There are no get-rich-quick schemes that pay off in church camp fund-raising. Most churches have a plan for helping families with the costs associated with camp and other kids ministry events.
Here are six ideas for fund-raising that are a little different from traditional fundraisers, but can be quite effective.
1. Plan a church-wide event to play The Official OMC Game.
OMC stands for “Organized Mass Chaos” and that is just what it is. Request donations from church members to participate (or require donations from them if they want to get out of playing!)
2. Get one-on-one sponsorships.
There are families or small groups who would be willing to anonymously pay in full a child’s way to camp.
3. Find corporate sponsors.
While it may not appropriate for a local business to give money directly to an individual through the church and receive a tax credit, it can be given to the “children’s camp fund” and distributed as needed.
“In my last church,” says Bill Emeott, Lifeway Kids Ministry Specialist, “we were blessed with several members who owned their own business and were often looking for tax write-offs. Check with your church’s financial advisor to make sure, but it worked for us.”
4. Try numbered envelopes.
Collect standard envelopes and number them from 1 to 100. Place the envelopes on a table in a central location in your church and then ask members to take an envelope (or more than one) and simply return it with the corresponding amount of money inside ($1 for a envelope 1, $2 for envelope 2, and so on.
This provides a wide spectrum for folks that can give a little or folks that can give a lot, and the total you will raise if every envelope is returned is $5,050! Thanks to Angela, a children’s minister in East Texas, for this idea!
5. Enlist kids to wait tables at a restaurant.
“Our kids wait tables at a bar-b-que restaurant that is normally closed on Mondays,” says Cheryl, a group leader from CentriKid. “They let us use it for this fundraiser every year. Not only do the kids get to serve others, they earn money, plus they are team-building for camp.”
6. Host a Trivia Night.
Everyone comes together for a fun meal and trivia, with proceeds going to help get kids to camp.
Blessings on your camp planning and fundraising. I look forward to seeing many of you at CentriKid Camps this summer!
Jeremy Echols (@coachechols) leads the @centrikid team, finds new camp locations, plans training, and lots of other projects. He met his wife Emily working camp, and their daughter #BabyMadison was born in 2011.
