Last weekend I was talking to my mom about a community garden in Yancey county called Dig In! They grow vegetables to be donated to soup kitchens and the Reconciliation House in Burnsville. Even though they are primarily volunteer-driven, they still have many expenses that are not being covered by donations and need a way to raise funds… what now?

Fund Raising!!! We got to talking about different events/activities that would work to raise funds for their garden. Here are a few, maybe some of them would work for you.

Karaoke night: Recently the Alpha Xi Delta sorority from nearby UNC Asheville used our karaoke equipment to raise money for Autism Speaks at The Hop Ice Cream Parlor… They charged $3/person and $5/group, and were very successful in just a couple of hours. This is something that can be scaled to fit any size group and is not weather dependent, karaoke can be inside or outside. Creative idea ladies, thanks for the  inspiration.

Sumo Night: Sumo Suits are hilarious and make for a great spectator sport! Contestants face off inside a round circle on the mat, and they try to “wrestle” each other out of the circle. Add a lively referee and you have the makings of a great time. Contestants can be charged as individuals or as groups.

Outdoor movie nights: Find a good film to suit your event or cause and show it under the stars on an inflatable movie screen. Have people bring blankets or chairs and spread out on the lawn for a nice relaxing evening of films. Take donations (charging for movies requires the purchasing of rights, which can be quite costly) and sell popcorn and drinks.

Cookout/Party: Organize a cookout where you sell burgers and hot dogs. Add a couple inflatable bouncers and sell tickets for playtime. You can even put up a PitchBurst and have kids and adults buy tickets for the chance to pop a water balloon over someone’s head (make sure lots of people want to soak the person under the balloon)!

These are just a few of the ideas we are going to use over the summer to raise money for the garden. We would love to hear your favorite ways to raise funds for your organization.