10. Fundraising: Bought Products

There are some companies that exist solely to make their money through fundraising.  These fundraising sales companies offer the products to be sold, also the catalogues and in some cases sales training.  The non-profit group supplies the labor for selling and the manpower to do this.  Both parties get some of the money raised.  The advantages of this type of fundraising are that the companies often provide most of what you need to fundraise.  The products are often professionally made and so are typically of a higher quality than home made crafts, and this appeals to the buyers. 

On the down side, the fundraising company does take some of the profit, and rightly so since they do provide the products and advertising flyers etc. Sometimes, initial start up costs or the cost of paying for unsold items are quite high, as these businesses vary in thier policies, quality and trustworthiness. If you decide to follow this route in fundraising, be sure to investigate carefully any company you choose to work with, and check on their policies about unsold items. There are many reputable companies out there, and if you choose wisely, you can have a great fundraising experience, as these companies take away a lot of the hassle of organizing your fundraiser.

 There are many items that these companies will sell to you to resell at a profit, and these include:

• Art supplies 
• Books  
• Buttons or stickers 
• Candles  
• Chocolates, cookies, donuts, or other foods 
• Cosmetics 
• Crafts 
• Gift items 
• Kitchen items 
• Learning Tools (flash cards, etc.)Magnets 
• Magazine subscriptions 
• Paper products (stationary, wrapping paper) 
• Pet supplies (leashes, bowls, sweaters) 
• Posters 
• School supplies 
• T-shirts, sweat suits or other items of clothing 
•  Toys, games, or puzzles 

Next page: 11. Fundraising - Marathons

Practical Fundraising Ebook - Table Of Contents

1. Fundraising - The Basics 
2. Fundraising - Terminology 
3. Fundraising - Money 
4. Fundraising - Where to Find Donors and How to Reach Them 
5. Fundraising - Targeting Your Donors 
6. Fundraising - Research 
7. Fundraising - Your Donors' Needs 
8. Fundraising - Ideas 
9. Fundraising - Donated Products 
10. Fundraising - Bought Products 
11. Fundraising - Marathons 
12. Fundraising - Lotteries, raffles and more 
13. Fundraising - Fairs, Auctions and Bazaars 
14. Fundraising - Fun Events 
15. Fundraising - Drives 
16. Fundraising - Services 
17. Fundraising - Tips for Choosing a Fundraising Idea 
18. Fundraising - Your Plan 
19. Fundraising - Your Team 
20. Fundraising - Staying Organized 
21. Fundraising - Communicating With Your Donors 
22. Fundraising - Advertising 
23. Fundraising - Letters 
24. Fundraising - Emails and more 
25. Fundraising - Person to Person 
26. Fundraising - Thank You Notes 
27. Fundraising - Grant Proposals 
28. Fundraising - Press Releases 
29. Fundraising - With Computers 
30. Fundraising - Secrets to Success 
31. Fundraising - Problems 
32. Fundraising - Conclusions