Alumnae Fundraising

[sigmagrrl]

I didn't know which board to put this on, so I'll put it here! What do alumnae chapters out there do for fundraising projects? I have no idea what to do as an alum. We can't do bake sales (can we?) or lollipop sales like we did in college! What can we do? I know some chapters sell pecans, but what else? Pampered Chef Party? Tupperware? I just don't want to fall into some housewife stereotype kinda thing, but I NEED IDEAS?? Thanks!

[PenguinTrax]

We do several things for fundraising, but only funds raised from within our own membership can be used for our operating expenses.

First off, make sure that the alumnae dues you charge cover the cost of your operating expenses - they should cover both your national fees and local fees for copying, postage, etc.

Second - sell stuff to parents! Every year we send letters to the parents of our collegian members and sell Finals Week Goody Bags. The parents pay $15, we make up and deliver a goody bag to their daughter and everyone is happy. We use the funds toward our Foundation donation for the year.

Entertainment books are a big seller, you can make up Sigma related items and sell them to the collegians or at your local State Day.

Have a silent auction twice a year. Have members donate new or 'gently used' items and baked goods.

Barb

[Tom Earp]

Our main fund raising is a gathering of the Alums for a Golf Outing where we can have a good time and raise some money not for us but for certain projeects for the Active Chapter especially now that we are trying to build a new house! If anyone has any other ideas please let me know!!!!

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Tom Earp LX Z#1
Pittsburg State U. (Kansas)

The AGD Hawaii Alumnae chapter has fundraising events planned throughout the year. Each year is the same, but they generate a lot of revenue!

One of their biggest moneymakers is the annual Winetasting event usually held at a 4 star restaurant. One of our alums knows a sommelier--who's a TKE alum--and together they work together with the restaurant to bring in people from the community. The alums sell tickets (I think at $25 each) and receive a piece of the profits. In addition to that they have a silent auction with donated items and gifts they've received from individuals in the community.

Our alums have also sold refreshments and desserts at gallery and museum events. I also think that one semester they worked at the concession stands at the UH Mens Volleyball and Baseball games. I can't recall the % they get from the profits, but they did make a lot of money!



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*I'm an Alpha Gam...Yes I am, Yes I am!*

[DGMarie]

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[AOX81]

What about Greek Lettered Sweatshirts?

[DGMarie]

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[GPhiBLtColonel]

Our International Hqtrs lets alum chapters sell pre-approved items at each convention -- in what they have called an Alumnae Boutique -- you can't sell things that are sold by the licensed vendor who sets up shop for the entire convention but our chaper sold business card sized magnets that we created for about 50 cents each -- we sold them for $2 each -- they had various Gamma Phi designs that I chose from my Printmaster Platinum program and sayings...we made over $600! The price was just right, esp for the "poor" collegians who attended. I had even created a "souvenir" magnet of the WashDC skyline at night and the words Gamma Phi Beta Convention 2002 -- that went fast as did the one i created with a picture of our founders on it and their names...made it look old-fashoioned...I took a few orders in a receipt book although for this convention I will create an order blank with some designs on it so everyone can take one home as well....There were about a dozen alum chapters selling things that ranged from Gamma Phi Face or hand tatoos (rub on) to Gamma Phi balloons, to notepads, to beaded bracelets etc....
This coming June at our convention (in Chicago) our alum chapter is doing the same thing we did at the last convention but we are sending the collegiate and alum chapters a letter several months before the convention saying if they bring diskettes or CDs with pics of themselves and their sisters or their house or whatever, we will make them into custom magnets for probably $3 or $3.50 each and we are going to do custom notecards too -- order it one day and get it later that day or the next --I am bringing a laptop and portable printer with me to do all this in the comfort of my hotel room...I really want us to make LOTS of money --we are a small chapter (24 dues paid members) so we need things like this!

[DGMarie]

Did you print these magnets yourself? Like using magnet paper from the store or did you have someone make them (and who?)

Good ideas.

[DGMarie]

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[AAgammagirl]

hey everyone-
how about doing a cookbook? these can be sold to actives and alumnae as well as people that aren't greek.
there is a company in canada that does it, not sure about the states. it's called the rasmussen company. pm me if you're interested in more details.
they're easy to do, collect recipes and send them away. pick a cover design and you're finished. i think they cost around $3-$4 and then you up the price, most people sell them for $10-$15. you can make some GREAT money.
only downside, you can't really do a cookbook every year for fundraising.

good luck!

[GPhiBLtColonel]

Originally posted by DGMarie
Did you print these magnets yourself? Like using magnet paper from the store or did you have someone make them (and who?)

Good ideas.

DGMarie -- No I did all of them myself -- they sell business card size magnets in stores like Staples and Office Depot and my program is printmaster platinum. they came out really nice! Our convention is in Chicago this year -- maybe you can come by and check out the alum boutique and see what I am talking about and plus, we could meet?

[DGMarie]

Very cool. Okay, I found the magnet paper you spoke of in Office Max. I saw someone selling it per sheet on ebay but she wanted $4.95 shipping which was a rip off. I could buy a whole box for $9.

Yes, I saw your convention is actually in Lincolnshire. It is RIGHT DOWN THE STREET from me. Like 10 minutes away. I should stop by but I'd be a fish out of water there. It would be fun to at least say hello!

Do you do the magnets on an ink jet or color laser?

[GPhiBLtColonel]

Originally posted by DGMarie
Very cool. Okay, I found the magnet paper you spoke of in Office Max. I saw someone selling it per sheet on ebay but she wanted $4.95 shipping which was a rip off. I could buy a whole box for $9.

Yes, I saw your convention is actually in Lincolnshire. It is RIGHT DOWN THE STREET from me. Like 10 minutes away. I should stop by but I'd be a fish out of water there. It would be fun to at least say hello!

Do you do the magnets on an ink jet or color laser?

Mine is an HP 990cse deskjet -- although I am not real fond of HP stuff -- it was a gift last Xmas from hubby...it does not do that great on card stock printing -- I do alot of postcards myself (have my own paper cutter at home) and the printer gets jammed up all the time just at the very tail end of printing them...my next rpinter will be commercial grade.

Anyways, let's exchange emails and I will get a phone to call you when I am at the boutique OK -- you will not feel like a fish out of water, don't worry! My in-laws live in Wheaton and I will be seeing them before and after the convention....if the DGs do not do an alum boutique at y'all's convention, perhaps seeing ours will give you an idea to share with the higher ups!

I just thought of another decent fundraiser our little alum chapter does about every six months -- we make anywhere from $4-600 -- a garage sale! Also one thing we are contemplating is selling things via ebay ....

My email address is in my profile!

[AOX81]

Originally posted by DGMarie
good idea, but our ladies are beyond the wearing letters stage (I'm talking about over 40 or so).

I meant selling to your undergraduate chapter.