6 Fundraising Ideas to Empower Your Fraternity or Sorority!

Well, well, well, if it isn't the Greek gang looking for some inspiration to fundraise for yet another community week. 

First off, kudos to you for wanting to make the world a better place. 

Secondly, let's talk about how we can raise some money while having a good time.

We've put together a list of our fav sorority and fraternity fundraising ideas. 

And no, it's not just selling baked goods or car washes (although those are classics for a reason). We're talking about unique and creative ideas that will make people reach for their wallets faster than Hermione casts her spells.

So, buckle up and get ready to secure the bag for a cause that truly matters. Let's dive into these fundraising ideas that will make your Greek life organization the talk of the town.

Spelling Bee, Cause Why Not? 

Why not host a hilarious and competitive spelling bee as your next philanthropy event? Trust us, it's a creative fundraising idea that will have everyone buzzing.

How many c's and s's are in the word "necessary"? And shouldn't the word "vacuum" have way more c's? It's all fun and games until spellcheck is no longer around. You can also throw in random twists and make a whole day out of it! If you want to, You can host it virtually as well.

To boost your fundraising efforts, charge an entry fee per team and offer awesome prizes such as baked goods, discount vouchers, and exciting custom merch (more on that later). 

But wait, there's more! You can also incorporate crowdfunding and donation drives to really maximize your earnings. Don't forget to leverage the power of social media fundraising and online fundraising platforms to reach a wider audience. For example, plastering the QR code and sharing the donation link throughout the event can help. Similarly, live streaming the event (if you aren't already hosting it online) can simplify sharing the donation link!

And for those who prefer more traditional methods, try reaching out to corporate sponsorships or matching gift programs. You can even tap into Reddit fundraising communities to gain additional support.

Ready, Set, Go! 

Alrighty, hold onto your running shoes. It's time to host a 7K charity run! Not only will you be doing your body a favor, but you'll also be raising funds for a good cause.

Here's how it works: you reach out and partner with sponsors big on living an active life who are willing to donate an amount per mile they complete or a lump sum for finishing the whole damn thing.

Now, if you're thinking, "Who in their right mind would sponsor people to run?" you'd be surprised! If you're persuasive enough with your pitch, you might just reel in some big bucks for your cause.

Once you have a sponsor or two, it's time to get the word out there! Create a registration form that requires a fee, map out your race course (remember to consult an expert or two!), and make sure there are enough resources on the path to keep your runners going!

Who knows, even you might surprise yourself and actually enjoy it. Or, you know, you could collapse halfway through and end up crawling to the finish line. Either way, it's for a good cause!

Plus, when was the last time you had a proper dose of O2 + Vitamin D? 👀

+1 For Our Creative Compadres!

Hosting an art class or crafting event is the perfect way to let participants unleash their inner creativity while connecting with other people who are just as artsy. And let's not forget the added bonus of raising some funds for your organization.

But mind well - we’re not talking NFTs, digital graphics, or anything printable-ish. We are asking you to get your hands dirty, the og way! 

Think - clay work, woodworking, metal craft, scrapbooking, glass painting, jewelry making, knitting, and anything else that allows you to use your hands to build something. 

Similar to other activities, charging for early registration and materials being used with your cause highlighted in all your marketing efforts is going to bring in those funds! If you get some professionals to come in and help, you can even sell their masterpieces on websites like ETSY! Do you notice a pattern? Once you have something that'll get people excited down, turning it into a fundraiser gets easy!

Sell thy Merch! 

Ladies and gents, gather around because we've got some hot, hot, hot merch for sale! 

That's right, your favorite chapter name is plastered on everything from tees, and co-ords to hats, and water bottles - anything functional and visually appealing (because who doesn't love good custom merch?).

Want to maximize sales? Highlight your charity on some designs and go for the trending stuff on others. It's like having your cake and eating it too, except the cake is merch, and the eating part is making a difference in the world. Maybe we should have picked another metaphor.

Now, we know what you're thinking. "Where the hell do I start?" Aren't you sweet, here are a couple of places to get your merch started:

• Fresh Prints lookbook of designs carries collegiate designs that are trending right now. The link gets updated with a new lookbook every few weeks so you're always on top of the best-sellers.
• If you know what products you want first but don't which brands match your budget, we've even got a selection of products to get you going.

But hold up - if the idea of setting up a stall to sell merch feels like not the best strategy to sell the most merch, Fresh Prints can set up a group order link for you. A group order link is a temporary online store that displays all the merch you designed with us.

All you'll have to do is share the link far and wide. Then, everyone and their grandmas will be able to pick out and pay for the merch they want. Since it's a temporary store for a fundraiser, all items will be sold at a higher price so all of your profit gets donated!

Reach out to us anywhere on our website to get this set up. 

Claiming The HOT Seat

Ever thought you could claim the best seats in the house at your university's next big event? You know, the seats that are usually reserved for the school's bigwigs and VIPs. 

Now, imagine being able to sell those seats for more than they're worth, with all the proceeds going straight to your organization's mission. Sounds too good to be true, right? Wrong!

By partnering up with your university's special program departments, your fraternity or sorority could become the ultimate seat hustler on campus. Not only that, but you can also turn your seats into a hot commodity at your school's next charity auction. Trust us, the more important the event, the more likely people will fight tooth and nail to get the best seats.

But, when should you use this genius idea? Obviously, you'll need to time it around a popular event on campus. So, send out some surveys to your members and figure out which event would be the best fit for your organization. Then, sit back, relax, and watch the bids roll in.

But if you don't think this would bring in as many funds as you want, you can consider making this a part of your fundraising effort instead of all of it, too.

Bring In The SUSPENSE 

Your guests will be in for a real treat with this mysterious fundraising event. It's a murder mystery game, and it's making a comeback among young adults faster than you can say "whodunit".

And, if you're using a sorority or fraternity house, then this is just the ticket for you. It's easy to pull off, requires minimal resources, and is perfect for groups. All you need is a room, some print-out instructions, and some common household materials and decorations. It's like CSI meets DIY.

With some games accommodating up to 24 players at a time, you can turn this into a full-on sports team or class activity. To raise funds, charge a team registration fee sell individual tickets, and pair people up on-site. The more, the merrier!

You can do this any time of the year, but why not get into the spooky spirit and make it a Halloween-ish event? It's a killer way to raise funds and find out who among your friends has what it takes to be a detective. 

And, if you're in need of some inspiration, check out this list of 15 murder mystery games and get ready to put your Sherlock Holmes hat on and start solving that case.

Also, if you REALLY want to make the fundraiser the talk of your town then you really can’t miss out on these 5 Philanthropy Chair-approved tips for organizing successful fundraisers.