Every parent has experienced the dread that comes with their child announcing a school or sports team fund raiser. Parents find themselves helping their child hawk containers of high-caloric cookie dough...or skimpy rolls of wrapping paper...or calendars they'll never use...or magazine subscriptions to Bee Keeper Gazette. How about suggesting the school or team try a few innovative fund raising ideas? The following ideas are creative ways to raise money for your specific program.



Teachers Lip Sync Extravaganza: Teachers are often hesitant to perform in traditional talent shows. Performing in a lip sync act requires only exaggerated, outlandish stage presence, not talent. Charge admission for families to come watch teachers and staff as they display their talents playing air guitars and prancing around in swimsuits, carrying surfboards and lip syncing to songs such as California Girls.

Many cities have businesses pay to decorate life size cows or pigs, which are then displayed throughout the community. Why settle for decorating a traditional animal statue? Encourage businesses to pay to be corporate sponsors for the chance to get a toilet destined for the dump. Each business receives a clean, yet used toilet,(available from most recycling centers) which they decorate. On a designated day, collect the artistically decorated toilets and set up makeshift bowling lanes. Community members pay to view the toilets and pay extra to roll a bowling ball down the lane and smash the toilets. Just think. Your organization gets money when businesses buy a toilet and then additional money as people pay to destroy the toilet with a bowling ball!

300 million children around the world are without a pair of shoes. Teach your children how to help others while also raising money for your organization. Soles4Souls, a non-profit agency, has distribute over 3 million pairs of shoes around the world. Students simply take orders for clogs or flip flops, which Soles4Souls distributes free of charge to people in need. For every $5.00 flip flops or $10.00 clogs students sell, your organization receives 40% of the proceeds. More important, your student's efforts help put a pair of shoes on the feet of someone in an impoverished or disaster-stricken area of the world. Contact www.soles4souls.org or 615-391-5723

Americans are spending billions of dollars on jeweled collars and personalized raincoats for their pets. Sponsor a pet fashion show where pet owners pay you to participate. For added interest get the mayor of your community or a local celebrity to "model" along with their pet. Any pet store would be glad for the publicity that comes with paying to be a "corporate sponsor" and promote their products. Planning is simple: Pet stores pay to be a sponsor, people pay to walk the runway with their adorable dog, cat, ferret, miniature horse, etc, and people pay admission to attend the event. All you need is a gym with a runway and a few pooper scoopers on hand!