. If they know how enthusiastic you are about your club, they might be willing to contribute to your fundraising effort.
Anybody that looks like a good Santa impersonator? Host a breakfast with Santa around the holidays.
2. Does anyone know any local celebrities? You could ask to see if they would donate their time for a lunch or something like that and raffle it off.
3. Are there any booths set up at outdoors events? Raffles can be done at these; another unique idea I've seen is a "balloon raffle", where slips redeemable for prizes are hidden in the balloons, and you sell the balloons instead of buying tickets.
4. Host a sports (or fishing) how-to clinic and charge a small fee/ask for donations (doesn't HAVE to be just musky either – I've got a 6 year old who will fish for anything, anytime – she'll get a musky someday, but she's gotten plenty of other practice too!). This would be a benefit to the fishing sport in general too. Could be classroom, or could be outdoors at park.
Does anybody have any connections at any parks with camping sites? You could see if they would donate the camping fees for such a project if done overnight for say, some volunteers to spend a day cleaning up the park, etc.
5. Know of a good local neighborhood theater? (I know, there aren't that many left) They may be willing to host a screening of an outdoors themed movie, or even children's movie before their normal run of the day begins and split the box office and/or concession profits with you.
6. Gift wrapping for donations around the holidays at a Border's books or one of the stations set up in the malls
7. Compile a cookbook of member's favorite recipes to sell. You could even put something like this on the cafepress.com site along with the MMA t-shirts, they have a self-publishing section.
And these are progressively getting more desparate as I get to the end of my ideas for tonight…
8. Bottle/can drives – the scout's wouldn't do them if they didn't make something?
9. Set up an account with one of those cell phone/ink cartridge recycling companies
10. Have parents from local schools sign up & write letters to their children from Santa at Christmas time.
11. Get everyone in the group & their families to sign to take internet marketing surveys at <url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
">[Permission to view this media is denied]
12. There's a company that makes home/auto first aid kits specifically for fundraising
That's enough for now…Sorry it's so long, but I don't get a lot of time to go through the forums, so I have to spew it all at once.
Lots of luck,
Stacy
<url url="[Permission to view this media is denied]
">[Permission to view this media is denied]
All good ideas……………..What about a well advertised kids day.I have a mess of lures I would donate.What if every…or …50% of members donated 10-20 lures…………put price tags on them say……..3-6 bucks,hang them,take say…….this regular group 20 people X 10-15 lures=250 lures x avg. of 5$$=1250$$.Charge admission for adults…say 5 or 6bucks,kids admission free,kids eat free.Have a fish fry/cook dogs/burgs,maybe both or just have one or the other.Have side dishes,beans,chips,pop,etc..Maybe have beer…keg..or something.Have fishing demonstrations/raffles.Could raffle off some of the other mentioned things,guide trips,movie coupons,restaurants,etc…
Could maybe pull in 3000$$,minus food costs,etc..
Have it at Bombas 
DU
57
26