Homeschool Co-op Fundraising Performance... Ideas??

[Michelle My Bell]

My kids are in a co-op, and my oldest daughters' (high school) class wants to put on a play/dinner theater to raise money for a formal event they are all attending at the end of the year. The problem is directing a play is wayyy too much work for any of us right now.

 

So, we came up with the idea to do some sort of talent show or skit night (possibly with a dinner??) as a fundraiser instead. We're going to present the idea to the group tomorrow, but first we'd like to have some ideas.

 

Have any of you ever done something like this, or have any creative ideas for a good fundraiser like this?

Any suggestions on how it should be run?

Any good resources for free skits, acts, etc.?

 

Any help is much appreciated!

[happi duck]

I had an idea for a fundraiser for my dc's youth group. We ended up not needing to do it because we reached our goal. It never got passed the idea stage so I don't have any do's or don't's to share. That said, here's my idea...

 

a "coffee house" event with dessert, coffee, tea and cocoa for kids...kids raising the money would be servers

 

entertainment would be varied...a poetry reading, a solo, a short skit, stand-up, a magic trick, a dramatic reading etc. Not long acts one after the other but a song or two, a poem of reasonable length or two etc. Not a lot of staging or costumes...more open mic feel. Whatever talent the kids can contribute with the occasional adult if needed...there would be space in between for refills and conversation.

 

In addition to the performances there would also be a student art show with a silent auction. This could also include orignal poetry and prose in addition to visual art (paintings, drawings, photography etc.)

 

Money would be raised from the silent auction and also from either selling tickets or a freewill offering...whatever is a better fit for your group.

 

You might be able to get desserts donated to keep the cost to the group lower. It's always a bummer to spend almost as much as is made at the event.

[Dmmetler]

Another possibility-if you have people who can sing/play piano/do chamber music ensembles, try auctioning off performances where the bidders can have the group come and, say, sing at a birthday party, perform background music for a dinner party, stuff like that. We did this as a fundraiser for high school band, and it was quite effective-if people actually cashed in their winnings, the kids got more performing experience; many just donated the amount to the group and didn't actually ask the group to perform. IIRC, one group ended up playing trumpet fanfares for a child's circus party :)