Fundraising and Development Advancement Plan

Fundraising and Development Advancement Plan

Gingerbread Competition and Fundraiser

The Fuquay-Varina Junior Woman’s Club (NC) held the Gingerbread Competition and Fundraiser in partnership with the Fuquay-Varina Arts Center. A gingerbread kit donated by the local Michael’s store was provided to all 49 entries. Houses were on display at the Arts Center, where visitors voted for the People’s Choice Award. The event was shared on social media and followers voted for the Virtual People’s Choice Award. The club raised $345 through the People’s Choice voting, as well as additional funds through participant entry fees.

Pumpkin Walk

The GFWC Woman’s Civic League, Inc. (UT) held a Pumpkin Walk in cooperation with Tremonton City on Holmgren Nature Trail. Other organizations were invited to create “scenes” using pumpkins and squash along the trail. The scenes ran the gamut from The Flintstones to Cub Scouts and from animals to a school setting. There was no entry fee for participants or visitors, but a donation box was placed by the exit. The club raised more than $2,000 through donations and a “gypsy camp” experience where people could pay to have their fortunes read.

“Polar Express” Walk-Along Fundraiser

The GFWC Women’s Club of Butler (PA) wrote a “Polar Express” script, encouraged talented community members and club members to participate, and told the story to 12 groups of 25. Participants were greeted by Holly & Polly North Pole member elves. At the second stop, the Polar Express conductor gave everyone their own stamped “golden tickets” and a member vocalist sang “Believe” from the movie. Lastly, each group met with Santa and Mrs. Claus and received a sleigh bell. The children rang their bells and were true “believers.”

Purple Pumpkins

Princeton Junior Woman’s Club (IL) painted pumpkins purple in support of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. They sold the pumpkins and raised $656, which was donated to Freedom House, a safe haven for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

“Oh, the Places You Will Go”

The Village Improvement Association of Rehoboth Beach (DE) developed a fundraising and wellness project for fellow members during COVID-19. This program encouraged members to walk, run, swim, or bicycle. Each member was encouraged to keep an accurate recorded log of the miles covered. They also had to ask family, friends, and business owner partners to sponsor miles successfully traveled. Eighty-three members and four non-members participated and the member who traveled the most miles each month was awarded $75. In total, the club raised $10,556 and traveled 4,488 miles.

20^th Annual Great Akron Scarecrow Festival

The GFWC Friendship and Service Club of Akron (IA) held their Scarecrow Festival with remote and in-person activities. The in-person events included the scarecrow contest, bake sale, viewing of Nature’s Harvest auction items, scavenger hunt for children, sale of t-shirts/sweatshirts, and Cow Pie Lottery ticket sales. Remote events included announcement of scarecrow winners, an online Facebook auction for Nature’s Harvest, basket auction, and scarecrow sales. The club raised almost $5,000 to support community projects.

Fight Identity Theft

The Coronado Woman’s Club (CA) held shredding events in the parking lot of a local bank. The people who came were happy to see their documents shredded in front of them and the club was happy to help the community. The cost for people to participate in the shredding event was $7 per box, and the club raised $750 total.

Christmas Tasting Takeout

The Cosmopolitan Club of Petal (MS) planned and prepared 18 food samples of tasty Christmas dishes and placed them in small boxes. The samples coordinated with the accompanying recipe book. The patrons drove through a decorated tent to pick up a box of treats for $10. The decorations mimicked a Christmas lot with an old station wagon with a tree tied to the top. Through the project, the club raised $3,050.

GFWC Embroidered Face Masks

Members of the Women’s Club of Mount Airy (NC) made face masks and provided them to hospice, nursing homes, and teachers throughout the community. In lieu of payment, recipients were asked to donate food to the local school system. Members working as a team in their own homes completed various tasks, including bookkeeping and addressing shipping labels, embroidering logos, cutting elastic and fabric, assembling the masks, soliciting sales on personal Facebook pages, and selling to GFWC sisters. The club members contributed 1,800 volunteer hours, raised $3,600 and donated $6,840 in-kind.

Charitable Gaming

The Salem Area Woman’s Club, the Exeter Area GFWC, and the Concord Contemporary Club (all of NH) participated in charitable gaming in New Hampshire. The Salem Area Woman’s Club raised $19,705.80, the Exeter Area GFWC raised $22,403.83, and the Concord Contemporary Club raised $3,100. The clubs received 35 percent of the daily gaming profits for those days.